Calum's "Spirit of wood"

by Carol Kitson

Hand painted kitchen furniture.

Take a tall, freckle-faced farmer from Aberfeldy and give him a degree in agricultural business management. Marry him to a graduate in agricultural nutrition and what do you get? 

At 'Spirit of Wood' you get an eclectic mix of fabulous farmhouse furniture designed to provide the 'wow factor' for any aspiring home-builders sold on that most sought-after furnishing genre, namely 'city sophistication escaped to the country.' 

Like Laura Ashley or Habitat, 'Spirit of Wood' manages to capture a 'look' which is at once stylish and solid. It simply reeks quality and design. 

Rural entrepreneur Calum McDairmid and his wife, Nicky, created the unique hand-made furniture business in a big barn-like showroom tucked away at Mains of Murthly farmhouse just outside Aberfeldy, three years ago. It's a surprise find by anyone's standards and is listed on Scotland's Hidden Places website of 'must-see' discovery destinations. Calum & Nicky run the thriving business alongside their other enterprising projects such as supplying high-quality organic beef, lamb and luxury soft-fruits to some of the big names in supermarkets. For good measure eight holiday cottages are available to rent at Mains of Murthly for families seeking a 'get-away-from-it-all experience' on a working farm. 

As the name 'Spirit of Wood' implies Calum is in love with his product. "Wood is alive", he enthuses. "It has atmosphere. We're in the business of creating a lifestyle experience for our customers which embraces both character and ambience." 

Just as the natural qualities of wood attracts Calum, he admits to abhorring the 'veneer and flat-pack' approach to home-furnishing. It's not what his customers are looking for anyway. Traditional manufacturing techniques are employed, creating a product which will last - Calum believes furniture should stand the test of time. It's on display in pine, oak, teak, birch and acacia. 

The range reflects Calum and Nicky's own tastes and high standards and he insists he wouldn't buy anything from a supplier he wouldn't use himself adding, "It's honest furniture at honest prices."

While furnishing holiday cottages, the enterprising pair stumbled across a wealth of top furniture designers and the idea of 'selling a lifestyle' took root. "The traditional but contemporary look is designed specifically for a country house setting," Calum explains. "Each piece is hand-made to a customer's own specification and individual attention is assured from the design to delivery. Nothing in the showroom is off the shelf." 

The market for 'Spirit of Wood' furniture and its impressive range of stylish accessories is currently around 70% Highland Perthshire, although Calum admits to supplying a bespoke wooden bar to a second-floor flat in Edinburgh's Morningside creating, he points out, something of a logistical challenge! 

With less footfall and lower overheads than his High Street rivals Calum's prices are seriously competitive. He regularly scrutinises the market for new suppliers and attends major furniture exhibitions to ensure his sources remain the best. Relying mostly on word-of-mouth for reputation and marketing purposes, Calum admits there hasn't been much of a need so far to advertise widely although an exciting 'Spirit of Wood' website is currently under construction. He is also proud to exhibit his 'Perthshire country lifestyle' at local horse-trials and game fairs. Competitors such as John Lewis, M&S, DFS, and Sterling of Tilliecultrie don't worry Calum. How so? "They don't know who their customers are and that makes an incredible difference," Calum insists, adding, "Everything is available here from the cutlery to the dining table and the cushion to the chair, and you're not going to see it duplicated in your best friend's house!" 

Describing himself as "just a farmer with not enough hours in the day," he and Nicky lead a busy life with their family of two boys, Edward (7) and Matthew (4). He admits they are driven by a sense of achievement and the challenge of making the best of their idyllic rural location. "There's a huge enterprising community spirit here in Aberfeldy," Calum smiles knowingly, "and there will always be a future in the countryside. Everybody wants a piece of it."

With a brand new, state-of-the-art showroom planned for an adjoining farm-mill next year the future for 'Spirit of Wood' is definitely looking good.