Shaped from flowing ash wood, the fluid design of our circular Housel Shelf and Housel Shelf with Mirror challenges everyday linear storage solutions. With their steam bent curves, versatility and unusual, eye catching aesthetic, these new designs have already become widely admired by many. We caught up with our skilled workshop team to find out more about how the Housel designs came to life. 

Design Inspiration

Inspired by the sculptural tree canopies that surround our Cornish studios, the Housel Shelf combines function and elegance. Celebrating the strength, versatility and unique character of sustainably sourced ash wood, the shelf was designed to be both practical and eye catching.

“We wanted to create a storage-focused range that would amplify a space, putting a unique twist on everyday objects whilst using sustainable materials.”

– Tom Raffield, Founder.

Handcrafted from a single length of sustainably sourced ash wood that is steam bent to form a unique circular frame, the Housel features a solid ash shelf which nestles into the surrounding hoop, creating a contemporary yet practical place to store smaller homewares.

Expertly designed to sit comfortably in smaller living spaces, the multi-functional Housel Shelf with Mirror proves a great place to house everyday essentials. Suited especially well to a hallway, bedroom or living room, you can read more about our Housel styling tips for smaller spaces in our Urban Minimalism blog. 

 

The Making Process

The Housel Shelf is made using lengths of sustainably sourced ash wood, which are measured, cut to size, and loaded into our custom-made steamers. Once the wood has been steamed for a sufficient amount of time to become supple, the lengths of ash are removed from the steamers, allowing our skilled team to bend the wood around specially designed jigs to form the circular form of the Housel’s frame. Clamps are then used to hold the bent wood in place and each piece is left in our drying room overnight to make sure it holds its form.

The solid ash wood shelf that rests inside the hoop of the Housel is crafted using a series of specialist rebated grooves made by a CNC machine, meaning that the angle nestles into the outer frame and sits against a wall at the perfect angle. When handcrafting the Housel Shelf with Mirror, the team create a groove for the mirror to sit comfortably inside, keeping it secure.

Once assembled, each Housel Shelf is finished with an eco-friendly natural oil blend which provides a long-wearing and durable matt finish.

Our Materials

Sustainably sourced ash wood was the perfect material to create the Housel Shelf design due to its versatility. Ash is both strong and light and is consequently less prone to snapping or splitting during the steam bending process - this means we can create the unique curves of this durable design with minimal wastage levels. 

Our Styling Tips...

The Bathroom

Update your bathroom space with the Housel Shelf with Mirror and discover practical, yet aesthetically pleasing storage at it's very best. The Housel's fluid form is guaranteed to add a focal point to your space and provide the perfect place to display bathroom essentials. 

The Hallway

Style the Housel Shelf with Mirror in your hallway to create an intuitive place to store your house keys, lip balm and maybe a scented candle or two. The mirror will bounce light around the space beautifully and the sculptural form of the design will add a unique point of interest to your space.

The Playroom

Add a unique element to your children’s playroom interior with the Housel Shelf displayed in a cluster. Each design provides the perfect place to store favourite toys without making the space feel cluttered.

Posted: 01.04.20
Updated: 08.06.23