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Ironwork Like No Other
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designer Archive

17 May

Ironwork for Interiors New Booklet

Written by Juliet Fishenden

At Made by the Forge, we make the finest ironwork known to humanity! As proof, we can now offer you a small pocket sized booklet to peruse and use for inspiration for your home or interior project. It features all our fabulous ironwork plus our new 25mm metal poles, new finials and a contemporary burnished wax finish. We have a downloadable version or we can send you a printed copy, whatever is the most convenient for you.

Shopping with us is easy and if you have any questions, we are always at the end of the phone or email.

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13 March

Kitchen Trends in Homes & Gardens

Written by Juliet Fishenden

As a manufacturer of designer, lighting, Made by the Forge acknowledges trends in the interiors industry. The word ‘trendy’ is sometimes used derogatively as much as it is simply describing something of current popularity. Trendy is by definition impermanent, fleeting and in some fashion, the very opposite of the hot forged, designer lighting which we guarantee will last a lifetime. But given that, it is very satisfying to find out that the Farrier’s Cage Five Bar Long, designed by Anthony Dickens is, ‘trending’!

In this month’s issue of Homes and Gardens, there’s a long feature on Kitchen Trends for 2018. Kitchens have always been the home’s beating heart, warm and inviting, a place to socialise, a place to create. Well, nothing says contemporary like the Farrier’s Cage Five Bar Long and there it is, front and centre on pages 148 and 149 of the quality interiors magazine. To see the full article click the link here.

The overarching trend, the general theme of the article states that “This season’s sharpest kitchens are going incognito – the latest schemes seamlessly blend functionality with the look of a contemporary living space.” This says to me that the kitchen has become just as important as any other room in the house on which to stamp a personalised statement. With its right foot in the traditional blacksmith past and its left on the cutting edge, The Farrier’s Cage Five Bar Long is perfect for such a space. Long may it trend!

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05 November

Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke featured Made by the Forge’s Farrier’s Cage 5 Bar Long

Written by Juliet Fishenden

It’s always a great validation of our work at Made by the Forge (and to be honest, a great thrill) when one of our pieces gets media coverage. We’ve had our share of magazine exposure, and we’re very grateful for that publicity. But a few Wednesdays ago on Channel 4, we were lucky enough to have one of our leading lights featured in the clever and entertaining series Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke.

Frame grabs from Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke © Channel Four Television

Our Farrier’s Cage Five Bar Long luminaire, designed by Anthony Dickens, hung decorously from the ceiling of a converted St. John ambulance station of all things. The filmmakers really showed off the piece shooting it from lots of different angles and in its first prominent shot, the Five Bar Long fills the frame albeit showing only four of the five lights.

Frame grabs from Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke © Channel Four Television

It’s a very good feeling to have Made by the Forge associated with lifestyle programmes that point people at products that make for better interiors. The relevant episode, series two, episode two, is still viewable on the Channel 4 website until 24^th November here:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/ugly-house-to-lovely-house-with-george-clarke/on-demand/65271-002

If you’re not logged in to view Four On Demand, then that simple process takes a few seconds. Hope you enjoy it.

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24 January

21st Century Blacksmiths

Written by Juliet Fishenden

All of us in the U.K. have lived with wrought iron for most of our lives. It’s found everywhere. Ancient ironwork smashed into pleasing shapes, structures and intricate patterns is still with us, the march of time barely giving it a second glance. Wrought iron hangs up our bread boards, stores our wine, clads our ships and provides France with her most enduring icon.

The industrial revolution may have turned our heads towards the new mechanical means of production but handmade, handcrafted ironwork still holds an incomparable allure. In fact, in the 21^st century, wrought ironwork and its blacksmiths have returned with some vigour as the desire for material permanence has trumped the built in obsolescence of the poorly made product.

The last commercial wrought ironworks factory closed in 1974 but despite this, the skill of ‘working’ iron (‘wrought’ is an archaic form of ‘worked’) is still with us and the products highly prized and appreciated for their quality. From the beauty of the Farrier’s Cage Six Circle Globe Chandelier to the humble handle, iron still just works.

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29 December

New Product Launch – The Beehive Pendant Lights

Written by Juliet Fishenden

The Beehive is a hand-forged lamp using both traditional blacksmithing and modern metal forming techniques. The metal is hot forged and the edges hammered giving it a unique wavy line finish. The design is a result of Anthony Dickens’ continued exploration in creating contemporary forged metal products with Richard at Made by the Forge.

Previewed at the Heal’s Festival of Light in October, the Beehive Pendant is based on the classic layered beehive shape, finished with beeswax straight from the hive and given some individual character by Richard’s craftsmanship.

The Beehive range will launch in February both in Heal’s and on our own website. The design is available in seven distinct variations. Showcasing two of them here, there’s the Beehive-Three-Cluster, a group of touching bulbs (illustrated below); and the Beehive Five Line Chandelier (above) which subverts the classic circular luminaire with a line of lights.

All will be revealed in February and if minimalism is your goal then there’s a single Beehive pendant suspended from a ceiling rose or free standing, bulb-up on a table along with the larger pieces.

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12 November

New solid iron lamp stands with Annette Rolston Lampshades

Written by Juliet Fishenden

We often turn to talent and craftsmanship in other disciplines to set off and compliment Made by the Forge’s products. For our new wrought iron standard lamps, designed by Chris Eckesley, we needed appropriate lampshades. When we saw the lovely work of Annette Rolston, we were compelled to collaborate with her and Mike Fenton to use their playful, artistic and distinctly British lampshades.

Annette and Mike specialise in painting and printmaking and take their inspiration from where else but the East Anglian countryside. Mike’s expertise is in his depiction of animals in the tiniest detail and both are experts in the craft of linocutting, the intricate art of creating an image by cutting into lino and taking prints off it.

Annette is drawn more to the abstract and creates patterned work though still based on nature’s varied landscapes especially trees and leaves. Sometimes her inspirations come from the cellular level where the abstract thrives in endless detail. The lamps and lampshades are available now (please email us for full pictures) and the relevant website pages will be up in the next week.

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17 December

May the Forge be with you!

Written by Juliet Fishenden

We are forging ahead with new ideas for more wrought iron products which we will offer you in 2016. In the spring we will be meeting up with our collaboration partners Anthony Dickens, Gareth Neal, Chris Eckersley and William Warren to bring you the best of British design made by British blacksmiths.

Richard is looking forward to the festive holiday and seeing the new Star Wars movie!

If you have a project you would like us to quote for? We are always happy to help. If you have an idea, email a sketch and we can take a look and let you know if we can make it. Alternatively just call us on 01473 487118 to talk it through.

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19 November

New Brochure

Written by Juliet Fishenden

The new Made by the Forge brochure has arrived. If you would like one please just send us a note, with the address you would like it sent to, and we will post it to you.

It showcases all our ironwork products and is designed to give you ideas for styling your home.

If you need any help, just call us on 01473 487118 or email sales@madebytheforge.co.uk. We are always happy to answer any questions; we pride ourselves on an efficient caring service.

Made by the Forge is different because we believe in making high quality ironwork that will last and last. All curtain poles are made to measure, so a perfect fit for your window is guaranteed. Simply key in your measurements online, using our helpful measuring guide, and see the price before placing your order.

It is always comforting to know that a tree is planted for every product sold, the ironwork is hand-crafted in our Suffolk forge and the beeswax, we use to finish the ironwork, is collected straight from a local hive.

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15 October

Tree to Table

Written by Juliet Fishenden

Using mixed materials to create something different has brought a wow factor to the above table and bench. The wrought iron legs are hand forged in our Suffolk forge using traditional, age old skills. There has been a lot of interest in the Tree to Table range which is a collaboration between Made by the Forge and the designers Anthony Dickens and Sebastian Cox.

Made by the Forge already plant a tree for every product they sell and have pledged to plant a tree for every table or bench sold. The planting takes place in Suffolk with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

The table and bench are available to view at the Celebration of Wood event in Heal’s, Tottenham Court Road store now. You have a choice of 4 beautiful table and bench tops, Ash, Sycamore, Beech or Oak, hand picked by Sebastian, and completely unique. The official launch is Spring 2016 but they are available to order by special arrangement.

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06 August

Wood and metal fusion

Written by Juliet Fishenden

Made by the Forge has recently begun a new venture with our known and trusted designer Anthony Dickens and another award winning designer and craftsman Sebastian Cox. The idea is to design a table which combines wrought iron and wood and fusing them together in a totally contemporary and stylish way.

Sebastian and Anthony below, hot from the forge, hammering and making design decisions and adjustments to the iron legs.

Another day was spent at Sebastian’s design studio and workshop where further adjustments and improvements were made until everyone was happy.

The table will be launched later this summer and will be available to buy exclusively from Heal’s.

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