A WOODCARVER has set up a business in the Lake District making furniture inspired by a surfboard.

The Malibu is a media unit created by Gareth Harding using the design of a traditional surfer’s long board.

It is a signature piece by Gareth who has started designing and making custom furniture to a very high standard in Windermere. The son of a woodworker who was a design technology teacher, Gareth says he grew up around handmade furniture, but moved from London to the Lake District originally to run a café.

He and his wife Carly bought the Rattle Gill Café in Ambleside because they had a love for homemade and handmade items. “Not just for food: we had a few pieces of furniture commissioned for the café during our time there," said Gareth.”

But the hours involved in running a café proved difficult when their son was born.

It was chance that led Gareth to taking up a place at the Waters and Acland furniture making school in Staveley.

“Learning from the best furniture makers in the country, I went from being a complete novice to a competent maker in a very short space of time,” said Gareth. “I couldn’t believe what I’d been able to achieve. We were encouraged to design and make various pieces that would teach us the broadest range of skills possible.”

Gareth has now set up a dedicated workshop and his business, Tales in Timber, is attracting attention among those who love distinctive design and top quality craftsmanship.

“The journey from design generation, through hand selecting timbers, to making and completing a custom piece of furniture, is incredibly satisfying and rewarding," he said. "I love the attention to detail, the precision, planning, and problem solving that goes into making a complex piece of furniture.”

His surfboard inspiration comes from a friend who rides the waves.

"I’ve always loved the look of a traditional surfer’s long board," he said."The concept for the Malibu Media Unit was inspired by this, sometimes known as the Malibu board. The central stripe handles on the drawer and door fronts are my acknowledgement to the design’s origins.”