Interview with The Designer: Bedroom Furniture

Designing furniture that’s both practical and stylish is no easy feat, but it’s exactly what our design team set out to achieve with the Mid-Century Collection. We caught up designer, Beck, to get an inside look at the inspiration, materials, and craftsmanship behind our newest bedroom furniture additions: Chest of Drawers 01, Chest of Drawers 02, and Wardrobe 01.

How did you approach designing pieces that are both functional and visually cohesive?

Beck: Both Chest of Drawers 01 and 02, and Wardrobe 01 were designed along with a collection of products, which internally we named the Mid-Century Collection. We wanted to add bedroom furniture to the collection, something we hadn’t done before at Swyft. We took elements used across the entire collection, most notably the brass handles seen across most items, originally launched on Sideboard 01 and Coffee Table 01.

Let’s start with Chest of Drawers 01. What makes this piece unique?

Beck: Chest of drawers can so often look big and invasive inside a bedroom. Thanks to the legs of our chest of drawers, they look much lighter taking away that bulky feeling. Other chests of drawers on the market have clunky drawer runners, but here we have smooth metal runners so there’s no battles for access when putting laundry away. 

How does Chest of Drawers 02 differ from 01? Was it designed for a different customer or space?

Beck: We wanted to have two sizes available as bedrooms come in all sizes, meaning customers can configure their bedroom in a way that suits them best. Chest of Drawers 02 is slimmer, but it makes up for this by being slightly taller. Its differing width and height is the only change, the finishes and leg heights match so they sit well sharing a room together. 

Can you talk us through some of the design elements of Wardrobe 01?

Beck: First of all, Wardrobe 01 is a no tool assembly. Forget spending the day building furniture, this goes together quickly and sturdily with its smart fixing methods. The clothes rail is wooden, so there’s no harsh squeaks from metal hangers dragging side-to-side. It also benefits from adjustable height brass glides, which help to prevent skewed doors often seen on wardrobes, and keeps the wardrobe from tipping forward on slanted floors. It also comes with wall fixings for added safety.  

What materials and finishes did you choose and why?

Beck: The oak is made using solid white oak with a white oak veneer for the oak finish, sealed with a clear lacquer. The walnut finish uses exactly the same materials, but is stained with a walnut lacquer to finish. These finishes can be seen across the entire Mid-Century Collection.

How did you ensure durability without compromising on the design details?

Beck: These products are lab tested for strength, durability and stability, so customers can take confidence that their furniture is made to last. The trickiest to get right was wardrobe 01, which was revised multiple times until we had absolute confidence in the structure. 

How do you make sure the designs feel contemporary but won’t date quickly?

Beck: The designs have just the right amount of detail, any more would feel fussy which is danger territory for products dating quickly. The designs were also inspired by mid-century furniture, a look created in the 1930’s to 1960s, the designs from this era have stood the test of time, and will continue to.

Is there a next phase for the collection? Are you working on any complementary pieces?

Beck: We’re finished for now with pieces for this collection, but if they’re well received it’s possible we could see more later down the road. We are however, currently expanding into new aesthetics, such as Modern European and Heritage. 

Bring timeless mid-century style into your home and explore the full bedroom furniture collection here.