Hello, I’m Nicholas Langan and welcome you to my studio situated at the head of the estuary  in Hayle, Cornwall.  I established Journeyman Furniture in 2003 after following a traditional ‘journeyman’ path in following my passion for making fine contemporary furniture.

What is a journeyman?

The term journeyman is still used today, but was much more widely used in the days of apprenticeship. The cabinet/furniture maker’s apprentice would serve a term of between 5 and 7 years to the master craftsman. Once that apprenticeship was finished he would then become a journeyman and admitted to full membership of his craft.  I should mention that today there are also female furniture makers!

The journeyman would then have an option to travel between workshops from town to town to gain further experience. Once enough capital was raised by the journeyman they would set up their own workshop and become a master with the blessing of their guild. The master’s  obligation was then to take on an apprentice, and so completing and sustaining  the cycle.
 

Handcrafted Furniture from Cornwall

Being based in Cornwall and looking out on the daily ebb and flow of the tide and shifting sand dunes, I am continually inspired to create beautiful furniture and artefacts which reflect the moods of nature.  I am passionate about the wood used in my designs and always try to get the most out of the grain, patterns and texture of the timber paying close attention to the overall form and functionality of the piece.

I produce clean lines and employ simple decoration allowing the wood to express itself, and most importantly your needs and personality are reflected to ensure that the finished piece enhances your environment and life.         

Sustainable woods

I care about conservation of our planet and support sustainable forestry practice by using local native timber wherever possible. Some of the most interesting wood that I use is hand selected and comes from local sources. Hardwoods are generally used such as  brown oak, olive ash, rippled sycamore, wild cherry, curly walnut, spalted beech and  burr elm, although yew (technically a softwood) and cedar of lebanon is also used.

Other more exotic woods and highly figured veneers are used to achieve decorative patterns but I strive to ensure that it has originated from an ethical source. A myriad of techniques are used in the studio to manipulate materials to create curves and other complex shapes. In the finer points of construction, hand tools are always used to produce a fine finish to my exacting standards.

I am always looking for unusual wood and keep a stockpile to use in future projects. Most of the stock in use has provenance, I can tell you exactly where it came from.

Find out more about the woods we use

Clients

I have followed my ‘journeyman’ path by working on a number of projects for various prestigious clients including David Linley, English Heritage, Liberty, various high end retailers and even the occasional celebrity.
I now have a number of personal clients and work with interior designers and architects, designing and creating beautiful furniture and interiors to commission.

Find out more about our furniture or read our latest news