Peter De Deugd started carving and wood turning when he was twelve and by the time he was seventeen, he’d set up his own business. By eighteen, he was in a cabinetmaking apprenticeship and was busy doing restoration work on St Patrick’s Cathedral in Ballarat; by 2000 he had won cabinetmaking awards and had turned his focus to full-time cabinetmaking.
“Dad used to bring power tools home from his work when I was young and I was fascinated by what they could do. That’s when my interest in wood really started,” he says.
Born and bred in Clunes, Peter loves his trade and sharing it with his family – he and his wife Genevieve have seven children. Operating from a large premises in the main street of Clunes township, he produces a wide range of high quality furniture items, from classical to contemporary styles.
“I don’t have any particular favourite style – they all have their good points; but I do like working on traditional items, possibly because of the carving elements. Traditional wood carving in furniture is a dying art.”
He does however, name American black walnut as his favourite wood – “without any doubt at all” – because of its strength and stability, its rich, dark colour and its incredible aroma. In addition, he uses a wide range of Australian timbers and wood imported from Canada and the United States.
“We also have our own sawmill and I really enjoy that side of the business. I do a lot of timber salvaging in conjunction with city councils. It’s great to create a new life for a piece of old wood.” - www.timmermansfurniture.com.au