The Design Files.

Comedy And Craftsmanship Collide At Apparentt.

‘Why didn’t I think of that?’. How many times have you asked yourself that question this week? I think I’m at five, and it’s only Wednesday…

Inciting idea-envy comes as the ultimate tick-of-approval for Melbourne furniture studio Apparentt. The husband-and-wife design duo, with backgrounds in design and comedy writing respectively(!), show us through their Richmond workspace, brimming with bold pieces and positive energy!

Apparentt was established in 2016 by ANU furniture design/woodwork graduate Elliot Gorham and his wife Louise, who studied performing arts, and also writes comedy and acts. The Richmond-based studio’s considered pieces for the home or commercial spaces are versatile, smart, and sometimes outright bold!

Inciting idea-envy with their nifty furniture and lighting designs is not the Gorhams only priority though. ‘Maybe, more importantly, we make durable products from high-quality materials, sourcing only timber from reputable FSC certified supplies,’ tells Creative Director Louise. Elliot is the Managing Director and is responsible for designing and making each furniture piece. He finishes the timber designs with commercial-grade two-pack coating (which uses no polyurethane – kudos!) to ‘last a lifetime’. Producing locally allows for hawk-eyed quality control, and encourages the studio to push past the boundaries of conventional manufacturing.

In terms of design, you’ll see Apparentt has a bit of a thing for exposed joinery, plus highlights of colour and metal. Take the statement Bank Credenza – set on and accented by a brass-plated steel frame, it’s decorated with a relief pattern derived from architectural forms and geometric shapes. ‘When we are designing a product we are focused on trying to create something beautiful and functional, but at the same time we are conscious of addressing its commercial viability,’ explains Louise. ‘Every so often we “throw caution to the wind” and develop something purely creative to see what comes of it!’

Recently they’ve also been learning, experimenting and perfecting a method of steam bending timber. ‘Initial efforts proved difficult and its application wasn’t immediately obvious. However, we have since had much success and after such a long development we’re very excited to share the resulting chair soon,’ hints Louise.

‘The quality of our pieces is clear or ‘apparent’,’ she jokingly adds, and after a week of me cluelessly stuttering their brand name around our office, the penny drops! Apparentt’s ‘tt’ balances the ‘pp’ – the idea of ‘balancing’ functionality with aesthetics being central to the brand ethos. As Louise further translates, ‘the name also includes the word “parent”, which represents maturity in our work, and the responsibility we feel to provide our customers with the best possible.’

Apparentt will be launching new products in the next few months, including their steam-bent timber chair. Find out more at Apparentt.com.au.