Designer Intelligence at ICFF

Bart Niswonger's Bedside Table
Bart Niswonger, a computer scientist turned cabinetmaker, creates furniture inspired by a wide range of sources, including rockabilly and Art Deco designer J.E. Ruhlmann, whose influence is notable in Niswonger’s chests. Niswonger’s primary material is a no-frills local wood, ash, but you would never guess it from his bold, colorful work, which would be right at home on the zany computer-generated set of a Tim Burton movie. “I like screwing with the line between nature and artifice,” Niswonger says. His Bedside Table boasts a shiny black wave pattern that works with and against the grain of the wood like a well-greased pompadour. A top cast of light-transmitting polyurethane in bright Batman yellow repeats the swirling effect. “I enjoy creating objects that invite strong reactions, forcing people to confront their expectations of what furniture should be. Strong colors and unusual textures are exciting particularly when incorporated into unexpectedly traditional forms.”

Courtesy Bart Niswonger