Landscapes made in wood, available by commission.
Available to commission
A scale model of the full island of Ireland, showing the landscape in all its beauty
A coordinate grid allows the island to be prepared in separate, high-resolution sections. These are aligned before CNC machining, sanding and finishing.
From framed landscapes to larger tiled models, each piece can capture a place anywhere in the world
Commissions are priced individually, according to the landscape, size, materials and work involved.
Get in touch with the location you have in mind, an approximate size and any budget you would like to work within.
The early pieces and their story
Discuss a terrain modelThe landscape is scaled and positioned, then cut into wood using a CNC machine, sanded and finished by hand.
Digital terrain models generated using TouchTerrain.
Harding, C., Hasiuk, F. & Wood, A. (2021). TouchTerrain—3D Printable Terrain Models. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 10(3), 108. Read the published research ↗
At a smaller scale
Terrain models can also be small ornaments and gifts, made around a place that matters to someone.
The scale changes, while the connection to the place remains.
Discuss a smaller pieceAn Early Study
The first full-island model, painted white, with a rotating light arm. Low light reveals the hills and valleys; head-on, the relief almost disappears.
A COB light strip is built into the arm, with the wiring concealed inside. Moving the light around the frame lets the same landscape be seen afresh from one moment to the next.
Enquire about a terrain model
A United Ireland
Oak terrain on a white acrylic resin backing, enclosed by a curved walnut frame.
The elliptical shape gives the piece a more stately look, the coastline more space and a more defined transition from land to sea.
This model carried forward the placement of the partition directly in the landscape.
The model was displayed in Dublin Castle in May 2025 at an event for the Irish embassies, and taken to Féile an Phobail in Belfast.
Placing the border directly into the model drew very different responses. The conversations challenged my own assumptions and beliefs, showed how differently the partition is seen and understood, and how our perspectives can be misunderstood.
Previous work · An artistic study
This model represents changes in rural population between 1841 and 1851, during the Great Famine. Colour shows the population changes against the relief of the Irish landscape.
The history and material experiments
Enquire about a terrain modelEnquiries
Tell me about the place you have in mind and the kind of piece you would like to make.
Discuss a terrain modelAvailable pieces and commissions.
Selected furniture
Irish oak from Blessington · Available to purchase
A solid oak slab curves down to form one support, with a three-drawer cabinet at the other end. Kerf cuts remain visible inside the curve.
Other oak boards from the same stock are available for commissions, with proportions, drawers and supports adapted to the chosen board.
Enquire about the desk
Walnut from Drogheda · Wicklow granite
A walnut slab rests between three pieces of Wicklow granite, with each connection shaped to fit the stone.
A new bench will vary with the slab and stones selected. Dimensions, timing and delivery are agreed before work begins.
Discuss a bench commissionAvailable to commission
Previous pieces to show what’s possible, made to commission for your space.
Solid and veneered oak, with curved cupboard fronts and a central bank of drawers.
A bed in solid and veneered oak, with an open spindle headboard, rounded corners and slender legs.
A pair of dressers with mahogany veneer fronts and bodies, solid Sapele legs and trim, and an oak inlay accent. A blend of modern and traditional design.
Hand-painted fronts framed by an oak reveal, with solid oak legs and birch plywood internals.
Enquiries
To arrange a viewing or ask about a new piece, send a short outline of what you have in mind.
hello@robertdempsey.ieShelving, storage or something particular to your space.
A traditional in-frame kitchen and utility, with oak veneer carcasses and hand-painted doors and drawer fronts featuring a 6mm bead.
Finished with a Belfast sink, cornice and skirting.
A bench in oak veneer, with the front angled back 15° for comfortable sitting.
Storage beneath for books, toys and crayons.
A slim, slatted radiator cover.
A modern fitted bed and wardrobe in oak veneer, with painted wardrobe doors and angled overhead cabinets.
A pull-out section extends the bed to a double.
Walnut slatted doors conceal hallway storage, with cabinets and drawers in Cambrian Oak.
The slatted finish continues beneath the stairs.
Painted and oak fronts, with reeded oak doors and a brass handle detail.
Featured on RTÉ’s Home of the Year · Series 12, 2026.
Painted shelving and storage frame the kitchen-area window, wrapping onto the right-hand wall where space allows.
A solid oak butcher-block worktop lines up with the sliding windows, supported by a metal frame.
Shabby-chic painted doors and a panelled backing are paired with oak shelving and metal supports.
Your idea
Send an idea, a photograph of the space, a sketch or a drawing. A clear design or an early thought is enough to start.
Tell me where it will go and what matters to you about it. If you have them, include approximate measurements, the project location and any timing requirements.
Tell me what you have in mindLandscapes made in wood, available by commission.
Available to commission
A scale model of the full island of Ireland, showing the landscape in all its beauty
A coordinate grid allows the island to be prepared in separate, high-resolution sections. These are aligned before CNC machining, sanding and finishing.
From framed landscapes to larger tiled models, each piece can capture a place anywhere in the world
Commissions are priced individually, according to the landscape, size, materials and work involved.
Get in touch with the location you have in mind, an approximate size and any budget you would like to work within.
The early pieces and their story
Discuss a terrain modelThe landscape is scaled and positioned, then cut into wood using a CNC machine, sanded and finished by hand.
Digital terrain models generated using TouchTerrain.
Harding, C., Hasiuk, F. & Wood, A. (2021). TouchTerrain—3D Printable Terrain Models. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 10(3), 108. Read the published research ↗
At a smaller scale
Terrain models can also be small ornaments and gifts, made around a place that matters to someone.
The scale changes, while the connection to the place remains.
Discuss a smaller pieceAn Early Study
The first full-island model, painted white, with a rotating light arm. Low light reveals the hills and valleys; head-on, the relief almost disappears.
A COB light strip is built into the arm, with the wiring concealed inside. Moving the light around the frame lets the same landscape be seen afresh from one moment to the next.
Enquire about a terrain modelA United Ireland
Oak terrain on a white acrylic resin backing, enclosed by a curved walnut frame.
The elliptical shape gives the piece a more stately look, the coastline more space and a more defined transition from land to sea.
This model carried forward the placement of the partition directly in the landscape.
The model was displayed in Dublin Castle in May 2025 at an event for the Irish embassies, and taken to Féile an Phobail in Belfast.
Placing the border directly into the model drew very different responses. The conversations challenged my own assumptions and beliefs, showed how differently the partition is seen and understood, and how our perspectives can be misunderstood.
Previous work · An artistic study
This model represents changes in rural population between 1841 and 1851, during the Great Famine. Colour shows the population changes against the relief of the Irish landscape.
The history and material experiments
Enquire about a terrain modelEnquiries
Tell me about the place you have in mind and the kind of piece you would like to make.
Discuss a terrain modelDesigner & maker · Roundwood, Co. Wicklow
I’m Robert Dempsey, a furniture and cabinet maker in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow.
My work spans freestanding furniture, bespoke cabinetry and wooden terrain models. Each offers a different possibility: a piece of furniture shaped around an unusual board, storage fitted to a space so that it belongs, or a landscape made tangible in wood.
The starting point is understanding what you would like made and what matters to you about it. That might be how something works, how it feels in a room, or a connection to a particular place. Some projects begin with a clear design; others take shape as we explore the possibilities.
I enjoy working out how to bring these ideas into being, paying attention to the overall piece and the small details that make it work.
Explore the work
Enquiries
For a commission, an available piece or a collaboration, get in touch with a short outline of what you have in mind.
hello@robertdempsey.ie