Accessories design
Furnishing accessories and objects for living in which the reduced scale amplifies every choice. Proportion, weight and finish exposed without filter.
Method
Half a millimetre of misaligned joinery shows. A finish slightly off-sample is felt by touch. In the accessory the margin for error is narrower than in furniture or in a room, and the design must account for this from the outset.
Accessories design phases
1. Brief and research
the starting point is the brief, the intended use of the object and its target market. The analysis covers existing typologies, materials and viable processing techniques. The investigation extends to the catalogue, brand language and constraints of cost and seriality.
2. Formal concept
verification of the relationship between the parts of the object, the logic of use, dimensional balance and the tactile quality of surfaces through drawings and three-dimensional modelling. Definition of the aesthetic register, materials, finishes and surface treatments.
3. Development and prototyping
production of prototypes for the verification of proportions, ergonomics, weight, strength and material performance. For small-series objects, direct verification at the workshop responsible for production. Correction and reproduction of each piece until the approved version is defined.
4. Engineering
preparation of the technical documentation for production with dimensioned construction drawings, bills of materials, tolerances and finish specifications. Verification of component feasibility and production sequences with production departments or the workshops involved.
5. Production supervision
control of pre-series samples, workmanship, finishes, surface treatments, assemblies and packaging until approval of the final product.
Scope of work
Tableware objects
trays, centrepieces, candleholders and carafes, designed in relation to the table surface and the other elements of the place setting. Definition of proportions, weight, centre of gravity and compatibility with washing cycles, where required.
Desk objects
pen holders, paperweights, vide-poches and letter openers for the work surface, with attention to junctions, thicknesses, tactile quality of surfaces and footprint on the desk.
Containers and boxes
caskets, boxes and trinket trays with definition of closures, hinges, internal linings and fitting tolerances between parts.
Home accessories
clocks, frames, coat hooks and bookends for the domestic environment, with fixing systems, mechanisms and finishes suited to the frequency of use.
Corporate gifts and special editions
accessories for corporate gifting programmes or dedicated runs, with customisation, bespoke packaging and controlled serial production.
Hospitality accessories
detail accessories for hotels, restaurants and hospitality spaces, consistent with the interior project and with requirements of serviceability and resistance to intensive use.
Vision
Small accessories are often where the studio's formal language is most legible, because every decision is amplified by proximity to the hand and the eye.
