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Country Living November 2023

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Inside one of the UK’s best magazines devoted to the English countryside, November’s Country Living, you will find a supplement with the nicely punning title of ‘Handmade Tales: Britain’s Top Artisan Makers’. It was a lovely surprise to see Richard featured as one of those craftspeople on page 10 and 11. He and the company have earned their status as ‘top artisan makers’. Just take a scroll through the testimonials on the home page of the website.

The supplement is divided into six areas of the UK and features some extraordinary craftspeople, making the most diverse and creative pieces from fabrics to furniture and from weaving to woodwork. A lot of these skills and age old techniques honed by time are thought by many to be long lost arts. Far from it. In this digital age we’ve all been crowbarred or seduced into (depending on your point of view and engagement with the tech), it can’t come as a surprise that premium physical pieces are highly prized by many and it doesn’t get more primal than a man expertly bending and shaping metal at an anvil.

It’s very encouraging that there are people, like those at Country Living, who care enough about these crafts to showcase them with such support and enthusiasm. As a small family company, we are always thrilled to have someone shine a light our way. Country Living editor, Michele Jameson, says at the end of her welcome piece. “We hope you enjoy this tribute to some extraordinary British talent.” All of us at Made by the Forge enjoyed it very much.

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Tree Hooks for hanging bird feeders or lanterns

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Being British we can always rely on the weather to be totally unreliable, unpredictable and these days quite dramatic. But believe it or not, we’ve edged into Spring. It’s the perfect time to show a little support for new feathered parents and their hatchlings by making it easier for them to find nourishment. With predatory sparrow hawks looking for an easy target, it’s best to feed from the relative security of tree branches which is where Made by the Forge comes in.

I’d like to draw your attention to the perfectly functional, robustly unapologetic S `Curve Tree Hooks. Available in three sizes, in their raw, unfinished state rusting over time. These are designed to live outside in all weathers and to be at home hanging out with and hanging from tree branches of various sizes.

Of course, they are not just for bird feeders. Their strength can take heavy loads. You can use them with decorative hanging baskets, or even a candle lantern to give a splash of style to your evening garden parties. In fact, if you stopped to think about it, their usefulness can be exploited in a huge variety of ways. What do you have lying around that you’d rather have hanging around?

Click here to view the Tree Hooks.

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The difference between Matt Black paint and natural beeswax finishes

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The Alexandra finial above

There are subtle differences between these two finishes as illustrated in the images which show both colours alongside each other. The beeswax finish on the right is a natural wax that is applied to the metal as soon as it is forged, while the iron is still hot. Once cool, it gives the metal a hardwearing, protective coating yet has no colour and makes the metal’s finish look like an inky, gun metal grey. The result is a piece of ironwork with a very dark, luxurious ‘sheen’. It allows the natural colour and grain of the metal to stand out and caring for it’s needs is easy by dusting it from time to time. Beeswax is non-toxic and is completely environmentally friendly. It is our personal choice of finish and was always the traditional way to coat metal before paint became available.


The Levington finial above

Our matt black finish on the left above is an all over paint. Once applied it has a consistent coat that will wear well and keeps its colour. It can be wiped clean with a damp sponge and is more suitable than beeswax in a humid area. The paint covers the iron completely giving it a uniform, slick appearance and looks incredibly smart framing a window or on any piece of ironwork. There are however environmental concerns regarding the use of this sort of paint because of the VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) which are now known to be damaging to the environment so we have highlighted this.  We aim to be completely transparent regarding our products’ credentials.

It is well known that black never goes out of style but which shade is always the most pressing question. That’s your choice and we hope these pictures and information about them both have helped you decide.

If you have any other questions regarding the finishes please do send us an email to sales@madebytheforge.co.uk or call 01473 487118 for more information.

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Candlesticks for the Best Dressed Tables

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Atmosphere isn’t only the air that we breathe (but we are still very thankful for that). It’s also the mood you make tangible in your home when entertaining friends. There is nothing kinder to complexions, visually warmer or welcoming than candlelight. While the only practical light before the invention of electricity, it’s since become the lighting of choice at any dinner party worth its salt. It’s hard to put your finger on why but candlelight is naturally alluring.

So, something this atmospheric needs a candlestick of equal attractiveness, a design to please the senses, both tactile and visual. It must also have a practical no-nonsense approach to holding their flame-providers in place. Given the task to satisfy all these criteria was our in-house creative blacksmith Marcello Stavolo. His artistic instinct was to design something “…unique and quirky, something different with a sense of movement inherent in the metal. I call the design ‘Molten Moments’.”

One look at Made by the Forge’s new candlesticks should delight the eye and satisfy the art critic in you. At once contemporary and fun, they also have the appearance of once being a candle themselves, slightly melted in places but still making the effort with ease of holding up the next generation. The hammered plates they sit on, with hand hammered blows still visible, are upturned at the edges to catch and retain melted wax.

Never has unwanted metal looked so good. Believe it or not, these gorgeous candlesticks were made from metal, in normal times, that would be bound for the scrapheap. But times change and Made by the Forge changes with them. Waste is something we take very seriously these days and so, in the interests of a circular economy we thought we would repurpose our waste into something valuable and more importantly, something that will last a lifetime and beyond. As the most famous animated candlestick once said… “Be our guest…”

To see how these extraordinary candlesticks are made,  join Richard for a short guide at the Forge…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ncyTI7vqWM

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The Forge ‘Shapes’ Bathroom Range

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Famous for its design potential, the bathroom provides homeowners with a chance to be different, an opportunity to reveal a playful side. You might say that bathroom design has very few rules so feel free to break all of them. For example, what might look out of place in any other room, may be perfect for the bathroom. Some bathrooms I’ve visited had an on-it-side, old fashioned trunk as the under-sink cupboard which not only works surprisingly well, it’s a nod to the past which is practical and somewhat distinctive. A lot of show business folks like to adorn their smallest rooms with any awards they may have won. Often you will find autographed photos of famous people in people’s bathrooms. On any other wall in the house, it may be seen as not the done thing, a sort of visual namedropping but in the bathroom, it’s forgiven and enjoyed.

But what if your own bathroom could do with a bit of design, pieces that fit together as a range but also stand alone as desirable bathroom accessories? As a small family business, it’s always a thrill to work with talented, award-winning British designers. We are welcoming back Chris Eckersley who has designed a number of pieces for the bathroom. Titled ‘The Forge Shapes Bathroom Range’, it consists of five pieces and each is linked by the design of three shapes that reoccur throughout the range. Small, metal circles, squares and diamonds all feature on each piece providing a subtle theme if any are placed together. 

The range includes a towel rail, loo roll wall brackets, single hooks, a combination set of 3 hooks and a toilet roll ‘Butler’.

Each will be hand made by our expert team at the Forge. The pieces will gift your bathroom with a ‘contemporary designer’ ambiance, that is wholly practical but also visually arresting aspect, a merging of the modern rustic with an up to date sensibility.

For this bathroom project we also worked with the interior designer Jane McIntyre to create a space where there was a calm practical overall theme. Jane suggested a large mirror and a French style curtain pole for the window opening. Also long, light weight curtains for privacy and peacefulness and lots of hooks to hang dressing gowns, towels and clothes on. It all works beautifully and is such a joy when in the space.

With a little creativity and care, you may want to spend more time indulging in beautifying your bathroom. We like to adorn spaces with useful items that last. All the pieces in the ranges are designed and made to last a lifetime so once purchased that’s it other than treating yourself to some beautiful towels and gorgeous products to make your space truly luxurious. Perhaps now is the time to ‘shape’ up your bathroom.

 

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Introduction to the ‘Ten Steps’ Initiative

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The recent COP 26 conference in Glasgow, uniting world leaders to find immediate solutions to the runaway climate change problem, yielded mixed results. At Made by the Forge, we feel that we each have a responsibility to do our bit to offset carbon emissions both at home and at our business. We started our own offset efforts 13 years ago, aware that making our products requires energy that produces carbon, something unavoidable in fashioning ironwork. Since 2009, we have stood by our pledge of planting a tree for each order received. In the early days, we did this by hand by ourselves and as the business grew, we relied on the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and teams of volunteers to plant thousands of trees. We have now formed a relationship with Houghton Hall Estate and contribute to the extraordinary environmental work that’s an ongoing project in Norfolk, planting trees for hedgerows and creating specific areas for wildlife.

With all the media coverage of global warming issues reporting on so many floods and fires that just over three decades ago were rare, we have reached a tipping point. We now want to step up a gear and aim at the holy grail of environmental responsibility –  emissions as low as possible before a set date. But what exactly is a carbon footprint? Well, you’re adding to it right now by just breathing out. But industry and manufacturing companies emit a great amount of CO2 and that’s where the principal problem lies. To this end, we have made a commitment to the SME Climate Hub (Small and Medium Enterprises) to follow the ‘Ten Steps To Net-Zero’ plan. We thought that a series of blogs explaining these steps might help people to understand the importance of what the individual is capable of. Add those people up and making a huge difference together is possible and to be frank, urgently needed.

You may think that some environmental initiatives by food companies and manufacturing firms are ‘green washing’, paying lip service to needed changes by providing money to soothe consciences and then just carrying on business as usual. But at Made by the Forge we want Net-Zero (in a few years) to actually be business as usual. It’s going to be challenging, a word we use when we want to put a positive face on ‘hard work’ but in the 21st century, we want to be a company that takes its responsibilities to our customers as seriously as we need to take our responsibilities to the planet. Join us on the journey.

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New 16mm Curtain Pole Range

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I’d like to introduce our new 16mm curtain pole range. Windows are very idiosyncratic. There’s no such thing as a standard window. They need to let the light in but also have the curtains drawn to keep the cold winds out and the dark at bay. They can be huge in some interior spaces and all windows however large or small are going to need a curtain rail to compliment that size. Made by the Forge has been quietly but determinedly urged by our customers to make a thinner curtain rail and corresponding finials available. We listened.

Of the six finials now available, three are familiar designs and three are new additions. Rather than name them corresponding to their shape as we do with the 25 and 20mm poles, we thought we’d associate them with our tree planting pledge. Each finial bears the name of a location in the UK where we have planted trees. So while the Alexandra may look like our best-selling cannonball finial, it now has a name to remind us of what we must put back into the environment as do all the others. There’s the button finial now christened the Bradfield and the mini take on the Honey Dipper now known as the Carlton.

Even the standard bracket has had a makeover. It now projects from a flat disc and encompasses the whole pole.

The three new designs are striking in different ways. The Houghton is a large button design, very simple and proud. The Levington is a three button finial with the larger one sandwiched by the two smaller. The most eye-catching is the horse bit design known as the Offtonian. This was chosen to represent the equine foundation of farriery. It never hurts to be reminded of the craft’s roots.

I hope our 16mm range is to your liking and as ever, all the details of the new range are here…

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Circular Door Pole and Café Curtain Rods

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We were delighted to be able to provide café rods, bespoke brackets and a crescent door pole for a most dramatic tartan curtain that greets you as you enter The Hunter’s Moon pub and restaurant in South Kensington. Its interiors look really stylish and inviting.

There are few things more satisfying in our business than finding talented interior designers who understand what we do and how and why we do it. Knowing that our products are gracing interior spaces all over the world gives us a warm glow of satisfaction. Professional respect in a mutually beneficial relationship makes everyone feel good. Both Nicolas of Boxx Creative (Nicola Keenan and Nicola Lindsell) understood Made by the Forge’s spirit immediately. Our work and commitment to both excellence and the environment complemented their own design philosophy to a tee. One look at Boxx Creative’s project page tells you all you need to know about the company’s skill, creative flair and fine taste. We are thrilled to be in collaboration with them.


Photography: Annabel Moeller. Design: Boxx Creative.

Café rods or café poles are now becoming quite the ‘in-thing’ in restaurants, pubs and homes across the land. They attach halfway down either side of a window allowing light in but maintaining privacy from the drawn half-curtains. The poles are very slim with a diameter of 12mm and look very sleek once installed. We offer two different styles of brackets; the first is on a flat wall plate which can be discreetly attached to the recess of your window. The pole then sits inside the cup. The second is a small round bracket which is attached to the outside of the window frame (we call it face fix) and the pole fits neatly through it. To keep it simple, there is the option of no finials or one very small button end. We now have a new dedicated page offering these café poles so it is easy to order them from our website. Take a look here >

Nicola Lindsell commented on our collaboration. In her own words…

‘At Boxx Creative, we’re driven to find suppliers who align with our ethos of ‘consciously creating’ and who’s products complement our interior design schemes. Having been referred to Made by the Forge by another interior designer, and after further investigation into their set up and background, we knew we wanted to collaborate with them on our project.  Their passion for their craft, personal service, and friendly team delivered a high quality product, on time and to budget. 

Our design for The Hunter’s Moon, the British country pub in the heart of South Kensington, champions comfort and cosy get togethers. As part of the scheme we installed a large double sided woollen  entrance curtain that hangs from a semi-circular wrought iron curtain pole.  Made by the Forge crafted the fixing to look elegant whilst sturdy enough to withstand the job in hand – no mean feat.  Cafe curtains in the front window added to the intimate setting and created a soft barrier between the busy Fulham Road and cosy pub within.  Again, a subtle fixing method that was both practical and refined in design was lovingly created and installed.

Made by the Forge are trustworthy and reliable suppliers who create sustainable and artisanal products.  We’re proud to install and commission their products in our projects and look forward to the next time we will work together.’’

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Forging a Poster

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There is a pertinent phrase attributed to no less a figure than Leonardo da Vinci that most creatives apply to their own endeavours. It is that “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” Deadlines focus the mind and often this is helpful to actually get things done. Being a small business taking care of marketing on a very modest level, we have no deadlines. And so we come to the creation of the second Made by the Forge poster, a work that spanned too many moons to count as we finalised the images, the text and the arrangement of both to create a pleasing whole. You could say that it’s one work of art that was less abandoned than most.

Poster_Blog_03.jpg

Summing up our business and our product line in an eye-catching and modern way is a great pleasure because we know exactly what we stand for. Richard’s own blacksmith grandfather allows us to evoke the timeless aspects of the craft while superb photography shows you how our products fit effortlessly into twenty-first century lifestyles. We are blessed to work on a raw material with such an authentic history and designs that have proved to be evergreen.

On one side of the poster, we illustrate this history together with photos of our products in a variety of environments. On the other side, we state our ethos which includes our commitment to sustainability by planting a tree for each order received and we promote our  work with designers to broaden our range. And for those detail oriented sticklers out there, there is a small error on the poster which managed to get through our stringent checks. See if you can spot it. You get a poster with every order and please get in touch if you’d like one sent out to you.

enquiries@madebytheforge.co.uk

Poster_Blog_07.jpg

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Made by the Forge and Hougton Hall Tree Planting February 2021

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Tree Planting collaboration February 2021

Conservation takes work. It takes commitment. It’s not enough just to plant a tree. It has to be nurtured and tended to. While we at Made by the Forge take our pledge of ‘one tree planted for every order’ very seriously, we know that’s just the start of the story. Your tree begins a decades long journey and it’s as important to know that it’s in good hands. Details mean a great deal. Houghton Hall Estate insisted on buying biodegradable tubes to keep the saplings safe, a gesture that convinced us more than ever that we were working with people who care as we do, like-minded custodians of the natural world.

On a bright but cold spring day in February this year, Robert and company from the estate geared up and began planting.  Made by the Forge donated the trees, which were planted using the previously mentioned biodegradable tubes and cones. The planting conditions were perfect and the task was only completed when the three thousand or more young trees were firmly in the ground. Approximately one kilometre of double row hedge trees was installed across the established beetle bank which already houses over-wintering insects and will provide much needed habitat for the surrounding birds and wild inhabitants.

Established beetle bank, Houghton

There are many advantages to this addition of a hedge across the beetle bank. A number of smaller fields are created and will act as important windbreaks, which will, in turn, help prevent soil erosion. The species already living in the adjoining landscape are numerous and beautiful to witness. They need any help they can get and tree planting gives them so many more options for food and shelter. A few of the birds spotted recently searching for seeds, invertebrates and a suitable home, were corn buntings, yellowhammers, stonechats, wagtails, redwings, fieldfares and lapwings, all of whom are a delight to see.

Soon the growing season will be upon us and the life of the new trees will begin. We are just so pleased and thrilled that we have been a small part of providing a little more shelter, more biodiversity and some extra carbon storage for our wild countryside. Our gratitude goes out to Robert and his team of committed conservationists.

 

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