GABRIEL TAN
BRETHREN BENCH
MATERIALS: Ash
DIMENSIONS: 59"w x 13"D x 17".5H
Inspired by the simplicity and beauty of Shaker benches, the exposed joinery gives the bench its strength and character.
STOVE CHAIR
MATERIALS: Ash
DIMENSIONS: 13.5"W X 15"D X 24.75"H
The Shakers designed chairs in a way that was relevant to their way of life. Not only are our homes getting smaller today, restaurants, bars and cafes are too. "What is the smallest functional chair, that could still be comfortable to sit on?" was my question. I designed a three legged chair with a short backrest and a seat shape inspired by the Shaker stove that can be hung on a wall mounted peg rail.
HANDLE STOOL
MATERIALS: Ash, Leather
DIMENSIONS: 15.25"W x 8.5"D x 17"H
The stool is probably the most nomadic piece of furniture in the home - on one day it could be used in the kitchen, on another at the dining table for a house guest, and sometimes near the front door for us to put on our shoes in comfort. I saw pieces of leather draped over a slim, four legged stool in one of the shaker workshops and it led to the idea of a suspended leather strap that can be activated as a comfortable sling handle.
PETAL BASKETS
MATERIALS: Leather, metal buttons
DIMENSIONS:
Small: 4.75" x 4.75" x 1.25"H
Medium: 5.5" x 5.5" x 1.5"H
Large: 7" x 7" x 1.75" H
The Shakers innovated with materials and craft techniques to create storage baskets and boxes which were used to store everyday items. This set of leather baskets uses a six-leaf pattern and a simple fold and snap system that enables them to be packed completely flat and comes in Red, Blue and Tan colored Napa leather.
DOMINIO COAT HANGER
MATERIALS: Ash
DIMENSIONS: 36"w x 3"D x 3"H
Reinterpreting the Shaker peg rail, this version takes inspiration from the domino joints that are commonly used in wood working today. The proportion of the domino gives it its strength. A ledge enables storage of mail and also acts as as a spacer between the wall - which is useful when hanging large coats.
BRETHREN DOORSTOP
MATERIALS: Ash
DIMENSIONS: 4.75" X 4.75" X 7.75"H
The soft, sculptural forms of shaker knobs and handles are the inspiration. Blocks of laminated solid wood are lathed into doorstops, each with a personality of its own. Could also be used as paper weights or bookends.
TENON SHELF
MATERIALS: white ash, walnut
DIMENSIONS: 17"L x 7"W x 7"h
The Shakers' work is often characterized by their utility and joinery. This wall mounted shelf is an exercise in both. The wedged tenon under the shelf ensures that it will never sag.
SECRET NIGHT TABLE
MATERIALS: Walnut
DIMENSIONS: 17.8"L x 17.8"W x 17.4"h
This night table combines the utility of two iconic pieces of shaker furniture - the side table and chest of drawers. The drawer is almost unnoticeable and ideal for keeping our most personal items.
STANDING MALLET
MATERIALS: White oak, walnut
DIMENSIONS: 8.7"L x 4.3"W x 2.9"H
The Shakers believed in making good work with their hands as a form of religious worship, and for me the mallet is an object that represents this philosophy. I designed a small mallet which is slightly flat on the top so that it could stand upright on its own. Its proportion is inspired by Shaker mallets.
BRETHREN STOOL
MATERIALS: White oak
DIMENSIONS: 25.6"L x 13"W x 17.3"h
A new, single seat version of the brethren bench, this is good for dining or as shoe bench at the entrance of the home
LADDER VALET STAND
MATERIALS: Black stained ash
DIMENSIONS: 74.8"h x 24.8"w x 5.7"d
A clothes and accessories valet inspired by the utilitarian spirit of Shaker furniture. Its form is borrowed from a ladder and its fully collapsible and easy to assemble.
LEATHER BOX
MATERIALS: vegetable tanned leather
DIMENSIONS: 4.33"W x 1"H
A molded leather box to contain jewelery or precious small objects. Exuding the simplicity and functionality of Shaker bent wood boxes.
CLOTHES PEG
MATERIALS: Ash, steel
DIMENSIONS: 1.5"W x 3"L X 0.6"H
Invented by the Shaker community in the 1700s, clothes pegs acted as an essential tool to keep one's laundry firmly attached to the drying line. The more commonly known clothes peg design, two interlocking prongs wedged between a small spring, was not developed until more than a century later. To this day the clothes peg design has not been iterated on except to include plastic in its materials list. This clothes peg's modified form enhances its original singular purpose by adding an additional function in that it can be used to display pictures, acting as an informal frame.
COMPASS FOLDING CHAIR
MATERIALS: Ash
DIMENSIONS: 17"W x 19"L X 31"H
A folding chair originates from the necessity for impermanent seating for special occasions. While impermanence often gets a bad name in design, when related to experiences it takes on a more nuanced meaning. Folding chairs are often used for some of the most significant moments in life, whether that be a graduation or wedding, where everyone can come together to help pack up the space and savor a few more moments together. The concept was to design a neat, comfortable folding chair that is easy to deploy and beautiful in its folded state so that it can be hung or displayed.
Toast Tong
MATERIALS: Ash
DIMENSIONS: 1.4"W x 6.8"L X 0.5"H
The act of sharing a meal is well known to every culture, often equated with fond memories that rekindle the senses and encourage reminiscing of special moments with loved ones. Among the acts often unnoticed in a successful meal are the uncomplicated gesture of serving food, and tongs represent the hand when you help to serve one another. Connecting the form of a compass and the ingenuity of a simple lever, this tong is deceptively inconspicuous on any dinner table.
DESIGNER PROFILE
COMPANY / Gabriel Tan
DESIGNERS / Gabriel Tan
LOCATION / Singapore
WEBSITE/ gABRIEL-TAN.COM
Gabriel Tan is a designer working between Singapore, Barcelona and New York. He is the principle of Gabriel Tan Design and co-founder of international design collective Outofstock, whose clients include Ligne Roset, Bolia, Scanteak, Biobu and Bla Station. Aside from his design work, he has taught as a visiting lecturer at Lasalle College of the Arts, the University of Oregon and also served as a jury member at the Cannes Lions awards.