The Fair Isle Chairs Project

Fair Isle is the UK's most remote inhabited island. It lies in the far north of Scotland, half way between Shetland and Orkney, on the invisible line where the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean collide. Despite its isolated and often storm lashed location, it has been inhabited for thousands of years and has a rich and varied history.

The Fair Isle Chairs Project is a unique piece of research into the vernacular furniture of this tiny island, carried out by Eve Eunson, who was born and raised on her family’s croft in Fair Isle. In 2018, during a period of self-imposed “retirement”, she came up with the idea to survey the traditional chairs of her native isle.  Two years, hundreds of miles, 70+ surveys, 200+ drawings, thousands of photos and three furniture workshops later- and the project is now complete. 

By focusing on the humble chair, Eve has drawn together family history, emigration, social change, creative expression, endangered crops and the plight of a unique and endangered craft. This limited edition publication acts as a tangible record of this valuable research. With the cover printed on the most luxurious paper, this little book is a lovely addition to any coffee table or bookcase and showcases, with fantastic photography, just how interesting and beautiful the humble chair can be.

28 pages
Size: 21 cm x 21 cm
Printed in the UK.