Lette Crafting Timeless Furniture with Purpose

Tell us a bit about yourself. What is your background and what led you to furniture design?  

I originally studied industrial design, which is a broad course in design. I did an elective in furniture design and it was love at first sight! I designed and made an incredibly uncomfortable leather sling armchair, but I had an encouraging lecturer who pushed me to keep pursuing furniture. What got me so hooked on furniture design was a balance between creativity and practical. Since that elective, I’ve been lucky to work at some of Australia's best furniture brands. So, to be honest it was a fairly straightforward road. 

Can we get a glimpse into your design process? What parts of the process do you find most enjoyable, and what do you find challenging?  

I try to sketch away from the computer or distractions and just get as many ideas down as I can. Once I have a few concepts ready to go I’ll start modelling these up on the computer and turning them into 3D renders to help further develop the piece. Then it's off to sampling, I love this part as you get to see the concept come to life. I work closely with a maker in Melbourne and it's really enjoyable to go back and forth problem solving until we get the perfect outcome. It's been important to partner with someone who shares my values and commitment to lasting design.  

What is your relationship with creativity?  

I definitely don’t feel creative every day. It comes in waves, and when it's flowing it's really flowing! But other days it can feel like I've run out of ideas. Working in a creative field there can be a lot of pressure to constantly be creative. I find that having a creative outlet outside of work helps to keep things flowing, so I make clothes as a way to have some pressure free creativity. This helps to get my flow back. The other important thing for me is to get away from the computer, most of my best ideas come when I’m out for a walk when my mind has proper time to run loose.  

Can you tell us about a piece you’ve designed or collected that has special significance to you?  

Something that I’ve collected was actually from my grandparents. They had a Victorian-era corner chair (not sure if that's a technical name! But it's a chair shaped so it fits perfectly into a corner). Growing up and visiting their house I always loved it. Despite being very different to my personal style, it works so nicely in our house and holds a lot of sentimental value. 
 
What motivated you to start Lette?   

I have always known I wanted to start my own brand at some point. I wanted to start something that reflects my values as a designer and allows me to promote the kind of design I want to see in the world. I’ve been lucky to work for some wonderful brands, but having the freedom to shape my own brand has been incredibly exciting.  

We’re honoured to be introducing Lette’s capsule collection to our offering. Could you tell us a little more about the pieces in the collection? We’d love to know more about the materiality and your favourite design details.   

The collection is made up of three pieces, the Sonny Coffee Table, Wren Bedside Table & Wren Sideboard. The range is refined, but with playful elements, like the oversized legs or mixed handles. Each piece is made from solid American Oak timber and finished with a hard wax oil. The pieces showcase the beauty of solid timber and the construction details have been meticulously crafted. My favorite detail on the Sonny table would be the exposed endgrain of the leg, the endgrain really shows off the solid timber. 

Using solid timber is a lot more expensive than veneers and composite materials. Why is the price tag of solid timber worth it?  

This is true to an extent, but with solid timber it will last forever. It can be restored or repaired and even when it does come to the end of its life the timber can be reused or repurposed. What I love about solid timber is how gracefully it ages, it tells the story of its use over time. You don’t get that with a composite.  

Fast furniture is everywhere, and from a consumer perspective it can be difficult to discern if a piece is built to last or not. Why is it important to be weary of fast furniture? And do you have any industry-insider tricks to help us avoid buying pieces that will end up in landfill?  

It’s important because fast furniture is filling up our landfills at an alarming rate. Poor construction, materials and design mean that it doesn't last and far more often than not it's not recycled. When buying furniture I would consider what it's made from, for example solid timber lasts longer than MDF and can be restored over time. The other key thing is, buying furniture you think you’ll love for a long time. If you can't buy quality brand new furniture, look for something second hand.  

You have experience designing products for some of Australia’s most iconic furniture brands. What have you observed to be the key ingredients in creating a successful product? 

The product needs to make you feel something, whether it's joy, a sense of calm or something else. That's what makes a product successful. One of the reasons I love furniture so much is the pieces can have such personality and be so emotive. That, combined with good materials and construction, and you’ll have a great product.  

What are your home and work spaces like? What is important to you when curating these spaces?  

I think what's important is that the spaces are a proper reflection of the person that is using them. Our home definitely feels like that. It's filled with a lot of pieces I’ve designed over the years, but also with vintage items and things we’ve collected from our travels.