Alastair Teague, Horizon Bay Cabinet (FURNITURE 2025)

Photos:

Matt Lacey

Country

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

The Horizon Bay Cabinet was inspired by the flowing dunes of Blue Horizon Bay in South Africa, a memory from a trip along the Garden Route. The soft, shifting forms of the dunes left a lasting impression, and I wanted to reflect that sense of movement in this piece. The design features four curving legs and a long, sweeping apron that frames the cabinet and creates a floating effect. Continuous stringlines flow across the front, around the sides, and over the top, ensuring a sense of harmony and movement throughout. These details are enhanced by the darker Caucasian elm framing, which provides a subtle contrast and draws attention to the lighter rippled sycamore at the heart of the piece. The shimmering ripples in the sycamore’s grain shift as the viewing angle changes, adding a dynamic quality to the surface. Veneering this piece required precision. Each strip of veneer was carefully matched to ensure the curves and alignment flowed perfectly across the doors and drawers. A single strip was used across the front to maintain consistency, and flipping sections of the veneer created a subtle tonal variation to highlight the ripples. The drawers feature hand-cut dovetail joints, a detail that showcases the craftsmanship behind the piece. It’s this attention to detail and the interplay between materials that make the Horizon Bay Cabinet both functional and visually striking. The materials used—rippled sycamore and Caucasian elm—each have a rich story. The Caucasian elm was blown down in the wind over 20 years ago at Syon Park, a historic estate near London. It is believed to have been planted in the 18th century during the landscaping of the grounds by Capability Brown. Stored in the workshop for over 20 years, the elm was carefully selected for this project, offering a deep, rich colour and unique grain that perfectly complement the shimmering texture of the rippled sycamore.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.