interview :: charlotte kingsnorth - confessions of a design geek

This article was published 13 years

I met Charlotte Kingsnorth, pictured above with “Mr & Mrs,” at Ventura Lambrate in Milan in April. Her biomorphic, personality filled chairs immediately caught my eye. I wrote a profile piece about her for We Heart, but wanted to publish our interview in full. So here it is…

What’s the most important thing to know about you as a designer?

That I am also a human being!

What inspires you?

I am inspired by art. Artists are free to explore a concept purely for self expression, which allows for a strong, untainted outcome. I am intrigued by artists’ interpretation of things in their chosen medium. The human form has always been a strong influence with my design work; fleshy, organic, biomorphic forms… but also the interaction between man and object. I am inspired by function, which is what differentiates me from an artist.

Have you always been able to see personalities in items of furniture or is it something that developed as you studied design?

I think I have always seen characters in things. As a little girl I remember naming every tree in my local park depending on their character. My imagination hasn’t changed.

When did you start rescuing chair frames? Do you see personalities in all chairs, or do you just collect the ones that speak to you?

I have collected chair frames for several years. Not every chair speaks out to me – there are special characters. Sometimes I will find beautiful chairs just dumped on the side of the road with a missing spindle or worn upholstery. I cannot resist bringing them back to my studio.

How does your design and making process work from that initial sense of character within an item of furniture through to the final product?

In my studio I sketch the chairs I have found. The sketching process is important to me; it allows me to draw out the character of the chair. I draw the body of the chair. It’s like I have the skeleton but seek the flesh that envelops it.

Once I am satisfied with a drawing I work on building up the body, wrapping foam directly around the chair frame. It is a mix of following the drawing and instinct that directs this part of the process of addition and subtraction until the balance is right. I view the chair from all angles to make sure I am happy with the form. Once satisfied I move onto trimming the chair.

As every chair is different the pattern for each chair is also unique. I often make a pattern from calico before applying it to the chosen fabric. Once the fabric is cut and pinned into place the pieces are hand stitched.

Are your pieces designed to be sat on, or are they purely sculptural?

All my chairs are designed to be functional and comfortable. The comfort assessment is an important part of the making process.

What effect did studying at Bucks and the RCA have on your work?

Doing my degree in design at Bucks helped me to explore all types of design in a thoughtful way. The course was focused on thinking and making, and learning through doing. That really is the backbone to what I do. My MA at the RCA gave me more time to continue this process and provided a colourful selection of people to bounce ideas off.

What are you most proud of?

I am proud that I have kept going. Being a designer is not the type of job that starts at nine and ends at five. It never stops. But then again, there really is no other occupation that I could imagine doing. Hopefully I will still be doing this when I’m 80!

What advice would you give to an aspiring designer?

Work hard and enjoy what you do. Ask others’ opinions, especially non designers, but trust your instincts.

And finally, what’s your favourite colour?!

At the moment dusty greens, burnt orange and deep bluey greys. I see colours in conjunction with other colours rather than solo.