Jamie Stevens, Gennaker Console table (FURNITURE 2025)

Photos:

Simin Eldon

Video tour:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GDOEmiB6YWv3BWaNdKQbDvGPwWJ8p0pi/view?usp=share_link

Country

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

The major seed of inspiration for the Gennaker Console table came from watching sailing boats racing at Cowes off England's southern coast. I was drawn to the shapes and negative space created as the asymmetric spinnakers connected to the vertical masts and horizontal booms. In the backdrop, these shapes can be seen in the striking architecture of the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, a landmark that catches the eye as one travels into the port city. Thinking about transitional spaces, I decided to explore this in the design of a hall console table - the first piece you might encounter as you move into a building from outside. The carcass bends in asymmetric curves and sits in a similarly curved frame on tapered legs. But while these parts mirror each other in this sense, they do not slot perfectly together. This play between cohesion and disjunction creates the negative spaces inspired by the sails and masts. I also chose two contrasting kinds of wood - bright pale sycamore and warm speckled London plane-laced wood - to accentuate this. The latter is not only unusual in its unique grain, but the rippled tones almost emulate the splash of waves behind a boat. Finally, I looked to create a perfect blend of form and function by building practical storage. Hallway or corridor furniture is where people look to shed or pick up items as they move from one place to the next. So in terms of size, the console table is compact, fitting comfortably in narrow spaces without sacrificing utility. It also features three distinct sections behind the doors, that cater to different types of daily essentials.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.