After celebrating its 20th anniversary last year, British design studio PINCH has unveiled a follow-up 10-piece collection titled ‘A Return to Home’, reiterating its dedication to British craft and natural materials
Photography by James Merrell, As part of PINCH’s new collection titled ‘A Return to Home’, the Mercier Press takes inspiration from antique clothes presses and can be used for storage in kitchen, living or bedroom environments
Words by Roddy Clarke
‘We are strong believers in surrounding yourself with natural materials,’ says Russell Pinch, the founder of the British design studio PINCH he runs with his wife Oona Bannon. ‘Textures like wood are softer and more engaging than the hard edges of plastic.’ It is this celebration of organic resources that has helped shape the brand since its inception in 2004. And through not compromising on the quality of materials used, PINCH has garnered a dedicated following of design lovers that admire the artisanal expertise behind each creation. ‘Organic materials, combined with a sculptural softness, replicate the same calming effect as when you walk into nature,’ he continues. ‘Where buildings are often geometric and simple in structure, nature is soft yet complicated. It has imperfections that offer depth.’
Photography by William Jess Laird, The collection reaffirms the studio’s appreciation of natural materials with the handwoven Avery Dining Chair specifically referencing the Arts & Crafts movement
With these natural flaws and imperfections often removed from the homogenous mass-produced wooden furniture that has plagued the industry for too long, seeing how the brand emphasises and celebrates this organic beauty is a positive example to the wider sector. The brand’s latest collection, A Return to Home, is a reminder of the team’s conscious approach to making. Consisting of 10 furniture and lighting pieces, the studio is revisiting its roots, where craft and luxury unite through elegant forms, natural materials and classic silhouettes.
While the title of the collection is a nod to the return to its core design principles, it also alludes to the importance of home, especially right now. ‘People are more keyed into the link between well-being and their immediate environments,’ Russell says. ‘With so much going on in the world that you can’t control, you can still create a sense of safety with the settings you surround yourself with.’
Photography by James Merrell, The Ellery Chest by PINCH has drawer fronts finished with a plant fibre textile that adds an organic texture to the piece
The collection includes a dining chair inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement, an extending dining table, a sculpted chest of drawers, a coffee table that references the aged appearance of antique mirrors and a ‘press’ inspired by the form of an antiques clothes press. Alongside a bench, bedside table and pendant, the full collection pays homage to the signature PINCH aesthetic and this deep-rooted connection to nature. ‘It embodies many of the precious qualities found in nature,’ explains Oona, ‘such as soft forms, gentle curves, scalloped detailing, inviting materiality and a comforting tactility. It is both nourishing and energising, with a textural depth that offers dimensionality for creating calm and safe spaces. There is a meditative, quietly engaging pace that feels soothing.’
Photography by James Merrell, Husband and wife team Russell Pinch and Oona Bannon, the founders of PINCH
Working with skilled craftspeople across the UK and Europe to handmake each piece, the duo is passionate to emphasise the importance of considered design and its positive impacts. ‘Soft materials, curved edges, substrates that feel warm to the touch, they all directly message away from high cortisol levels,’ says Russell. ‘Design impacts the way you feel about an environment and is multi-sensorial on every level whether the lighting is too bright, or the wrong colour, as well as how materials wear over time.’
Photography by James Merrell, The Soren Globe Light 950 by PINCH is made using plant fibres that distribute the light with a soft and atmospheric diffusion
With its 20th anniversary collection introducing new materials and processes to the studio, this subsequent collection reconnects us with the traditional crafts that PINCH is grounded upon and its ability to honour them through contemporary design. In seamlessly blending heritage and modernity, while respecting and celebrating the beauty found in natural materials, A Return to Home is a timely reminder for us all: that joy is found not only in the result but in the process of making itself.
Get a curated collection of design and architecture news in your inbox by signing up to our ICON Weekly newsletter
