By Deana Lancaster
Contributing Writer
The first bed he made
from peeled alder poles
Was a canopy bed. It
squeaked so badly that
later he had to take it
apart and wax the
joints,

But ir was a sharp learning
curve, says Ted Ingham, owner
of North West — Rustic
Furnishings in North
Vancouver.

Now, five years later, he
takes pride in the furnishings
he makes from round wood
branches and sells.

“I feel what I'm fighting
against is the misconception
that rustic furniture is not
going to last,” he says.

In fact, Ingham carefully
selects, harvests and seasons
the wood for each piece he
makes, ensuring dimensional
stability in the finished prod-
uct. Unique joinery takes
advantage of the wood’s natur-
al shrinkage to grow stronger
as it ages,

Ingham feels good enough
about his work that he guaran-
tees it for 10 years,

He also feels good about
what he’s doing because of the
connection to the environ-
ment. The wood he uses is
often fallen dead wood and
sometimes is a fire hazard. And
the harvest of it has a minimal
impact, especially when com-

CLASSIC 4 POSTER

improvement
Rustic furniture guaranteed

North Van furniture maker
learned his craft the hard way

pared to logging,

Ingham: said it's also) thar
connection which makes his
rustic furniture ideal for the
urban setting.

“People are looking fer
some real Wood to touch,” be
says. ICs that same need that
inspires him to work on the
ni here on the North
Shere.

“People ask me why don’t I
live in Whistler or on Bowen to
do this kind of thing. But {
don’t think E would really want

to make this kind of furniture if

f lived out there.” Instead, he
jokes, he would probably want
ta make smooth, contempo-
rary furniture.

Still, much of his work ends
up in places like Whistler,
adding warmth and whimsey
to weekend cabins. A lor of it
has also found it’s way to
Japan, says Ingham.

“The Japanese have a dif:
ferent persective on nature, I
think they appreciate it more
deeply,” he says,

His pieces do sell well
through the U.S. and Canada,
and are perhaps the least well-
known right here on the lower
mainland. It may be because
he only sells it out of his show-
room on East Ist, other stores
have offered to self ir but
Ingham says he is trying to
maintain the exclusive’ nature
of it.

“But, you know it’s funny
how people find you when you
have a specialey.”

Just recently, Grouse

i : y

NEWS photo Paul McGrath

ARTISAN Ted Ingham says rustic furniture is ideal for
the urban environment because people are looking
for some real wood to touch. ws

Mountain found him. Ingham
made all the railings, bannisters
and balustrades for the newly
renovated chalet at the top of
the mountain,

And he teaches others the
craft of rustic furniture making
at classes put on by North
Vancouver Recreation centers

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and his own Saturday work-
shops.

He’s a busy man, He puts
in 60-hour weeks at his show-
room and workshop, leaving
little time to make anything for
himself and his family. Luckily,
he still has that first bed Good
thing it no longer squeaks.

109

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