John Downs
Necessity has truly been the mother of invention for Sal Scarce and her furniture-maker husband, Tim, creators of bespoke furniture company Green Cathedral. One of the first pieces they collaborated on was a cute and clever pegboard, designed to contain clutter by their busy front door.
In fact, the couple’s dynamic domestic partnership has driven some of the company’s key pieces: the bed they designed for their 12-year-old daughter, Bella, as well as a glow-in-the-dark one for her baby brother, Archie. Both pieces are now mainstays of Green Cathedral’s collection, a range of handcrafted timber pieces characterised by clean lines and lively splashes of colour. “Tim loves a challenge,” says Sal. ‘I’m the conceptualist, while Tim refines an idea and turns it into a beautiful, functional piece.”
Tim’s background is in another industry entirely; he spent 12 years working as an aircraft engineer. “But my passion has always been furniture,” he explains. Making the switch six years ago, Tim honed his skills producing commission pieces in the family’s backyard shed. With Sal’s encouragement, he launched his own designs, beginning with a three-legged stool. “It sold the day after I made it and they’ve been popular ever since!” he says.
Inundated with orders across the entire range, the duo pulled a few frenetic 24-hour shifts to keep up with demand. With projects ranging from a restaurant fit-out to a custom order for interior designer Sibella Court, the past two years have been a heady mix of hard work and exhilarating milestones. “It’s hard to grasp that the workshop is now a 350-sqaure metre space with a staff of four,” says Tim.
These days, Sal has hung up the tools in favour of working in the brand’s vibrant design gallery in Noosa, Queensland. And Tim couldn’t be happier, even after a long dusty day sanding, planing timber and spray-painting. “Each morning, I feel excited heading into the workshop,” he says. “I love the process of taking a plank of wood and turning it into a piece of furniture that will be used and enjoyed.” With a scrapbook filled with design ideas, this couple has plenty more exciting milestones ahead.
