In the foothills of the Waitākeres, furnituremaker Rene Jansen applies his craft from a converted orchard packing shed. Rene came to New Zealand from the Netherlands aged 23 years, training in cabinetmaking, textiles, and visual arts.
With many years of furniture making experience, his latest range feels like an exciting new adventure. Colourful creations made with sustainable materials mostly sourced locally and crafted with dedication and love for detail.
“I was keen to come up with a furniture range with the character of a quintessential Kiwi bach—comfortable, relaxed and a bit quirky,” he says. Rene uses a variety of timbers like oak and American maple. For his lounge chairs he uses hemp that’s available in a variety of colours.
Rene displays a variety of furniture at his studio workshop in Oratia and enjoys talking to customers about their furniture aspirations. “When I deliver a piece and see that the person really appreciates the end product and the work that has gone into it, while feeling they’ve been part of the whole process, it makes for a good day.”
