THE ECLIPSE STORY.
The Eclipse story is one that revolves around the founder and still current co-owner Ross Triffitt who along with his wife Juli have endured the ups and downs of running a family business for well over 30 years. Starting off in furniture retail selling a range of products all bought in from wholesalers, they progressed into manufacturing their own timber furniture by employing just one tradesman which then over the years that grew into eight.
The business has always focussed on making furniture to the requirements of the client rather than developing a signature style like many other companies do. This provides many challenges which is also an enjoyable part of the business when the finished item brings huge rewards in job satisfaction as well as in customer satisfaction.
ECLIPSE VALUES
In the era of fast everything, furniture is no exception. We live in a time that virtually anything and everything can be bought online and shipped from anywhere in the world in a matter of days sometimes. This convenience has created a disposable culture that has become accepted as “normal”. Just take a drive down any inner city suburbs in Sydney and see for yourself, piled up on the side of the roads just how much 'stuff' people are throwing away.
We've all had our moments where you need something just to make do for now until you can afford something better and that's fine, perhaps finishing uni or getting through the uncertain times of Covid, we might purchase cheap furniture or products just to get by. However, we quickly learn that these products are not made to last and then we all know where they end up - in landfill.
The good news is that slowly people are becoming aware that this approach is simply not sustainable. So many companies are now doing incredible things, making good quality products from recycled materials like board shorts from plastic bottles, shoes from car tyres and wetsuits from recycled neoprene, these stories make us feel good. “Go world''. At Eclipse we have a passion for well-crafted furniture with thoughtful design, using high-quality local raw materials, sustainably sourced or even better.
Every piece of furniture we make will outlive us, we are making furniture that will be around for generations and your grandchildren will love inheriting your dining table. When you purchase a piece of furniture from Eclipse you can feel good in knowing that your choice to purchase from us is an ethical decision.
There is so much more intrinsic value in buying locally made products in that you are supporting the Australian economy and very importantly, Australian jobs.
What we provide at Eclipse is thoughtfully designed furniture specially made to fit your requirements. With relatively short turnaround times and made from unique indigenous hardwoods, we make bespoke easy and enjoyable.
Our furniture has an obvious connection with the Australian landscape, you will continue to appreciate your furniture for many years to come and it will bring you joy every time you use it.
BEAUTIFULLY HANDCRAFTED.
Eclipse Handcrafted Furniture's creations reveal the immense variations and beauty that are inherent in Australian mainland hardwood timbers. Beautiful timbers and superb craftsmanship combine to be the hallmark of what Eclipse Handcrafted Furniture stands for.
EXPOSING NATURES SECRETS
Ross's affinity with the beauty inherent in Australian Eucalypt Timbers started when he was growing up on a farm chopping up firewood. He observed the different colours, textures and densities within different types of eucalypts. Then his passion for Eucalypt timbers grew rapidly when his business started using some recycled hardwood to make furniture when they started to graduate from using softer timbers which back in the mid to late eighties was mainly recycled Baltic pine and old Oregon.
One of Ross's other earliest influences came from his late Grandmother's hobby of lapidary (the art of polishing stones). 'It was fascinating seeing a very ordinary-looking stone go through the polishing process and being absolutely gobsmacked when it came out. It was amazing to see the beautiful colours and patterns in what was once just an ordinary stone and this is very similar to what we do now but with timber.
CURRENTLY
In recent times and due to the level of experience and skill they have acquired over the years, Eclipse have evolved into servicing the designer and architect market which has involved moving away from the 'showroom' business model into now occupying a smaller 'studio space' in Alexandria where they still have some beautiful pieces on display. Eclipse pride themselves on upholding the principles of 'slow design' which is the antithesis of so much of our modern world where the emphasis seems to be on 'fast & disposable'.
