By Appointment only

French Tables Ballarat shares space with the headquarters and design studio of Mark Alexander Interior Design, in a gold-rush era heritage building on Sturt Street. The building also houses three levels of carefully curated rooms showcasing traditional and contemporary European furniture and design styles, and also serving as a source of inspiration to anyone about to commission their first piece of handmade furniture from French Tables. We love to meet our clients in their homes or workplaces to get a better understanding of their style and tastes, but also welcome by appointment only consultations in our design headquarters, which is especially useful for interstate and international clients.

Our speciality is bespoke, one-of-a-kind pieces, with individuality found not only in the profile of each piece of furniture, but also in the materials used, the parquetry pattern, and the finishes. And while it is possible for us to design and manufacture furniture with little involvement from our clients, our most loved pieces of furniture are those that are influenced and shaped through the client’s involvement, personality, and design tastes. Supported throughout by our years on industry experience and knowledge, ensuring that you are completely satisfied with your table, chairs, console, or cabinet.

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Our Furniture Design Process and Difference

Whether you are designing a sophisticated residential furniture piece or a functional commercial item – from extravagant dining tables, to modern and abstract sideboards and consoles – we provide a truly unique experience creating furniture that not only perfectly suits your surrounding architecture and environment, but also reflects your distinctive character and personality.

We see our furniture as artworks – each individually designed and handcrafted from the finest quality woods that ensure beautiful colour and grain distinctions; such as American and European Oaks, option of Australian native timbers, along with more traditional Walnut, Cherry and many other timber options.

A key goal is to always express your vision through our truly collaborative creative journey, as we work with you to design original furniture items that reflect your unique style and flair.

Concept & Parquetry Pattern Design

Everything begins with a concept sketch, determining size, shape, and style, and refined through the introduction of colour and fabrics. If you want your custom cabinet, console, or table to include parquetry, the pattern design needs to be considered and mapped out. We draw inspiration from traditional parquetry designs such as the Versailles, Chantilly, or Monticello, along with more contemporary designs including Herringbone, Chevron, and Basket patterns, and adapt them to work well with the design of your furniture or your home, particularly if your home includes parquet flooring. And because all our furniture is handmade by Australia’s finest artisans, Oak walnut, mahogany, and other fine timbers aren’t your only options for parquetry patterns, with stone and marble inlays also possible.

Customisation

The beauty of woodwork and woodturning is that it allows for much more customisation than just the selection of timber or finish, with further individualisation introduced through the profile of each piece, the actual shape, and even leg design on tables, chairs, and many cabinets. And the dining chairs we design can follow traditional styles such as wing, square, oval, spoonback, and more, or simply draw inspiration from traditional styles with contemporary touches, not least of which would be the fabric selection. But we are always careful to guide you through the customisation of your piece, so you never find yourself overwhelmed by choices.

Manufacturing & Polishing

All work is carried out by our highly-skilled artisans, with Mark Alexander overseeing each project from concept and throughout manufacturing. Our manufacturing process takes into consideration – and accentuates – the natural colour and grain of the chosen timbers and ends with our piece de resistance: a meticulous and lengthy French polishing technique that ensures unparalleled depth of colour and lustre of each furniture item. Using premium materials and Italian costings and waxes, this labour-intensive method relies heavily on our skilled craftsmen and their judgement to yield a superior finish; achieving a liveable surface that is particular for everyday use, yet provides a deep colour and stunning lustre that becomes a treasured part of family history.