Panels & Furniture Asia November/December 2023

MATERIALS
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Legend
1 Squarish Stools in American red oak
2 Kyon Ottoman and Side Table in carved, thermally
modified American red oak
3 Kellan Dining chair in American white oak
4 Torii chair in thermally modified American red oak
5 Maldives Lounge chair in American white oak
a minimalistic style, North American
customers tend to look for furniture
which feel sturdier. Even if the original
design is robust enough, I deliberately
add visual and design cues to highlight
the feeling of solidness and strength.
While this is a slight departure from my
design style, this also encourages me
to step outside of my comfort zone and
reassess my approach to design.“
Lim further experimented with the
seemingly simple Kellan dining chair.
‘‘If you look closely you see will multiple
joint lines, as this was an ongoing
process to achieve the look that I was
aiming for. I do have experience as a
maker, so I was able to get hands-on
with an angle grinder and tools to
demonstrate to the craftspersons what I
wanted in terms of outcome.“
Lim concluded: “As a designer, it matters
to spend time to really understand
your material. Different timbers come
in different sizes, thicknesses and
lengths and each species has its unique
qualities. By knowing the material
well, you can design to reduce wastage
and minimise production costs while
concentrating on beauty, strength and
sustainability.” P
Panels & Furniture Asia | November / December 2023 51