The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers Design Prize

New Competitions Launched for 2011!

We have three brand new awards to make this year, all designed to encourage and promote excellence and good practice.
For more details about these exciting awards click here

We are delighted to be working with The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers (WCFM) to recognize truly extraordinary design amongst hundreds of excellent pieces.

The WCFM Design Prize brings highly respected judges to Celebration of Craftsmanship & Design with their various design perspectives. Their experience and expertise combine to give this award serious credibility. In 2011 the judging panel included Geoffrey Harcourt RDI, Frank Peters, Director of the Chartered Society of Designers and John Makepeace OBE (who stood in for journalist Sophy Roberts). Andrew Varah chaired the judging on behalf of the Furniture Makers Company.

The 2011 prize went to a magnificent sideboard in black oak and pearwood that was designed and built by Waywood. This studio has pioneered the use of digitally controlled production to create subtly innovative forms. They combine the strengths of modern technology with the knowledge and skills of the traditional maker to create work that is designed beautifully both in aesthetic and constructional terms. The black oak exterior opens up to reveal a contrasting pearwood interior.

The judges also chose two other items for special commendation. The chair ‘Hinta’ by Dutch designer, Eric Mertens, of Meubelmakerij Mertens, was chosen for its extraordinary elegance, comfort and detailing. Paul Jaques, primarily a sculptor, was showing a cluster of micro-tables with suede straps as handles, both functional and humorous.