What size do I need my dining table to be?

Choosing the right dining table size is important in creating visual balance in a room, allows for good flow of traffic around the table and also to creates a comfortable dining experience. 

The basics in dining table size 

Allow 600mm per person depending on the style of your chairs

Allow an additional 600-800mm to the length of the table if you want seats at the ends to allow for leg room

Add in the length and width of the legs to the length and width of the table respectively

Allow a minimum of 800mm between the table and any obstructions in the room such as walls or furniture

Allow a minimal width of 1050mm

Allow a maximum of 1800mm between the table and the nearest wall or piece of furniture

Square dining table sizes

6 seater square  1100-1400mm 

8 seater square  1400-1600mm

Rectangular dining table sizes

6 seater rectangular 1600 - 1800mm (2 people either side and one either end)

8 seater rectangular 2100 - 2400 (3 people either side and one either end)

10 seater rectangular 2600 - 3000 (4 people either side and 1 at either end)

12 seater rectangular 2600 - 3000 (4 people either side and 2 at either end)

Round dining table sizes

To work out the number of seats for a round requires a little more complex calculations! Take the diameter is mm, times by 3.144 then divide by 600 depending on how much space you want for each person. Add additional space for each person depending on how far you want to be able to push your chairs in. 

6 seater - 1200mm diameter

8 seater - 1600mm diameter 

 

Here are a couple of other factors to consider when deciding on a table size

What chairs do you have?

It is a good idea to measure your chairs as factors such as arm rests, an extra long seat or wide back can mean that you need to be a little more generous with the table size.  If it is important to you aesthetically to be able to fully push all of your chairs in when not in use then knowing the size of your chairs is even more important. 

 

What leg design are you thinking about?

The location and size of the dining table legs needs to be considered when working out the size of dining you need for the number of seats. If the legs are in the corners, like with the Torquay Point,  they have little effect on the size unless of course they are quite chunky! If the legs of you table are a box leg like our Sunnymead or Winkipop dining then the legs either need to be set back from the edge if you want someone to sit at them or add a little extra length to enable seats on either side.  A refectory leg design like the Rincon is another way of getting around this. 

Access

Another important factor consider in the design and size of your dining table is the access to your dining room. A rectangular shape tends to be the most movable with the the round and square limited in size by the door frames. If you have winding stairs or tight corridors, this also can make installation much more challenging or impossible. 

What is the ideal table width?

The ideal table width is established by the table setting space needed by each person and then the shared space in the middle for such things as serving dishes, condiments as well as decor items such as flowers or candles. The minimal depth that fits in the plate, cutlery, wine and water glass is around 450mm.  If you want a shared space in the middle of the table, this should ideally be around 250-300mm to fit in platters, bowls etc but can be as little as 150mm as you can squeeze things between glasses.  This makes the minimal dining table width at 1050mm and ideal at 1200mm. 

What is the perfect size dining table for the dimensions of your dining room?

The first thing that you have to do is get out a measuring tape and work out the dimensions of the space.  The basic rules are this:

Leave a minimum of 800mm between the table and any obstructions such as a wall, piece of furniture, fireplace or door.

 The ideal distance to create an elegant look is 1200mm.   

Leave a maximum distance between the table and the nearest wall or piece of furniture to 1800mm otherwise use a larger table to create better visual balance as well as seat another person!

This also works in reverse if you have found your dream dining table and you want to design a new or existing space around this dining table. 

Alison Collins is the Co-Owner of Bombora Custom Furniture and in charge of all things other than making furniture! 

Introducing the Kiama timber vanity with open shelf

Timber vanities continue to be the hottest trend in bathroom design. The natural warmth and texture of the wood creates a beautiful sense of balance when juxtaposed with the other materials of mirror, glass and tile commonly found in the space.

The Kiama vanity design came about a couple of years ago when collaborating with a client to create several vanities for her home in Melbourne. She wanted drawer storage but also a display shelf for practical styling whilst making her large vanities not too overwhelming in the space. As you can see in the image below, the final result was a very stunning bathroom!

To choice of timber used to create the bathroom vanity greatly influences the aesthetic of the space. Using a recycled Messmate as in the image above when paired with concrete, grey tiles and black tapware creates a modern, edgy and organic style.
In you are wanting to create a Hamptons or Scandinavian aesthetic however, a timber with more of a consistent blonde tone and minimal feature such as American Oak or the Australian Chestnut as below is the perfect choice.

The Australian Chestnut timber used to create the vanity below is from a combination of several species of Eucalyptus. The wood has a lovely creamy blonde tone and is hand selected at the timber yard to have minimal sap line features. The tight grain patterns on the wood creates an interesting yet subtle feature. This timber tone works beautifully with a range of colour schemes in the bathroom such as white, grey, black and even pastels.

As with all of our bathroom vanities, each piece is both designed and made to order. This means your vanity will be made at the exact dimensions you need for your space. In the design process, we gather from you the details of your plumbing requirements and basin. From this information, we design and then create the internal structures just for you to allow for the plumbing whilst maximising the storage space.

Also customizable in our bathroom vanities is the materials used to create the internal structures of the piece. These options are solid timber, birch ply and melamine. This choice comes down to personal preference and budget however all options will look exactly the same from the outside. To see all three options, follow this link!

Want to chat about your project? Call Alison on 0407906799 or use the contact form found in the link below.

Timber joinery project - Connewarre

We where very fortunate to recently be invited into our clients newly completed home to see how everything had come together. This stunning home is designed by the very talented team at Auhaus Architecture and is amazing in every way! From the grand yet secluded enterance to the courtyard pool and the green lightwell, everything is designed with great thought and style. All of the finishes are on trend, ultra high end with a great attention to detail. It was so lovely to see our timber joinery pieces in this beautiful space!

Our client designed the interior of their home with a palette of polished concrete, white, black, brass and of course timber. These materials work so well together and as these elements where repeated throughout the entire home, there was a beautiful sense of flow. The client chose to use a medium feature recycled Messmate for their timber joinery pieces. This ensured that the black sapline features tied in with the black elements in the rooms whilst not over powering the design.

Custom floating TV cabinet

A large space calls for a large piece of furniture to create balance. This beautiful open plan living room and kitchen has lots of space to fill! We created a bespoke timber floating TV unit to the clients design with spaces to both store items and display treasures. The push to open cupboards create a modern streamlined look with plenty of space to hide away items.

Timber walk in robe

To continue the wood theme into the master suite, all of the joinery was created from solid timber. This includes the epic walk in robe, wardrobes and a lowboy. In so many bedroom designs, the cabinetry is hidden away from sight as it adds nothing to the design. In this space however, the robe is the hero! The client also wanted some design features to showcase treasured items and plants.

Inbuilt timber desk

A solid timber desk makes sitting down to get some work done, clean up some life admin or get stuck into the homework that little bit more enjoyable! I am lucky to have a beautful timber desk to work on in the office and I quite often find myself mindlessly stairing at an interesting piece of character in the timber or running my hand over the smooth finish. It is these small joys that make a big difference in life!

Timber vanities

This beautiful home has a total of 5 bathrooms with 5 stunning timber vanities! The warm tone of the recycled Messmate timber creates a beautiful sense of balance with the concrete, dark grey tiles, white walls and glass in the bathroom decor. Each floating vanity was designed and made to order so that it was perfect for the design and space of each bathroom.

Custom timber dining table

The perfect finishing touch to this home is a large 10 seater dining table created from recycled Messmate timber. The angled box legs on the Jan Juc table design creates an ultra modern look with that ultimate sense of timelessness that will ensure it will always be in style. The Messmate timber of this dining table is a beautiful mid tone brown with black features such as sap lines and pockets.

Want to discuss your ideas for timber joinery in your home? Contact us via the link below!

Ordering your new timber vanity

Thank you for choosing Bombora to create a bespoke timber vanity / vanities for your home! We look forward to collaberating with you to create your prefect pieces. In this blog post, we answer some of our clients most commonly asked questions after they have chosen to work with us!

The order form

The online order form, sent through to you on emial, confirms that the information on your invoice is correct and also collects vital details from you about your timber and waste hole locations. We need all of this information before we put together your design drawings. We need the drawings approved by you at least 5 weeks prior to your estimated completion date to ensure that we have all of the componants ordered and ready to go.

There is some details that you will need to have confirmed prior to filling out this form.

• The exact dimensions of your vanity. This includes the height, depth and width. We understand that these sometimes change slightly through the building process. We can have estimates of dimensions to start the design drawings however we will need the confirmed dimensions at least 5 weeks prior to starting production.

• The colour and thickness of your stone if you have chosen this option for the bench top.

• Your choice of basin and tapware if the tap is going through the bench top

• The position that the basin and tap will sit on your vanity top. Please see the image below for an example of what we require
  

What is a waste hole location drawing?

In the waste hole location drawing, we find out from you the exact location of the waste hole/ holes and also the diameter of these holes. You can find the information on the required waste hole diameter in the specification documentation that comes with your basin and tap. Below is an example of a drawing.

What to tell your plumber

As all of our vanities are made to order to your specifications, there is no standard setout that is required for the plumbing. Your plumber will be able to use the waste location drawing to determine where to rough in the pipes in conjunction with information from you on the location of your vanity on the wall.

We allow a 100mm clearance around the waste hole location to fit the pipes. This clearance is either a u shaped drawer or a cavity. In the case of a cavity, the dividing section of timber is designed to be removed to make installation of the pipes easier.

What to tell your tiler

Ideally, your tiling would be completed after your vanity has been installed. This allows the tiler to bring the tiles to the top and sides of the vanity then silicone the join. Occasionally because of timing, this is not possible. In this circumstance, a template at the dimensions of the vanity can be attached to the wall as in the image below. We suggest leaving the wall surface where the vanity is to be attached free of tiling. This is because it makes it very challanging for your builder to find the studs once there are tiles on the plaster and drilling through the tiles can crack them.

In the case of three walls

If your vanity is to be attached to three walls, we recommend that you provide us with a template of the bench top as walls are not always straight!

Delays in building schedule

We have been a part of enough builds and renovations to know that delays happen. If you are running behind schedule, we can move the production of your pieces back to when you will be ready to recieve the delivery.

Estimated completion date

Please note that the date you where supplied as your completion date is an estimate only. As we create everything by hand, there can occasionally be unexpected delays. The estimated completion date for production not the delivery. As deliveries are completed by external companies, we are only able to advise you of their delivery date once the booking has been made. We have several different companies that we work with for the deliveries and send the item with the company that will get it to you first.

If you have any queries, you can contact Alison on 0407 906 799 or Luke on 0437 748 828.

Timber bathroom vanities with customisable internals

Solid timber vanities continue to be the hottest trend in bathroom design. The natural warmth of the wood creates a sense of balance when juxtapositioned against the harder materials traditionally used in the space. With so many different colour and textures options available in natural timber, there is a wood to suit every aesthetic. 

We are now very excited to be offering our clients three different material options for the internal structures of our vanities. Solid timber, birch ply and melamine.  No matter which option you choose, your vanity will look exactly the same from the outside. As long as the maintinence spray wax as reapplied every few months, all three options are just as resistant to humidity and water spills. The choice comes down personal preferance and price point! 

At Bombora, we pride our selves in custom building and designing our vanities. This means that we personalise the design of each vanity to ensure that the piece is the perfect fit aesthetically as well as functionally for you. You can choose every aspect of the design from the size, to the timber type and configuration.  We then create the internal aspects of the vanity to suit what you need. This way you don't have to compromise on design just to find a vanity that will fit into your bathroom and plumbing! 

White Melamine Internals

Birch Ply Internals

Solid Timber Internals

We would love to hear about your project! Please contact us via the link below. If you would like to speak to us in person and view our work, you can arrange an appointment at our showroom and workshop in Torquay.

Introducing the Addis timber bathroom vanity

The Addis timber bathroom vanity is modern, refined yet effortlessly cool. This contemporary design is perfect to create that sought after luxury spa feel.  The Addis floating vanity has been hand crafted by our talented furniture makers from solid recycled Messmate timber. The high feature level of this native Australian timber ensures that every piece is unique with its own grain patterns.  

The design brief from our client for this custom made vanity was to create a piece that would tie in with their on trend black tapware and modern organic aesthetic. The piece needed to have plenty of drawers as there was no other storage space in the bathroom. The black stained timber shadow lines serves both a visual and functional purpose. The colour enhances the black saplines within the timber and acts as a frame that draws the eye for that ultimate WOW experience. The shadow line is also recessed to allow for subtle finger holds that ensures a sleek look to the piece by removing the need for handles. 

The Addis vanity has been crafted by our furniture makers with mitre joints that waterfall down the sides of the shell for a seamless look and flow of grain.  The drawer fronts have been created so that the grain patterns glide across the front of the piece. 

In a family home, the bathroom tends to get harshly treated by the younger members. With small children of our own, it is vital to us that the finish on the timber externally and internally is up to the rigors of everyday use. We use a quality, high performance oil and wax product that protects the timber from water whilst enabling it to breath. This finish is easy to care for and most importantly, is renovatable. This fixable feature ensures that your vanity has the longevity to last for decades with a minimal about of care as any wear and tear can be easily repaired. Here is more information on this finish. 

With the Addis bathroom vanity, you have the option of either a Birch ply or solid timber internal structure and drawer boxes to be used in the creation of your vanity. Other than the visual appeal, these materials are hugely more environmentally friendly in comparison to other options such as Melamine. As the timber on the internals has been finished with the same product as the exterior, it has the same resistance to water ensuring longevity. 

Osmo - A fixable timber finish creating sustainable furniture

  Our love affair with Osmo began about 4 years ago with the promise of a finish that would leave timber looking and feeling like real timber.  Over these last few years, we have discovered many other things to love about Osmo such as the fact that it protects the wood really well, it is easy to maintain and food safe which is especially important if you have little people eating at your dining table. With our gaining awareness of sustainability and making eco-responsible purchases, it is the longevity of the furniture provided by this finish that has become its most valuable feature. 

Why is a finish needed?

Any wood used to create a piece of furniture needs to be finished or cured to protect the timber and nourish it.  The finish creates a barrier to protect the timber from absorbing liquids otherwise it becomes damaged and discolored. Even water left on raw timber can damage the surface by causing the timber to swell.  As timber expands and contracts with the changing environmental temperatures and moisture levels, it requires nourishment to ensure it is flexible.  If the timber becomes too dry, it starts to get brittle and splits.  

Deeper Protection

Finishes such a two - pack create an impenetrable barrier against liquids and stains. This is all good an well until there is a scratch or wear and tear.  As the barrier is just sits on the top of the timber, as soon as it is damaged, any liquids and stains will go straight into the raw timber.  The benefit of an Osmo finish however is that it forms two levels of protection with the oils penetrating into the timber and the waxes sitting on the top. If there is damage to the top layer of the finish, the deeper layers of the timber are protected by the oils to avoid permanent damage to the timber. It is also these penetrating oils that nourish the timber to ensure that it is adaptable. 

A repairable surface is the ultimate sustainability

It has always been our mission to create furniture for our clients with the longevity of design and construction that will see it last for decades.  Our motivation for this is to contribute in our own small way to reduce landfill and the resources that would be used to create a replacement. We ensure longevity by using the best quality timber, glues, fillers, finish and construction methods. With Osmo, it is not only a high performance finish that prevents damage occurring in the first place, it also is repairable. In the case of a small scratch, an application of the maintenance spray will quickly make it disappear before your eyes and keep the wood protected.  With larger damage such as a jar of beetroot sauerkraut with juices gathered around the bottom left on a dining table top overnight (yep, Ill blame that on baby brain), the surface can be either spot sanded or resurfaced with the finish reapplied.  This means that a piece of Osmo finished furniture can last indefinitely and still look as beautiful as when it was new!

Ease of maintenance 

With our busy lives these days, many clients have been concerned about the maintenance of a natural oil and wax finished piece of furniture.  They didn't want to add another task to their already long to do list. With Osmo, the care of the finish is very quick and simple.  For a heavy use piece such as a dining table, timber vanity or kitchen bench top, the wash and care product can be made up in a spray bottle and used every day to clean the surface as required.  Every 3 months or so for a high use piece of furniture, the spray wax cleaner which contains some of the original finish, needs to be applied to refresh the finish and ensure that it is still a barrier.  This can go out to 6 months or a year for surfaces that are not often wiped. 

To speak to us about your own piece of forever furniture, please contact us here. 

Whats been happening at the workshop this month??

As per usual, it has been a very busy month for us here at Bombora.  We have been completing several large jobs in both commercial and residential spaces which became a game of tetras to fit all the finished pieces around the workshop before the installations! Winter has truly set in for us here on the Victorian Surf Coast with some very chilly mornings and a fire at lunch time a must to warm frozen fingers.  The cooler weather however has brought some very awesome surf which has delighted several members of our team! 

Floating timber vanities 

Our very lovely client sent us this photo of her beautiful bathroom once the timber vanity was installed. This whopper is 2.6m in length and is created from solid recycled Messmate timber. The recycled markings and grain patterns of the timber work beautifully with the subtly textured grey tile in this modern rural property.  I can wait to see the rest of the photos once the remaining 4 vanities from this project are installed! 

8bit cafe Melbourne CBD

We loved working with the designer on another awesome commercial fit out of the 8bit burger cafe in Little Collins Street Melbourne!  We created the timber aspects of the beautiful design such as the table tops, bench seats and the curved bench top.  I look forward to checking out the burgers once it is all completed!

Werribee project 

We have been creating lots of custom joinery pieces for this beautiful home in Werribee over the last 6 months such as the solid timber front door, floating vanities as well as inbuilt beds and wardrobes. Using timber in multiple areas of the interior design of a home creates a cohesiveness and flow throughout the space.  The combined bed, bedsides and storage unit created from American Oak timber has created such a clean aesthetic in this bedroom where everything can be neatly tucked away in its place! 

Industrial dining table

This very special dining table was created for a clients brand new home.  This design is from our new industrial dining table brand Zeele and is named Mr Collins as the very first version was made for our own home! This table has daringly angled matte black metal legs and a beautiful recycled Messmate timber top!  

Contact us here if you would like to discuss your project with us or make an appointment to visit the workshop! 

What is the lead time and how long does it take to make a piece of custom furniture?

The lead time is how long it will take from when a client places their order until we have finished creating their piece. Depending on the time of year and what projects we have in the pipeline, our lead time is usually 10-14 weeks however can go out to 18 weeks leading up to Christmas. 

How do you work out lead time?

Our lead time is basically a queue.  Once we have received a deposit from a client, this then secures their spot at the end of the queue. Once we send off your deposit invoice, we pencil your spot in the queue however if your deposit hasn't been received a week following the due date, then we may move you back if other clients who had been penciled in after you have paid their deposit. 

Lead time is an estimate only

Our lead time is just a guide rather than being exact.  The date we give you is an estimated date of completion rather than guaranteed.  Many things can happen that can put us behind in our production schedule such as illness, unscheduled staff holidays and projects taking a lot longer than originally estimated. With our usual portfolio designs such as vanities and dining tables, we have made them so many times that we know how long they will take to build.  For one off custom pieces and large inbuilt projects however, we can only guess how long they will take to make which can throw out out production schedule. 

Planning ahead for renovations and new builds

As we so often have clients who need their furniture or vanities for a new build or renovation, the timing is challenging as there are often delays in their build and our lead time can change quickly. For these kinds of situations, we can pencil your pieces into our schedule at a later date than the end on the queue which can then be moved depending on the progress of your build.  This way we can guarantee that we can have your piece ready when you need it and avoid the possibilities of damage in storage. One of our customer service staff will contact you regularly to update the dates that you need the piece and then alter our schedule as required. We have had a couple of clients that have been on our schedule for over a year before they where ready to receive their pieces! 

How long does it take to made a piece of custom furniture?

There is a large range of production times depending on the complexity of a piece.  A dining table usually takes around 18 hours or so to construct and something like a Bellbrae buffet can take 35 hours to make!  These hours are usually spread over 1-2 weeks as time is needed for the glue to set or the finish to cure before the next step in the production can happen. We run our workshop so that each piece of furniture is made by a single furniture maker.  We do this as firstly it is much more rewarding for our team members to look at the final piece and know they created it.  Secondly, it is way more interesting for our staff to be doing lots of different tasks in their work day.  Sanding for 7.5 hours really gets old very quickly!  There is of course many times when other members of the team contribute to the production of a piece such as lifting and maneuvering or when a round table discussion is needed to resolve a challenge. 

To find out more about our ordering and design process, please follow the link! 

Introducing - the Iluka wall hung recycled timber vanity

Introducing the latest member in our range of timber vanities - the Iluka! Featuring beautiful recycled Messmate timber, this floating timber vanity would be the standout feature in any modern bathroom. 

The medium brown tones of the recycled Messmate timber works beautifully with todays on trend bathroom colours of white and gray. The organic textures of the swirling grain and black sap lines are a lovely contrast to the flat surfaces of mirror, tiles and glass. Using timber in the design of your bathroom brings that "sign of life" that creates a welcoming sense of warmth and luxurious spa like feel that is so desirable.  It has a timelessness that transcends the trends whilst being malleable to changes in tile and wall colours. 

The Iluka vanity is created from solid timber including the internal structures and drawer boxes.  We use solid timber rather than melamine as it is way nicer to look at, renovatable, enables us to build a sturdier vanity and better for the environment! 

Using solid timber to create your bathroom vanity rather than the commonly used alternatives of laminate, melamine and veneer ensures longevity.  Unlike the other materials, the usual wear and tear of daily use can be easily repaired with a new application of oil. In the unfortunate event of a major scratch, the solid timber surface can be lightly sanded and re-coated with the finish rather than requiring replacement. 

All with all of our vanities, the Iluka is made to order to your requirements of size, configuration and also allowance for plumbing. Prices start from $2400. 

Contact us here to discuss your project with us!

Eco-responsible furniture

After having my two children, my awareness of the importance of sustainability and reducing my impact on the planet has grown enormously. In the past, I have bought and thrown out a huge amount of "stuff" without a second of thought on the resources used to make the item and what would happen after it went in the bin. Only now that it is so vital to me that my children and their children will have a world to live in, have I started to stop and think about the purchases that I make and what, as a business, we are creating. 

Timeless design = Sustainable design

At Bombora, we do not want to be trendsetters. Our furniture is designed to be timeless with a simple silhouette that allows the natural timber to be the key design feature of the piece. This simplicity paired with the styling malleability of solid timber ensures that our furniture will always work with current trends as well as our clients personal tastes.  We design our furniture to fit perfectly into the style of our clients homes now as well as for many decades and even generations to come. 

Custom furniture is forever furniture

In my journey of reducing what I buy and throw out, I have realized how important it is to make the right choice when purchasing an item.  Something that is just OK, ticks only some of the boxes or is not of good quality always gets thrown out or just sits around hidden away and unused.  The beauty of custom made furniture is that you get to create something that is perfect for you and your home.  We work with you to design your furniture so that it ticks ALL of your boxes and also has the quality of materials and construction that ensures longevity. 

A natural renovatable finish

Timber has been used in interior design for centuries as it is calming, beautiful and also fixable. Our pieces are created from solid timber with a natural oil and wax finish that is renovatable.  Any small scratches that occur vanish with an application of the maintenance spray.  In the case of more significant damage such as a small child taking to your dining table with a fork, the damage can be spot fixed or the entire surface can be re-sanded and the finish reapplied. 

Contact us here to inquire about creating your own piece of forever furniture. 

Introducing our range of floating timber vanities

Over the last couple of years, solid timber vanities have exploded in popularity. In the last two years, we have gone from making only a couple of vanities a year, to making a couple per week!  The reason for this marked increase in popularity is simple... a solid timber vanity has a beauty and longevity that is unrivaled by the laminate, veneer or melamine alternatives. The addition of a solid timber vanity to your bathroom ensures to create that spa like sense of a luxury that is so desirable in a home. 

As well as our custom timber vanities, we have been developing a range of portfolio designs.  These vanities are all modern with that sense of timelessness that timber always creates.  All of our vanities feature quality Hettich soft close or push to open drawer runners, solid timber internal structures and drawer boxes as well as our high performance finish that protects the timber whilst leaving it looking and feeling like timber.  Each vanity design can be customized to suit your space, basin, tap ware, configuration needs and budget. 

The Tathra Vanity

The beautiful modern The Tathra timber vanity combines feature filled recycled Messmate timber with a white stone top.  To add to the contemporary look of the Tathra, the shadow lines have been finished with a black stain that extenuates the black sap lines of the timber.  This vanity would look stunning with the matte black tap ware that is so on trend right now!

The Iluka Timber Vanity

The Iluka vanity shows off stunning recycled Messmate timber in all its glory.  This floating timber vanity is created with a thick shell and lots of drawers for storage. The grain patterns of the recycled timber flow across the front of the piece and waterfall down from the top to the sides of the shell ensuring that each vanity is completely unique. 

The Avoca timber vanity

The Avoca vanity is constructed from solid hardwood timber and features a mitred bench top. The vanity shown in the image is created from Australian Chestnut timber which is wood from a range of different species of Eucalyptus.  This timber is a warm light brown in tone which goes with any style of bathroom. This vanity can also be created with a second layer of drawers or shelving. 

Wategos freestanding timber vanity

The Watego's freestanding timber vanity is the the mother of all bathroom storage solutions!  This beautiful piece features stunning recycled Messmate timber full of swirling grains and sap lines.  The front of the vanity is created from single pieces of timber to ensure that the grain flows from one side of the piece to the other.  The push to open drawers and cupboards remove the need for handles to create the clean lines of the piece. This vanity can be configured as desired to perfectly fit your storage requirements whether it be drawers, cupboards or shelves. 

Ballina timber vanity

The Ballina floating timber vanity is in a class all of its own.  The subtle waves of the grain lines creates a beautiful depth that doesn't overpower the other elements of your bathroom design.  The ash blonde of the American Oak timber complements every colour scheme making this vanity very adaptable.  The piece pictured has 9 drawers however the configuration can be customized to your particular needs and budget. 

Contact us here to discuss your project. 

Introducing Bomora's sister company - Zeele

It's official!

With many months in the making and years worth of Luke tinkering with designs, we are so very excited to share with you Bombora's little sister... Zeele!!

The Zeele style

Zeele is a brand new furniture and homewares company built around a bold yet malleable luxe industrial aesthetic. A Zeele industrial dining table is elegant, sophisticated and a foundation piece, just like that wardrobe staple, the little black dress. It is perfectly angled with contrasting materials of timber and matte black steel. It is refined, luxurious and bold. And the best part, as you would expect any sibling would, Zeele shares Bombora's integrity for creating high quality furniture and a love for timber. 

Meet the Zeele artists and makers

When preparing to style the first shoot, it became very clear that in our local Surf Coast community, we are surrounded by many very talented artists, photographers and makers. As well as having an opportunity to showcase their beautiful wares in our imagery, we also wanted to further support their businesses by creating an online platform for our fellow creatives to sell these pieces.  This collection of artworks and prints by our talented artists range from the stunning contemporary bird photography of Amelia Anderson to the vibrant abstract paintings of Rowena Martinich.  

Our selection of decor items created by our talented makers add personality to any space. The beautiful pieces that we have collected such as a colorful pot handmade by Olive Green or a cotton wick candle by Concrete Crush  perfectly complement a Zeele luxe industrial dining table and add an unmistakable touch of luxe. 

Exploring all things luxe, industrial and dining

On the Zeele blog, we will be exploring all things luxe industrial. We will take a journey back through time to examine the evolution of the industrial style and see how the aesthetic is applied in today's restaurant scene throughout our home city of Melbourne and the rest of the world. 

Following a similar theme as our blog, we will be using Zeele's social media platforms such as facebook and instagram to investigate all things luxe, industrial and dining on a daily basis. We will also share our day to day adventures, asking for your feedback on new designs and sharing our latest news. We would love you to be part of the zeele story!

Click the link to find out more about Zeele. 

What makes a Bombora timber vanity so special?

Timber is a material unlike any other with its unrivaled uniqueness, aliveness and touch-ability.  A solid timber vanity is a beautiful way of bringing visual warmth and luxury to a traditionally stark space made up of tiles, glass, mirror, stone and concrete.  Timber naturally comes in a variety of tones from the ash blonde of American Oak to the dark chocolate of Walnut, the flowing sap lines of recycled Messmate to the Scandinavian minimalism of Australian Chestnut.  There is a timber that will suit every aesthetic, style and palette. 

Why is a solid timber vanity better than the alternatives? 

 With a quality hardwood vanity, your home is instantly more valuable in comparison to a veneer, melamine or laminate alternative simply because it holds its value.  Over time, the other materials once scratched, stained or water damaged will have to be replaced to look new again.  A solid timber vanity with our natural oil and wax finish is easily repairable. With a coat of the maintenance spray in the case of a minor scratch and a light sand and reapplication of the Osmo Polyx oil in the case of major damage, your vanity will remain looking beautiful for a very long time. 

Why is the quality of construction important in your vanity? 

 The Bombora philosophy of furniture creation is that we build it to last. Our greatest desire is for each and every piece of furniture that we design and create to become a heirloom piece that is passed down to the next generation rather than into hard rubbish. All of our vanities are hand made in Torquay on the Victorian Surf Coast. If you choose the melamine or birch ply internals option, the internal structures are custom made by cabinet makers. If you prefer timber inside and out, the entire piece will be constructed by our team of talented furniture makers. 

Custom is best! 

Every one of our vanities are not only made to order but also designed to order.  In our design process, we collect from you the dimensions of your basin, tap ware and plumbing to personalize the design just for you.  You can choose the look as well as the configuration of your piece such as drawers, cupboards or open shelving. Your vanity is optimized for storage space, is visually balanced and the perfect fit for your space, plumbing and basin.   Not only is your design personalized, you also get to choose the type of timber and the character levels.  Here is a link to the most common types of timber we use to create our furniture. 

Why is an Osmo finish better than polyurethrane (two pack)?

Polyurethrane is a plastic coating that is commonly used to seal timber.  It creates a complete barrier against moisture however, once a scratch occurs on the surface, the barrier is gone and there is no protection against water damage with staining, cracking and lifting of the coating resulting. The only way to fix the problem is to completely sand the surface back to raw timber and start again.  This is not a process that can be done in situ. An Osmo natural oil and wax finish penetrates into the timber as well as creating a resistant barrier on the surface, if minor scratching occurs, the timber is still protected and can be easily fixed with a coat of the spray wax cleaner.  In the case of more major damage, the area needs only a light sand and reapplication of the Osmo Polyx product which is easily applied with a roller and can be done in situ. An Osmo finish also leaves the timber looking and feeling natural with a very touchable silky soft surface. The polyurethane however as it just sits on the surface leaves the timber feeling like plastic. 

Options for internal structures 

We offer three different options for the internal structures of our vanities. Solid timber, Birch ply and melamine. All three choices look exactly the same from the outside but gives our clients options in price point and aesthetic. The internal structures are custom designed and made to ensure that you have the most storage room possible.  We create either u shaped drawers or a small cavity to one side of a drawer depending on where your waste is located. 

Solid timber internals

Birch ply internals 

White melamine internals

View our range of solid timber vanities here. 

Contact us to discuss your project here. 

Recycled timber furniture on sale - 12% off EVERYTHING!

Wow what an awesome year it has been here at Bombora Custom Furniture!  We have moved into a lovely new, and thankfully much larger workshop, created hundreds of beautiful custom made pieces of furniture for our clients and completed several large joinery projects! We have welcomed a new member into our team, had lots of laughs, a game or two of bare foots bowls,  and thrown well over a thousand tennis balls at the multitude of dogs that come to the workshop every day!  To celebrate the wonderful year that was and well just because we absolutely LOVE Christmas, we are having a once off SALE on all our custom made recycled timber furniture! 

 The sale includes our recycled timber dining tables such as the beautiful Jan Juc dining table below. I love reviewing the year and seeing what have been the most popular designs!  This year our industrial dining tables such as the Southside and the Centreside with their matt black metal legs have been really popular as well as the classic Sunnymead box leg dining table. 

Timber vanities have also been incredibly popular this year and for good reason!  They create such a beautiful warmth within the bathroom and soften the look of all the harder materials such as the mirror, tiles and glass!  Last year we only made a couple of these sporadically and now we are making at least one every week!  All of our timber vanities are on sale including any custom commissions we receive up until the 31st of December! 

Solid timber bed frames have been as popular as ever this year however we have also started creating some beautiful custom timber bunk beds for clients this as well as for our own Children! Luke created a recycled timber bunk bed with a slide off the top bunk for our 3 year old sons birthday.  Ever since our 4 year old daughter has insisted in sleeping on the top bunk even though he created a beautiful American Oak timber single bed for her birthday earlier in the year! 

  Our once a year sale is on all of our portfolio designs but also all custom pieces commissioned between now and the end of December with 12% off every single piece of furniture sold! Please note that the discount does not include the delivery or Osmo products. 

Contact us here or call Alison on 0407906799 to place your order! 

Alison is the co-owner of Bombora Custom Furniture and in charge of all things other than creating furnture! 

Beautiful timber childrens bed - timber single bed frame

When our now 5 year old daughter was ready to move out of her toddler bed into a "big girl bed" she was very fortunate to have a furniture maker for a dad to create her a very beautiful solid timber bed frame. There was much excitement all round at the creation of the design, the choice of the timber and of course the big reveal! 

Longevity of design and construction

When we where designing the king single bed frame for Emma there where several requirements we had.  Firstly, we wanted something with longevity. For us this meant creating a quality piece from solid timber rather than veneer. This ensures that even if it gets scratched or dented in some crazy game of hide and seek, tea party or flying dragons, it is very easily repaired.   Secondly, the style of the bed frame was a very important factor in the longevity of the piece.  It needed to look gorgeous in a little girls room now but also needed to work in a teenagers room as well. The final design took elements from our Zeally Bay bed with the solid head board, the angled tapered legs and timber grain detailing. The timber choice was the beautiful American Oak because of the subtle grain patterns and the lovely ash blonde tone that works so well with the girly colours. 

An natural finish  

The finish is another vital aspect of the bed for us as parents.  It is not necessarily what is in the finish, it is what is not in the finish.  Osmo is a natural oil and wax based product that is non-toxic and approved for children's furniture.  With the ever increasing information out these days about VOC's (volatile organic compounds), it is vital to us that our little princess is sleeping soundly breathing clean air. 

Why should you choose a king single bed for your child?  

One very great piece of advise I got from the fabulous stylist Julia Green from Greenhouse interiors, is to take the plunge and always buy a king single rather than a single bed for your child.  This way the bed frame will last all the way up to the teenage years.   Although your tiny little one will look even tinier in a king single, it makes sense in the long run. 

The size difference between a single bed and a king single mattress is as below in Australia.

Single bed mattress: 915mm wide x 1880mm long

King single mattress: 1070mm wide x 2030 long

Contact us here if you would like to discuss creating a beautiful solid timber children's bed for your little one, we also create custom made bunk beds! 

Alison Collins is the co-owner of Bombora Custom Furniture and in charge of all things other than making furniture!

Image credits - 

1 & 5 -Monika Berry // Geelong Creatives

2, 3 & 4 - Cricket Studio

South Melbourne project | custom timber cabinets and joinery

As well as making beautiful pieces of custom timber furniture for our clients, we also love creating solid timber joinery and cabinets. To me, great interior design is when each room feels new and true to the inhabitants whilst tying in with the rest of the house.  Timber is a subtle and timeless way of achieving this continuity and personality throughout your home whilst introducing a visual warmth and softness that is very appealing to the eye.  As well as solid timber having an aesthetic timelessness and styling malleability, it is also hard wearing, sustainable and renovatable making its longevity a thrifty choice when compared with other materials used to create cabinetry. 

South Melbourne Project

We recently completed a large project in South Melbourne creating multiple pieces of recycled timber joinery and furniture for our clients renovation. The palette for the design of the space is polished concrete, white walls, black highlights and recycled timber cabinetry and joinery. In nearly every room of the house there is a wooden element created from the same recycled Messmate timber. 

Open Plan Kitchen | Living room 

In the large open plan kitchen and living area, the recycled Messmate timber joinery ties in beautifully with the furniture to create a cohesive space.  The built in entertainment unit spans from one end of the room to the other creating a sense of warmth in the large space that balances the harder materials of the polished concrete and metal window frames. This is an aesthetic that we absolutely love and would describe as luxe industrial.  The same recycled Messmate timber is then used on the doors and drawers of cabinets in the kitchen.  The final element to finish off the space is a bespoke Southside dining table with its matte black metal legs and recycled timber top. 

Bathroom and Powder Rooms

Recycled Messmate joinery has been used in all of the bathrooms and powder rooms in the South Melbourne house to create the floating timber vanities. These pieces reflect elements of the design of the cabinetry in the Kitchen and living areas to create a flow throughout the home.  Stone is used for the tops of these vanities however solid timber is also a very functional choice if preferred. The mirrors in all of the bathrooms are surround in the same recycled Messmate timber.  

Please contact us here if you wish to discuss using solid timber joinery or furniture in your project with us. 

Alison is the co-owner of Bombora Custom Furniture and is in charge of all things other than making furniture!

Custom made timber doors

As that old saying goes, first impressions count and a solid timber door certainly makes a big one.  When it comes to your home, the front door is the focal point of your frontage and sets the scene for what is to come inside, getting the design right is vital in creating a lasting first impression. A solid timber front door is not only impressive to look at, it has a heaviness when swinging open that is just not comparable to the other hollow options.  This solidness also makes the door much less likely to  be dented or scratched and therefore a more long lasting option. 

A warm welcome

As the majority of frontages of houses are created from materials like brick, concrete or render, a timber door visually breaks up these harder materials to bring a welcoming and homely warmth. It creates a beacon that draws visitors to the entrance of your home.The beauty of having a timber front door made to order is that you can choose all aspects of the design including the size, wood type and finish.  A large, impressive statement size door looks amazing with some homes whilst others suit a more subdued, minimalistic and almost camouflaged door.

Custom made timber door jamb

A custom made timber front door also provides an opportunity to play with the design of the frame whether it be using matching or contrasting timbers or an alternative material. For our front door, we chose a heavily featured recycled Messmate timber that matched our floor boards and then solid Jarrah timber to create the frame to provide a contrast and tie in with the red timber cladding of the garage.  We also wanted to allow as much light into our entrance hall as possible whilst maintaining privacy so created a window to the side and above the door all within the same frame.

Which type of timber for solid front door?

The timber that you choose to create the front door greatly influences the aesthetic.  For example, If you home is a minimilastic Scandinavian or contemporary style, a clean ash blonde toned American Oak would look stunning.  If however your home is more of a modern coastal style, a character rich Red Ironbark or warm brown Messmate would be perfect.   As with all of our furniture, we always encourage our clients to choose a timber that is naturally the tone they want rather than using a stain. This greatly increases the longevity of the piece and enables it to be easily renovatable in the case of any scratches.

It is important when designing your custom made timber door that you consider the exposure of the doorway.  The amount of sun and water will influence what type of timber is suitable to use.  If the door is has no exposure to either direct sun or water,  any hardwood timber is fine.  If the door is exposed to water however, the timbers that are suitable for outdoor furniture would be recommended such as Ironbark, Jarrah, or Red Gum.  

Which finish for a timber front door?

Exposure to lots of water and direct sunlight would require a different finish, the UV protector.  You will also need to consider how often you want to maintain the door.  The clear product lets the natural beauty of the timber tones shine through but has much less UV protection so will need to be reapplied more often to prevent the timber from greying.  The other option is a tinted finish that will change the colour of the timber but will need a reapplication much less often then the clear version. 

Bombora Custom Furniture is located in Torquay on the Victorian Surf Coast 20 minutes from Geelong and 1 hour from Melbourne.   

Contact us here if you would like to discuss your project! 

Timber shower base - the latest trend in bathroom design

Yes, as always I am a little bias but I love using timber in the bathroom whether it be a solid timber vanity, a mirror surround or a shaving cabinet.  The latest trend in timber in the bathroom is as a shower base!  It is a lot more comfortable on the feet than cold tiles, a great way to visually divide the shower from the rest of the space and well, it just looks really beautiful! 

    We have had a couple of people ask us about timber shower bases recently as they love the look of it but are concerned about the water and timber combination. It is a common misconception that timber and water don't mix however with the right sealing product and species of hardwood timber, a timber shower floor is very durable. 

The finish that we would recommend when sealing the timber in a shower base is a coat of the Osmo wood protector followed by a coat of Osmo Polyx.  The wood protector is highly water repellent due to its high content of natural waxes.  As with all of the Osmo products, the wood protector is made from a combination of oils and waxes and is non toxic. 

I have wandered around the wonders of the internet and come across some images of timber shower bases that I love! 

decoholic.org

I love the combination of the dark charcoal tiles with the warm toned timber floor. The scale of this bathroom is just magnificent! 

http://schulbergdemkiw.com/project/beachavenue/

The lighter toned timber is this walk in shower design works so beautifully with the concrete rendered walls.  The wide slat design allows for easy water drainage and also delineates the space perfectly. 

https://www.dwell.com/article/amazing-house-is-half-historic-and-half-modern-86e03e34

In this bathroom design, I love how the exposed aggregate concrete floor runs flush with the timber shower base.  The luxe industrial design is continued with the solid concrete vanity with the timber drawers and the towel shelf.  

http://www.aba-architects.com.au/

Lovely combination of grey and timber in this bathroom.  I love how the timber shower base is continued throughout the entire bathroom and how the boards line up exactly with the boards outside. 

Alison Collins is the co-owner of Bombora Custom Furniture and in charge of all things other than making furniture! 

New vs Recycled Timber Furniture

What is the difference between new and recycled timber furniture?

In creating our custom made furniture, we use both recycled and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified timber.  Both have their place, their positives and their negatives. We love creating recycled Messmate furniture for its unique character of flowing grain lines, variable tones and sap lines.  This type of timber looks beautiful in a luxe industrial style dining room, a modern coastal or naturally styled home.  The low feature new timbers look fantastic when creating a minimalist or Scandinavian style home. Here is a summery to help you choose what it the right timber for your style and budget!

Aesthetic of recycled timber furniture - character filled or clean

Recycled timber has usually been reclaimed from old buildings, bridges and piers.  This timber tends to have been harvested from the wild and because of this, it shows the signs of a harsher life with lots of unique character.  Reclaimed wood tends to have wavy rather than straight grain lines, varied tones, sap line and pockets. The other feature of recycled timber are the markings of its previous use whether it be nail or bolt holes, rust or water staining.   

New timber is usually plantation grown and because of this, it has a sheltered life protected from winds, drought and nutritional deficiencies.  New timber tends to have straight and even grain patterns, a consistent tone and less sap lines and pockets. New timber is the better choice if you wish to have your custom made furniture created with low feature or character.  This is the best choice if you want a Scandinavian or minimalist style for your furniture.  

What is the price difference between new and recycled timber furniture?

Recycled timber is approximately 30% more expensive at the timber yard than the same wood that is newly harvested. This is because of the additional time required when milling the timber to remove nails, bolts as well as to machine it into straight lengths. Wormy Chestnut is a new timber that has the appearance of a recycled timber so a great option for those wanting the look without the price tag.

In the workshop, creating recycled timber furniture is more time consuming than new timber furniture.   This is because we hand fill all of the sap lines, pockets, nail and bolt holes to ensure a totally flat surface. The extra time required for these piece also leads to an additional labour cost.  

Timber availability 

Although a client may come to us with an existing preference for new or recycled timber to create their piece of custom made furniture, we cannot always comply with their request.  We usually only have access to recycled Australian timbers such as Messmate, Jarrah, Blackbutt or Iron Bark.  Timbers that are not native usually haven't been used to create buildings and piers in the past and therefore are not available reclaimed.  

New timbers that we often use to create our custom made furniture are American Oak, Australian Chestnut, Wormy Chestnut and Walnut. These are timbers with tones differing from ash blonde to chocolate brown. The only limitation with these timbers is they are not always available at the thickness that a client desired which is when we need to find something similar in a recycled timber.   

Please contact us here if you wish to discuss creating your own piece of custom made furniture! Alternatively you can call Alison on 0407-906-799.