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Interview: The Wonderful World of Thomas Wold
Artful Furniture and Kitchens Create a Sense of Memory, Fantasy and Fun
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
I'd like to introduce you to someone who combines the eye of an artist with the skills of a talented furniture maker, and who wants to take us on a ride to a cool place. After years of training, creating art, building furniture, working as a window dresser, working at a sign shop, training as a cabinet maker, and soaking up knowledge and skill from those with more experience along the way, Thomas Wold has found his artistic voice and has been creating furniture that goes way beyond what we usually expect of casework. Here is the fantastic range of his work, which is seriously shaking up how people think about designing their rooms and decorating their homes.
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by Thomas Wold
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| Wold's training included studying fine arts, painting, working in a high-end sign shop, and training in high-end cabinet making. This piece, titled "Fractured Fairy Tale," is a great example of how Wold's career journey has helped him find his voice as a designer. "It took about 10 years of working in different disciplines to create the building blocks to find what I wanted to do," Wold says. |
by Thomas Wold
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When creating pieces, Wold's philosophy is "if you're living with a piece all the time, it should be intrinsically calming, have a sense of fun, and bring out a good feeling out of you."
The pieces will also change perpetually depending upon the touches the client adds, whether it's books, beloved objects, artwork, family photos, albums or perhaps a Nelson clock.
The pieces will also change perpetually depending upon the touches the client adds, whether it's books, beloved objects, artwork, family photos, albums or perhaps a Nelson clock.
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by Thomas Wold
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| "When I approach a new project, I want to create something where your eye can race around the piece and discover something new," Wold says. "I don't want it to be something that people will tire of." |
by Thomas Wold
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You'll definitely notice something new every time you look at Fractured Fairy Tale.
by Thomas Wold
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"I like to play with lights," Wold says. Turning on the different lights in this piece transforms its look and feel, so that it is never stagnant.
by Thomas Wold
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Wold is interested in "capturing a sense of fun and fantasy; something that has an animated feel in the simplest way possible." This group of mushrooms at Sea Ranch inspired a series of side tables and coffee tables.
by Thomas Wold
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"I was not thinking 'Wow, there really are not enough side tables out there' when I created this table," Wold says. Rather, he wanted to inspire people of all ages to have more fun with their decor and stop being so conservative.
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by Design Public
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| Creating a piece that is widely available was also part of the challenge. "I'm really a custom guy," he says, "but here I had to figure out a design that could fit into a box for shipping and be easy for the buyers to assemble." All of the pieces come apart, so when it arrives, all you need is about 20 minutes, a screwdriver, and an Allen wrench to put it together. |
by Thomas Wold
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"I like to create a new story with the familiar," Wold says. He approaches a new project like a sculpture, concentrating on composing the pieces in an unexpected way. The final piece is surprisingly balanced and harmonious.
by Thomas Wold
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One would think Wold has a warehouse full of all of these unique pieces, but the truth is, he's not a hoarder and needs a clutter-free space to create. He usually starts to plan something, then seeks out the pieces to assemble. Evoking nostalgia by presenting familiar things in a new way is always at the front of his mind.
by Thomas Wold
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Now that we've seen some of the more eclectic pieces, let's take a look at how Wold's approach creates beautiful interior spaces. He collaborated with an architect friend of his on this kitchen in her own home. She completed the space planning, but she wanted Thomas to add his touch to the design.
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by Thomas Wold
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| Designing the kitchen with the architect was a collaborative process. "Usually when people hire me, they like what I do and want me to bring a bit of that into their designs," he says. |
by Thomas Wold
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The space over the top cabinet is hard to reach and often wasted, so Wold created a display cabinet. The inside is painted orange and the sliding doors are frosted; there's a light tucked away inside. "The light hits the frosted glass and creates a gradiated orange that mimics the sunset; it's a soft orange glow that sets a mood in the kitchen," Wold says.
by Thomas Wold
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"Basically, I've been doing a lot of pretty modern kitchens and casework, and I've been slowly pushing these things to a new place." While most people tend to want more conservative designs, Wold seeks out those "who are willing to let me take them for a ride to a cool place."
by Thomas Wold
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While Wold brings the fun, he is also an expert cabinet maker. And he adds fun touches to places that are usually ignored, such as these blue drawer interiors.
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by Thomas Wold
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| "There's really no reason to hire me unless you want to let me do what I do," says Wold. This kitchen's personality shines through in the details, like the circles over the refrigerator and the color blocking. |
by Thomas Wold
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Wold's training in fine arts and paintings shines through in all of his work. Part of his training included working at a high-end sign shop, where he gained a whole new appreciation for graphics. Wold highly recommends "working with experienced people while imagining the projects you eventually want to be able to do."
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by Thomas Wold
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| A light blue cabinet and accents, and open shelving where objects can move in and out, keeps the eye moving around, which is one of Wold's goals. |
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by Thomas Wold
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| With a first very quick glance, this kitchen may look like others you've seen before. Then you notice that the variety of cabinet sizes are uniquely arranged. |
by Thomas Wold
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With an every closer look you'll notice that the fun is in the details, like eclectic pops of color provided by drawer handles, and circular cutouts in the cabinet facing ...
by Thomas Wold
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... as well as an unexpected glass front door that throws off the lines we'd usually expect.
by Thomas Wold
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Again, Wold does not neglect the interiors; color awaits inside the cabinets, changing the look when open.
Thanks so much to Thomas Wold for sharing his work with us today!
See more of Wold's work.
More inspiring design:
A Kitchen for Family and the Joy of Cooking
In Living Color
Thanks so much to Thomas Wold for sharing his work with us today!
See more of Wold's work.
More inspiring design:
A Kitchen for Family and the Joy of Cooking
In Living Color
Comments
hgrada wow!!! I'll take one of each piece please:) I'd happily create a room around any of these pieces.... wish I hada fraction of his skills and talent! Thanks Becky!
23 months ago · Like
gknee That is simply amazing! I'd love to see what he could create in building a bathroom medicine cabinet
23 months ago · Like
tpelz furniture pieces definitely more fun than interior spaces...
23 months ago · Like
Tina Gleisner Pretty interesting range of designs from eclectic furniture which I first thought involved recycling old pieces of furniture, to very contemporary kitchen cabinets that were European sleek. All very nicely done
23 months ago · Like
archadeckjulie Love them all! I, too, am tired of conservatism in living spaces and these pieces scream "FUN" while still being utilitarian, well-made, artistic pieces each of my four grown kids would fight over after I've gone! Brilliant work, Mr. Wold!
23 months ago · Like
Vintage Renewal I already had found this guys work and it's in my inspiration book. Thank you for helping me keep an electronic copy in my houzz inspiration book too. I love it!
23 months ago · Like
Karen Heffernan GREAT ideabook - I LOVE it! I love the whimsy and cleverness of his furniture, and the freshness of his kitchen designs. I want all of the furniture pieces in this ideabook! I was not familiar with Thomas Wold, but now I am a huge fan - thank you!
23 months ago · Like
CAROLE MEYER Wow....love this!
23 months ago · Like
jsdcreative Love the kitchens - clean lines but comletely avoids a sterile look, really fresh and interesting
23 months ago · Like
Karen I'd seen the top photo before, but had no idea who did it. Fabulous! I love the colorful, quirkiness of it all.
23 months ago · Like
cauliflower what a great idea for a kid's room. It would hold everything.
23 months ago · Like
ajj35 so cool and so creative. love it !
23 months ago · Like
Gloria Graham, AKBD Gets really interesting when you apply his aesthetic to kitchen design! I think the challenge is to make it work while making it really efficient and functional. Pretty cool stuff.
23 months ago · Like
vent3717 Very playful and cheerful...like it
22 months ago · Like
Ideabook updated on June 22, 2011.
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