Ash Windsor Chair

A contemporary Windsor armchair in solid ash by Jana Spence.

The form is a Windsor in the traditional sense — a solid saddled seat with the legs, spindles and bow all socketed into it — but drawn out slimmer and lighter than the country original. The seat is hand-carved to a shallow saddle, the back spindles taper as they rise, and the crest sweeps round into two short arms. Underneath, the stretchers meet in a splayed arrangement that braces three finely turned legs.

Ash is a traditional chairmaker's timber for good reason: long, straight, elastic grain that steam-bends without splitting and takes a knock without denting. Left pale and unstained here, so the figure in the seat and the tool work on the spindles stay visible.

Dimensions

• Width 620 mm
• Depth 500 mm
• Height at highest point 770 mm
• Height to underside of arm rest 670 mm

Solid ash. Hand-made, one of a kind — small variations in grain and colour are part of the piece.

Jana Spence was scouted by Trendease as an emerging designer and has since been honoured by King Charles III as one of the 35 under 35, a network of makers and changemakers marking the 35th anniversary of the King’s Foundation. Her work features in the Creatives Wings docuseries.