chair – PRAIRIE BENCH

Table for One

by Prairie BenchSeptember 14, 2018September 20, 20180

We found an interesting steel rod chair. It’s rusty and the seat was missing, but there are no accidental bends and the ball bearing feet are intact. The welds are still good. Rather than paint the metal, we’ve weather treated it the way we found it. The seat was made from left over spruce slats tongue and grooved, glued and stained a deep burgundy—the inspiration was the evening sky, perfect for a quality cup of coffee and some quiet reflection.

There was more spruce than we knew what to do with, so we also made hallway shelves, a spice rack, a tea cupboard, and a little table for one. Same technique, glued to fit and the leg was cut from six slats and pressed together like a vertical jigsaw puzzle. We did two tables, one with a round top and one square…alas the round top was claimed by a friend. We hope to have a picture of the entire set together some time.

It was a fun side project using slightly warped, left over spruce.

Table: 13″ wide, 27″ tall, 10″ base. Chair: 18″ tall at seat, 34″ back, 13″ wide.

Finished in oil stain and polyurethane.

Empire Stool, Country Style

by Prairie BenchJune 20, 2014November 29, 20150

This is our version of the classical empire stool with some western flare. We also refer to it as an attendant stool when teamed up with the repose chaise.

This piece is made of reclaimed spruce and finished in our Country Rustic finish using water-based stain and finished in polyurethane for durable shine.

The center seat height is lower than a regular dining chair, only 15″, and makes a great stool in the entry or anywhere you might like to stop for a minute or set down an armful. We have one in the bedroom constantly covered in clothes. This version includes a little cubby built into the frame.

Country Style Empire Stool #21-6-14-BL
Approx: 28″wide x 16″ tall x 18″ deep
Finished in polyurethane

Ready to serve: a customer submitted this beautiful shot of our stool in its new abode. Thank you! — Ready to serve: A patron submitted this beautiful shot of our empire stool design in its new abode. Thank you!

Wolf Throne

by Prairie BenchSeptember 11, 2013November 29, 20158

Continuing with the Elk and Wolf Dining Project, the frames for the two thrones are complete. Each uses hazelnut posts with balsam fir supports. The backboard and seat are Sitka Spruce. The dowels are hazelnut and hemlock. No screws or nails are used, just glue and pressure. The posts were measured to fit then hand chiseled to fit the interlocking fir supports. No stain was used, just clear finish and some charcoal was sanded into the joints.

The hazelnut posts are grown onsite and have a muscular, sinew look with a slight purple hue. The spruce backboard is from an old log claimed from the Fraser river by a local tug operator. The arms have carved paws and there a some roughed meadow leaves and branches on the edges and seat. When sitting, the wolf appears to be looking over your shoulder, a bit scary and intimidating for your subjects. That’s the look we wanted!

The seat had a natural band that seems to create a scene with a knot moon in the background. Wood contains it’s own art, but it was fun to add our carving of a wolf. So much fun, we made a spruce shield to indicate when the Wolf King or Queen was in town. If the shield is hanging on the throne, the wolf is around.

Check back to see the Elk throne. It’s almost done.

The Repose Bench

by Prairie BenchJune 4, 2012February 4, 20210

In our ongoing fascination with ancient furniture, we wanted to design a unique bench that used a curved surface. The trick is in the joinery. We created barrel staves out of reclaimed spruce with vertical grain lath for stability. The X frame legs were another carry over from old world designs. Though, we’ll try this again in a box frame.

The Repose, as we call it, invites the sitter to lounge appropriately. Designed for the boudoir, or a photography studio, combine a few throw pillows and it forces the seated to assume a most flattering, nonchalant and radiant pose. It’s the Prairie Bench spin on early Grecian and Roman stools, where the partaking of peeled fruit and philosophy was the order.

Check earlier post for the accompanying, smaller, Attendant Stool. The same design, but in a traditional half moon shape specifically for the grape peeler.

Both are intended to alternate as a bedroom clothes heap holder.

Repose: 90-BL-06-12, reclaimed spruce, finished in dark walnut stain and counter oil.

The Attendant Stool

by Prairie BenchJune 4, 2012November 29, 20151

The Attendant Stool is the accompanying seat to the Repose bench. Both use arch-top, or barrel stave designs that we use in our shields and saddle horses. This is a wonderful stool for piling clothes in a bedroom, or a handy seat for the attendant.

The stool is designed in reclaimed spruce, finished in dark walnut stain and counter oil. Size is approximately 24″ wide x 16″ tall at the valley.

Attendant Stool: 91-BL-06-12