We are particular at Artisan in that we are committed to working with vendors and contractors that we have vetted and trust, as they help to shape the final product for our clients. Anchor & Canvas is exactly what we look for in a vendor in that way and therefore we bring them on to build custom furniture pieces – designed by us here at Artisan. We took a trip to their Brooklyn workshop to see a bit of their build process, and asked their Lead Fabricator, Piotr Shtyk, a few questions as to how they take our designs and turn them into real life quality pieces.
What is your general process when working with design clients?
It usually starts with a request for a quote. We review the visual materials and start a conversation to fill in the gaps. The goal in the beginning is to figure out the intended effect of the piece, find out what details are important to the designer and what is left to us to decide in consideration of structural integrity or economy. We often send drawings or models back and forth to confirm the details that are most important to the quote. Once everyone is on the same page and we know exactly how we are going to build it, we provide an accurate estimate. Then comes the final model, and the drawings we generate from the model, and once those are approved, we make the finish samples. We like to document the process and send a few pictures to the designer as the piece starts to take shape, and then again once the piece has been completed.
What is your favorite part of the process and why?
There are two definitive moments in the process I particularly enjoy. Arriving at an elegant solution to an engineering problem is very rewarding and the feeling stretches into the build process when parts just click into place like pieces of a puzzle. Then there is the moment of seeing the piece assembled for the first time and realizing how remarkably similar it looks like the rendering we made just a couple of weeks ago. I recall twirling it around on my monitor, and now here it is on the floor, tangible and, more often than not, very heavy.
What is the most exciting challenge when getting new furniture designs to fabricate?
The most exciting challenge to me is an opportunity to use a new technique or process that really stretches our abilities just past our typical comfort zone. It should be far enough removed from our skillset to force us to really focus and learn, while being related enough that we have a solid foundation upon which to build that knowledge – that’s the sweet spot.
Stay tuned for the final products!
Ready for an Artisan space of your own? Click here to take our 5 minute quiz and get started today.
