by Vanessa Friedman
If you know us, you know that our furniture is made by hand in LA and Detroit. The process is intricate and takes time - and that's by design. When we make a piece of furniture it's one-of-a-kind, and inspired by the functional needs of our clients. It's how our pieces come to be. There's nothing overly mechanized about our process - every piece is bespoke and made by the hands of our talented team of craftspeople - right down to the handmade logo and hand-stamped serial number.
Formed Through Time
Our name, Geology Studio, is inspired by our collection - each piece thoughtfully developing and evolving. We believe the value of an object reveals itself over time, shaping your home while also being shaped by the piece itself. A credenza may be purchased to house vinyl and through generations may serve other types of media and books, depending on the space and the unique needs of the user. A good chair will live in many rooms and be used for everything from a meal to a nap. A good piece of furniture is soulful, giving, and equal parts practical and comforting - and through its patina, becomes more beautiful, more soulful, and more valued for the many lives it's lived.
Custom finish Open 45 Credenza in white oak.
The Open 45 Credenza was designed with the audiophile in mind; the record collector seeking a greater ease of use with their vinyl. The modular design allows clients the flexibility to tailor their pieces to their unique setups. We make each piece to order so our clients can select everything from the wood to the finish, to the shelving arrangements and accessories. We design and build the piece, but our clients make it their own. It's been interesting talking to audiophiles across the world who each have their specific setup which shapes their listening experience. The way someone chooses to live with and display their collection is highly personal, there's no one-size-fits-all. Though, in addition to vinyl, we've seen this piece used by a bibliophile who wants a proud place to display their books. In addition to vinyl and books, we like to display our favorite flea market finds, mixing the new with the old and the odd conversation piece.
Custom finished Wall of Sound in white oak
Our first Wall of Sound was inspired by a long-time client who came to us with the need to house a motherload of vinyl. She already had an Open 45 and needed more storage - something larger and fortified to hold the weight of her collection. The outcome was a highly functional piece for the serious collector. A place of pride to display and easily access their music - a personalized landscape for the ultimate listening laboratory. As with the Open 45, the Wall of Sound can be used to proudly display any serious collection.
The Block Furniture - Patina Offers Hints of a Chair Well-Loved
This Armed Block Chair (made circa 2012) sits in our living room.
Adam, our Designer, worked in a furniture showroom in his early 20s. He would see clients come in frustrated that their upholstered pieces just weren't holding up and was struck by the desire to marry the comfort of an upholstered piece with the durability of wood. A few years and several prototypes later, he'd engineered the first Block Chair. Inspired by clients and by the authentic beauty that comes from pure function.
There is nothing 'fast' about the Block Furniture - the time and detail that goes into each chair or bench is not for the faint of heart. It doesn't get more handmade, with ~500 individually cut and sanded blocks made to feel like a soft cushion. After all of the hours of work that go into a Block Chair or Bench, you get a really special piece of handmade furniture that blurs the line between art and function, and yet, what people come to love is how wonderfully comfortable it is. And there’s no better way to slow down in a busy world than to sit down in a comfortable chair and just be. The Block furniture has been used in so many different settings from commercial lobbies to cozy living rooms, kitchens, and everything in between. Wood furniture with the comfort of a cushioned upholstered piece develops such a wonderful patina over time. The subtle indentation on the seat gently hints at the softness beneath the blocks and tells the story of a chair well-loved.
Worth the Wait
Function-forward, handmade furniture will stand the test of time. We often joke that we hope our pieces will be argued over by our clients' grandkids the world over. But the truth is, furniture that's made well will last and so building something with high functionality and classic design will live many lifetimes. In the end, it's a shared legacy between us and our clients - one that we're proud of.