In honour of Another Country’s fifth birthday, the contemporary craft furniture company has commissioned a group of like-minded British and international designers to create a bespoke studio line that celebrates the inspiring history and renowned landscape of Dorset.

Another Country’s design heritage is firmly rooted in the county. The inaugural collection, Series One, was developed and produced in Shaftesbury, and most of the furniture continues to be designed and developed in the area. The unspoiled countryside, charming villages and steep, chalky coastline of the region have been a continuous source of inspiration, and the anniversary collection features five limited edition pieces from David Irwin, Catherine Aitken, Studio Dessuant Bone and Note. 

Newcastle-based industrial designer David Irwin has taken inspiration for his Portland stone “Purbeck Buoys” from the brightly coloured floats used for the marking of lobster trap locations in the seas surrounding Dorset. His “Hardy” chair was inspired by Dorset-born novelist Thomas Hardy, creating an ode to the beauty of furniture that is handed down across generations. Two chair typologies from the 19th century influenced the design; the low-backed wooden Captain’s armchair and the Smokers bow, often found in smoking rooms, public houses, barber shops and cottages.

Dry stone walls are, along with hedgerows, one of the most commonly used land boundaries in Dorset, helping to create what we now regard as the traditional pattern of fields and lanes so evocative of rural England. Catherine Aitken’s solid oak and brass step stool is inspired by the temporary wooden frames that aid the construction of these walls – as well as the stiles that remain afterwards.

The iconic Durdle Door on the Jurassic Coast was the influence for Studio Dessuant Bone in creating the “Jurassic Light 117”. Portland stone, which carries impressions of fossils, has been used and the cylindrical negative space created by the natural limestone arch have been interpreted in the simple shape that forms the light. Sea glass typically takes 20 to 30 years – and sometimes as long as 50 years – to acquire its characteristic texture and shape.

Note have created a vase inspired by the familiar matt colouring and weathered surfaces of the sea glass that continually washes up on the coast of Dorset.

The five new studio line pieces will be on display at the Another Country store in Marylebone for the duration of the London Design Festival 2015, presented alongside commissioned photography of the Dorset countryside by Rich Stapleton, Creative Director of Cereal magazine.

Notes to editors

• Catherine Aitken works with selected design-led companies, to commission and on self-initiated projects. Her Aero Trestle Table has been shortlisted for the Wood Awards (2015), she was shortlisted for the Wesley Barrell Craft Award (2014), was recipient of a Cove Park Crafts Residency (2012) and the Time To Design new talent award & residency at the Danish Art Workshop in Copenhagen (2012). She has lectured at Brighton University and the Royal College of Art.
• Studio Dessuant Bone is a multi-disciplinary design studio based in Paris with specialities in direction, design, product and interiors. They produce informed creative solutions for the retail environment, including large objects and furniture, as well as small custom objects.
• Note is a Stockholm-based design studio founded in 2008 working within the fields of architecture, interiors, products, graphic design and design strategy. By looking at what is unique in every project and emphasising that, they transform non-material values into tactile objects and spaces. 
• David Irwin is a British industrial designer driven by a desire to assign purpose to both traditional and contemporary manufacturing processes. His designs combine strong conceptual thinking with a fundamental usefulness, resulting in simple, innovative and refined solutions to aid our daily lives. In March 2013 Homes & Gardens named him as their ‘Young Designer of the Year’. 
• Photographer Rich Stapleton is the Creative Director of UK based travel and lifestyle publication Cereal Magazine.  

Another Country

Founded in 2010 by Paul de Zwart, a founding publisher of Wallpaper* Magazine, Another Country is a UK brand that believes in sustainable manufacture, timeless design and quality at fair prices.

Another Country prides themselves on their craftsmanship and attention to detail, producing their furniture in the UK and Europe using certified timber of the highest grade. Their products are timeless, hardwearing and functional, and wherever possible, efficient to manufacture, pack and ship. Another Country is available to buy direct and online and from select dealers worldwide.

Another Country

18 Crawford Street

London, WIH 1BT

Opening hours: 10:00 to 18.00 Monday to Friday

11:00 to 17:00 on Saturdays

anothercountry.com