Dinesen is launching a new exclusive plank – unusually wide and long oak planks which they have named Dinesen HeartOak. These solid planks with widths of up to 0.5 meters and lengths up to 6 meters are made of wood which comes from the middle of the oak tree, and they tell a very special story.
 When oak trees through many hundreds of years live through dry summers, hard winters, storm and wind, it will leave traces. Some of these can be seen in the growth rings and the size of the knots, but others appear only when the tree is sawn-up and thus revealing its inner secrets.
â€One can almost read the entire history of the tree from its middle†says Thomas Dinesen, who is 4th generation in the family business and a qualified forester. â€Dinesen HeartOak has everything the heart desires in terms of vitality and strength from the oak. We carefully prepare the sawn-up tree so the planks retain an unspoiled and strong expression†he continues.
 
During the cutting and the following drying process, the wood has to release the inner tensions which are the reactions to nature’s long impressions. The cracks which are the result of this are kept in Dinesen HeartOak, and the cracks are beautifully emphasised and locked by elegant dovetail joints of oak.
 â€With HeartOak we use as much of the wood as possible for our floorboards. Anything else would be disrespectful to the huge oak trees which are normally between 150 and 200 years old. At the same time by retaining the cracks, the planks get a unique look, and this gives the architects a whole new range of possibilities.
Before the oak tree ends up as floorboards, it is air-dried for 9 months and then subsequently kiln dried. Then, the planks are cut, planed and very carefully controlled to make sure that the quality is just right. Every single plank is carried from hand to hand through quality control where it is decided what will happen with each of the plank’s knots and cracks so it comes to be as beautiful as possible.
 Dinesen HeartOak in London and Milan
HeartOak has been shown great interest from both private clients and architects, and Dinesen has just completed their first project with these exclusive planks. The Gallery Mess Café in London chose to lay Dinesen HeartOak in their Private Function Room on the 1st floor as well as Dinesen Oak on the ground floor. The café is located in central London right next to The Saatchi Gallery, which opened in the Autumn 2008 with 5,000 m2 Dinesen Douglas floors.
â€We are delighted that Gallery Mess Café became our first project with Dinesen HeartOak. We have a fantastic working relationship with The Saatchi Gallery, and now we can show our clients our oak planks and the brand new HeartOak just next door†says Thomas Dinesen.
HeartOak has also just been shown at Wallpaper* Handmade in Milan – a special exhibition where Wallpaper in connection with the furniture fair Salone Internazionale del Mobile presented the best of handmade design.
Dinesen is Denmark’s leading manufacturer of exclusive plank floors. The company produces floors for homes, castles, museums and churches in both Denmark and abroad. Quality is the be all and end all for Dinesen, and each floor is custom-made in close consultation with the clients who include a number of international designers and architects. Dinesen was founded in 1898 and has in the past ten years experienced a massive growth and development. Dinesen is Founding Patron of The Saatchi Gallery.
 www.dinesen.com
All Weather Lloyd Loom
 Starting on 17th May, James Booth (L) of Rococo Chocolates embarks on an ambitious journey from John O’Groats to Lands End (874 miles) in the firm’s Piaggio APE 50cc three wheeler. The latter has never done more than 20 miles in a week before, being used for occasional Rococo deliveries and chocolate fairs. But it is all for a really good cause – or three to be more precise for which James hopes to raise £50,000.
