Building a more sustainable WA – one piece of furniture at a time
STORY Elizabeth Clarke
Remington Matters
We know the parts of modern life that negatively impact our planet, like food waste, too much plastic, meat consumption, and wearing mass-produced fashion. But the imprint our furniture has is not always as obvious. Because fast furniture is overproduced and the least-recycled household item, it is one of the world's fastest-growing landfill categories.
While design as a discipline is traditionally unaligned with sustainability, now the two go hand in hand. With the growing importance of raw materials, greater supply chain transparency, local sourcing and upcycling comes fresh creativity, with furniture makers producing cool, sustainable high-concept pieces.
Western Australia is known for being home to a diverse array of designers, makers, artists and other talented creatives. And while share studios and workshops are peppered all over the state, a large number of them call Fremantle home.
Meet three Freo furniture makers passionate about making a difference with pieces that boast beauty, longevity and sustainability.
Angus McBride, Remington Matters
Fremantle maker Angus McBride crafts tables, chairs and objects that mix raw materials with surprising accents, like bubble-gum pink powder coating, cylindrical legs and retro-inspired seat backs. It's a playful, cool and contemporary aesthetic that is proving popular nationwide for its fresh take on what sustainable furniture can look like.
"It's really hard to make things look beautiful without a trail of carbon, so we always make sure our designs are unique but timeless," he says. "We produce furniture and objects that can be passed down, not end up in a tip, which is where too much furniture ends up."
Though it was founded by maker Remington Matters eight years ago, Angus joined the business in 2017. Remington returned to his hometown of Adelaide, where he set up a studio, and Angus took over the helm of their South Fremantle studio. "We work together on the range and prototypes, and I look after WA business while Rem covers the east coast," Angus says. "Key to our business is producing on the same designs in two states. It just works."
Working alongside Perth architects and interior designers on both commercial and high-end residential projects, the pair have tackled all types of jobs, including furnishings and fit-outs for Perth hotspots like La Lune in East Fremantle, Mary Street Bakery, and Dumbo Gelato.
While the pair use raw materials such as Australian and American oak, Tasmanian blackwood and Canadian rock maple as much as possible, Angus says producing pieces that are100 percent sustainable is almost impossible. "We are low-waste and reuse wherever we can but there’s always an element that is planet-friendly," he says. "We bring it back to the fact that we are not manufacturing fast furniture. For example, if we're designing a table, we use common widths of timber and consider how an offcut might be used for a leg. When we work with steel, we optimise a standard-sized metal sheet for the seats and backrest, so there are no offcuts."
The brand offers a core collection that includes dining suites, desks, stools and wall sconces. Angus believes it is a more sustainable business model than custom-made. "There is more wastage and time spent when you only offer custom design," he says. "We push our range so we can build what we like, but we offer some customisation with colours, materials and upholstery."
Any leftovers are used to create objects for their Off Cuts range, which includes homewares and decor including bowls, lights, candlesticks and rolling pins.
Ben Savage, Squarepeg Home
WA furnisher maker Ben Savage loves sharing his space with fellow creatives. "It’s a fertile ground for us types, and the company is good – furniture making can be lonely with your earplugs in," he tells Havenist. "Creative company helps you get out of your headspace and handy if you need someone at the other end of a plank!"
Before starting his own custom-making business a decade ago, Ben studied design and furniture making at the Australian School of Fine Wood in Dwellingup. "Since then, I've developed a collection of pieces that share a common language that is clean and contemporary with enduring design,” he says.
Ben works with timber sourced locally and from importers. "Local timber is mainly marri and jarrah, and its redness doesn't always work in contemporary spaces," he explains. "Accessing different types provides a broader palette, which I often integrate with marble and steel frames."
Creating furniture with longevity is the key to good sustainable design, he says. "It's not hard to make furniture that lasts a long time; the bigger challenge is making sure it remains relevant. Furniture is like fashion – it comes and goes. Sustainability is largely about enduring design that the customer enjoys for a long time. I make objects people want to live with their whole lives and take with them to their retirement homes!"
A favourite piece of Ben's is his T2 dining table, a simple and graceful design more complex than it appears. "It's utilitarian and simplistic but complicated to make," he admits. "It's a piece that has a place in every home."
Karl Young, Saltwood Designs
Karl Young is a self-confessed hoarder. “I don't throw much away,” he laughs. “I try to reuse everything and keep my practice tight. It’s all the little things you do that combine to save building fossil fuels."
The self-taught maker, a former air force engineer, runs his customised furniture business out of his South Fremantle studio, where he crafts pieces for residential and commercial projects.
"I started out 10 years ago designing a few pieces but found many customers wanted customised furniture," he says. "It's a practice that suits me and how I work. The creative aspect feeds my mind, and I find problem-solving very cathartic."
Working mainly with plywood, veneers and solid timber, Karl approaches every design by determining what the client wants and likes and how best to make that happen. "It involves a lot of drawing, mood boards, and discussion," he says. "Every job involves a lot of tasks, so the end result is always very different."
One of his standout creations is a cedar bath he was commissioned to make for a friend. "It was incredible to make a bath out of cedar – it's so warm and soft," he explains. "The end result was so beautiful I am going to make more."
Karl worked on the fit-out of the award-winning Cadogan Song School by Palassis Architects, built to provide facilities for the St George’s Cathedral choir. He is busily completing a boat fit-out he has worked on for the past three years, and a 1960s-style cabinet and bookcase for a client’s living space. His work's diversity and versatility are two reasons he loves what he does.
"For people who are naturally creative and love using their hands, it's the greatest job," he says. "Making sustainable furniture that people love makes me feel good, and I think everyone needs a little bit of that."
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