Hamilton Holmes’s OXALINO Collection of fine furniture and one-of-a-kind objects is a maximal creative expression that is new to the studio for 2020. Each piece within the collection continues the studio’s current “tubular design language” of cylinders, spheres and rounded proportions, using solid wood joinery and techniques for posterity.
The collection draws inspiration from classical forms, meditation, old tattoos, nostalgic and authentic items that allude to the French country, primitive detailing, and folk traditions.
“It is a great pleasure to look back and then push forward— to take a traditional form and twist it using our own design language. Always paying respect to the work that brought us here and honouring those choices as we add to the canon of classic furniture forms,” says Nicholas Hamilton Holmes, founder of Hamilton Holmes.
The way the dye bleeds in some sections of the OXALINO finish creates irregular patterns, like line work of an old tattoo. “As the world of design and production becomes increasingly streamlined via automation, we gravitate towards organic patterns and irregularities,” says Holmes. “These irregularities express a central component of our humanity and the value of human hands working. Old rudimentary prison tattoos appeal to this sentiment. They confidently declare what they are and embrace the history of their creation.”
During finish experiments with the OXALINO lines, the final blue and white finish appealed in a nostalgic sense of rural heritage—the old spoon, the hand finished cabinet door, the hand worn newel post—all authentic and modest items.
The use of solid wood allows for the organic connection that ‘country living’ gives to an interior. White oak is a course grained wood and when the oil is applied, the grain pops out in a celebration of natural texture.
While the hand painted patterning is esoteric and irregular, the woodwork pays homage to traditional craft forms.
“We have added the patterning method of hand painted oxidized finish to culminate in a collection with a unique decorative design language,”says Holmes.
The spiralling pattern is meticulously hand painted with an oxidizing solution on to tannin rich white oak. The wood is then finished with a whitened oil to subdue the painted texture and highlight the natural oak wood grain. The combination of traditional woodwork and unique decorative process creates furniture fit for collection.
The Hamilton Holmes studio is founded on the concept of pairing culturally relevant and classic pieces with trusted woodworking techniques. This insures that future generations will have beautiful furniture that is built to last.