Creative furniture design
March 29, 2009
By lauren Cooke You have probably read about the importance of furniture in interior design. As well as the obvious benefits – having somewhere to eat off, being able to sit down, furniture is a design miracle, combining functionality with good looks – it can even have an effect akin to art. From Charles and Ray Eames’ work to the Eileen Gray side table, furniture has found a place in the design subconscious of the nation. It would be lovely, therefore, if the furniture we use in our homes could be designer without being cold. Essentially, we long for a chair that is just the right colour. For a table that has the perfect proportion of curves to angular lines. What we all could really use is some bespoke furniture, unique to our houses and ours alone. Anna Lockwood makes just the thing. Educated in Fine art, she branched away from the theory in preference or the practical – and the rest is history. With a supportive (and very beneficial) background in Interior design, her work is an extension of her sculpture – aesthetics combined with beautiful upholstery and more. When I asked Anna about how she got into bespoke furniture design, the reason was clear. This was no money making scheme or fall-back option – instead, Anna shares a real passion of the furniture that she finds so important in today’s society. In her words, “we surround ourselves by it, it becomes our environment, our indoor architecture whether we are at work or at home, and as such can dictate our mood”. To her, chairs, tables and cabinets are something to be passionate about, not just something to be used. A quick peek at Anna’s work shows a strong leaning towards upholstery, a focus on the fabrics, colours and textures around which we work, play and rest. For her own range, they often start as pieces of upholstery that she cannot resist – shapes from which she slowly draws inspiration and form – sometimes this process can take several weeks, and can result in art alongside design –such as her lovely and creative petal pieces. When working from a brief, the item being produced is less about Anna’s taste, and more about yours. The aim is to push your boundaries in creativity, and make a piece that suits you, but which you yourself could not have thought of or created. As with all forms of interior design, the aim is to direct your ideas through the creative medium of the designer, ideally creating a synthesis between your thought and theirs. The style of furniture Anna personally creates has a vibe of the “then and the now” – taking old pieces into the 21st Century and utilising old but brilliant shape and design to produce a piece perfect for now. Anna’s list of inspirations is very revealing. It focuses around the process of getting an idea to production, and features iconic names such as Ray Eames, and Stark – chosen for his continual experiments. Anna says “I think the sign of a good designer is the ability to continually experiment and not get stuck with one idea or look, to look back at a portfolio and see the real flops next to the absolute winners” – it isn’t simply a matter of churning out masterpiece after masterpiece, but more the process of design and ideas in the real world – both the good ideas, and the bad! She also passionately recommends student shows, full of “unique and sometimes hilarious” ideas – they inspire and experiment without limits and commercial aims. Click on launch gallery to view some of Anna’s creations and you can view her website on the address below. http://www.lockwood-design.co.uk
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