Studio furniture is furniture designed and made by an individual craftsman or a small workshop, usually in limited numbers or as one-off pieces, where the maker is responsible for both the design and much of the making. It stands apart from both factory production and traditional trade cabinetmaking, emphasising personal expression, fine materials and visible craftsmanship.
The movement grew from the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement and the Cotswold School, whose designer-makers such as Ernest Gimson and Edward Barnsley inspired later generations in Britain. After the Second World War studio furniture flourished in Britain and America, with figures such as John Makepeace and Alan Peters in England, and George Nakashima, Wharton Esherick and Sam Maloof in the United States, each developing a distinctive style based on careful choice of timber and expressive joinery. Pieces are usually signed, dated or marked, and good examples by recognised makers have become collectable, with documentation, provenance and condition all affecting value. Studio furniture pairs well with antiques in modern interiors, sharing the same respect for material and hand skills while offering a clearly contemporary character.
