British master carpenter Mark Boddington sidestepped the Boddingtons Brewery family business to follow his own path. Having founded his studio, Silverlining, in 1985, Boddington now creates bespoke contemporary furniture by fusing traditional woodwork and cuttingedge technology. He was in Hong Kong to discuss a project on The Peak.
How hard was it not to join the family business? “It wasn’t difficult at all! I was passionate about wood and furniture from a young age. My mother still has a bookcase I made when I was five years old. I think it may be in the genes because my four-year-old son is also good at making things. My maternal grandfather was interested in arts and crafts.
He said, ‘Do what you love.’ I was lucky that my family understood.”
Explain the name “Silverlining”. “I studied under [furniture designer] John Makepeace, at Parnham House [in Dorset, Britain] from 1983 to 1985. My graduation exhibit was a table inlaid with long, thin pieces of silver. It added strength to an edge where two 0.6mm-thick veneers came together. It also tied in with the idea of using silver hallmarks to register each piece of furniture in the company’s name.”
How has technology helped you? “The internet has made the world a global marketplace but it also means we can now find specialists anywhere in the world. We can bring in the latest research to do things such as develop new finishes. One [finish] we’ve worked with is invisible, but you can spill red wine on it and not be left with a stain. It is fine furniture but still practical. That is very important; no matter how incredible a design, it must be functional.”
