UPHOLSTERY

Re-formed woven interiors using deconstructed prints, Reimagined Thai forms made from upcycled wood and metaltainless steel and silver leaf.

By Ake of Mahasamut

ARTIST PROFILE

Ake Atthasumpunna founded ‘Mahasamut Furniture’ in 2008, two years after graduating from KMITL BANGKOK. Mahasamut means Ocean in Thai. ‘I want to explain and interpret works that show Thainess in the modern era through a design conversation about identity with furniture as a medium’, explains Ake.

For Khom Kholab, Ake has chosen to tackle a contemporary Thai identity issue. ‘How can we overcome the difficulty of feeling proud to be Thai and all our ancient heritage but feel awkward to bring a certain Thainess that is connected to this heritage into our ‘modern home’ setting?’. Ake set out to make a collection of re-cycled wood and metal furniture that is simple and easy to understand.

Taking classical Thai forms that everyone knows and associates with Thailand, the triangle cushion is already an iconic product of The House of Khom. By simply turning it upside down, all that is needed is a cradle to support the form. Nothing more.

Another inspiration comes from Thai folk furniture, that creates multi-purpose sitting, eating or sleeping solutions. This resulted in the creation of stools, benches and armchairs with inter-changable and removable upholstery. This design resonates both with the versatility once needed in an open plan Thai house and the demands of space, storage and simplicity in a modern home.