An Artist Creates Furniture That Could Come Straight Out of Alice in Wonderland

With so many fantasy movies and books around, it’s virtually impossible to stop imagining worlds full of magic all the time. Henk is the perfect example of that. He’s almost 70-year-old, but he has always loved to make furniture with unique and special features. While at first glance you might think they are broken or that they came straight out of a fairy tale, these pieces are fully functional, and their flaws are small details that turn these objects into something truly amazing.

Bright Side was fascinated by the creativity and ingenuity of this cabinetmaker who, in fact, is an expert at putting his art on wood.

Talent is in his hands.

For as long as he can remember, Henk has been making furniture. But surprisingly, no one really taught him how to transform his ideas into beautiful pieces of art, and he claims that his teacher was himself — as in his own thoughts. And these days, he has probably made so many pieces that it’s hard to keep track of which one was the first of them all, but the inspiration to make fantastical works of art came after an earthquake that took place in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand.

The thinking behind his marvelous works of art

To create one of these pieces of furniture, Henk invests about 80 to 100 hours of work, and everything is done by hand. “I asked my dad if he had any plans for the furniture, and he went to his workshop and came back with a drawing on a sheet of paper,” said his daughter. If one thing is clear, it’s that this artist has magic hands. All he needs is some wood and to let his imagination run wild to create a real masterpiece. “I draw my idea on a piece of plywood and that becomes the backing piece,” explained Henk.

Many woodworkers focus on creating “nice” furniture for the home, and while these may have particular features that catch people’s eyes, what Henk wanted was to make something you wouldn’t find in a regular store. “I make furniture in this style because I like to make things in a different way that’s out of the ordinary. My work is art, humor, and also something totally usable,” he said.

As for Henk’s future plans, he shared that he wants to enjoy life with his wife, family, and friends. He’s not thinking about opening a store, as he prefers to keep things simple: it’s just him, the wood, and his garage.

Some of Henk’s pieces

What do you think of Henk’s work? Is there a fantastic piece of furniture that lives in your imagination that you would like to have in your home? Tell us in the comments.