Craftsmanship

Powell & Bonnell has worked almost exclusively with local artisans since its inception. It is the ultimate form of a creative partnership – a union of ideas, initially rendered on paper and then interpreted in three-dimensions through the unique skills only craftsmen can bring to a project.

The seamless syncopation between ideas and craftsmanship is the result of ongoing collaborations built on trust and a mutual desire for seeking out a perfect harmony between beauty and quality. “Creativity is fluid,” says Fenwick Bonnell. “We have learned to build our designs around the process of making.”

Leather & Upholstery

Leather – Leather being stitched for a Powell & Bonnell chair

Upholstery – Hand-tied no-sag springs being applied to a Powell & Bonnell piece

Leather – Leather hides in the leatherwork shop

Leather – Prototype upholstery on a Mesa Stool

Leather – Belting leather straps on the Mesa Swivel Stool

Leather – Detailed piping on the Giro Lounge Chair

Upholstery – Upholstery in progress for a Powell & Bonnell lounge chair

Upholstery – Upholstery webbing being applied to a Powell & Bonnell dining chair

Upholstery – An Impala Lounge Chair being refined through the prototyping process

Leather – Detailed leather seat on the Obi Dai Swivel Stool

Metal

Metal – Artisan grinding metal for a Powell & Bonnell light

Metal – Artisan welding a Powell & Bonnell light

Metal – Prototyping the metalwork of the Mesa Stool

Metal – A raw sandcast base for the Ripple Table in the fabrication shop

Metal – A prototype frame for the Impala Lounge Chair

Resin

Resin – Artisan buffing Cockatoo Tables

Resin – Cockatoo Table in amber resin

Resin – Slip-cast resin being poured for a Powell & Bonnell tabletop

Resin – Artisan Jonathan in his studio

Resin – Celeste Sconce with ethereal white resin bulb

Resin – Ripple Table subtle undulations shown in Spring Water resin

Resin – Narcissus Table adornments being created

Resin – Narcissus tabletop and its petals encassed in resin

Resin – Resin cubes in various colours being tested for new product

Stone & Ceramics

Ceramic – Artisan sculpting the Lotus Table

Ceramic – Artisan sculpting the Lotus Table

Ceramic – Detail of a finished Lotus Table

Stone – Stone being cut for a Powell & Bonnell product

Stone – Detail of the impeccable stone tabletop of the Thicket Coffee Table

Stone – Artisan inspecting a recently cut tabletop

Wood

Wood – Avenue Chair being sanded for finish application

Wood – Stack of frames ready for upholstery

Wood – Hand applied finish in progress by a skilled artisan

Wood – Frame templates being created for the Giro Lounge Chair

Wood – Frame templates being cut in the woodshop

Wood – Upholstery strapping being applied to a Powell & Bonnell chair

Celeste Sconce – Process