A More Personal Way Of Working
For many years, much of our work quietly travelled through funeral homes, memorial suppliers and industry partners across Australia. If you have visited a memorial office or funeral home over the past decade, particularly in the Eastern States, there is a good chance you may already have seen one of our timber vessels.
We remain deeply grateful for those relationships. They helped shape our workshop, refine our construction methods, and establish the standards we continue to work to today.
But over time, Wendy and I found ourselves increasingly drawn back toward a smaller and more personal way of working — building directly for families from our workshop here in the Perth Hills.
The Workshop Direction
Rather than focusing on large showroom distribution, we are now choosing to work at a quieter pace, producing a smaller collection of solid timber memorials directly from the bench.
That shift allows us to spend more time where we believe it matters most:
- Selecting and milling timber by hand.
- Building in smaller batches with greater attention to detail.
- Offering more thoughtful timber combinations and finishes.
- Speaking directly with the families who will ultimately live beside these pieces.
Every urn is still individually machined, joined and hand-finished here in Maida Vale using the same workshop methods we have refined over many years.
Why Timber Still Matters
We continue to work primarily with solid Australian hardwoods such as Jarrah, Blackwood and Australian Oak because timber carries a warmth and permanence that feels appropriate in the home.
Unlike mass-produced veneered boxes, solid timber changes gently with light and age. The grain softens, the oils mature, and the vessel gradually becomes part of the room around it.
For us, that quiet longevity is important.
A Smaller, More Personal Studio
A Cut Above was never intended to become a mass-production business. We prefer slower work, smaller production runs and the satisfaction that comes from building pieces that feel considered and lasting.
Today, our focus is simple:
- Create refined timber memorials with long-term structural integrity.
- Maintain honest materials and restrained design.
- Build directly from our Perth Hills workshop.
- Offer thoughtful Australian craftsmanship without unnecessary complexity.
Whether a memorial is travelling across Perth or interstate to Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide, every piece still begins the same way — with carefully selected timber and a quiet day at the workbench.
Thank you for supporting independent Australian craftsmanship and allowing us to continue building in this more personal way.
— Jim & Wendy
A Cut Above Woodworking
