A Pondicherry Furniture Studio That Combines Scandinavian Furniture With Indian Handicrafts

The native woodworking history that dominates even contemporary furniture designs today, can be linked to the creative explosion and an artistic revolution of sorts that took place in the 70s and early 80s when the region of Auroville was being built as a community fueled by unity. With a strong movement toward the crafts, it saw many designers combine the woodwork traditions of their native lands with that of the local and more traditional Indian handicrafts of the area surrounding them.

This artistic spillover led to a sense of design-based ideals that would influence the woodworking that has come to be associated with Pondicherry in recent years. There is something unique about sustainable furniture and thoughtfully-crafted pieces that are emerging out of Pondicherry as it becomes a hub and haven for furniture connoisseurs.

Among the designers that have come to establish a niche of their own, is furniture craftsman Vincent Roy whose love for handcrafted design and working with wood weaves beautifully into his Pondicherry-based furniture design studio, Wood’n Design. Having set up his studio in 2013, the designer has been able to garner a reputation and appreciation for his work with artisanal products that reimagine handmade timber furniture.

Incorporating local influences while emphasizing traditional, hand-assembled, middle-of-the-century Scandinavian furniture, his designs made using reclaimed wood (usually old Burma teak beams retrieved from demolished houses, dating back almost 200 years) give off an old-world charm along with a more contemporary design aesthetic that is the perfect fit for modern Indian homes. One of the designs, that he is perhaps most highly regarded for, is his Corbusier-influenced chair which has been crafted with cane weaves in a signature southern Indian style and with zero metal joinery.

Inspired by the French and Scandinavian designers of the 50s, his Indian-centric designs with a twist are what come to mind when thinking of his design studio which is a masterclass in exploring and experimenting with techniques and processes. Wood’n Design is making strides in the design world and how! We can’t wait to see all that they do next.

Check them out here.

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