Akiko Ken Made – Furniture & Woodworks by Akiko Kuwahata and Ken Winther

As a craftsman it must be difficult to step outside the realm of producing things in a makeshift manner. I don’t mean this in a negative way, but making work that combines the principles of industrial design can reach a far wider audience and have that professional edge that traditional crafts lack. Actually, it’s quite rare to see the two worlds combine and leave objects that have charm and character, like those of handmade works, but I’m certain I have come across it here.

This work by Akiko Kuwahata and Ken Winther is really quite beautiful. They are a husband and wife duo, both of which are cabinetmakers, and work separately on their own passions in the field of woodwork. They have come together to combine their talents in different areas to produce objects of timeless quality, such as furniture and wooden tableware that have all the principles of functionality in mind.

Akiko is Japanese and worked as a cabinetmaker for many years in Japan, later studying at the Aarhus School of Architecture in Denmark. Ken’s interest in woodwork came from his parents being in the furniture manufacturing business. He furthered his woodworking skills at PP Møbler, where they hand produce many of Hans J Wegner’s furniture.

Although Ken has a delicate touch and is very intricate with his construction methods, Akiko compliments his work with her abilities to explore the potential of natural wood. Often his shapes are utilitarian, but the clean and fluid design, alongside the functional and quirky elements that Akiko brings forward, are exceptional and bring out the beauty in these raw materials. Here are a selection of images from their portfolio, I hope you like them and will view more like this on their website linked below. Enjoy.

akikokenmade.dk

BECOME A PART OF OUR DESIGN JOURNEY

Special discounts on OEN Shops curated collection

  • Exclusive behind-the-scenes content
  • Early access to content from our OEN publication
  • Deep dive into design concepts
  • Curated guides to the worlds top art and design cities
Become a patron at Patreon!
This content is available exclusively to members of OEN Patreon at $5 or more.