New at OEN Shop – A Selection of Woodwork by HAKO SHIKI
The distinct bumps and textures of the maker’s tools are what make crafts so special. Japanese woodworker Masayuki Yanai has put these details to good use, his project titled ‘HAKO SHIKi’ involves wood that would otherwise go to waste. Masayuki believes that there are too many tree
Balance Points – Kinetic Sculpture & Mobiles by Karolina Maszkiewicz
The interesting clash between materials is something so few creatives really talk about. If we think about architecture you also have to discuss the balance that materials bring to a space. There’s so many properties to each material, such as texture, tone, so it would make sense that harmonio
New in the Shop – Handcrafted Japanese Lacquerware by Fujii Works
Lacquerware is still not that well understood in the West. Most people I speak to, if they have heard about it at all, have an image of the shiny black Chinese lacquerware with patterns painted in gold, red or black. Very different to what we are presenting here in our shop. Fujii Works have dedicat
New in the Shop – Wooden Furniture & Objects by PLYWOOD laboratory
It’s exciting when designers who don’t necessarily have the practical skills to produce something themselves, but who have a keen eye for what looks good and what the market needs, collaborate with makers who have the experience and techniques necessary to bring these ideas to fruition.
Modern Originals – Furniture Handcrafted by Edward Collinson
I’ve noticed quite a few makers in the past year, especially those based in Europe, who have been able to apply their craft as a skill and mix it with modern design to make specific ranges that make it easy for customers to purchase. After owning OEN Shop for more than 10 years it’s been
New in the Shop – Woodworks by Japanese Workshop Kihachi
Woodworking studio Kihachi Workshop is based in the Yamanaka region of Japan, known for its beautiful mountainous landscape with trees filling every inch. Kihachi are the oldest producer of woodworks in this region, famous for both their exquisite lacquer and natural looking bowls with a timeless ap
Transformation of Space – Experimental Furniture by Stefan Prattes
I’ve spent the last few weeks on a deep dive researching compact living (check out Gary Chang’s Extreme Transformer is you haven’t already). On a personal level I would prefer living near nature as I find most of my inspiration comes from peace and solitude, but there’s somet
New in the Shop – Handcrafted Wooden Trays by Mori Kougei
There are certain methods that craftsmen use that can completely blow your mind. Today’s maker Hiroyuki Mori is based in Tokushima, Japan and is using one of them. He specialises in the technique of ‘Tsukiita’ that requires the use of thin, paper-like sheets of wood that are then bonde
Beyond Ordinary – Furniture by Australian Studio Dowel Jones
I’ve always been fascinated by designers who can take an ordinary object and turn it into something that’s visually different but still appealing. Design firm Dowel Jones has made this their mission and one they are still pursuing through their wonderful range of chairs, including bar st
Modern Traditional – Cove & Arc Series by Furniture Maker Kai-wei Hsu
It takes a certain amount of talent as a woodworker to look past the material itself and craft a piece of furniture that’s polished and can be used in a functional manner. You then need even more experience to incorporate actual design and stylisation in to a piece, making sure they are not fl
New Feature – A Look Inside the Workshop of Akiko Ken Made
Even though some of our features are short and sweet, I think it’s important to see inside the maker’s studio and get a sense of their working methods. Seeing an object on the computer screen you sometimes fail to recognise the dedication, skill, and human connection behind such craft. For this
Precision Manufacturing – Casework Furniture by Token Studio
As everyday consumers I think it’s sometimes difficult to appreciate the skill that goes into a lot of handcrafted furniture since much of the work is in the detail and the construction itself. This is also true with Token Studio’s handcrafted ‘casework’ collection. Led by de