Furniture with a Feminine Touch (and a Masculine Name) - Remodelista
Despite the masculine-sounding name, Richard Watson is the design studio of two women, Brooke Richard and Laura Watson, who describe their work as furniture through “the filter of a feminine mind.” A number of years after meeting in graduate school at the New England School of Art and Design, the two founded an interior design firm, Orange Street Design, and it was out of this that Richard Watson was born. I recently met up with Brooke and Laura at their Brookline, MA, studio, where Brooke explained: “There are not a lot of women working in furniture... ...especially hardwoods; finding a balance between the masculine and feminine is definitely something we bring to our collection.” Another hallmark of Richard Watson is craftsmanship. Heirlooms for the modern era, each piece is painstakingly made by hand by a master woodworker in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He becomes a She: Richard Watson’s six-foot-tall version of the classic highboy has long tapered legs and a chamfered frame that lend a sense of grace and cast a little shadow that draws you to the piece. Inspired by the detailing on vintage apothecary cabinets, the drawers, too, are intimate in scale and adorned with delicate custom pulls. The highboy is also available in oak, ash, and pickled ash, each hand finished with natural oils and waxes. After noticing a dearth of handmade hardware made of finer metals, such as bronze and brushed brass, Laura and Brooke started fabricating their own pulls and handles with the help of a jewelry designer from New York. In our conversation about their stools, they explained that the legs were inspired by bones. I observed that the curve of the legs and chamfering at the base of the seat create a sense of light and air around these pieces. “Like a sculpture,” I commented. “Yes, but the difference between our furniture and fine art is that our pieces are designed to be used and touched.” The Hunt Table has many of Richard Watson’s signature details, including a lithe silhouette and a surprise: in this case it’s a custom-made box placed inside that can be used to store silverware or linens. Richard Watson’s long hardware pulls, handmade of bronze or brushed brass, are available in small or large and can also be used as wall hooks. When they started making furniture, Laura and Brooke learned all they could about different woods and the woodworking process from a master craftsman who took them under his wing. Another furniture favorite that Brooke and Laura and I share, the historically-inspired designs of Sawkille Co. of Rhinebeck, NY.