Alexandra’s designs are canvases for meticulous marquetry detailing, with playing surfaces and boxes showcasing the distinctive, decorative beauty of this heritage British craft.
What is Marquetry?
Dating back to the 16th century, marquetry is an ancient art form, traditionally used in cabinet-making, that has found a new creative expression at Alexandra Llewellyn. By inlaying a surface with a mosaic of wood veneers — often thousands of miniature pieces — our marquetry artist brings intricate shapes, forms and patterns to life.
THE MARQUETRY PROCESS
Discover the different stages of craftsmanship required to bring Alexandra’s designs to life in wood.
1. drawing the design
Working from her studio in Belgravia, London, Alexandra dreams up never-before-seen designs in wood inlay, sketching each new creation by hand.
2. BRIEFING THE CRAFTSMAN
Each inlaid product is created in close conversation with our marquetry artist. With close to 40 years’ experience, he has an innate understanding of how the different woods will enhance a design.
3. selecting the woods
Together, Alexandra and the marquetry artist choose the woods that best describe the different elements of a design from an incredible archive of wood veneers.
4. CUTTING THE WOODS
It takes years of training to laser cut wood to the standard required for Alexandra’s designs. For organic shapes, pieces are cut by hand to achieve a softer silhouette.
5. HOT SAND SHADING
Individual pieces of wood are dipped in scorching hot sand to create the illusion of depth and perspective for a three-dimensional ‘trompe l’oeil’ effect.
6. Assembling the Woods
Like a fiendishly difficult jigsaw puzzle, the individual wood veneers are joined together, with each piece cut for a specific space in the design.
7. pressing
When Alexandra is happy with the composition, the marquetry is fastened to a stable hardwood board and pressed under extreme weight and heat.
8. finishing touches
The marquetry product continues its journey to other workshops in the UK, including a leather artist and specialist polisher, who seals the inlay work with lacquer to accentuate the colours of the woods.
I often say that marquetry is like painting with wood. We are painstaking in our selection process, choosing veneers for their colour, texture, tone and grain, and how they complement each other.
ALEXANDRA llewellyn
A REMARKABLE CENTREPIECE
A remarkable private commission, created for a client with a passion for orchids, this bespoke games table was designed to be a centrepiece in their home. Crafted in hand-picked marquetry woods, the slender leaves and elegant orchids are complemented by beautiful pops of pinks and greens, courtesy of the custom-made leather playing pieces
A KALEIDOSCOPE OF BUTTERFLIES
The world of Alexandra Llewellyn extends beyond games. Another speciality is our jewellery boxes, showcasing intricate wood marquetry inlaid with butterflies crafted from mother of pearl and vibrant marquetry woods.
AN ICONIC MIAMI BEACH HOTEL
Full of hidden messages and meanings, this bespoke marquetry backgammon board was inspired by the client’s love of psychic readings. Weaving in a fairy, the entwined lovers from a tarot card and inlaid brass triangles, engraved with the zodiac signs of the client and her family, each of the playing pieces is engraved with a guiding word or mantra.
A Unique Location
Bespoke commission for the Ocean Club St Barths. Showcasing intricate marquetry mirroring the indigo blue of the ocean with abstract waves rolling across the playing surface and four of the triangles on the board replaced with superyachts, meticulously recreated in wood inlay.
SHOP THE GAMES
PLAYING CARDS
