Chris Berry: designing a business out of solid wood
...A look at the man behind the business, what motivates him, how he approaches his work... and what he thinks of the Internet!

Understanding Chris Berry's work means getting to know the man, and going back to his starting point: the marvellous solid wood he selects carefully from the forest in which it grew.

The wood is cut to order before being dried painstakingly to prevent splits in the timber. Furniture is crafted at various workshops - each individually selected for the skills of craftsmen who regard their trade as a lifestyle.

Chris's total involvement in this process, his passion for the subject, and dedication to the whole experience of furnishing gives this company its genuinely exclusive touch - that 'je ne sais quoi' which sets it apart from the crowd.

And yet, Chris is definitely not an out-of-touch craftsman immersed in the darkest recesses of a cobwebbed workshop. On the contrary - "I am often travelling, and I rely on my wife Clare, the integrated phone system and the Internet. The web enables us to have a deliberate strategy of putting all the money into making furniture.

Chris is refreshingly positive about the Internet as a marketing medium, and is fascinated at how it has become an integral part of our shopping psyche.

"The web is an excellent vehicle for discovery. People are always pleased when they find something new on the web and I think that's rather nice."

Having tracked him down on his website, which he believes to be fast and accurate, the next best thing people can do is visit his showroom just outside Newbury, in West Berkshire. Even at the most chaotic time of year, a phone call will elicit a distinctly cheery and wholehearted invitation to visit.

His showroom is a stunning converted barn, which originally housed his wife's horses before they were ousted due to the success of his business. A wood burning stove glows invitingly in the corner, and it is impossible not to run inquisitive fingers over satin smooth table tops and sideboards shown in raw timber.

The initial visit will typically last about two hours ("although the record is seven hours"!) when he goes on a voyage of discovery to find out what people want from their furniture. “Do they want it to be functional, formal, or informal? Of showpiece quality or do they want it to work together with other furniture and how often will they use it?”

"You've also got to understand the male, female divide," he laughs - "I've got to design my furniture for both and achieve agreements. What turns out to be a simple visit can sometimes turn into a counselling session!"

"Customer satisfaction is vital. By the time they leave here they will understand and appreciate the difference between a £500 table and a £2,000 table. They will be offered different sizes, widths, heights, thicknesses of wood, shapes of table legs, and edge profiles, even different stitching for their chair covers. In effect, it is a tailored programme for furnishing their homes."