The breakout furniture and lighting studio launches new products this week at its
Nolita Showroom during New York Design Week
Walk into Gabriel Scott's pristine showroom on Broome Street and visitors might be inclined to think that they've walked into a flagship showroom of a legacy brand. Hard to imagine that the furniture and lighting line, started by Gabriel Kakon and Scott Richler in 2012, is only four years old, and its collections of hand-blown, brass-plated steel lighting fixtures, and marble-countered tables have filled projects around the world.
This week at their Broome St showroom, Gabriel Scott unveils the Tensegrity Table series, the Bardot Chair and Stools, along with a new, blown-glass version of its now-classic Welles Lighting series. Here, a brief conversation about the brand and the products.
How has the the brand benefitted from a revived awareness of North American design brands?
We were lucky to start at the right time. In 2012, we were part of the second wave of lighting designers, like Apparatus and Bec Brittain, which all launched and gave us a leg up and credibility. It's been a really good time for design in the U.S. and our showroom is thriving as a result.
What processes and ideas are you exploring with this year's new pieces?
We’ve worked with our local glass blower to experiment with shapes and molds and textures, as well as blowing glass in glass. We've sourced leather from France as well as working with the tanneries to match the colors that we want.
We've also experimented with LED to get the right color temperature, brightness, and dimmability. Welles, for example, has been re-engineered to hold glass, and the hanging cables have been replaced with low-wattage wires that run the power. That way we don't have a cable running throughout the glass fixture.
How has design and production adapted to fuel the greater demand from the contract market?
The criteria for launching a new product is that it has to be well engineered, so it's something we can produce in large quantities. We can’t let large orders stop our production—things need to flow smoothly.
When we design, we take into account machining, digital cutting, as well as handmade processes like plating—as well as eventual packaging. We balance out processes that are highly precise with those that require more personal attention, like plating. Accurate parts make for precise assembly when it arrives at our studio. The process is smart and efficient, the client benefits from that as well.
What does the next four years hold for Gabriel Scott?
We plan to expand outside of the U.S. and tap more into international markets. Another showroom is on the horizon in the new few years. This year’s launch of a chair and bar stool, although simple, are far more intimate in scale than lighting, and could be the start of new types of furniture.
Gabriel Scott is located at 372 Broome Street, near Mott St.
Gabriel Scott's pristine showroom on Broome Street and visitors might be inclined to think that they've walked into a flagship showroom of a legacy brand. Hard to imagine that the furniture and lighting line, started by Gabriel Kakon and Scott Richler in 2012, is only four years old, and its collections of hand-blown, brass-plated steel lighting fixtures, and marble-countered tables have filled projects around the world.
