Custom Furniture Design

My first quarter back at FIDM I took a class named Human Factors. I mostly learned about Universal Design, which is designing with accessibility in mind regardless of whether or not the end user is able-bodied or disabled. The whole idea is that if universal design is done well, it is functional but does not stigmatize anyone because of their limits or disabilities.

My favorite project in the class was designing my own custom furniture piece. We began by first choosing a knob or pull for a furniture piece, then building the furniture piece around it. Although we didn't know at the time, the project was a warm up into designing with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines; where you design building exteriors and interiors using the guidelines for people with disabilities.



I chose a charming gold twig pull that had pearls and crystals incorporated, I felt it was very organic and Art Nouveau. For the furniture piece I made a vanity with storage drawers. The wood is mahogany. The vanity is curved with an Art-Nouveau wood carving design for the top, which would be topped with a custom glass piece. The legs were inspired by the firefly design that was ever so popular during Art Nouveau. I also designed a matching stool, upholstered in a plum cotton velvet with touch of golden stripes.