Furniture

Thomas Coward · Sedha

Originally from Cornwall, England, Thomas Coward is a Melbourne-based designer of furniture, product and spaces.

Though his design archive spans furniture, plumbing fixtures (i.e. amazing sinks and baths!) as well as full interior fit-outs, today we focus on Thomas’s latest outdoor furniture range, Sedha, which is designed and made in Melbourne.

Written
by
Lucy Feagins

New chair, Sedha, takes it’s name from the Cornish word meaning ‘to sit and gossip’, explains designer Thomas Coward, originally from Cornwall in England. Photo – Haydn Cattach.

‘Most of my work is made from solid surface, natural stone or glass, so its a massively different medium,’ says Thomas. Photo – Haydn Cattach.

The chair comes in two sizes (dining and bar heights) and four different shades – pastel neutrals that appealed to Thomas, who usually sticks with white. Photo – Haydn Cattach.

Writer
Lucy Feagins
26th of May 2017

Thomas Coward is an incredibly versatile local designer, with a huge back catalogue of projects we admire – from amazing interior fit-outs, to furniture, tiles, and even the bathroom sink! We’re pretty well convinced there is nothing Thomas cannot create.

Growing up on a farm in the UK, Thomas’ early years were spent disassembling anything he could find. ‘I was really interested in how things came apart… not much how it was put back together, much to my parents’ despair!’ the designer recalls. With a predisposition towards art at school, he went on to study Furniture Design at Ravensbourne College of Art and Design in London. Here, he was tutored by famed UK industrial design duo Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for a time, and later was fortunate to be mentored by British sculptor Bryan Ingham, as well as Australian designer Joseph Licciardi. ‘Both of these guys shaped my attitude towards the industry, and how to make your own path’ Thomas says.

Thomas’s latest release is the Sedha range – named after the Cornish word meaning ‘to sit and gossip’! Made in Melbourne from perforated steel and rod, this is his first outdoor furniture collection.

‘I wanted to create a very distinct chair that could work inside and out,’ the designer explains. ‘Projects with a strong aesthetic have a better chance of longevity in my experience. It may appeal to fewer people, but those that like it love it, and they will look after something longer.’

Thomas thrives on variety, and considers himself fortunate to work in a creative field without defined boundaries. ‘Interiors are a lot of fun and I love the scale of it, but I also love designing for production. The fact that a product can end up in so many different projects, that’s a brilliant feeling.’

Thomas will next focus on bathroom products for the new Artedomus showroom in Sydney, and is currently working on a new brand (15 products in the works!) to launch later this year. Follow the developments on his website, here.

Thomas Coward‘s Sedha, outdoor chair, made from perforated steel and rod in Melbourne. Photo – Haydn Cattach.

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