By Design

Imagine a hall of mirrors: warped reflections, freaky dimensions, and an unsettlingly dizzying atmosphere, right? Well, for creative practice, Buchanan Studio, mirrors and reflective objects yield a more dreamlike state than their carnival counterparts. Led by Charlotte and Angus Buchanan, the studio embodies the ether between interior design and art installation, blending the practices and offering experimental takes on well-defined design areas. From grand installations occupying public spaces, to existing as quiet yet considered moments in the corner of a homely living room, Buchanan is chameleonic in their practice, enhancing family homes or packing a punch if required.

For their latest offering, Buchanan presents the Daydream Collection, a study in design that explores the surreal qualities of mirrored surfaces and the experimental capacities of geometric shapes. Adding two new pieces to their bespoke furniture anthology and also reimagining their signature pieces in the Daydream's defining stainless steel material. The Daydream Shape Table, a side table available in three geometric shapes- a square, circle, or triangle- features top options in stainless steel, marble, or oak, with a cylindrical steel base. The satisfyingly robust Daydream Prism Table embodies the harmony between sharp lines and fluid reflections. In many ways, Buchanan's latest vision reflects the creative spirit of the studio: Experimental, well-balanced, and ultimately reflective, both literally and metaphorically. The cult Studio Ottoman has been reimagined in stainless steel, as has the Muse Table, offering bold reinterpretations of studio favourites and extending the visual world of their pieces. 

While many of us are familiar with the statement, “why fix what's not broken? " or perhaps the sentiment that you shouldn't mess with the classics, Buchanan takes a different approach with their design and instead adopts a more evolutionary edge. Rather than calcifying their archive, the studio promotes relevant reimaginings and, along with a team of in-house designers, transforms small ideas scrawled across notepads into truly exquisite pieces that fall somewhere between furniture and art. While the harsh edges and utilitarian steel might seem a bit cold, Buchanan's execution infuses these typically sturdy materials and shapes with a romantic flair. Thus, while these futuristic-industrial pieces could work in a spaceship or an art gallery, Buchanan's touch allows them to feel right at home. 

Able to explore in-person at their West London showroom or currently on show at TANK's GPS space as part of Caroline Issa's pop-up edit, these shining steel pieces require closer reflection. Pun intended.