Situated close to Edinburgh in idyllic countryside, the Chippendale International School of Furniture lies between the market town of Haddington, and the beautiful village of Gifford.
Each year the school welcomes a small number of students from all over the world to a 30-week course which starts in October, but which the school claims provides the equivalent of a three-year course in less than a year.
This year’s graduates came from the UK, USA and Canada, and in previous years have come from all other parts of the world, including Asia, Australia and South America. Few have had any formal woodworking experience, but all leave with a life-skill they can use for the rest of their careers.
The school was established in 1985 and since then has grown in size and prestige. It is inspired by the work of Thomas Chippendale, and fuses age-old craftsmanship with more modern design – inspiring furniture that pushes the boundaries of what is possible.
The school’s founder, Anselm Fraser, himself a well-known furniture designer and maker, is also the inventor of the wooden kilt, which was exhibited at the Dressed to Kilt opening event at Tartan Week, New York.
Among this year’s top graduation pieces were a drinks cabinet in the shape of a fish, a Japanese-inspired tea cabinet with a delicate blossom-tree inlay, and a replica of a 1920s American 'prohibition table' – an ordinary-looking table that, with the touch of a button, hides illicit bottles of alcohol.
For more information see www.chippendaleschool.com