Russell always models out our furniture designs; he needs to create in 3D to understand the relationship between shapes and the space they inhabit. It’s almost like a meditative state and it’s what gives his work a softness. This approach extends to all the major projects in our lives, so, when we were designing our house in the West Country, he made this model to better understand the architect’s drawings and how our furniture would work in the space.
It is constructed from balsa wood and Douglas fir veneer. I found the dried-out weed in a field – we always knew the courtyard was going to have a beautiful tree, so that was our shorthand for it!
The building has the potential to be quite austere, but is softened by the red Devon stone it’s built from. We’re such wood lovers and were able to go to town here – not only with the furniture, but walls, room dividers and staircases, too.
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The model carried us through the build; when it a felt a bit of an uphill struggle, looking at it gave us purpose. It has become something of a charm for me. It represents the hope we started out with, the dream, and how, somehow, we made it a reality.
It also reminds us that sometimes things don’t go according to plan. When this house was seriously damaged by flood in 2019 and left uninhabitable, it was the darkest time for us. We were totally solo, trying to work out how to rescue our one-time dream. This model sat in our study in London and reminded us to feel connected to our home and committed to finding a solution. pinchdesign.com
