Steven Hartung's cabinet series explores material-led design
Furniture maker Steven Hartung details his process of designing through making, using woods like bog oak and yew.
Two distinct perspectives on the craft of woodworking emerge this week. One examines the careful, material-led process behind a series of art cabinets, while the other is a personal meditation on the irreplaceable atmosphere created by heating a workshop with a wood-burning stove.
Material-Led Cabinet Making
Steven Hartung, a woodworker based in Wicklow, Ireland, allows the inherent qualities of his materials to dictate the design and construction of his pieces. He begins each project with one or two core ideas, such as using pronounced shadow lines or a textured surface, which remain constant as the work evolves. Hartung insists that design does not stop when making begins, with decisions about form, finish, and function unfolding continuously throughout the build.
He works directly with rare and characterful woods, letting their grain, color, and figure guide their application. For a cabinet made from yew burr, Hartung was inspired by the Japanese kintsugi tradition, resulting in a piece that incorporates 23 patches as a celebrated part of its design. Another cabinet, crafted from Irish wild cherry with a rare pigment figure, required hours of layout to ensure the striking color streaks complemented the piece's geometry without overwhelming it. Hartung's first use of bog oak revealed that the wood's subtle silvers and grays were best highlighted not with a finish, but through hand-planing and burnishing with a cotton cloth.
The Woodshop Stove
A woodworker argues that nothing belongs in a woodshop quite like a wood-burning stove. This method of heating provides a steady, radiant warmth that builds slowly, matching the deliberate pace of handcraft. The writer finds deep satisfaction in the entire cycle, from cutting and splitting the firewood to stacking it as a source of pride and comfort for the winter ahead.
The stove's heat alters the shop atmosphere fundamentally. It offers even, dry warmth that improves glue behavior and finish drying. More than a simple appliance, the stove becomes a quiet companion that necessitates periodic, mindful pauses in the work. For this craftsman, the process of heating the workspace with wood creates a satisfyingly complete loop, connecting the material's source to the environment of creation. It is a deliberate counterpoint to speed, asking the woodworker to slow down and engage with the fundamental rhythms of the craft.
