I truly believe that design begins somewhere special, not in a mood board or a client meeting or even on a computer design screen. Design begins in a conversation that starts in one place and ends somewhere you never expected.
There is no shortage of High Point Market recaps at this time of year. Everyone is sharing what they saw, what they loved, and what is trending. Of course, there is value in that. Still, I find myself more interested in the conversations that stay with me after Market ends. The ones that go deeper than a showroom walk-through or a quick reaction to a new launch.
That is exactly what happened when I sat down with Rick Lee at Thayer Coggin during Spring High Point Market.
Designer Conversations: A Talk with Rick Lee + Thayer Coggin
I love the design aesthetic of Thayer Coggin and have deep respect for what this brand contributes to furniture design. Their pieces are bench-made in North Carolina. They are thoughtful, refined and comfortable in a way that never feels forced. In a world that moves too fast, something is reassuring about furniture that does not rush to prove itself.
Yes, I went to the showroom to see what was new and next. I walked out thinking about something much more meaningful. Rick designed the Ooola sectional for Thayer Coggin, and it was making its market debut. If you have not seen it, it is worth a look. It has movement. It has presence. More importantly, it has something many sculptural pieces miss: It makes you want to sit down and stay for a while.
The integrated swivel end chair is wide enough to seat two. The curves feel soft without losing structure. The plinth base gives the piece subtle detail. Rick told me he designed it to make people smile every time they sit down on an Ooola. The moment I sat in it, I understood exactly what he meant. I smiled.
When Comfort and Beauty Work Together
We began by discussing the piece itself, but the conversation moved into something deeper. We talked about where ideas come from and at what point in the creative process, a thought stops being an idea and starts becoming something real. We talked about comfort and beauty, and what it means when both work together.
As designers, we always talk about beauty. We also talk a great deal about function. What interests me most is what happens when neither one has to sacrifice itself for the other. That balance is not easy to achieve. However, when you find it, you know it. That is what I felt sitting in that piece and hearing Rick talk about how it came to life.
Design Begins in Attention
Rick has a calm and thoughtful energy that is rare. He is the kind of creative who makes you slow down without ever asking you to. As a result, you listen more carefully. You think a little more deeply. The conversation stops being only about furniture and starts becoming about perspective.
At one point, we realized we were both wearing unique stones. That shifted the conversation again. We talked about what we carry with us, literally and otherwise. We talked about intention. We talked about the things that keep us grounded while we create, work and move through daily life.
Design does not begin only in a studio or on a showroom floor. Instead, it begins with attention and observation. In the willingness to sit with something long enough to understand it.
That is one of the reasons Thayer Coggin continues to resonate with me. Their contribution to furniture goes beyond silhouette and finish. There is integrity in what they make, combined with confidence in the restraint. They are respectful of the company’s history. There is also an understanding that good design does not need to shout for attention.
This approach speaks to me, especially now, because we are using a great deal of Thayer Coggin furniture. When I specify furnishings for a project, I am not only looking at the lines of a piece or the finish on a frame, but I am also thinking about how that piece will live in the room. I am thinking about comfort, scale, presence and longevity. Most of all, how the piece supports the story of the space and the people living in it.
That is what good furniture and great design should do.
I want to explore that idea on my blog in a new series, “Designer Conversations”, which will focus on the thoughts that shape design more deeply. The posts will explore how ideas begin, grow and change. They will look at the place where form and function meet, and where materials, makers, designers and intention all come together.
Because the best things I learn in this industry rarely come from walking a showroom floor alone.
—Sharon L. Sherman is founder of Thyme & Place Design
