LA-based furniture company VVOODS is the work of two design-minded Brits, Gareth Walsh and Helen Cooper, who moved to the city and instantly fell for the aged patina and graining of California old-growth wood. The fascination led them deep into to demolition sites–and a new business.
Gareth, a designer and professor at UCLA’s Design Media Arts department, and Helen, a textile and surface design artist, started VVOODS (the name is a play on the word “woods” using two V’s) from a shared interest in sustainable and local manufacturing. “Domestic manufacturing has a far lighter impact on the environment than foreign imports,” they explain. The two sourced a former production house as their workshop, and began hunting for unused vintage wood at the sites of buildings slated to come down. Gareth and Helen first met at school in Bolton, Manchester, at the age of 11; they moved to California as a couple, and over the years their relationship evolved into a friendship and business partnership. VVOODS was officially established last year, and Helen and Gareth are already offering nine small collections of bedroom furniture and dining tables, and there’s more in the works.
Above: The minimalist Wilshire Platform Bed is designed with airflow in mind: it has a base of 13 reclaimed wood slats ideal for natural latex mattresses. The bed is available in all major sizes and a variety of finishes (shown in Rustic Gray); $1,750 for the twin size.
Above: Like the other pieces in the Wilshire collection, the 5-Drawer Dresser is inspired by midcentury designs; its handle-free drawers pull out from the bottom. Shown here in a Rustic Raw finish, the dresser is $2,220.
Above L: The Wilshire 1-Drawer End Table has full extension metal drawer glides, midcentury-inspired legs, and a single drawer for storage; $625. Above R: The Wilshire 2-Drawer End Table is designed with the same specs but includes a second full extension drawer; $725.
Above: The Muir Platform Bed is part of the Muir collection designed in collaboration with Nicole Chiala, cofounder of green design company Amenity Home. The bed is handmade from reclaimed Douglas Fir and made without particle board, MDF, or veneer. It’s available in all sizes, from twin to California king, and five different finishes that use water-based, non-toxic wood stains and a low VOC sealer; $1,750 for the twin.
Above: The Melrose Bookcase is five units of deep shelves in reclaimed Douglas Fir planks; $1,125.
Above: The bookcase comes in six different stained finishes (Rustic Grey is shown here). The Melrose collection, like the other VVOODS designs, is named after a boulevard in Los Angeles.
Shopping for more bedroom furniture? Have a look at our recent post, 10 Easy Pieces: Modern Wooden Bedside Tables. For more design inspiration, sift through all our favorite Bedrooms in our Room Gallery. And go to Gardenista to see the World’s Best Indoor/Outdoor Teak Furniture.
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