objekts Notebook | Issue 08 | Custom Partners

the notebook

issue08

custom partners

Not everything you imagine exists. Yet.

At objekts we are custom design experts, and we have carefully curated partnerships over the years with manufacturers who are continuously perfecting their craft.

In this issue of the Notebook, we will introduce you to four of these partners and give you a peek behind the curtain at how we work together to bring our clients’ design visions into reality.

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SMJ Studi page 4

io

Level4

page 12

Kush Rugs page 20

Interior Environments page 28

SMJ Studio U P H O L S T E R Y PA R T N E R

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“We expect you to sew how you problem solv you hired.”

SMJ

Sara Johnson, SMJ Studio Principal, has been honing her sewing skills since she was four years old. It started with her sister and step sisters guiding her through the creation of a navy and white gingham dress with puff sleeves, progressed in high school with the completion of 107 costumes for the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and continues to evolve today with objekts partnerships like stadium cushions for T-Mobile’s Headquarters.

w well. It’s ve that keeps

J Studio client

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“As objekts grew and diversified, we were able to expand our capabilities along with them.”

Sara Johnson

SMJ Studio has been connected with objekts since before objekts existed. Sara and Doug McKenzie (objekts owner) have been working together for over 20 years. They most recently collaborated on cushions and pillows for NAIOP Finalist Ovation multifamily housing (in process on the left). “It’s always a collaboration with objekts,” says Sara. objekts brings a project to SMJ Studio with as much information up-front as possible, and Sara and her team massage out the details with objekt project managers as the project evolves. The end result may look simple sofas throughout a space accessorized with pillows - but the scale puts the importance of logistics into sharp focus. 350 pillows in a variety of fabrics for a 30,000 square foot space requires a partner who not only excells in their craft but also in communication and planning.

Sara engages her engineering and pattern-making skills to complete complicated cushions with one piece of fabric. “I’m of the belief that the least amount of seams in a commercial project the better because there’s less opportunity for it to fail. It’s like a onepiece puzzle.”

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A few objekts + SMJ Studio projects

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Level4

F U R N I T U R E PA R T N E R

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“Growth is finding a way to do something today that you couldn’t do yesterday. That to me is very satisfying.”

Bob Price

President and Founder of Level4 Designs, Bob Price, understands the nuance baked into the custom furniture process thanks to decades of experience. Bob was raised in the furniture industry with both parents working for a manufacturer. He began his own career hand-drawing scaled sketches of residential furniture for product engineers to use as a visual reference.

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The process of bringing a custom piece through the design proce collaborators and a vision that probably started on the back of a n nurture a unique design vision through pitfalls like budget, liabilit

The process adjusts to the circumstances every time. Bob recalled to the back of a chair to communicate the adjustment they were e objekts and Level4 was a sofa designed by Gensler (shop drawing the velvet textile all presented hurdles that Level4 was able to ove

“There comes a point in every meeting where you know you’ve g talked through some challenges and it becomes very collaborativ Bob and Level4 strive for transparency and the trust of the design

“I probably get most excited about answering, ‘H can we work with all the different personalities to come up with a direction we all agree on?’”

Bob Price

ess to completion is harrowing. Okay maybe we’re being a tad dramatic, but with many napkin, you can see the potential for miscommunication. objekts and Level4 partner to ty, available production methods, and structural integrity - the not-so-sexy logistics.

d a mock up review for T-Mobile Headquarters that involved a designer taking a marker envisioning. One of the most challenging and so most satisfying product completions for g to the left, pictured on the next page). The curve, the channeling at differing heights, and ercome.

gained the confidence of the designer. They’ve seen some things they’ve liked. You’ve also ve. It’s the greatest feeling collaborating with these talented, creative people.” The fact that ner makes them a valuable partner.

How o

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A few objekts + Level4 projects

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Kush Rugs R U G PA R T N E R

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Kush started as an importing company a their custom production from 10% of the shift represents a creative leap into the w in the form of a rug. Kush’s team in Portl India using artwork produced in house a to tease out the final details.

“We want you to have that, ‘Hold on. I need to look at this again,’ reaction like you would with a piece of art.”

Sean Antley

and over the last 10 years has increased eir business to 80%. Such a significant world of interpreting a design vision land works with partners in Nepal and along with color poms and sample cuts

These Buddha statues displayed in Kush’s Portland showroom are gifts from their Nepalese production partner.

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Objekts 9’6”x16’ | Yesler Terrace Ombre 3 Hand-tufted in India | Tweed/Ombre Gradient | All Sorted Wool

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On Technique

A Few Favorites

There’s a gentle oxidation technique, similar to acid washed denim, that takes away the top layer of wool to show off the embossed silk layer. A similar process involves a blow torch - just a tad more difficult to control.

For one project, Kush used satellite image translate topographical maps into rugs. Fo they replicated a 150 year old Chinese rug that included taking exact measurements vine detailing 6 times to make sure every d perfectly captured.

es to or another, g, a process of intricate detail was

Ombre Project Highlight This custom rug above moved from color selections to sample to production to install. An additional layer of the custom design was color coordination with the Kush rug pictured below in an adjacent space. Clear, concise communication and trust between objekts and Kush means what showed up on install day is what was expected, on time and in perfect condition.

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This installation is made up of thre rugs - 25’x25’, 25’x29’, and one trapezoid shape. Shipping anythin this large is always exciting. Sean and his warehouse team unfolded and steamed creases out of these rugs in a two-day process (knee pads came in handy).

“We partnered with objekts to create one of the largest, tufted rugs we’ve ever done to date.”

Sean Antley

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Kush recently expanded into a larger showroom in Portland - more room to collaborate on all the custom possibilities!

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Interior Environments W O O D W O R K I N G PA R T N E R S

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Bog Oak, the darker wood pictured on the left, is one of George’s favorite materials to work with. The carbon dated wood is harvested after being submerged in a bog for centuries. Bog Oak’s tight grain and smokey color create a richness of character hard to find in other species.

George Zatloukal, project manager at Interior Environments, knows the intricacies of each machine in their warehouse. There’s one that does well with edges, another that cuts straight with consistency and speed, a dowling machine, a joiner, an edge-bander, a sander, and on top of all these efficiencies are the skilled woodworkers responsible for the details too refined for equipment to handle.

“You look at Bog Oak and think of time.”

George Zatloukal

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Greenery always packs a punch, but this banquette-planter took it to another level. objekts worked with Interior Environments to develop a solution for seating, biophilia, and a focal point for this high-ceiling atrium. Part of the process included studying the internal structure to determine the height of the planter and ensure the top of the tree was far enough from the ceiling while filling the space.

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A few objekts + Interior Environments projec

cts

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objekts of desire

The Who: Bob The Who: George Zatloukal, Interior Environments Project Manager The What: Lithic Skis The Why: The best cure for sunless winter days in the PNW.

T

The Why: Porsche is design and performan to the safety concerns o roll bar - a design challen the most iconic design

The Who: Sara Johnson, SMJ Studio Prin

The What: Pink Velvet Glasses by Eyebob

The Why: You only need one great acces especially when it’s velvet!

b Price, Level4 President

The What: 1965 Porsche

the perfect example of nce. Porsche responded of convertibles with the nge that became one of ns in automotive history.

ncipal

The Who: Sean Antley, Kush Rugs Designer Liason

bs

The What: Overall by Louis Rubi

ssory,

The Why: OBSESSED with how comfortable they are and how easy they are to wear and style.

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Made with gratitude for the designers who trust us with their vision, and the partners who collaborate to bring the vision to reality.