Salt & Sawdust

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Salt & Sawdust Salt & Sawdust, a Cape Town-based woodworking studio, rooted in Wabi-Sabi. We craft bespoke furniture & lighting from driftwood & reclaimed timber.

Our work is guided by restraint, material honesty & the beauty of imperfection. Pieces to live by!

15/10/2026

No pressure today, we are ahead of schedule, so its rather chilled in the workshop.

For World Architecture Day, I’ve been thinking about where my work fits into the bigger picture of a home.When I’m makin...
05/10/2026

For World Architecture Day, I’ve been thinking about where my work fits into the bigger picture of a home.

When I’m making a piece of furniture, the measurements are only the starting point. I need to understand the room it’s going into, how it will be used and what’s already around it. A table or cabinet can be beautifully made, but if it’s too large for the room or the finish fights with everything else, it won’t feel right.

That’s why I enjoy working with homeowners, architects and interior designers from the early stages of a project. It gives us the chance to consider the space properly and make something that works with it, rather than simply filling an empty spot.

If you’re planning a residential or commercial project and need a bespoke timber piece, please get in touch.

https://saltandsawdust.co.za/

We tend to notice furniture first, but it’s often the lighting that changes how a room feels.A well-placed light can sof...
04/10/2026

We tend to notice furniture first, but it’s often the lighting that changes how a room feels.

A well-placed light can soften a quiet corner, bring warmth to a dining table or make a favourite reading chair even harder to leave. It’s practical, but it also becomes part of the character of a home.

Alongside furniture, I also create bespoke lighting designs. Each piece is made with the room, the timber and the person who’ll use it in mind, which makes it a thoughtful gift for someone who appreciates something a little different.

If you have an idea for a light, or you’d like to commission one as a Christmas gift, please get in touch early so we have time to work through the design and make it properly.

Contact me on 061 080 0465 or email [email protected].

What do you think of these entrance hall benches? Not quite done yet, the 3 drawers is a custom order that I thought wa...
01/10/2026

What do you think of these entrance hall benches? Not quite done yet, the 3 drawers is a custom order that I thought was really cute, so I decided to make a second while I am at it. Similar but not the same, 1250L x 850h x 400w, the 2 drawer bench is yours for the taking and you can chose the colour stain. Contact me on 061 080 0465 or email [email protected] should you be interested in this bench or have a custom design you would love to have in your home.

It’s Never Just a Coffee TableWe call it a coffee table, but coffee is probably one of the smaller parts of the job.It e...
01/10/2026

It’s Never Just a Coffee Table

We call it a coffee table, but coffee is probably one of the smaller parts of the job.

It ends up holding books, remote controls, homework, drinks and, quite often, a pair of feet at the end of the day. It’s one of those pieces that quickly becomes part of the way a home is lived in.

That’s what I enjoy about making furniture. A table may begin as a piece of timber in my workshop, but once it reaches its new home, it takes on a life of its own.

So, for International Coffee Day, here’s a little appreciation for the table that carries the coffee and everything else.

If you’re looking for a handcrafted coffee table, you can browse the pieces available on the Salt & Sawdust website or contact me to discuss having one made.

https://saltandsawdust.co.za/

Most bespoke pieces begin with a conversation.Sometimes a client arrives with a clear idea. At other times, they have an...
29/09/2026

Most bespoke pieces begin with a conversation.

Sometimes a client arrives with a clear idea. At other times, they have an awkward space, a photograph they like or simply know that they haven’t been able to find the right piece in a shop.

I’ll ask where the furniture will live, how it needs to be used and what it should work alongside in the room. We can then decide on the dimensions, timber and finish before I begin making it by hand in my Cape Town workshop.

You don’t need to arrive with a finished design. A rough idea is often more than enough to start the conversation.

If you have something in mind for your home, you’re welcome to get in touch through https://saltandsawdust.co.za/

Living in the Helderberg, we have the mountains behind us and the Cape coastline never far away. At this time of year, w...
27/09/2026

Living in the Helderberg, we have the mountains behind us and the Cape coastline never far away. At this time of year, whale sightings become part of the conversation, and there’s always something special about catching a glimpse of one when travelling along the coast.

It’s a small part of life here, but one that never really loses its magic. That familiar sight inspired these whale-shaped bread boards.

Each one is shaped and finished by hand, with the natural grain and markings left visible. They can be used for bread, cheese or snacks, although they have enough character to be left out when they’re not being used.

For someone who loves the sea, misses the Cape or simply feels at home near the water, this would be a gift with a little more meaning behind it.

If you’d like me to make one in time for Christmas, please get in touch early.

Contact me on 061 080 0465 or email [email protected].

For more than 50 years, these old louvres have opened and closed with the changing light.They’ve kept rooms cool through...
24/09/2026

For more than 50 years, these old louvres have opened and closed with the changing light.

They’ve kept rooms cool through long summers, softened the afternoon sun and stood quietly in the background while life carried on around them. We may never know everything they’ve seen, but after half a century in a home, they’ve earned their place in its story.

By the time they arrived at my workshop, the timber was extremely dry and several sections were cracked or broken. Replacing them would probably have been easier, but it would also have meant losing something that had belonged to the home for decades.

My job was to use what remained to create one working pair, extend them by approximately 500mm and restore them as closely as possible to their original condition. After eight full days of repairing, rebuilding and carefully matching new sections to the old timber, they were finally ready to return home.

Now they’re hanging where they belong again, still carrying the signs of their age but ready for many more years of changing light, summer afternoons and life unfolding around them.

For me, heritage isn’t only found in grand buildings or objects behind glass. Sometimes it’s found in the familiar parts of a home that someone cared enough to save.

If you have an old timber piece with a story you’re not quite ready to lose, get in touch. It may still have another chapter in it.

https://saltandsawdust.co.za/

It's done and I forgot to post it! American white ash bedside pedestals and TV console. No screws, dowel joinery and g...
22/09/2026

It's done and I forgot to post it! American white ash bedside pedestals and TV console. No screws, dowel joinery and glue only, stained with . A big shout out to Martie from for trusting me with her clients vision. Do you have a piece of furniture you would love for your home. Send me a rough drawing or let's meet up to bring your vision home. Contact Dorian on 061 080 0465 or email [email protected]

20/09/2026

When I’m working with a piece of timber, I’m not trying to make it look perfect. Knots, changes in colour and old marks are often the details that give the wood its character.

Some areas need repairing or strengthening, but others are better left alone. Part of the job is knowing the difference and finding a balance between making the piece practical and keeping what made the timber interesting in the first place.

It means no two pieces will ever look exactly the same, even when they’re made to the same design. For me, that’s part of the appeal of furniture made from real wood.

You can see more of my work at saltandsawdust.co.za.

Address

Strand
Cape Town
7140

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 15:00

Telephone

+27610800465

Website

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