Dsigner Sebastian Cox has recently unveiled the Underwood furniture collection.
The collection is made from hazel wood (British ash and coppiced hazel wood) sourced from the countryside, where it has been cut and left as waste. Cox, a self-proclaimed "wood geek," admits that hazel is his favorite wood out of all the species he is familiar with.
The collection is comprised of eight staple pieces, including the Hewn Bench. The rectangular seat is fashioned from ash, and supported is by four coppiced hazel legs. Cox decided to leave the majority of the bark, distinguishing the legs from the smooth seat. The Hewn Tea Table features a similar design, with roughly unfinished legs that are able to fold flat. A trestle, ladder and candelabra all follow the same aesthetic.
Unfinished Hazelwood Furniture
The Underwood Furniture Collection Evokes the British Countryside
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable Furniture Design - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Exploring new ways to repurpose and utilize waste materials in furniture production, such as sourcing wood from the countryside.
2. Natural Material Aesthetics - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Creating furniture designs that highlight the raw and unfinished beauty of natural materials, like leaving bark on wooden legs.
3. Modular and Portable Furniture - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Designing furniture with foldable or detachable components for easy transport and space-saving solutions.
Industry Implications
1. Furniture Manufacturing - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Incorporating sustainable sourcing and manufacturing practices to produce eco-friendly furniture collections.
2. Interior Design and Home Decor - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Embracing the aesthetic trend of natural, unfinished materials to create unique and environmentally-conscious home furnishings.
3. Sustainable Materials and Waste Management - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Developing new methods and technologies for repurposing and transforming waste materials into valuable resources for various industries, such as utilizing coppiced hazel wood for furniture production.