Meet the Makers: Spotlight on General Operative, Chris

Sitting down with Chris was an insightful experience, knowledgeable and passionate about crafting our made to order beds, Chris is full of energy, with a vibrant personality. Having joined the business two years ago, he expertly prepares , sands and stains the leg components of our solid wood beds, ensuring the raw material is carefully worked into an expertly-crafted finished product. So if you already sleep restfully on a Get Laid Beds bed, it’s more than likely Chris crafted the legs that support it.

Reflecting on the raw materials he works with everyday, Chris comments that he prefers working with hard woods as they’re more malleable to work with on the sander and that they have a beautiful, natural finish. However, he also notes that the soft woods are adaptable due to their customisable colour finish and that he enjoys seeing the versatility of our sustainably sourced pine. 

But how many stages are there from raw material to end product? The process of taking the raw material and crafting it to a component that is of a high enough quality and finish to be sent to customers is a long one, and one that Chris undertakes with a meticulous attention to detail.

“I’m constantly looking and checking, genuinely I’m not just saying this, every bed is made with love. Someone is going to buy these so I have to give them my seal of approval. Everything is colour co-ordinated, through and through, even the sides you don’t see and face the wall, that’s been checked.”

He talks us through the operation of taking accurately cut pieces of solid wood and, after approved inspection of the organic material, the holes where the slats will fit are drilled first. The components then come to Chris, where he carefully sands and stains them with one of the 17 colour finishes we offer at GLB. From deep, earthy hues that bring out the natural character of the wood, to vibrant tones like Red Forrest and Cinnamon that highlight and compliment the beautiful grain, the collection of finishes offered to our customers allows them to truly customise their made to order bed. Chris reviews the customers’ chosen finish before skillfully applying the stain and vigorously checking the wood before it moves on through the process.

As for Chris’s favourite stain? He laughs before gesturing to the coffee bean wood samples in front of us and pointing out their versatility. “My favourite finish is coffee bean, there’s just something about it, something about the consistency, it’s a nice colour. If you have a dark bedroom, it blends in, with a light bedroom it’s a highlight.”

We then move on to hearing Chris’s thoughts on sleep and the importance of prioritising good sleep hygiene. Now in his mid-30’s, Chris reflects that in his younger years, he was never one to worry about where he laid his head, but that both maturing and working in bed-making, has shaped his outlook on the importance of restful sleep. “I’m no spring chicken, early bed, early rise” he responds candidly. “The importance of a good bed and a mattress, it’s lifechanging, I wish someone had told me 10 years ago!”

The conversation moves from his individual opinion on sleep prioritisation to societal, and when asked if, in his view, we as a population prioritise the importance of sleep, he jokes, “We did! And then social media and doomscrolling became distractions, as well as hustle culture, but genuinely, sleep is so important,” before adding thoughtfully, “the best nights’ sleep sets you up for the best day ahead.”

It’s clear from chatting with Chris that he takes immense pride in his work, understanding the importance not only of visual aesthetics, but of the accuracy of the craft, whilst having great respect for the raw material. Throughout the interview, he brings many of his comments back to the customer, elaborating on the fact that the components he works on will take pride of place in bedrooms around the world, and therefore his desire is to always have an end product that will delight the customers who receive it. 

To watch the full interview with Chris, head over to our Instagram page for part one and part two.