Profile: Ken Tomita of Tomita design.build

When we think of “grass furniture,” we think thatching, like cottage roofs in Merry Olde England. It wouldn’t occur to us that the term “grass furniture” could apply to the beautiful, angular table in front of us. Sleek and sculptural, warmed by its honey-toned tabletop, the table is made of grass, giant grass, actually: bamboo.

Ken Tomita of Tomita design.build builds furniture using traditional Japanese joinery and contemporary forms (notes of minimalism and Noguchi) exclusively with bamboo plywood. Bamboo plywood isn’t like any plywood you’ve ever seen before. Rather than the sandwich cookie edge of regular plywood, bamboo ply’s edges are solid. Tomita does a line of clean, modern furniture as well as loads of custom work for selective clients like the Oregon Buddhist Temple and the new NE restaurant, Terroir, many of whom have been looking for years for the perfect table or bench or…until they meet Tomita. Read the rest of this entry »

POSTED: June 15th, 2007 | AUTHOR: lisa | FILED UNDER: design | 15 Comments »

---