James Mudge Furniture Studio is a furniture design studio that has been operating in Cape Town since 2006 providing bespoke and customised, hand-made, solid-wood furniture to its clients around the world.
They are a small, highly trained team of skilled artisans who exclusively use traditional cabinet making methods and techniques to craft and produce solid-wood furniture with a contemporary aesthetic and classical design-and-build ethos allowing us to provide you with a timeless piece of furniture.
Maintaining a careful balance between function and form, there is no limit to the scale or type of projects that they undertake but common to all are the clean contemporary lines, artisanal workmanship and attention to detail which seeks to pay its respect to the intrinsic valuable underlying resource of the natural solid wood product.
Because they use natural assets and resources they very much need to respect these resources and this is an overriding value in their design and build ethos. In essence they are subtracting a natural asset and presenting it to you in another form. Consequently they aim to respect the underlying beauty, spirit and integrity of that asset and ensure that its ‘essence’ is retained, cherished and nurtured by you as its new custodian.
Most of their furniture is made from solid, sustainable hardwoods, primarily American White Oak, American Ash, American Walnut and French Oak. They also use Iroko from Central Africa for both outdoor and indoor furniture. All their solid wood is sourced from sustainable FSC approved sources.
Using traditional cabinet making joints such as the ‘Dovetail’, ‘Mortise and Tenon’, and ‘Half-laps’, they have attempted to create designs that will last as long as the trees that made their creation possible, and will continue as a tribute to the beautiful solid woods used in our design.
In pursuit of retaining the integrity of the natural resource they seal timber with either a water-based, environmentally sustainable lacquer or an environmentally friendly oil that is locally manufactured and contains only natural ingredients. They keep the finishes discreet and as natural looking as possible and they deliberately do not entomb the wood in sealants, which means that care must be taken to avoid stains. Solid wood is a living resource that can always be refinished and its wear and tear is an organic part of its natural patina.
Pick Up Sticks Server
Winner of the Elle Décor Designer of the Year Award, the Pick up Sticks is a visually commanding piece of furniture that forms part of our signature range. As the name suggests, the Pick up Sticks design was inspired by the children’s game also known as Mikado. Wall-mounted, the Pick up Sticks presents clean contemporary lines and simplicity, while at the same time shows the chaos and kinetic energy of sticks falling to the ground. This piece is made from solid Oak with dark navy painted ends highlighting the visual dynamism of the timber. The Pick up Sticks can only be mounted on standard masonry walls. Installation on dry walls is not recommended unless special structural arrangements are made. This product can be customized. Please enquire for more info.
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Nesting Tables
The Brass Top Nesting Tables are sold as a pair and can be used either together or on either side of a sitting arrangement. The brass provides an interesting departure from solid timber whilst maintaining the material integrity of our designs. Brass is historically used in furniture and architecture and develops a worn-in patina over time much the same as solid wood. With use, scratches and scuff marks will appear. This forms part of the warmth and charm of the antiquated brass finish, reminiscent of old country hotel bar-counters. The Brass Top Nesting Tables are also available with a Fenix inlay instead of Brass. This product can be customized. Please enquire for more info.
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Harris Dining Table
The Harris Dining Table has the same slender, tapered leg design as the brass top table, however, it is combined with a solid timber top, positioned above the base with a 2mm shadow gap. The position of the leg allows for maximum seating, making it a perfect design for small spaces. The simplicity of the piece is complemented by the gently curved and rounded leg detail, which adds a contemporary element to an otherwise classic and timeless shape. The Harris Table can also be made as a desk, side table or coffee table. This product can be customized. Please enquire for more info.
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Brass Top Desk
Desk by James Mudge Studio: bespoke, hand-made, solid wood furniture since 2006. This product can be customized. Please enquire for more info.
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Brass Top Desk
Desk by James Mudge Studio: bespoke, hand-made, solid wood furniture since 2006. This product can be customized. Please enquire for more info.
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Brass Top Desk
Desk by James Mudge Studio: bespoke, hand-made, solid wood furniture since 2006. This product can be customized. Please enquire for more info.
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Brass Top Dining Table
Dining Table by James Mudge Studio: bespoke, hand-made, solid wood furniture since 2006. This product can be customized. Please enquire for more info.
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Riempie Chair
James Mudge his solid timber riempie chair design is a contemporary interpretation of a true and time tested South African classic. Riempie chairs were used by the early 1820 settlers who were on the move and needed lightweight chairs that utilized the materials available and the technique of riempies (leather thongs) provided just that. We have made a simple, lightweight and strong chair that embraces our South African heritage. When made from Iroko with white synthetic rimpies this design can be used outdoors.
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Riempie Chair
James Mudge his solid timber riempie chair design is a contemporary interpretation of a true and time tested South African classic. Riempie chairs were used by the early 1820 settlers who were on the move and needed lightweight chairs that utilized the materials available and the technique of riempies (leather thongs) provided just that. We have made a simple, lightweight and strong chair that embraces our South African heritage. When made from Iroko with white synthetic rimpies this design can be used outdoors.
Enquire now
Riempie Chair
James Mudge his solid timber riempie chair design is a contemporary interpretation of a true and time tested South African classic. Riempie chairs were used by the early 1820 settlers who were on the move and needed lightweight chairs that utilized the materials available and the technique of riempies (leather thongs) provided just that. We have made a simple, lightweight and strong chair that embraces our South African heritage. When made from Iroko with white synthetic rimpies this design can be used outdoors.
Enquire now
Riempie Chair
James Mudge his solid timber riempie chair design is a contemporary interpretation of a true and time tested South African classic. Riempie chairs were used by the early 1820 settlers who were on the move and needed lightweight chairs that utilized the materials available and the technique of riempies (leather thongs) provided just that. We have made a simple, lightweight and strong chair that embraces our South African heritage. When made from Iroko with white synthetic rimpies this design can be used outdoors.
Enquire now
Harvest Outdoor Dining Table
The Outdoor Harvest Table is made from Iroko, colloquially known as African Teak. The traditional cabinet making joints used for this design, enable the continuous movement of the timber throughout its life and ensure its durability in the changing outdoor environment. Finished with a natural grey oil, the Outdoor Harvest Table develops a worn-in aesthetic as it ages, a distinctive trait of solid wood furniture. With natural exposure to sun and rain, light surface cracks will develop and the timber will turn grey due to UV exposure. The expressed joins between the planks of the table top will open and close with the seasons and there may be a certain amount of warping and cupping of the timber, depending on the amount of sun the table gets. Structurally the design will always maintain its integrity.
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Harvest Outdoor Bench
Bench by James Mudge Studio: bespoke, hand-made, solid wood furniture since 2006. Made to order.
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Hardwood Dining Chair
The Hardwood Chair is a striking contemporary dining chair design. The gentle curves of the backrest and the shaped timber seat are offset by the crisp lines of the angled timber legs. The elegant scoop in the timber backrest provides comfort as well as the characteristic attention to detail found in all our pieces, exposing beautiful, traditional joinery techniques. This design is available in painted finishes, please enquire for colours. We can also make this design with an upholstered seat (fabric or leather) of your choice.
Enquire now
Hardwood Dining Chair
The Hardwood Chair is a striking contemporary dining chair design. The gentle curves of the backrest and the shaped timber seat are offset by the crisp lines of the angled timber legs. The elegant scoop in the timber backrest provides comfort as well as the characteristic attention to detail found in all our pieces, exposing beautiful, traditional joinery techniques. This design is available in painted finishes, please enquire for colours. We can also make this design with an upholstered seat (fabric or leather) of your choice.
Enquire now
Hardwood Dining Chair
The Hardwood Chair is a striking contemporary dining chair design. The gentle curves of the backrest and the shaped timber seat are offset by the crisp lines of the angled timber legs. The elegant scoop in the timber backrest provides comfort as well as the characteristic attention to detail found in all our pieces, exposing beautiful, traditional joinery techniques. This design is available in painted finishes, please enquire for colours. We can also make this design with an upholstered seat (fabric or leather) of your choice.
Enquire now