Timber iQ October - November 2018 // Issue: 40 | Page 50

FEATURES
Recycled oregon from Woodstock for Stor-Age HQ in Claremont, Cape Town.
Rising from the saw dust
Cape Town-based Coney Timbers shares insight into the business
of repurposing reclaimed timber for iconically honest, rustic and
timeless furniture.
By Candace Sofianos King | Photos by Coney Timbers
W
hen it comes to contemporary timber design
trends, ‘out with the old and in with the new’ is a
general prevailing approach. However, this
shouldn’t necessarily be the case, says Dean Dicks, founder
and creative director of Coney Timbers, manufacturers of
custom reclaimed, recycled, rustic, vintage or refined solid
wood furniture.
The birth of this bespoke sustainable business all
began in an ‘overwhelmingly large’ auditorium at the
Design Indaba back in 2010. “I sat there not knowing
what to expect, besides listening to inspirational
speakers from across the world. Over three days, I
48 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2018 //
listened to many presentations that inspired, enlightened
and motivated me.
“The speaker who made the greatest impression for
me was Piet Hein Eek, a Dutch furniture designer. He
delivered a narrative that was humbling and inspiring
about how an individual, through a creative process, can
apply his DNA and education to create something unique,
artistic and desirable.”
Dicks left Design Indaba more confused than ever,
wondering if he should resign from a 15-year career in
See more on page 50