In 1992, when John Pawson was designing his private home in Notting Hill, the British architect was seeking muted Douglas Fir flooring planks to complement the rigorously simple architecture that was making his name. He quickly found common ground in Dinesen, the family-run Danish manufacturer of handcrafted wooden joinery, and employed the planks not only on his floors but to create custom furniture inspired by Japanese architect Shiro Kuramata’s clean minimalism. The collection was an exercise in subtlety—each plank replicated the exact dimensions of the floorboards, forging the appearance of being lifted right off the ground. It sparked a thriving partnership between the two parties, with Pawson using Dinesen planks as his not-so-secret weapon in such career-defining projects as the remodeling of London’s Design Museum and Jil Sander’s serene flagship in Paris.
Their partnership is reaching yet another high with the newly debuted Pawson Furniture Collection, which makes the custom Dinesen furniture created for his Notting Hill home available for purchase along with never-before-seen pieces. It includes the Dining Series, comprising Pawson’s original table, bench, and stool from 1992 but slightly updated to appeal to modern sensibilities. Complementing it is the Lounge Collection, featuring a chair, table, sofa, and daybed built by Danish cabinet makers in poetic proportions that speak to the character of Solid Douglas wood. Each piece is made to order and can be customized with Kvadrat upholstery. The collection will officially debut at 3daysofdesign in Dinesen’s Copenhagen showroom, which Pawson will transform into an apartment fully furnished with the new pieces.
