Examples of Handmade Functional Art Furniture Designs
This is an example of a lamp I designed that is Japanese in its aesthetic and was inspired by the works of George Nakashima (one of my heroes). George is considered the father of the American craft movement. His designs are timeless and beautiful, and are in several prestigious museums around the world.
This design started from a small sketch that sat around in one of my many sketchbooks, until one day I decided to see if I could make something tangible from that little drawing.
A closer look at Handmade Functional Art Furniture
For the dining table on my site, I decided to make the legs out of walnut, which goes extremely well with the spalted beech wood table top. After the wood was chosen, I wanted something that would have visual texture, so I decided to make the legs from small pieces of walnut stacked on top of each other.
Further Examples of Handmade Functional Art
Furniture doesn’t have to be boring or mundane, it can be fun and whimsical; it can also be pleasing to the eye at the same time. More often than not, I’ll pull from nature’s designs, which adds an organic aspect to the piece, yet it still will serve a purpose.
Adding an Artistic Touch to Make It “Functional Art”
On the Whale Cabinet, I could have used a typical design for the molding, but I wanted it to make a statement and I wanted it to be artistic at the same time. It was time consuming to make, but I wanted to have small whale tails carved into the molding. I love how it blends with the overall piece.
More Examples of Functional Art
Tables are a good venue to display artistic skills. This pecan wood table top was gorgeous enough, but I still wanted to add some unique features to set it apart. I chose to add a carved “nest” with two cardinals to make it truly unique.
Functional Art comes in many forms. It can be a table, a chair, or a special lamp. If you have a room in your home that you’d like to make it even more special, or showcase a family heirloom in an artistic display cabinet. I’m just a phone call away. If you have questions about anything you see on this website, please give me a call. It is my passion to make these pieces, and I would love to share that passion with you.
