Minimalism is at the very core of everything Mike Randall does when it comes to his fine furniture business. This style has defined virtually everything he does as an expert in wood bending. Victoria, British Columbia’s Red Seal-certified furniture designer established Mike Randall Designs, formerly known as ‘Kurva’ in 2012 after choosing to commit to honing his woodworking craft full-time.
Randall studied ‘Fine Furniture’ at Camosun College in Victoria in 2010 and it was there he developed his appreciation for clean lines and curved designs. In 2022, he was allocated the Distinguished Alumni Award winner by the college. Speaking about the college program, Randall stated, “The fine furniture program is an amazing opportunity to learn about good design, to learn about perfection, and to push yourself outside your comfort zone. I was under the watchful eye of some amazing professors who I brought on as mentors to give me advice and guidance every step of the way.”
Randall credits the college course for helping him develop further as a craftsperson and preparing skilled trades workers for their first year of training to work towards their Joinery Red Seal. He explained, “I challenged mine last year after logging 14,000 hours of work, this has enabled me to ‘give back’ by becoming a part-time instructor for the program.”
Contemporary European Inspiration
Randall has been inspired by natural wood and urban landscape for many years. He credits his ability to push his own boundaries and think ‘outside the box’ to the success of his company. “I was heavily influenced by the mid-century modernists during our ‘Fine Furniture History’ unit in college. This includes a lot of Danish styling which can be seen across contemporary Designs, especially northern Europe.” It was at this moment that inspiration blossomed. “There is something about the simplicity of form and the flow of the curves. It takes a true understanding of the material to keep everything minimal and clean. This style can, of course, be found all over the world now so to say that my influence comes solely from that region may be an oversimplification but it certainly forms the roots.”
Wood bending, the specialized technique of bending the wood of a tree to a specific design form has become Randall’s forte. He noted, “My core skill set is wood bending and working with curves, so I try and bring these into my designs as much as possible. My aim when designing products is to use my understanding of wood to maximize the efficiency of the material, and therefore, reduce the amount used while harmonizing form and function to produce very clean and simple yet striking pieces.”
Hands-On Approach to Design
“Essentially my clients are paying for my designs and my work, however, as MRD (Mike Randall Designs) grows this becomes impractical,” Randall says of taking the time to work diligently with his hands on his furniture pieces. However, he does not hesitate to seek out and offer support where it’s due. “Currently, I support other local craftspeople and businesses in order to produce small runs of products or larger products or make components that are outside my skill set. They all have to come back here for assembly and testing/ certification, so that’s where I ensure everything goes together perfectly and meets my design specifications. That way I know my clients really getting the best possible product.”
Anticipated Projects of 2023
Discussing his company’s most intriguing project of the year, Randall noted, “The most exciting project of this year is a commission for a large steam-bent suspended sculpture that will hang from the ceiling at Brentwood Bay Resort (https://www.bidgood.co/). This is a pair of ‘Kelp’ sculptures (12’ x 8’ and 8’ x 5’) that will hang from the ceiling in their reception lobby to form the illusion of a vortex over a large circular seating area.” The design is set to define this area of the resort and become a focal point. “As the clients specified the use of Western Maple, I really had to push the boundaries as Western Maple is not a wood that steam bends easily. We are in the final stages of shaping the parts and will be installing next month.”
The future for Mike Randall and his leading design business is set to ascend. His promise to create with sustainability in mind and provide Vancouver citizens with fine furniture that has the power to transform many spaces speaks to furniture lovers across the country.
Ellie King is the Editor of Wood Industry / Le monde du bois magazine and weekly E-digest. She has years of experience in B2B writing and editing and is empowered by the opportunity to share the marvels, pitfalls and weekly news of Canada’s secondary wood industry with our readers.