"The chair is a very difficult object. Everyone who has tried to make one knows that. There are endless possibilities and many problems – the chair has to be light, it has to be strong, it has to be comfortable. It almost easier to build a skyscraper than a chair”

Miles van der Rohe, architect and creator of the iconic Barcelona chair

Working with wood has always been a big part of my life. When I was a kid, my family often couldn’t afford luxuries like new toys-so I made my own. Boats, cars, planes and, in ninth grade, my first electric guitar. An unforgettable joy.

I didn’t have any formal woodworking training, but I spent five years drawing, painting and sculpting in architecture school, where my professors taught me how to appreciate art and feel proportions and rhythm. Later experience working as a mechanical engineer gave me a better understanding of materials and their properties. I learned how to work with metal, and since then, precision-down to thousandth of an inch-has become second nature. The love of working with my hands took over, I chose my path, and I haven’t regretted it since – even during tough times.

I’ve spent last 20 years as a professional furniture maker, specializing in high-end custom woodworking. Along the way, I was and still am very fortunate to meet scores of teachers, employers, designers, and overall passionate people, who have helped me to hone my own skills and maintain – even grow – my own love for the creative process.

During the last six years, working in one of the top custom shops, specialty gradually shifted from making tables and credenzas to almost exclusively building chairs. I can’t come close to expressing my deepest gratitude to Frank Pollaro, who gave me the opportunity to work on projects that any furniture maker can only dream about. I had the chance to recreate beautiful chairs designed by Emile Ruhlmann, Paul Dupre-Lafon, Jean-Michel Frank, Jacques Adnet, Paul Iribe and many other great designers.

Working on those chairs offered my best education in design yet-a school of my own where my maestros were the masters mentioned above. Proportions, color, choice of wood other materials-everything made sense!

Every line, curve, plane, transition was proofed with the touch of my hands and my tools. Once again, I started to look at objects from an aesthetic point of view first, and start to rationalize how they could be built second.

After many years working mostly with my hands, I’ve realized that I miss the creative process involved in making something. I don’t consider myself a designer-I just want to express my vision of beaty and harmony.

Thank you.

In love again,

Val Khvan