The Modern Carpenter

The Modern Carpenter Bespoke, high end furniture that brings together contemporary design and a luxury finish. We make beautiful things for houses new and old. Plywood. It's good.

The big birch ply bedroom job is complete! More photos to follow, time to go for a celebratory mtb ride first, but I was...
28/05/2026

The big birch ply bedroom job is complete! More photos to follow, time to go for a celebratory mtb ride first, but I was excited to share. Let me know what you think!

Nearly there on this big birch ply bedroom project - it’s taking me forever but on the other hand, it’s kind of enormous...
20/05/2026

Nearly there on this big birch ply bedroom project - it’s taking me forever but on the other hand, it’s kind of enormous. This is the almost assembled bed, with the wrap around bedside tables and cupboard. The wardrobe you saw me posing around last week goes off to the right of this bit. Just a few more bits to finish, then it’s pack down and install in sunny Cardiff next week. Picked a good week for the van’s air con to kick the bucket, didn’t we? Can’t wait to have this one in its new home!

It’s   tonight so obviously I spent the entire afternoon making a birch plywood top hat. Latvia represent! Oh they’ve no...
16/05/2026

It’s tonight so obviously I spent the entire afternoon making a birch plywood top hat. Latvia represent! Oh they’ve not in the final. Bu**er.

I’ve had quite a few new followers this past month (welcome and thank you so much!), so I thought it might be an idea to...
08/05/2026

I’ve had quite a few new followers this past month (welcome and thank you so much!), so I thought it might be an idea to share my face - not something I try to inflict on you too often, but I must admit I like seeing the people behind the builds on insta - so shyness and modesty begone! Scroll to the last pic for my inadvertent middle age thirst trap 🫣
These very definitely not posed photos show me working on a big wardrobe in my new assembly zone. It’s so useful to have this space now - previously I wasn’t always able to do a full dry fit with all the cabinets together at the same time. Doing it this way will allow me to get everything precisely finished off-site, hopefully leading to even smoother installs. Weirdly, it’s taking me longer this way though - because perfect is now easier to achieve, perfectionism is creeping in at this stage. No bad thing I guess, just need to remember to be efficient with the time.

Goodness, you have one post escape containment and suddenly the supportive woodworking community wants to have its say. ...
01/05/2026

Goodness, you have one post escape containment and suddenly the supportive woodworking community wants to have its say. Please take this post in the spirit it’s intended - we’ve all got Opinions and that’s a wonderful thing. But it’s just wood, it’s really quite funny when a few people get really rankled by my love of a material.
Right, it’s Friday, the sun is shining - time for a pint in the square. Happy Beltane all you lovely people!
Plywood. It’s really very good you know.

You know it’s one thing making the customer happy, but it’s quite another when the kids get excited. Privacy dictates hi...
28/04/2026

You know it’s one thing making the customer happy, but it’s quite another when the kids get excited. Privacy dictates hiding their faces, but the emojis are pretty close to them!
When I was their age, I always got *so* excited when we had tradies round to work on the house. I was fascinated by all the tools, the skills, seeing how things were transformed. My favourites were Colin and Tony, a duo with some of the last ever Sussex accents, ostensibly a chippie and a brickie but they worked together on most house jobs, mostly chatting, but with gentle perfectionism and knowledge gained from a lifetime on site.
As someone who came to cabinetry as an almost accidental second career, I find it really interesting to think about where the influences came from - there’s a few others I can remember so maybe I’ll talk about them the next time I wander down memory lane.
For now, here’s to the kids who like making things.

What everyone loves about plywood joinery is its stripped back, architectural lines, making it perfect for the minimalis...
26/04/2026

What everyone loves about plywood joinery is its stripped back, architectural lines, making it perfect for the minimalist home… but can I let you into a little secret? Homes have stuff in them! Loads of stuff, beautiful things we collect along life’s journey, bits of old pipe we found in the garden, a mug that came out of the charity shop, a drawing your aunt gave you. Embrace the chaos and put it on display, it’s all a big shelf of happiness.

Here’s some reasons I *really* love working in birch plywood (or Baltic birch, for my American friends). I did a slightl...
14/04/2026

Here’s some reasons I *really* love working in birch plywood (or Baltic birch, for my American friends). I did a slightly silly reel at the weekend which rather escaped containment, but welcome to the lovely new followers who were attracted by it. For everyone, have a flick through the carousel and I’ll explain why this material is such a blast to make things from. Get in touch if you’re thinking of having some plywood furniture in your home or place of business , I’d love to work with you!

W A R D R O B E SOiled , painted, laminated - how do you like your wardrobes? I like em with sharp, precise lines and cl...
08/04/2026

W A R D R O B E S

Oiled , painted, laminated - how do you like your wardrobes? I like em with sharp, precise lines and cleverly designed storage. Modern house? An obvious choice. Period property? Mix contemporary fitted furniture with more vintage pieces for a maximalist home.
It’s the first thing you see in the morning, so make sure your wardrobe’s a good one. A plywood one!

Address

Compton Dundon

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Modern Carpenter posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Modern Carpenter:

Share