First look: Commune Design’s Muffin collection looks good enough to eat

The colourful and textural designs of LA-based studio Commune – featured in our USA 400 guide to creative America – have graced the interiors of many exciting high-end projects, such as Panama’s American Trade Hotel, yet are also often available on the shelves of West Elm.

As befits the practice’s name and ethos, which is focused on an eclectic range of creatives working together to elevate the work of artisans and artists, many of these coveted creations are the result of collaborations with talented makers such as Heath Ceramics and Christopher Farr.

Among the multidisciplinary studio’s long-term collaborators is the British furniture label George Smith, a London-based manufacturer of timeless seating designs, including Commune’s Turkish and Channel collections, featuring plush club chairs and sofas all made in England.

Now the two labels have joined forces again to create the deliciously named Muffin collection. Launching at this year's London Design Festival on September 18th, ( and part of Wallpaper's London Design Festival itinerary) the series adds a modern flair to 1930s charm and comprises a sofa, armchair, chaise and ottoman.

‘The Muffin Collection was born from a desire to blend rounded art deco and streamlined shapes with a more current profile; we were inspired by Jean-Michel Franck, and Jean Royère, as well as American furniture of the 1940s,’ explain the designers.

‘Muffin is meant to have a spirit of playful elegance, yet you can find its DNA somewhere between our Turkish and Channel collections, too; it’s something that was always waiting to be explored.’ The pieces are designed to be paired with contemporary furniture, vintage and antiques of all periods and styles.

‘George Smith produces their own textiles which are just as refined as their furnishings,’ explain the designers. ‘Every collection can be upholstered in any fabric imaginable, where it is George Smith's or a customer's own material.

‘For Muffin, we chose to highlight the collection in a beautiful Reseda Green mohair with white oak feet; a combination that felt light yet refined, especially in the context of our photoshoot here in Beverly Hills.’

Muffin’s voluminous curves make the most of the expert hands at George Smith, a firm renowned for its exceptional upholstered furniture. All the furniture is made at its factory in Newcastle, using only the best responsibly sourced materials.

‘We’ve collaborated with them on many custom pieces for our projects throughout the years – residential, commercial, and hospitality,’ say the Commune designers. ‘The interesting thing about George Smith is that every piece of furniture is essentially bespoke as they are fabricated by one craftsperson from beginning to end, so the possibilities are endless.’

The new collection will be available from October.

communedesign.com

georgesmith.com