Erika Hardman is the co-owner and creative director of Hardman, a furniture company known for creating heirloom-quality pieces from solid wood. Since joining the business, Erika has helped transform Hardman from a small European brand into a growing presence in the American furniture market while staying true to the values that defined it from the beginning: craftsmanship, honest materials, and timeless design. Working across design, product development, sales, and customer experience, Erika takes a hands-on approach to nearly every aspect of the business. Her belief is simple: furniture should be built to last, age beautifully, and move with people through different homes, cities, and chapters of life. Learn more about Erika’s wide range of products in today’s Maker Monday.
Defined by sculpted contours, softened edges, and the natural movement of wood grain, the LÜNA Dining Chair reflects a quiet dialogue between handcrafted furniture and the landscape lines of the California high desert.
Andrew Joseph: What inspired you to become a designer?
Erika Hardman: I never really decided to become a designer. Looking back, I was always heading in that direction. I loved decorating, creating, and obsessing over spaces long before I knew design could be a career. After years of traveling, I met my husband in a small surf town on the southwest coast of France. He was already making furniture, and through him I was introduced to a world of workshops, materials, prototypes, and makers. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was designing furniture for a living. It all connected so naturally that I almost missed the moment it happened.
AJ: What’s your design pet peeve?
EH: Furniture that tries to hide what it’s made from. I love materials that are honest about what they are. Solid wood should look like solid wood, not try to imitate something else.
AJ: What are three things you can’t live without?
EH: Large dogs. Red wine. Electronic music.
Set against a rugged, desert-like backdrop, the MOS lounger and ottoman bring together a low, architectural silhouette, softened lines, and muted upholstery that feels naturally attuned to open-air living.
AJ: What is one thing no one knows about you?
EH: I love denim. I own far too many pairs of jeans, and I’m always tempted to buy another. I’ll wear denim almost anywhere — at work, at a dinner party, with sneakers, with heels. I keep telling myself I have enough, but apparently I don’t.
AJ: What would your dream project or dream client be right now?
EH: Honestly, I hope our client in Hawaii invites us over once the house is finished. We’re furnishing nearly the entire home, and seeing all the pieces come together in that setting would be incredibly rewarding. Plus, I love Hawaii.
AJ: What’s a new hobby or skill you’ve learned recently?
EH: Riding an electric skateboard. I can’t guarantee the safety of anyone around me, but I’m getting better.
With its softened wood frame, raised upholstered sides, and quiet sculptural profile, the LÜNA dog bed brings the language of considered furniture design into a piece made for everyday companionship.
AJ: What is your favorite place to find inspiration?
EH: The sauna. It’s one of the few places where I can’t look at my phone. I love to meditate while sweating. Some of my best ideas come to me while sitting in a sauna, especially if there’s a cold plunge afterward — it feels like a hit of clarity. Something about that combination completely clears my head and creates space for new ideas.
AJ: Best advice you’d give your teenage self?
EH: More mistakes bring more success.
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