DOUBLE DUTCH Jo Stewart A Dutch woodworker called Hans Boon meets a woman from country Victoria while travelling. They get married and settle in her hometown of Daylesford, where he meets a local artist with Dutch heritage who shares the same passion for crafting unique objects.
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his abridged version of how the Boon Bromley furniture brand was born reflects how some things were just meant to be. For Hans Boon and David Bromley, working together comes naturally. Hans first met artist David Bromley while installing new windows in his home. Since then, they’ve developed a friendship that has evolved into a working partnership based on a mutual love of creating beautiful, handcrafted pieces of furniture that will stand the test of time. Having learned the woodworking trade from his father while growing up in the Netherlands, Hans ran his own window making and joinery business before teaming up with David to design and build bespoke furniture under the Boon Bromley name. Opened in January 2020, the Boon Bromley store in Daylesford is only one of two locations that customers can buy furniture made by Hans and David.
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The Bromley & Co. gallery in Melbourne also stocks Boon Bromley pieces. “Every piece we create is unique. They are all numbered, so you get an investment piece for the future,” explains Hans. The initial outlay for a piece of Boon Bromley furniture is more than you’d pay for mass-produced furniture bought at chain stores, but Boon Bromley pieces aren’t your average table or chair. They’re functional, durable works of art designed to last for centuries. “People know they’re going to have our pieces for the rest of their lives. Then they’ll pass them onto their children,” says Hans. The wide variety of high-quality timbers available to furniture makers in Australia means Hans is spoilt for choice for materials to work with.
“There are so many tree species in Australia. I like to use Victorian ash as it’s strong and looks good. It grows quite quickly so it’s a sustainable timber. I also love blackbutt and stringybark. They have such beautiful grains, every piece is so different from the other,” he says. Explaining that he loves “the small country town feel” of Daylesford, Hans and his family live on three acres of land just outside of town. “Where I live feels so rural, but on the main street of Daylesford it feels like you’re in Melbourne with the bars and galleries. And in only five minutes you can be in the forest. I love that contrast,” says Hans. @jostewartwriter Photos:(L-R): Yuge Bromley, Hans Boon & David Bromley Boon Bromley furniture. Photography by Sean McDonald Bromley & Co. bromleyandco.com Boon Bromley boonbromley.com
