Design Portfolio - July 2021

LAUREN DYER FURNITURE & PRODUCT DESIGNER

contents.

01.

02.

03.

grayson shelving.

neap.

the eska range.

04.

05.

06.

grayson desk.

erso.

other projects.

01. grayson shelving.

The Grayson shelving was designed during my placement year for John Lewis and went on sale in January 2021. It was designed as part of the existing Grayson range to fill an identified hole in the market through trend & competitor research. Made from MDF, solid oak, solid rubberwood, and high quality American oak and American black walnut veneers, this product has a high quality feel at a more affordable price point.

The shape and size of the MDF panels have been optimised to maximise board usage and the materials and processes used in this product were optimised for factory production in Vietnam, in order to meet an extremely keen price point. All of these optimisation features help make this product successful for John Lewis, with 5 star reviews since its release.

details.

Solid oak tambour curtain slides open and closed - adding design interest and saving space.

Closed cabinet for private storage space, allowing customers to showcase their best items.

CNC routered handles finished smooth for a subtle but practical handle detail.

3 fixed shelves, decreasing in size for a tapered, sleek look with ample storage space.

Solid wood stretchers add to the mid-century modern appearance while providing structural support.

Wooden cap covers and concealed knock-down fittings make for easy assembly but a premium appearance

research.

Material

Storage

Shape

Blonde wood & walnut are popular.

Most just have shelves, at least 3.

Tapering is popular in mid-century

1 material type per product.

Closed storage a bonus.

modern and contemporary.

development.

specifications. partial knock-down assembly:

support rail fixed shelves

Leg assembly

cabinet assembly

02. neap.

Neap is a sustainable furniture range made from an innovative seaweed-based material, Algite, developed during my final year at university. The design aims to change the linear relationship with materials that we see in the design industry today. It focuses on seasonality with the spring, summer and autumn furniture pieces each made out of different seaweed species. This harvesting rotation allows the species to not only recover but also prosper.

The Neap range was created to showcase Algite and prove that seasonality can be considered throughout commercial furniture design. It combines sustainability with high quality and an underlying focus on tackling material exploitation and the environmental degradation that comes from this.

details.

3-position adjustable shelves on either side of the sideboard allow functional flexibility to suit the user.

Jet black timber effect through application of an ink finish contrasts the algite doors.

Seasonal use of hardwood. Spring uses ash, summer uses English oak and autumn uses chestnut.

Bevelled inside edge of carcass to add a softness, contrasting the dramatic black carcass.

Sliding doors with ripples add design interest, linking the design with the material source, seaweed.

Innovative algite material used in the doors, available in seasonal variaties made from seaweed.

research.

Market research:

Possible materials:

Designers:

Trends, existing materials and

Seaweeds, grasses, weeds, waste

Inspirational eco-designers like

inspirational products & processes.

materials & supporting materials.

Sebastian Cox & Christien Meindertsma.

material development.

summer

spring autumn

final design & specification.

sideboard

media unit

highboard

03. eska range.

The Eska range was designed as my minor project in my final year of studies at NTU. The range was developed to redefine what student furniture can be.

With a heavy focus on aesthetics and sustainability, Eska provides the continuity and quality that many students felt was missing from their housing. Aimed at universities and student accommodation providers, the range was designed to kit out full accommodation blocks with high quality, sustainable, repairable furniture.

To combat the small living spaces often offered to students, many of the products in the range have dual functionality: a side table or stool, a coffee table or bench, and a console table or desk. Available in a variety of colours, and optimised to achieve a competitive price point, this range considers the two most vital aspects of student life: aesthetics and value for money.

details.

Construction uses standard furniture fixings to allow ease of repair from maintenance teams.

Powder coated mild steel legs, available in a variety of colours to reflect university colours & trends.

Solid pine feet to prevent damage to accommodation floors and give a higher quality feel.

Solid pine top surface adds a quality solid wood feel at a more affordable price point and more sustainably.

Ridged base assembly adds texture and strength to increase durability of the product.

Metal brackets on underside help to secure the structure subtly and allow easy customer assembly.

sketching.

prototyping.

technical specifications.

STOOL SIDE TABLE

BENCH COFFEE TABLE

DESK CONSOLE TABLE

CLOTHES RAIL

h450 x w400 x d400mm

h450 x w1100 x d450mm

h750 x w1000 x d400mm

h1550 x w1000 x d400mm

rendering.

04. grayson desk.

After the success of my design for the Grayson bookcase with the John Lewis team, I was also tasked with designing a desk to further expand the range.

The desk went on sale in January 2021 and has been a successful product for John Lewis so far, featuring on their website homepage and their Instagram account.

It was designed to have a Scandinavian focus, with the turned legs giving it a retro edge - with definite mid-century modern inspiration.

Similarly to the bookshelf, the shape and size of the MDF panels have been optimised to maximise board usage and the materials and processes used in this product were also optimised for factory production in Vietnam, in order to meet an extremely keen price point. All of these features, as well as functional features like cable management holes and an adjustable shelf helped make this product successful for John Lewis after its launch, with 5 star reviews across the board.

details.

Solid oak tambour curtain slides open and closed - adding design interest and closed storage

Closed cabinet with and adjustable shelf to provide private storage allowing a neat & tidy workspace

CNC routered handles finished smooth for a subtle but practical handle detail.

1050x600mm worktop provides ample usable surface space while being suited to smaller spaces

Solid rubberwood stained to walnut gives the appearance of a walnut finish at an affordable cost

Semi-KD construction with solid wood legs screwing into main body reduce shipping costs & ensure easy assembly

specifications. partial knock-down assembly:

1. Locate the cabinet legs and desk legs into the leg

2. Locate the shelf support pins at the desired height. Push

brackets on the bottom of the cabinet. Tighten by hand.

the adjustable shelf into place to sit on top of the supports.

05. erso range.

The Erso range was designed during my placement year for El Corte Inglés and other international clients.

It was designed to have simple, contemporary focus, with false finger joint details to give an authentic craft feel. Made from MDF, high quality American oak and clear tempered glass veneers, this product has a high quality feel at a more affordable price point for many customers.

Erso is a range of industrial inspired furniture with a contemporary twist. The chunky MDF blocks and false joinery details give the industrial feel while UV bosses bonded to the glass ensure relevant safety standards are met. Simple customer assembly is achieved through the use of threaded metal inserts in the wooden structure, allowing the product to be shipped almost flat-packed. Gently sloping legs ensure stability of the product and the large glass shelves give ample usable space for customers.

details.

UV bosses bonded to the glass give neat finish, allow easy assembly and keep the structure secure

Wide-profile, chunky wood used to provide strength and give product a heavy, high quality feel

Gentle chamfers on edges of glass to improve safety specs and give a softness to the design

Overhanging glass top to provide a maximum amount of usable space while maintaining stability of product

False finger joints with end-grain veneer section to give the impression of quality for a lower price

Metal brackets on underside help to secure the structure subtly and allow easy customer assembly.

06. other projects.

Throughout my time working in the industry I have been involved with a number of projects for clients all around the world, designing ina variety of different styles and markets. These include bedroom furniture, bunk beds, children’s educational furniture, and living & dining room furniture. I have worked with clients including Next, John Lewis, Zuiver, Nood, Adairs and El Corte Inglés. Please contact me for more information about any other of the projects shown.

LAUREN DYER FURNITURE & PRODUCT DESIGNER

dyerstudio@outlook.com

dyerstudio_

linkedin.com/in/laurendyerstudio

www.dyerstudio.co.uk