Shaker it up: a New York studio’s modern take on the American farmhouse aesthetic

In upstate New York, sculptor and woodworker Jonah Meyer relies on time-tested techniques to create updated designs at his furniture company Sawkille Co. ‘We do many things the old-fashioned way, by default and by choice,’ he says. ‘All of the hand work is informed by traditional wood working – the technology is about 100 years old and our work would look pretty much the same back then, which is crazy.’
Meyer, who trained at the Rhode Island School of Design, is heavily influenced by his back-to-the-roots upbringing: his parents, a potter and a goldsmith, raised him in Pennsylvania, pursuing their dreams of homesteading and respective crafts. As a result, Sawkille’s furniture ranges from modern variations of classic Windsor chairs, Shaker benches and spindle-leg stools, to a collection of sanded and stained tree trunks (aptly named, ‘Stumps’).
‘Stumps’ table by Sawkille Co
This minimal approach should not be confused with simplistic. ‘I do a lot of drawing and prototyping,’ Meyer says. ‘The details start to emerge as the piece comes together and most often the piece will have a few generations of development over time before the design feels completed.’
However, the latest additions to Meyer’s core furniture line push the limits of this established American farmhouse aesthetic with modern shapes, inlay and paint. ‘Our newest pieces are more far out – I pulled a lot of the [furniture] elements from my sculptures,’ Meyer explains. This means expanding the material palette from his repertoire of northeast hardwoods like black walnut, sycamore and tiger maple and incorporating birch bark, marble, leather and steel. ‘The inlay and the graphic elements are all informed by my art and drawing,’ he adds.
New works include the bleached wood 'Minna' chair with a geometric leather seat and backrest, an asymmetrical bench with a Windsor back and a slatted chair with one armrest featuring a carved cup holder, as well as more organic pieces like a chandelier made from branches and Stump-inspired tables. ‘We have a consistent approach to Sawkille designs, but we have recently felt to deviate and see what happens,’ says Meyer. ‘I don't think anyone’s creative self is fulfilled by repeatedly sanding the same shape for years.’
‘Rainbow’ armchair in American black walnut
For the newest collection, Meyer started to incorporate birch bark and steel
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Sawkille Co website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Extreme Cashmere reimagines retail with its new Amsterdam store: ‘You want to take your shoes off and stay’
Wallpaper* takes a tour of Extreme Cashmere’s new Amsterdam store, a space which reflects the label’s famed hospitality and unconventional approach to knitwear
By Jack Moss
-
Titanium watches are strong, light and enduring: here are some of the best
Brands including Bremont, Christopher Ward and Grand Seiko are exploring the possibilities of titanium watches
By Chris Hall
-
Warp Records announces its first event in over a decade at the Barbican
‘A Warp Happening,' landing 14 June, is guaranteed to be an epic day out
By Tianna Williams
-
Sotheby’s is auctioning a rare Frank Lloyd Wright lamp – and it could fetch $5 million
The architect's ‘Double-Pedestal’ lamp, which was designed for the Dana House in 1903, is hitting the auction block 13 May at Sotheby's.
By Anna Solomon
-
This Colorado ski chalet combines Rocky Mountains warmth with European design nous
Wood and stone meet artisanal and antique pieces in this high-spec, high-design mountain retreat
By Anna Solomon
-
Hilltop hideaway: Colony creates tranquil interiors for a Catskills retreat
Perched between two mountain ranges, this Catskills retreat marries bold, angular architecture with interiors that offer warmth and texture
By Ali Morris
-
Rio Kobayashi’s new furniture bridges eras, shown alongside Fritz Rauh’s midcentury paintings at Blunk Space
Furniture designer Rio Kobayashi unveils a new series, informed by the paintings of midcentury artist Fritz Rauh, at California’s Blunk Space
By Ali Morris
-
Brooklyn furniture studio Stillmade unveils its first collaborative design series
Stillmade brings to life the designs of four New Yorkers – Pat Kim, Danny Kaplan, Michele Quan and Mignogna Studio
By Pei-Ru Keh
-
Blue Green Works's lighting champions a new aesthetic in American design
Manhattan-based design studio Blue Green Works fuses sensuality and masculinity to create mellow, mood-enhancing lighting with visual impact
By Pei-Ru Keh
-
Blue Green Works introduces alluring new lighting collection
Inspired by iconography, American design studio Blue Green Works introduces five new lighting ranges
By Rosa Bertoli
-
Exclusive peek at artfully curated home in Jean Nouvel’s 53 West 53
RR Interiors' latest furnishing project – 61A at 53 West 53 – highlights art, architecture and city views inside Jean Nouvel's monumental New York skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan
By Martha Elliott