Through The Looking Glass

Seeing from the project I put up last, I am quite interested in designing furniture. I specialise in restaurants and bars, so that mainly includes chairs and tables. Despite my lack of interest in residential design, I do always dream of making my own cupboards and bedside tables. I wish I had a studio with every tool imaginable and all necessary knowledge concerning making these things structurally stable.

Lately I have been walking past Gallery Fumi, which is a very small gallery which always has amazing furniture on display. I love simple, yet high quality materials, such as chrome, brass, timber and leather. And the furniture featured is always constructed with these amazingly simple and stunningly luxurious materials. I am not a fan of using vinyls and plastics and those newly developed materials that are cheap and chic right now.

I always wonder, how do furniture makers make their money? Their products are undoubtedly worth a lot, but do they make money exhibiting? My guess is they build their name by showing their work in galleries and perhaps to sell at the same time, or receive offers from large furniture companies to design several pieces. Still, the beginning of a career must be an expensive one, and require some investment of time and most of all, money. My recent favourites at Fumi are Paul Kelley and Tina Roeder.

Tina Roeder:

Paul Kelley: