A Master of his Craft
Carpentry is an ancient practice dating all the way back to the Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. It’s a craft that takes years to develop through persistence and hard work, something Christopher Rea has mastered over the years. Despite the inspiring work he has already done, this is just the beginning for Chris, along with business partner and wife, Brit. A carpenter with vision, each time the aim is to take a slab of wood and turn it into a unique piece of art in the most sustainable way possible.
For many tradesmen, passion for a particular craft is something that is inherited. Similarly, carpentry runs in Chris’ blood; it all started in Belfast where he grew up, his grandfather built his very own workshop in the back garden where he traded from. From a young age, Chris would spend time there watching his grandad work, then at age 16 he took the decision to follow in the same footsteps to learn the trade and hasn’t looked back since.
In 2011 Chris made the move to the South of Spain, and with the help of his other grandfather, who had lent out his garage to use as a workshop, he had his own business by 2014.
Having quickly outgrown the garage, the magic now happens at a large warehouse in Fuengirola where all the machinery and wood is stored. As the business grows, so does the team, Brit plays a significant role in growing the company and helping out with administrative tasks. Together they have a gorgeous toddler who perhaps one day he’ll also take part in the family business…
Reminiscent of true artisanship, Chris’ work can be characterised by having a hands-on approach to create the finest bespoke pieces. He is able to give clients an expert opinion on what type of wood and design will work best for the project they have in mind. Each piece he creates is unique, whether it be a coffee table or a walk-in wardrobe, it’s always different and made especially with the clients need and desires in mind. ‘My true passion is creating something bespoke from scratch and bringing out the real beauty of natural wood’, Chris told us.
Christopher Rea’s trademark is probably the incorporation of Epoxy resin into custom builds, making for one-of-a-kind pieces. Chris provides all forms of household carpentry services, such as coffee or dining tables, walk in wardrobes, bespoke furniture – you name it!
In order to get to where he is now, Chris went through a careful selection process to acquire the best materials to work with. To create his pieces, Chris imports hardwood from Europe available for other carpenters or anyone else interested to buy. Before arriving at a perfect product from Northern Italy, Chris had tried and tested different woods from all over Spain and found the product didn’t always meet his standards. The quality wasn’t quite what he was looking for. He decided to take matters into his own hands and do some proper research, travelling wood mills across Europe until he finally found what he was looking for.
Sustainability is a core value in the company, this is one of the reasons Chris imports from where he does, for every tree cut down twelve are planted. Furthermore, making live edge tables and bar tops means there is a lot less wastage since there is no need to cut much wood off. It’s clear, the vision is never to go for a quick fix, instead it’s to create something long-lasting with minimal damage to the environment.
As the next logs are prepared to be cut and shipped over for Italy, we can’t help but think what the future holds for Christopher Rea. These are exciting times as the team plan to launch an online shop selling special pieces, such as personalised chopping boards and stunning dining tables. It doesn’t end there, in the future a larger workshop with a showroom is in sights. Make sure you visit his website to view more examples of his spectacular work at: