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www.thedesignermagazine.com
instead. They realised there was real Furniture has become a very want to buy something similar for half
Above: Ribbon square
coffee table
richness in simplicity, and allowed the competitive and crowded market, and the price made in China. They want
Below: Capricorn
lines of their furniture and buildings to there seems to be no let-up in people’s something original of real value and
roomset
speak for themselves. appetite for it. It is well documented that integrity.
Line, proportion and simplicity are consumers are more interested in their Everything we sell is handmade
very important to me. When thinking home environment now than they have to the highest possible standards by
about and designing either contemporary ever been before, and I am constantly skilled craftsmen in our own workshop
or more traditional pieces, I always go surprised by our customers’ knowledge in Wiltshire or in Italy. Meticulous
back to these fi rst principles. Good and interest in design – and in their thirst workmanship is paramount, and people
design should speak for itself. Corbusier for something original. But there is also a really appreciate that, and are thankfully
once said of a grey metal table that he downside to this appetite and the success still prepared to pay for it! designer
had acquired from Jean Prouvé: “It is so of makeover shows and stores like Dwell
Tom Faulkner Designs
perfect that I have not even noticed it are testament to a more worrying trend,
www.tomfaulkner.co.uk
yet.” which is that many people are happy to
For me, the advance in technology buy cheap copies of classic designs so
– of both CAD and industrial techniques that they can ‘get the look’, but without
has led to more possibilities with steel. having to pay the price. So they end up
CNC laser cutting was in its infancy with nothing of any real value – without
when I fi rst started, with a lot of time any originality, or either design or
spent tracing shapes and photocopying/ manufacturing integrity.
scanning, but now with CAD programmes Unfortunately, many people would
feeding straight into machines, you also rather buy a chair that costs £50
can experiment quickly and achieve but is worth £10 than buy one that costs
fast results. One of our ranges – Atlas – £200 and is worth £200.
would not have been possible without We tend not to get involved in that
both CAD and laser cutting. Now we use market, and it is always refreshing to
a lot of water cutting (a more refi ned meet our customers who tend to be
method than laser), and some of our people who really care about their homes,
recent ranges – Liberty and Opéra, for and really care about things being well
example, rely on this technique. designed and well made. They don’t
Tom Faulkner p.indd 54 22/7/08 09:25:24
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