Reece is aiming to be part of the furniture

A craftsman is carving out a new focus for his business by building bespoke furniture for local homes and companies.
Reece Van Sanden with his bespoke furniture.Reece Van Sanden with his bespoke furniture.
Reece Van Sanden with his bespoke furniture.

Barnsley-based designer and cabinetmaker Reece Van Sanden, who runs Van Sanden from a workshop in the town centre, has spent the last five years completing home improvement projects for people across South Yorkshire.

He originally built his business around services including kitchen and bathroom installations, but is now focusing on his love of creating individual items of furniture designed and made to personal requirements.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Before his career in craft, Mr Van Sanden was working as an IT manager, which he says was “pure and sheer exhaustion”.

“I was basically at everybody’s whim from seven in the morning until 11 at night,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

“I was leaving the office and having chest pains. I was falling apart. It was necessary really but I was lucky that I had this dream, which I was able to turn to.”

Now Mr Van Sanden is looking to increase awareness of his business through online with help from the Digital Media Centre.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The more people hear about his work the more business it is translating into, he says.

Mr Van Sanden is also looking to add an apprentice. He had a person helping out, but they left to pursue other career opportunities.

Mr Van Sanden, who says he has had an interest in design and technology ever since he could pick things up, said he was looking for someone like himself.

He said: It would be lovely to find somebody like me when I was 18, 20-years-old. I was keen on craft and woodwork and capable as well.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Looking back to when I was at secondary school there was nobody interested really. I think design and technology was just a dying subject. It would be just nice to find somebody like me who could learn the business that I do and help it to grow into a really thriving workshop.”

The craftsman has had a lifelong love of design and still has a Black & Decker Workmate he was given for his 15th birthday, despite approaching his 47th.

“I have my Black & Decker Workmate which was my 15th birthday present,” he says. “I’m 47 next birthday and I’m still using it.”

Although he’s doing his dream job, Mr Van Sanden admits it’s hard as he has a family that relies on his support.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “I’ve got to support the business and home so it is hard.

“When it’s a lovely day and you’re driving to work to a beautiful workshop with the radio on and everything, then it’s absolutely lovely and I feel lucky. But on a cold winter’s day you get to the workshop and it’s a different story.”

Despite this Mr Van Sanden says he would swap his current career. “Not for all the tea and china would I go back to doing what I was doing,” he said.

“Working for yourself is an absolute privilege. It’s a completely different ball game to being in the rat race,” Mr Van Sanden added.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Sanden has already started to pass on his design skills to his daughter Anya, even though she’s only seven-years-old.

He said: “She’s only seven but we often talk about her taking over the business and being a furniture designer and things like that. She loves it. She came first in science in school this year.”

Enterprise that’s bedding in

Reece Van Sanden has designed a line of children’s beds made to look like show jumps, and counts the pony-mad daughter of a well-known TV presenter amongst his clients.

The business has been supported by Enterprising Barnsley, the business development and support arm of Barnsley Council.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Van Sanden has had a passion for craft from a very young age.

He said: “I’ve never been interested in anything else. No sports, no football, no music. That just never was me.

“I was always taking things apart and putting them back together again in a different way from as soon as I could pick things up.”