The turn of the year marked the end of our first year of business, our 1st birthday if you like...
...And what a year it has been!
The first couple of months of 2010 were spent building prototypes for products such as the Bow floor lamp and the Shell chair, which have since been joined by 7 new fully developed products. Which include a chair, coffee table, bench, dining table, table lamp, tall stool, and magazine rack; plus the Homemaker bookcase which was designed whilst at university. You can view and purchase all of our products through this link.
Following my appearance at New Designers in 2010 I was chosen to exhibit at New Designers 2011 - One Year On, a panel selected group of the finest graduates one year on into their business career.
Other 2011 exhibitions included Modern Shows at Dulwich College in March and a successful second showing at Tent London in September.
2012 is set to be a very exciting year, with orders destined for Hong Kong and China; products to be featured in promotional press for a new fabric and wallcoverings brand, which will be shown in leading interiors and lifestyle magazines; and an 'Antiques of the Future' feature article in an upcoming issue of BBC Homes & Antiques magazine.
Let's hope 2012 will be another positive year for Liam Treanor Furniture!
Tuesday 3 January 2012
Thursday 15 December 2011
Lifestyle Etc. Interview
Prior to Tent London in September Sebastian Cox and I had an interview with Living Etc magazine's blog Lifestyle Etc; titled 'The world according to We Have Furniture'.
Sebastian Cox (right) and Liam Treanor are We Have Furniture, and they do, look! And, it is beautiful furniture, which is good for us types who love that sort of thing. Their work is quite different (Liam’s is the top two images, Sebastian’s afterwards), but they share a passion for wood, design, craftsmanship and pastry (that’s just Liam, actually). Our kind of guys. They’re showing at this year’s Tent London, but until then, let’s meet them…
When did you know that you wanted to design? (SC) I suppose before I knew what design was. I wanted to be an inventor from a very young age, and made things from anything I could find. (LT) At cabinet making college I studied the great Marcel Breuer. His work made me realise there is so much more to a successful product than pretty joints and extravagant decoration.
What are you most proud of in your work? (SC) I’m most proud of my ethos of design through making. When I develop a new product I rarely sit at a computer designing on CAD. I do use CAD for working our scale and proportions, but most of the details and working elements I develop in the workshop through trial and error. I believe that having this engagement with making produces stronger pieces. (LT) Embodying everything I have found influential in design; but in a unique and fresh style.
What kind of material do you think has great possibilities? (SC) I think that coppiced hazel has so much potential. I’ve been working with it for a couple of years and I’d love to see it used more widely. (LT) I’m going to go for wood as a whole; I don’t really like moving away from it. It’s the texture it holds and patina it gains, other materials just can’t compare.
Which product would you redesign if you could? (SC) I’d probably re-design the M25. It’s one of the UK’s biggest headaches. (LT) I would like to design a 21st century Cona coffee maker, I wonder if I could redesign it with similar success to what Abram Games achieved when it was his job to do so.
Which designer has inspired your work? (SC) William Morris and the other Arts and Crafts designers and makers. I’m hugely inspired by their ideologies, and the way they looked back to a previous era for their principles was really radical, something I consider in my work. (LT) Alvar Aalto mostly; his use of laminated wood to produce curved components; use of pale timbers; his admiration for nature and natural forms; his recognition of wood as one of the few human friendly materials.
What designers you know should we watch out for? (SC) Liam Treanor, he’s doing some nice stuff at the moment. I’ve been really impressed by a guy called Neil Conley who we exhibited at One Year On with. He has a subtle and intelligent approach to sustainable design. (LT) I’ve recently been liking the work of Simen Aarseth, Steuert Padwick and Sean Dare of Dare Studio.
What are you looking forward to about being at Tent? (SC) The Friday night party was ace last year, the atmosphere of the whole exhibition is just brilliant. Obviously I’m also looking forward to taking lots of orders and meeting new journalists. (LT) Being surrounded by talented designers in a friendly family-like environment and sharing my latest products with the public, press and industry specialists.
What’s your next grand plan? We’re both planning a big move to London. It is a very grand plan!
What do you get up when not being a brilliant, cutting-edge designer? Describe your perfect day off… (SC) On Saturdays I play hockey, which is a great release from a stressful week, but my perfect day off would probably be a day visiting a city I’ve never been to before. (LT) Experiencing new cultures and places, especially if evocative of design eras or styles that interest me.
Tell us a secret… (SC) I can’t swim. (LT) I’m probably a little bit addicted to pastry.
Link - The world according to We Have Furniture
Sebastian Cox (right) and Liam Treanor are We Have Furniture, and they do, look! And, it is beautiful furniture, which is good for us types who love that sort of thing. Their work is quite different (Liam’s is the top two images, Sebastian’s afterwards), but they share a passion for wood, design, craftsmanship and pastry (that’s just Liam, actually). Our kind of guys. They’re showing at this year’s Tent London, but until then, let’s meet them…
When did you know that you wanted to design? (SC) I suppose before I knew what design was. I wanted to be an inventor from a very young age, and made things from anything I could find. (LT) At cabinet making college I studied the great Marcel Breuer. His work made me realise there is so much more to a successful product than pretty joints and extravagant decoration.
What are you most proud of in your work? (SC) I’m most proud of my ethos of design through making. When I develop a new product I rarely sit at a computer designing on CAD. I do use CAD for working our scale and proportions, but most of the details and working elements I develop in the workshop through trial and error. I believe that having this engagement with making produces stronger pieces. (LT) Embodying everything I have found influential in design; but in a unique and fresh style.
What kind of material do you think has great possibilities? (SC) I think that coppiced hazel has so much potential. I’ve been working with it for a couple of years and I’d love to see it used more widely. (LT) I’m going to go for wood as a whole; I don’t really like moving away from it. It’s the texture it holds and patina it gains, other materials just can’t compare.
Which product would you redesign if you could? (SC) I’d probably re-design the M25. It’s one of the UK’s biggest headaches. (LT) I would like to design a 21st century Cona coffee maker, I wonder if I could redesign it with similar success to what Abram Games achieved when it was his job to do so.Which designer has inspired your work? (SC) William Morris and the other Arts and Crafts designers and makers. I’m hugely inspired by their ideologies, and the way they looked back to a previous era for their principles was really radical, something I consider in my work. (LT) Alvar Aalto mostly; his use of laminated wood to produce curved components; use of pale timbers; his admiration for nature and natural forms; his recognition of wood as one of the few human friendly materials.
What designers you know should we watch out for? (SC) Liam Treanor, he’s doing some nice stuff at the moment. I’ve been really impressed by a guy called Neil Conley who we exhibited at One Year On with. He has a subtle and intelligent approach to sustainable design. (LT) I’ve recently been liking the work of Simen Aarseth, Steuert Padwick and Sean Dare of Dare Studio.
What are you looking forward to about being at Tent? (SC) The Friday night party was ace last year, the atmosphere of the whole exhibition is just brilliant. Obviously I’m also looking forward to taking lots of orders and meeting new journalists. (LT) Being surrounded by talented designers in a friendly family-like environment and sharing my latest products with the public, press and industry specialists.
What’s your next grand plan? We’re both planning a big move to London. It is a very grand plan!
What do you get up when not being a brilliant, cutting-edge designer? Describe your perfect day off… (SC) On Saturdays I play hockey, which is a great release from a stressful week, but my perfect day off would probably be a day visiting a city I’ve never been to before. (LT) Experiencing new cultures and places, especially if evocative of design eras or styles that interest me.
Tell us a secret… (SC) I can’t swim. (LT) I’m probably a little bit addicted to pastry.
Link - The world according to We Have Furniture
Monday 6 June 2011
Interview
Thursday 2 June 2011
My floor lamp and chair featured in Crafts Magazine - May/June issue.
This Crafts Magazine article features a selection of works to be shown at forthcoming exhibition New Designers - One Year On. I will be showing a few of my products during Part 2 of the show which is held at the Business Design Centre, Islington from 6th - 9th July. Come visit and say hello!
Tuesday 31 May 2011
Commissioned Corner Cabinet
This lovely corner cabinet commission is made from English oak. A corner cabinet is not the easiest piece to allow me to improvise and embody my style in. However, my style identity is visible through varius components such as: the door frames with their rounded inner edges; the tapered feet; and my personal favourite the door 'handles' which are angled finger pulls - great functionality and they don't disrupt the minimal aesthetic of the piece.
If you would like to learn about commissioning a unique piece of design-led furniture to meet your specifications - please email me on info@liamtreanor.co.uk
LT
Thursday 21 April 2011
Batch of Floor Lamps
Recently I've been working on producing a batch of Bow floor lamps ready for sale. As these are my first batch I thought I would use the opportunity to take a few photographs of some of the finished items.
Wednesday 20 April 2011
Josie Portillo print in a frame made by myself.
Recently I purchased a wonderful print by Los Angeles based illustrator Josie Portillo. I didn't want to frame the print in something which won't do it justice. So hopefully this one I made will.
To view Josie's work visit www.portilloillustration.com or alternatively to purchase one of her prints visit www.etsy.com/josieportillo
Thursday 7 April 2011
Commissioned Floor Lamp
Once again my clients for this project allowed me free reign over the aesthetic of their product. The specification dictated most of the form as it stated it must be suitable to stand in the corner of a room behind a rocking chair, whilst providing sufficient light for reading during darkness. The bracket which joins the lamp arm and upright enables the arm to be rotated, and to slide horizontally; as can be seen in the images below. Similar to my Bow Floor Lamp the flex (cable) is contained within the lamp arm and upright; its exposure in places is key to the form. The timber used in the product is walnut.
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