Chair fit for a prince
A competition run by The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers to design a high chair for Prince George has been won by Katie Walker. Her entry was one of five shortlisted, along with those from other eminent Bespoke Guild Mark holders Matthew Burt, David Colwell, Jake Phipps, and James Ryan.
Commissioned by The Furniture Makers Company, Walker has now crafted the chair with Roger Smith of Katie Walker Furniture at its studio in West Sussex. The chair is made in rippled ash (Fraxinus excelsior) supplied by Sutton Timber. Felled in 2001 on the Longleat Estate, ash was chosen because it would be particularly white. The chair was finished with white-tinted hard wax oil, and the safety harness, supplied by Clippasafe, has a bespoke webbing colour combination. Walker said: 'I was thrilled to win such a commission; not only is it a chance to create a real piece of history but it is wonderful to be chosen to represent my profession.'
The design was guided predominantly by the functional aspects of a child's high chair. The back rest curves for comfort and provides a sense of containment. The curve also allows the chair's front legs to flow seamlessly into each other. To achieve this, the front legs and the top rail of the backrest are steam bent. All other curved elements are laminated from 1.5mm ash veneer or birch plywood. The furniture piece (pictured above with Walker) was presented to Prince George's parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, last month.
Walker studied at the Royal College of Art. Her pieces, all handmade in the UK, can be found in public and private collections worldwide.
