Taking inspiration from the beautiful simplicity of pine and its ability to be adapted to modern aesthetics, Note Design Studio teamed up with cabinet maker Karolina Stenfelt to create a minimalist desk that meets the needs of today’s architects and designers. A slim pine box perched on a steel frame, the desk features layers of veneer laid out in a fish bone pattern and charred to a pitch black finish on the outside.
This veneer is paired with pine lumber to create a work surface and storage system full of unexpected details. Flip open the top to access the smooth herringbone desktop, bordered on one side with a built-in brass ruler. On the other side, USB and power outlets make it easy to keep your laptop, phone and other gadgets charged while you work.
Nesting drawers slide open to reveal subdivided storage space for pens and small objects, and when the desk is closed, a custom-made brass lock secures its contents. Charring the exterior was a bit of an experiment, the designers reveal; “Pine is a rather soft material and the charring was hopefully going to give the wood a hardened surface,” they say. “There is no approved technique for charring pine veneer and especially nothing proven to create and conform to the intricate intarsia pattern that covers the desk.”
Looks like the experiment paid off – the way the blackened exterior contrasts with the golden pine interior really sets off the creaminess of the wood and the pattern of the veneer.
