Stanton & Merry Studios

A selection of some of the tables and bathroom vanity units that we made for the newly opened

Constructed out of oak and zinc and with a rustic aesthetic, they look perfectly at home in this beautifully renovated pub.

Testing cutting a couple of the marquetry details for the bespoke board game we are making.

A mahogany ship rides the rippled sycamore seas with a compass rose to guide it.

Following on from our last post, our chief prerequisite for the design of these items was that they had to be made in hardwoods sourced here in the Highlands and to allow the materials to champion the design. The tight growth rings and patterns on these ash vases showcase the beauty of our local woods.

As we build up an inventory of these items, they will be available to purchase so do get in touch if anything strikes your interest or you wish to make an order for any future pieces we make.

Alongside the commissions that we have been busy with, we have also been enjoying designing and making a small range of homewares and decorative items. This has allowed us to experiment with various processes that provide unique finishes and textures which will in turn carry over into processes that we can share with clients in the future.

Today we have a few examples of end grain cutting boards that we made. They come in a combination of Scottish hardwoods like oak, olive ash, sycamore and many more. These boards are unique as the grain orientation of each individual piece is vertical rather than horizontal. This allows the grain fibres to be perpendicular to the cutting motion of the knife, commonly known as a butchers block. This means that the wood fibres can separate like straws when cut which extends the sharp life of a knife and preserves the board from taking on loads of cut marks.

After planing back the top layer we can begin to see the beautiful spalted figuring beneath.

The fungi is killed off in the drying process and with an extra layer of sealant on top, we’ll highlight those enrapturing organic lines and shapes within the wood.

A pair of shelves for

An under utilised section of wall now becoming extra display space for some undoubtedly beautiful flowers and homewares.

Take a look at some of the lovely materials arriving in the workshop this week.

Brass and mother of pearl for some inlay work as well as some very unique veneers. These veneers will become very important detailing in our board game commission.

Scouting for trees.

After a good storm or whenever we’re on a walk in one of the many woods around Belladrum Estate, we look out for any trees that have come down or any standing trees that look dead/diseased. When we have enough stockpiled, we employ a sawyer to come and plank them for us. Then the wait begins - a year of air drying per inch of thickness.

This process allows us to have a more sustainable approach to what goes into the furniture we make and that is very important to us.

A small preview of a big commission.

This 7 metre long bookcase divides two rooms and is accessible from both sides. It uses a variety of fabrics and includes this vast oak framed panel.

We look forward to showing you this in its entirety soon.

We have an upcoming project to make 19 tables for a coffee shop using spalted beech.

Locally sourcing the amount we needed of this less common wood proved to be an interesting challenge with a few red herrings along the way but today we tracked down what we needed and can get this commission underway.

Here is one of our bed designs, adapting a combination of traditional joinery and modern fixings. This features in two ways as it can be easily assembled and dismantled by end users and also allows it to be optimally packaged for bulk orders.

Another piece made sustainably in windfall beech and spruce from a 2 mile radius on Belladrum.

Here are some progress shots from one of our ongoing projects. The trickiest part of this brief was that we had to find and salvage an intact root system of an oak tree. The 2 images show the state of the oak tree root that we found before we initially removed it and the amount of dirt and debris that was attached to it. We followed that up with hours of pressure washing and also treated it to some heavy sand blasting.

Solid oak dining table that fits 6 but can extend to allow for 10 using a folding leaf concealed beneath the table top. We used metal runners with ball bearings making for a smooth and quick change between the two sizes.

A bedroom, a bed room, a bed that is a room and a collaboration with collaborators we will never meet. This beautiful hand carved mango wood doorway and jali screen were imported from India and given a new life as this four-poster bed.

With closable doors and cream curtains, it’s possible to create a snug little cocoon in this commission for a holiday let.

Here’s one of our favorite angles to recap one of our kitchen projects.

In this particular project our clients wanted a natural oak finish for their kitchen with incorporated handles that were cut into the top of the doors.

This created a sleek finish with no additional protruding ironmongery. We took care to ensure that the grain direction matches and is continuous from top to bottom drawers and any doors that were split into two.

Rather than opting for upper cabinets, these clients also decided to go for a single continuous floating shelf partnered with a slatted extractor cover.

A pair of side tables ready for a new coat of paint.

These were designed to be resourcefully batch produced and easily customisable. On request, they can be painted to any colour of choice and be adapted to have more drawers or even a small door. Do get in touch if this is something you may be interested in.

This compact kitchen unit has made its way from the Highlands to the Peak District.

Farrow & Ball’s ‘Treron’ paint pairs well with the oak worktop and Belladrum beech drawers.

The unit houses both an oven and a hob and was designed to make practical use out of what was an awkward space.

The medullary rays (streaks in the grain that only appear when oak is cut in a certain way known as quarter sawn) make a strong showing.

At The Earn Coffee Shop, we also built a solid beech laptop bar with discreet bag and coat hooks and under-counter charging points. All complemented by solid beech shelves. To maintain the industrial style, all the hardware is made from steel piping, adding a touch of industrial charm.

At our workshop, we have the privilege of harvesting turning blanks from the Belladrum Estate whenever the need arises.

This access grants us a supply of high-quality wood, including ash, beech, elm, rowan, oak, and even applewood. With these materials, we are able to create a wide range of items. From homeware such as salad bowls to ornamental pieces like vases and wooden forms.

Additionally, this also enables us to incorporate beautifully turned elements into our diverse range of commissioned projects, further showcasing the versatility of our work.

We love the variety that we come across with different enquiries. From boot rooms, bookcases and beds to these unique games boards.

Here is a backgammon board we created in burr oak with inlaid sycamore and walnut.

The counters are made in sycamore and walnut to match.

A special gift for a special day.

Good afternoon from the office.

Some days our tools of choice are our laptops, working through CAD designs as we move from design to build on a variety of projects.

We look forward to sharing more details as they progress.

We built this counter in solid oak for a coffee shop renovation in Bridge of Earn.

Combining functionality and style, it features oak parquetry and a large open beech counter providing optimal storage and display space.

The Earn Coffee Shop

We crafted this entry table in walnut with stained and inlaid oak for the ebony detailing.

Its octagonal shape and nuanced grain make it an eye catching home accent for a hallway.

Blending functionality and style, this piece features solid drawers with brass military handles and push-click doors hiding adjustable wine racks.

Here is Alex working away on the top planer.

As one of the founders, balancing all the roles of running a business can be tricky. However one aspect that we never grow tired of is getting on the tools and doing what we are truly passionate about.

A full width solid oak bookcase, custom-built to frame
the door leading out of this office.

Designed to maximise storage space, it features open adjustable shelves for displaying files and books while a brace of cabinets on either side provides the base.

All the materials were sourced from oaks that came down locally, including some from right here on Belladrum.

Would you choose upper cabinets or open shelving?

In many instances, the natural assumption when designing a kitchen is to maximise storage.

However, that does not always need to be the case.

A single floating oak shelf was chosen for this kitchen as the clients were happy with the amount of cabinet space they had from the lower cabinets and wanted to maintain a light and modern look.

The floating shelf creates a calming, open aesthetic to the space and naturally enlarges the feel by making more of the wall visible.

Rooting for the future.

We wanted to share a glimpse into what some of our days can look like. From time to time we enjoy swapping our chisels and planes for the excitement of chainsaws and tractors.

We retrieved this windfall oak tree on Belladrum Estate, chiefly aiming to keep its root base as intact as possible for a very exciting commission.

As often as possible, we relish the opportunity to use beautiful timber that is grown right here in Scotland rather than stock that comes with high mileage from around the world.

A new lease on life.

We gave this existing kitchen a makeover after beginning to look tired from its years of use.

It began as an off the shelf kitchen with flat slab style doors and panels.

We made all new solid wooden shaker doors, replaced all the filler and end panels to match and additional panelling was applied to the existing island to have matching shaker panels as the doors.

It also received brand new birch ply drawers with bespoke inserts made to suit the clients favourite utensils and spices.

It was then painted in Metropolitan, a subtle grey that compliments the natural warm tones of the timber worktop and floor and dressed in ironmongery.

A unique backgammon board made in collaboration with who designed and painted the beautiful playing surface and printed it on silk.

We encased it in oak with a removable top so it can be used as a side table and we made a foldable butlers tray stand so it can be easily stowed away.

A glass layer separates and protects the silk.

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