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A Desk byAlex

A desk byAlex from occa-home
A desk byAlex

Inspired by the clean straight lines of the modernist period, A Desk is the latest piece from the studio of Alex Swain, whose earlier creation, A Stool, has been featured on these pages before and hailed as a contemporary classic by The Guardian.

tilting desk byAlex available from occa-home
tilting desk byAlex available from occa-home

Both pieces owe their existence to the classic entrepreneurial spirit that I have yet to uncover in myself. Living in a small London flat, Alex couldn’t find functional, flexible furniture that he could afford. So he decided to create a collection that could fill the gap between cheap, disposable furniture and exclusive, high-end products.

the white stool was the first piece in the A range byAlex
the white stool was the first piece in the A range byAlex

He then added a little sustainability and innovative technology into the mix – driven by the conviction that manufacturing waste should be kept to a minimum and, two years later, the A Stool was born.

Cut from plywood, its graphic style was inspired by Alex’s love of typography. An instant hit when it launched in 2011, it has inspired a whole range based on the ‘A’ shape, one of the purest forms in engineering and architecture.

A range from John Lewis
A range stool and hatstand from John Lewis from £65

The range now includes A Stool, A Table, A Desk and A Coat Stand. The desk costs £515 and has a tilting top and pen tray.

See the range (or should that be A range) at byAlex

Tags : deskhome officeobjects of designstool
Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.