WHEN BRISTOL-based luxury furniture manufacturer KONK Furniture decided to support its apprentice Jed Walker’s entry into the Young Furniture Makers Award, it understood his vision would stand or fall by the materials used.
Jed’s aim? To produce a cabinet that would showcase exceptional joinery skills whilst challenging conventional furniture-making methods. To make the piece really stand out, both he and KONK knew that if form mattered as much as function, this meant ensuring the very highest quality at every level from the craftsmanship to the materials selected. Fortunately, they had the perfect product in mind.
So, to kickstart the project, they turned to longstanding supply chain partner, James Latham, a leading UK independent distributor of timber, panels, and decorative surfaces, with a clear brief: supply premium American Black Walnut. It was a decision which paid off, with Jed receiving a ‘Highly Commended’ accolade for his work, holding his own in one of the industry’s most competitive arenas.
Taking a closer look at the project…
Getting the specification right
James Latham’s team at Yate depot drew on decades of expertise to help select the best looking American Black Walnut boards to meet three critical demands: grain-matching excellence, structural performance and versatility across functions.
The cabinet’s sophisticated appearance depended on a seamless visual flow, and so the boards had to be grain-matched with precision. James Latham’s extensive stock delivered the accuracy and continuity needed to fit the brief. But flawless aesthetics were only part of the story. The material had to be structurally sound to allow for mitred cabinet construction, along with hand-turned legs that were built up in laminated layers. The American Black Walnut proved to be strong enough for innovative joinery whilst also being dependably consistent and flexible to meet the design vision.
Where craftsmanship meets material innovation
Jed’s cabinet pushed boundaries. Striking walnut dowels protruded through the cabinet sides and were more than decorative features. Critically, they were integral to the peg-based system of construction. Remarkably, apart from door hinges, the entire piece was assembled using pegs rather than screws. The American Black Walnut’s exceptional machinability and structural integrity meant it was more than up to the task, with CNC-machining creating the precise cones housing the dowels, whilst the material’s stability and density ensured each peg joint held firm.
That’s not where the use of the Black Walnut ended, as it was also used for the legs, which presented another challenge, as they needed to be created through a process of laminating layers and hand-turning. This required a material that would turn smoothly and finish beautifully. Thankfully, the Black Walnut’s grain structure and density made this possible, enabling Jed to achieve the refined aesthetic demanded by the design.
Custom walnut drawer slides showcased both Jed’s skill and the material’s distinctive quality. The solid drawers, finished with black stain and featuring angled oak fronts with CNC-textured patterns, demonstrated the walnut’s ability to accept different finishes whilst maintaining structural integrity.
An internal wine rack, connected to the dowel system using the same peg construction, added yet another layer of complexity. Again, the Black Walnut provided the structural reliability required of the design. Beyond the timber, the cabinet fronts introduced an opportunity for peculiar innovation. The KONK furniture team incorporated Solidwool, a composite material made from British sheep’s wool and bio-resin, laminated onto veneered Black Walnut and also lipped with it. The combination created a striking contrast whilst still sitting comfortably within a cohesive design.
Recognition where it matters
The ‘Highly Commended’ honour at the Young Furniture Makers Award validated Jed’s exceptional craftsmanship, the unrivalled design capabilities of the KONK Furniture team and the exceptional material choices that made the design possible. The judges praised the innovative use of traditional joinery techniques combined with contemporary design thinking, precisely the balance the collaboration had aimed to strike.
These achievements were made possible by the consistent quality and workability of the American Black Walnut. By providing access to premium materials and expert specification support, James Latham helped transform an ambitious design concept into a show stopping reality.
See page 14 of our February/March 2026 issue on our Back Issues page.
