Project Overview
Hannun, a Barcelona-based online furniture retailer reached out to Hans Thyge & Co. to develop a range of modern, trendy coffee tables for their new launch, wanting to pivot their company in a different direction from their current range. Using wood reclaimed from old Hungarian buildings and barns, they produce sustainable and thoughtfully-designed furniture.
My Contributions
I was tasked with being the sole designer for a range of 'organic shape' coffee tables, which are distinctive, but all with a united design feature. I consulted with senior designers throughout this process; receiving feedback from them helped to guide me in my design decisions towards the final product. I was able to design two sets of four complementary tables.
Organic Table Range
From left to right in the image above, the Plectra, Contemporary, Artisan and Pulse coffee tables.
This is a collection of tables which each has their own flair and personality, while still maintaining a unity throughout the collection with the distinctive design of the leg.
As well as being very on-trend at the moment with their 'chunky' design, this is a very practical table for manufacture, with each leg being the same. This means that far less milling is needed. saving time, energy and therefore cost for the customer.
This is a collection of tables which each has their own flair and personality, while still maintaining a unity throughout the collection with the distinctive design of the leg.
As well as being very on-trend at the moment with their 'chunky' design, this is a very practical table for manufacture, with each leg being the same. This means that far less milling is needed. saving time, energy and therefore cost for the customer.
I also experimented with rendering different wood stains, as this is an idea suggested by the client. By communicating with a local expert, we were able to visit his studio and take photos of the effects and exact outcomes of each stain. Then, using these photos, I could create a realistic 'stained wood' effect in Keyshot.
Sine Table Range
After the design of the first collection of tables, we were tasked with designing a stand-alone coffee table. As this would not be part of a collection, I had a bit more freedom in the design.
The Sine table is a response to current European and American furniture trends with the 'chunky' aesthetic. In my research, I found examples of this style of design in Dezeen and Eurowoman.
The Sine table is a response to current European and American furniture trends with the 'chunky' aesthetic. In my research, I found examples of this style of design in Dezeen and Eurowoman.
Designing the Sine table also gave me the opportunity to practice more with my engineered details work within CAD. For this project, I used Solidworks for modelling, and Keyshot for rendering. If you would like to see more of my CAD work, have a look at the CAD page.
Side Table Range
This range of side tables was designed as a pitch to Hannun from our studio for expanding their range of smaller, lower cost tables.
This presented me with the challenge of designing tables that were low cost to manufacture, and easy for the customer to assemble themselves.
Before I started doing any work digitally, I was told to draw 100 tables. Inspirational ones from Pinterest, my own ideas, suggestions from other designers, any and every kind of table I could. This was practice in rapid sketching and just getting ideas down on the page, not spending hours on each trying to perfect them.
This presented me with the challenge of designing tables that were low cost to manufacture, and easy for the customer to assemble themselves.
Before I started doing any work digitally, I was told to draw 100 tables. Inspirational ones from Pinterest, my own ideas, suggestions from other designers, any and every kind of table I could. This was practice in rapid sketching and just getting ideas down on the page, not spending hours on each trying to perfect them.
After lots and lots of sketching, I sat down with senior designers in my studio and we went through all of them, picking out favourites and talking about designs which felt similar or reminiscent of a particular design movement.
This process was really educational for me, and I appreciated all of the positive feedback and improvements I received from other designers.
This process was really educational for me, and I appreciated all of the positive feedback and improvements I received from other designers.
