This week, Northern California-based designer Hanneke Lourens introduces her new collection, Barred, consisting of four wood furniture pieces embellished with stainless steel bars. As with her debut Corrugated Collection, Lourens has again been heavily influenced by her home country, South Africa. This time around, she found inspiration in a somewhat unlikely place: security bars bolted to the exteriors of buildings across her homeland.
“I get so much creative energy when I visit South Africa, and the last time I went home was no different,” shares Lourens. “In pretty much every type of neighbourhood across the country, you’ll find these striking bars added as security measures to windows and doors. Although a clear sign of South Africa’s elevated crime rate, if you look at them objectively, they can almost be seen as the jewelry of a building. Sometimes curvy and ornate and other times linear and stark, they provide an extra layer of decoration to every façade.”
All the pieces from the Barred Collection stand on sturdy pillar-like legs, giving them a distinct Brutalist feel. The tops of the legs peek out from under horizontal surfaces, exposing the eye-catching timber end-grain. Thick columns are held together partly by traditional woodworking joinery and partly by slim stainless steel bars, creating a visual contrast throughout the collection. Connected by basic tabs and screws, the steel elements imitate the look of rudimentary security bars, crudely attached to structures.
“I certainly don’t want to make light of the need for security bars, but being South African is such a big part of my identity that I’m unable to escape it in my work. When I’m inspired by something that brings up discomfort, I don’t necessarily see it as a negative,” says Lourens. “I’m always fascinated by the oft-limits and the forgotten, so if this collection is making us ask questions, I see it as a win.”
Each piece in this collection uses metal in a different pattern and for a different purpose. The Barred Chair utilizes a cubed stainless steel grid as an angled backrest, complementing its squared legs and seat. Whether at the head of a dining table or as an accent in the corner of a room, this blocky walnut chair was made to captivate. The geometric Barred Side Table with its circular top is crafted from ash and finished with a deep black coating. Linear bars bolted to its exterior connect four oversized legs to one another. Sturdy by design, this little table is strong enough to be used as a stool should the occasion arise.
The Barred Coffee Table is made entirely from salvaged old-growth redwood with a delicate, fine-grain pattern. Low to the ground and chunky by nature, the Barred Coffee Table refuses to go unnoticed. Its stout legs are connected by shiny steel bars, creating a piece that’s both eye-catching and surprisingly straightforward. The chunky legs are dotted with darkly stained nail holes, nodding to the wood’s previous life as the corner post of a house. The asymmetrical grid system of the Barred Bench not only provides strength to the piece, but also doubles as a low horizontal shelf. Big enough to comfortably seat two, this white oak bench can also be used as an entryway pitstop or a slim coffee table in a tight space.
Throughout the collection, Lourens employs the brilliant highlights of brushed stainless steel to contrast the warm organic tones of the wood. The metal elements act as jewelry, glinting in the sun and capturing interest. Just like jewelry can elevate your daily rituals, the items from the Barred Collection are made to be both cherished and utilized often.
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