Furnishings For The Third Space
Thoughtful craftsmanship exists at the heart of quality and timeless furniture. For Furniture by Design, ensuring these attributes in its pieces means keeping things local. And with an almost 40 year history of manufacturing in Sydney, Furniture by Design is staying true to its ethos.
The company harnesses its four decades of experience to continuously move forward, designing furniture for future-focused workplaces and hospitality contexts. This doesn’t look like simple workbenches and task chairs though, says Furniture by Design director, Kevin Adno. Instead, the business is looking towards the third space – one which transcends home and work life, whether it be in communal areas of an office, or laid back hospitality settings. “We have observed that the lines between hospitality and workspace are becoming increasingly blurred,” confirms Adno.
Furniture by Design aims to fill spaces oriented towards social interaction, education and connection. To achieve this, differentiation between products and spaces can come in the form of finishes. This responds to the ever-evolving workplace in which the Furniture By Design team has found furniture becoming ever softer and more collaborative in aesthetic and functionality.
The versatility of Furniture by Design’s pieces is already clear in its varied projects. Ovolo Hotel in South Yarra, designed by Luchetti Krelle, exhibits a rich, colourful palette in which the furniture contributes both flair and finesse. Contrastingly, Furniture by Design executed a more subdued and calming setting for Valmont Design’s 225 George Street workplace project in Sydney’s CBD. For this fitout a selection of Aiden Planter Tables were supplied.
Several years ago, Furniture by Design made a conscious decision to focus on the Australian-made side of the business. The reason for this is two-fold. Firstly, says Adno, “we wanted to manage quality and material of products through the manufacturing process”.
The investment in local manufacturing has extended to the development of exclusive fabric ranges with local mills. These fabrics complement an extensive range of house fabrics curated from fabric houses such as Mokum and Warwick. Secondly, minimising the cost of shipping has resulted in a “far less artificial inflation on price”, allowing for a higher quality of material at the same cost. This has also lowered Furniture by Design’s carbon output.
The manufacturing team has digitised their designs, maximising material use and yield. Minimal excess wood scraps are generated, but whatever is leftover is pulped and made into fibreboard and repurposed for other products. Furniture by Design also uses a tool from The Footprint company to calculate its product’s carbon output, meaning buyers can get a dollar quote and a carbon quote.
When it comes to sustainability, Furniture by Design isn’t just focused on ticking boxes. “Good manufacturing equals sustainable manufacturing, good quality product equals sustainable product,” says Adno. “Our product is designed to last, and it does.”
Left, Lona Misa Restaurant within the Ovolo Hotel, South Yarra, by Luchetti Krelle, photo: Sean Fennessy. Right, 225 George Street project, Sydney, by Valmont Design, photo: Andy Roberts.