Winnifred’s

Fascinated by the tension that lies between natural materials and contemporary design and manufacture, Tom Fereday develops unique designs originating from an intrinsic inquiry into the role of objects today. Built on the principle of honest design his work celebrates the materials and manufacture behind furniture and objects, guiding considered and thoughtful design outcomes that explore the notion of quiet innovation.

Born in Australia, Tom Fereday grew up in London, England studying sculpture and graphic design at the Wimbledon School of Art before moving to Australia to complete an honours in Industrial Design at the University of Technology Sydney. Working across Europe and Australia Tom Fereday went on to found his sole practice in 2012. Works have been presented and published internationally through collaborations with brands including Herman Miller, Alessi and Stellarworks and exhibited through galleries including Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Powerhouse Museum, Australian Design Centre and frequent international furniture fairs.

 

 

While the pieces for Winnifred’s were being crafted, we caught up with him at his Chester Street studio in Camperdown, Sydney:

“This has been very much a collaboration – that we’ve worked on the entire space in terms of furniture which has been really lovely – because we’ve been able to work alongside Megan and Tim Stewart to have a common vision.

“In a restaurant you have tables in large volumes, but you don’t want the pieces to be too loud. You want them to quietly grow on you as a piece and not become overbearing, because we’re always trying to complement the architecture, not take away from it.

 

 

When you come into a space you want to feel comfortable, but also want to touch the furniture and not feel inhibited. So, that’s what we’ve done with thie bistro chair, which I think is really effective, it’s got a closed back which means that you feel comfortable when you’re sitting down, and not feeling exposed. And it’s got the hint of an armrest, so if you need, you can use that for getting up and down. But it’s slender and not overpowering of the space that Tim Stewart Architects have designed.

My opinion is with the table, the quiet pared back details are complemented by the more characterful chair.

 

 

We’re trying to encourage longevity with the collection. We know that things get used, get marked, but we want them to add to the character of the space.

Like all things designed for longevity, we hope that the tables, the chairs, bistro, Champagne Bar and the courtyard garden will be places that you, like an old friend… enjoy coming back to.”

Tom Fereday