A global field guide to design, (life)style and secret finds est. 2007
Australian design: Relaunched Tony Parker furniture
There was a moment back in May when I'm not ashamed to say that I literally squeaked with excitement. I had just discovered that Tony Parker, of Parker Furniture, was relaunching a capsule collection of his iconic '50s designs in an exclusive collaboration with Surry Hills design store WORKSHOPPED. Anyone who's a fan of mid-century furniture probably squeaked in unison, creating some kind of modernist-fuelled squeaky, squealy chorus as the Parker name translates to Australian mid-century modern LEGEND.
It was only a few weekends ago when I finally stumbled into WORKSHOPPED that I actually laid my hands on this glorious new furniture. Re-worked in American Oak and American Walnut, the pieces have been gently tweaked and reinvented in that unmistakable Parker style.
I loved the beautiful white oak extension butterfly leaf dining table, but I made a beeline for the iconic coffee table with its organic lips, marvelling at how fresh and well, modern, it looked at once. Funny that.
I couldn't be more overjoyed by this happy collaboration, breathing new life into one of Australia's greatest design names while offering brand new pieces that have been reworked by Tony Parker himself. The new range is made by Covermore Designs, a company featuring many of Parker's original staff and craftspeople, which offers a lovely sense of continuation.
The timing for the new collection couldn't be better, with mid-century modern a key trend and source of reference in mainstream design and interiors. (That doesn't stop short-sighted Sydney realtors from flogging incredible examples of mid-century architecture as potential for detonation and new apartments, but that's another rant.)
Kudos to WORKSHOPPED Director, Raymond Scott, for bringing the Parker name back into currency, and three cheers for Tony Parker, for his undeniable verve in relaunching this collection.
In the meantime, our original teak Parker coffee table is currently in storage, as we have a rather unlovely Thomas the Tank engine train table in its place. Tell me, parents of older children, when do I get my beautiful teak coffee table back, assured that it won't be used as a racetrack or a surface for pounding neon orange playdough? When? When will the sippy cup ring stains stop?
Tony Parker mid-century furniture is available at WORKSHOPPEDShop 2 / 8 Hill StreetSurry Hills, NSW 2010 AustraliaTel. + 61 (0) 2 9146 4353All photography courtesy of Workshopped.
There was a moment back in May when I'm not ashamed to say that I literally squeaked with excitement. I had just discovered that Tony Parker, of Parker Furniture, was relaunching a capsule collection of his iconic '50s designs in an exclusive collaboration with Surry Hills design store WORKSHOPPED. Anyone who's a fan of mid-century furniture probably squeaked in unison, creating some kind of modernist-fuelled squeaky, squealy chorus as the Parker name translates to Australian mid-century modern LEGEND.
It was only a few weekends ago when I finally stumbled into WORKSHOPPED that I actually laid my hands on this glorious new furniture. Re-worked in American Oak and American Walnut, the pieces have been gently tweaked and reinvented in that unmistakable Parker style.
I loved the beautiful white oak extension butterfly leaf dining table, but I made a beeline for the iconic coffee table with its organic lips, marvelling at how fresh and well, modern, it looked at once. Funny that.
I couldn't be more overjoyed by this happy collaboration, breathing new life into one of Australia's greatest design names while offering brand new pieces that have been reworked by Tony Parker himself. The new range is made by Covermore Designs, a company featuring many of Parker's original staff and craftspeople, which offers a lovely sense of continuation.
The timing for the new collection couldn't be better, with mid-century modern a key trend and source of reference in mainstream design and interiors. (That doesn't stop short-sighted Sydney realtors from flogging incredible examples of mid-century architecture as potential for detonation and new apartments, but that's another rant.)
Kudos to WORKSHOPPED Director, Raymond Scott, for bringing the Parker name back into currency, and three cheers for Tony Parker, for his undeniable verve in relaunching this collection.
In the meantime, our original teak Parker coffee table is currently in storage, as we have a rather unlovely Thomas the Tank engine train table in its place. Tell me, parents of older children, when do I get my beautiful teak coffee table back, assured that it won't be used as a racetrack or a surface for pounding neon orange playdough? When? When will the sippy cup ring stains stop?
Tony Parker mid-century furniture is available at WORKSHOPPED
Shop 2 / 8 Hill Street
Surry Hills, NSW 2010 Australia
Tel. + 61 (0) 2 9146 4353
All photography courtesy of Workshopped.
