From Concept to Reality

Ever looked at a thing of beauty and wished you were the one to think of that? We all have. VISI asked James Mudge exactly what goes on inside their heads.

JAMES MUDGE

James is a furniture designer and maker, who has already made a name for himself with his contemporary aesthetic yet good, old-fashioned craftsmanship.

The Idea

I have ideas floating around in my head, or sometimes just the seed of an idea. When I get a commission, it’s an opportunity for these ideas to germinate.

I am very inspired by old craftsmanship – the joints they used and their labour-intensive attention to detail. My work is also informed by my background in architecture and engineering.

The Process

Clients come to you with an idea and their requirements. As a designer, my ability to predict how something will look and what the material can do helps to develop these into a functional and beautiful design.

I do sketches until the concept is refined and then generate a 3D model in SketchUp. But sometimes you can’t anticipate the practical implications of a design on paper alone, so I’ll make a prototype – especially if I have to make a few units of a new piece or something that is particularly intricate.

I really enjoy the physical making of a piece as it can reveal a new way of doing something or give you fresh inspiration for how to tweak a detail.

Once a design is completely resolved I will hand over to the guys in my workshop. I am lucky that the whole process from concept to completion happens in one space.

And then?

I love it when people ask: “How did you do that?” I like it when my pieces have a bit of mystery for people because it means that they understand and value the time and effort that goes into creating something simple.

More info:www.jamesmudge.com