When Sam Rouse found out that his wife Kayla was expecting a baby, he did what any father would do – he built a wooden crib in the shape of a boat.
Sam (24) is an American student at the Chippendale International School of Furniture in East Lothian, Scotland and is originally from North Carolina. He met his wife at university in Virginia, where he was studying business marketing and she was studying nursing. From when they were married, the couple had planned to move to Scotland to allow Sam to pursue his life-long passion for woodworking.
When they finally achieved their family goal of enrolling Sam into the Chippendale school, it was only natural that Sam’s first furniture project be for the newest member of his family. Sam completed the crib, inspired from his own childhood spending summer holidays on the North Carolina coast, just in time for Liliana’s birth in April.
The crib is made from ash, elm and fumed oak with cherry and walnut accents and has an anchor-shaped floor stand. Its side planks were hand planed and each detail meticulously crafted.
The Chippendale International School of Furniture takes students from all over the world for its immersive 30-week course. This year, the school’s students come from the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Russia, Australia and New Zealand.
“Not every baby gets a custom-made boat for a bed,” says Sam. “I hope that Liliana will one day have children of her own, and that her crib will become a family heirloom.”
Sam plans to return to Raleigh, North Carolina this June and start a furniture design business of his own. His desire is to help others create heirloom quality pieces of furniture that will be as unique as the people they are made for.
“There is something truly special about having a piece of furniture in your home that was made specifically for you - quality furniture that not only looks beautiful but is sturdy enough to stand the test of time,” says Sam.
“I believe that there are many people who are looking for just that and I plan to help them create inspiring pieces of furniture that will truly be enjoyed and handed down the generations!”
Sam Rouse and family in North Berwick, a seaside town in East Lothian, near Edinburgh.
