Classes
Welcome to School of Nafisi
This is a private course, booked for 1 person to have 1 to 1 time with a tutor.
Time: 1 Day course - 11am till 5pm ( flexible to your needs)
Level: All levels welcome from first timers to more experienced steam benders.
Description: Steam bending is a process of heating up the lignin liquid and cellulose inside wood so that it can bend into curved shapes, as it cools it stays in its new form. Wonderful shapes can be made from traditional boat building and barrel making to experimental sculpture and furniture.
You can come with a specific project in mind as a sketch or from a picture. Or you can improvise and we can come up with ideas as we walk through the 4 main bending techniques, creating something spontaneously.
Take Home:
The art pieces that you make during the day
A little intro to wood for steam bending
The 4 key types of bending methods
The knowledge of how to set up your own steam box at home so you can start bending by yourself should you want to.
A calming feeling from being in nature and a lung full of fresh air
Materials: All materials + Lunch (with Vegetarian options) + refreshments are included. Those with unique dietary requirements should let us know in advance so we can prepare something you’ll enjoy.
Gift Vouchers: After purchase, please let us know via email if this is a gift and we’ll arrange a certificate to be emailed or posted to you.
Accessibility:
There are no steps in our land and it is all on one level for wheelchair access.
There are areas of uneven ground such as the gravel drive way where the cars come in and overgrown grass area where we do the bending.
The grass area is on a slight slope. The workshop door is wide and benches have a good reach at sitting height. There is parking space for cars on flat concrete.
The toilet is rather tiny, so wouldn’t fit a wheelchair but being right next to the front door of our home, it would be accessible on crutches or with assistance.
If there are any ways we could make your day more comfortable or easier please let us know and we’ll be more than happy to prepare it for you. Both Abi and I will aways be on hand to help with anything you might need.
After purchase, please get in contact through our CONTACT page to decide on a date that works for you to attend the course.
Welcome to School of Nafisi
This is a private course, booked for 1 person to have 1 to 1 time with a tutor.
Time: 1 Day course - 10am till 5pm ( flexible to your needs)
Level: This is ideal for someone who has never made a stool before.
Description: We will give you a stunning piece of wood and you will design a stool seat shape based around the woods character and grain. Our wood is locally grown and sustainably felled.
Techniques you will cover are:
Wood selection
Marking up circles
Hand shaving the legs or have a go at woodturning on a machine lathe
Cutting out the seat on bandsaw
Make a Mortise and Tennon joint / Split Wedge Joint
Sanding and oiling
Take Home:
The stool/ bench you make during the day
A little intro to green woodworking
Experience of making a key joint in joinery, a very transferable skill to any furniture making
The knowledge of how to make your own stool again and tool recommendations
A calming feeling from being in nature and a lung full of fresh air
Materials: All materials + Lunch (with Vegetarian options) + refreshments are included. Those with unique dietary requirements should let us know in advance so we can prepare something you’ll enjoy or alternatively can bring a packed lunch.
Gift Vouchers: After purchase, please let us know via email if this is a gift and we’ll arrange a certificate to be emailed or posted to you.
Accessibility:
There are no steps in our land, it is all on one level for wheelchair access.
There are areas of uneven ground such as the gravel drive way where the cars come in and overgrown grass area.
The grass area is on a slight slope. The workshop door is wide and benches have a good reach at sitting height. There is parking space for cars on flat concrete.
The toilet is rather tiny, so wouldn’t fit a wheelchair but being right next to the front door of our home, it would be accessible on crutches or with assistance.
If there are any ways we could make your day more comfortable or easier please let us know and we’ll be more than happy to prepare it for you. Both Abi and I will aways be on hand to help with anything you might need.
Made from British sustainably sourced oak wood, this playful design will make a creative statement in your home or office. It uses the ancient woodworking technique and hand craft of Steam Bending, paired with modern, colourful exposed chords and stunning LED bulbs.
SIZE
One size: W: 40cm - H: 38cm - D: 6cm
DETAILS
1m flat colourful cord included
Wall plug included
Large Pink/Turquoise gradient LED bulb 4W, E27 screw included
Please allow a 4-5 week lead time on this product
For other chord colours and bulb choices please get in touch at a@nafisi.design
SHIPPING
UK mainland included
They are also available to be picked up from our Horsham, workshop at no extra charge.
For shipping outside of the UK or for larger orders please get in touch at a@nafisi.design
NOTE: DUE TO COVID WE ARE EXPERIENCING AN INCREASE LEAD TIMES
WHY
Since Abdollah starred in and made a Sussex Chair on BBC Two’s ‘The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts’ he has fallen in love with this chair ( back in Sept/Oct 2018). He was was tasked to handmake a chair from a tree trunk after less than 20 minutes studying it and remake it in only 5 days for the TV series! Today the concept is to make a very similar style reproduction chair with a Nafisi twist painted in bright bold modern colours.
HOW
You can see the making process in detail here from Abdollah’s time on the TV show. However this time he will make the chair using the ease and convenience of an electric workshop and heating. It will take 10 working days, plus postage time, plus lead times of 4-6 weeks.
BESPOKE
You can have it made in any colour you like and can choose to have it with or without arms. When you purchase your chair email us the colour you’d like it to be painted in. The traditional chair colour is black ebony ink, we have added some earthy colour ways such as sun, sea, rock and plant tones to inspire you. After we paint the frame, we rush the seat. We can post it to you at an extra charge or you can collect it from our studio in person. We use traditional rush reeds but this could be replaced with recycled materials your taste to make it more subversive.
HISTORY
An original Sussex Chair by William Morris & Co is exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum where you can read about the history of this stunning classic design. There is also a brilliant article by local Sussex author Janet Pennington.
SIZE
With Arms H: 83 cm - D: 41 cm - W: 58 cm
Without Arms W: 49 cm
SHIPPING
Due to the big differences in shipping costs depending on your location, we cannot offer standardised shipping for this product.
THIS ITEM IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP FROM OUR SHOP when bought online to avoid overcharging you.
Please contact us directly at a@nafisi.design for a bespoke shipping quote if you can’t pick it up in person or for shipping outside of the UK and larger orders.