Meet the Masters: Top U.S.-Based Furniture Designers You Should Know
As sustainability remains at the forefront of everyone’s minds, locally-made and sourced furnishings will become a priority. What are the benefits? Supporting your local economy, but most importantly lowering your carbon footprint. Regionally made casegoods are a great way to reduce your environmental impact. Not only do you get to enjoy the quality and craftsmanship of locally sourced materials, but you also benefit from a decreased carbon footprint as the furniture is made closer to home. It also reduces the amount of packaging needed to ship the furniture, which means a lower environmental impact in the long run. By choosing regionally made casegoods, you're taking a step towards a greener world. Regionally made casegoods are especially noteworthy, as they involve creating fewer resources, less waste, and more sustainable processes. Additionally, the makers themselves are often more conscientious about the materials they use and their manufacturing processes, meaning the furniture is often crafted with recycled or recyclable materials, reducing waste and emissions. Furthermore, supporting local makers helps to sustain small businesses and keeps the money in the local economy, creating a ripple effect that benefits the entire community. A growing number of talented artists, master crafters, designers, and engineers are opening their studios, with onsite manufacturing, gaining the ability to control quality, increase efficiency, and lower lead times in addition to being more eco-friendly.
A short list of eco-friendly furniture designers, I have had the pleasure of working with.
Robert Kuo – Los Angeles, CA My fascination with Robert Kuo comes from the mastership that he uses to create each of his pieces inspired by ancient skills from all over Europe, and Asia during the Chinese Shang, Han Dynasties, and the Byzantine Empire. Those techniques are called Repoussé, Cloisonné, Lacquer, and Peking glass.
“A visit to Robert Kuo's showroom is an aesthetic inspiration. Its soaring, sunlit space serves as an appropriate backdrop for the timeless, evocative quality of his pieces. This is reinforced by a selection of Asian antiques collected by Kuo in his travels. Elegant displays and tasteful furnishings contribute to an environment that is at once both peaceful and exciting. Perhaps Robert Kuo owes his longevity to his passion for the eternal, for forms that have stood the test of time.”
“Re-imagining tradition and rediscovering the simplicity and beauty of nature.” — Robert Kuo
BRADLEY is known for its innovative use of materials, including reclaimed wood, artisan concrete, hand-forged metal, antiqued mirror, and painted glass.
"Originally founded in 2001 as Bradley Hughes, the company evolved to meet market demand for stylish, custom-made contemporary furnishings with short lead times, reasonable prices and unrivaled customer service. From the start, their team of designers, engineers and artisans worked together to develop custom products—whether one-of-a-kind residential pieces or cost-effective production runs for hospitality and commercial projects— allowing them to deliver faster than the industry standards."
McGuire – San Francisco, CA The McGuire style is organic and vibrational. The originality of the designs, the natural materials used, and the high standard of quality to produce all their pieces make them timeless in style and last for generations.
“McGuire was founded in 1948 in San Francisco, CA by John and Elinor McGuire. Their goal was to create classic pieces with signature materials and sophisticated textures. McGuire is now under the umbrella of Baker furniture.” – McGuire
Lawson Fenning – Los Angeles, CA Lawson Fenning's collections are unique and simple in design but very sophisticated. Most of their pieces can be customized in color, finish, and or material.
“Lawson Fenning is a young vibrant company founded by Glenn Lawson + Grant Fenning. Their style is mainly 20th-century vintage-modern design. They have a two-story Melrose Avenue flagship and a separate LF workshop where they craft all their furniture.” – Lawson Fenning
Lawson Fenning is now offering an exclusive collection at CB2.
“We believe aspirational is attainable.” — Lawson Fenning
Joseph Jeup – Grand Rapids, MI Joseph Jeup stands apart in the subtlety of the design of his pieces — his superior millwork detailing, ingeniously concealed closing systems, and unique sophisticated cabinet hardware. I love that all his creations are customizable!
“Joseph Jeup, founded in 1997, is focused on redefining luxury and promoting exceptional craftsmanship in residential and hospitality furniture. Driven by an instinctual design ability and innate passion, Joseph Jeup embodies exceptional craftsmanship.” – Joseph Jeup
Comments