FABULOUS FINDS
INTERLIGNE | PRODUCTS | SEPTEMBER 2023
Text | Dave Richard
English translation | Andrea Lindsay
Photos | FOUND + Fabrique 1840_Simons
M-PHANT coffe table, 600$
Sharing the same desire to promote artisanal creation, thoughtful consumption, responsible manufacturing, the use of quality materials and the art of living healthy and rich lives, Ligne is joining forces with Quebec company Simons. Together we are happy to present a series of portraits focused on the creators, brands, and manufacturers whose products are offered on the Simons web site. To get the ball rolling, the choice to present the young Quebec brand FOUND was an obvious one. A Fabrique 1840 team and client favourite as well as an absolute must for Ligne Editors, FOUND creates multifunctional items for the home in a timeless and minimalist style that blends in harmoniously within various environments.
“With their retro look, FOUND products stand out within the Fabrique 1840 assortment,” explains Pascal Cloutier the Purchasing Manager for the direct delivery program and Fabrique 1840. “They are pieces that have a lot of character”.
MIDI chair, light brown wood, 625$ + DRIP candle holders, medium and small size, from 55$ + FLO big wavy mirror, baby blue, 900$ + MOTTO bookstand in powder-coated steel, blue, 185$ + SILO chair, aluminium, 750$
It was in 2020 that the brand FOUND came in to being, founded by Montreal industrial design space AllStudio. The brand’s history is one of passion, innovation, and dedication to creating exceptional pieces of furniture destined to enrich living and working spaces.
“Our products are both bold and casual. They have simple and soft lines, but they also always include an original, cutting-edge detail, evoking peoples’ curiosity.
Having designed pieces of furniture as well creating lighting for architects and designers, the AllStudio team already had a solid and enviable reputation in the field of custom-made creation and manufacturing. It was with this experience that in 2020 the desire arose to create coffee table collection PHANT which became FOUND’s first collection as well as a starting point for a passionate adventure.
FLO small wavy mirrors, 135$
“I discovered the brand FOUND, during their launch of the PHANT collection”, explains Cynthia Lee, a buyer for Fabrique 1840. “I immediately fell in love with these very particular pieces of furniture sporting wide “elephant legs”. Since then, it has been a true pleasure for me to follow the brand’s consistently surprising evolution.” “They recently released a line of mirrors and I absolutely had to get my hands on a little red wavy FLO mirror that I can’t wait to hang up in my home!”
Over the past two years, following the launch of their first collection, the brand has continued to develop and expand what it has to offer, creating several lines of products incorporating materials such as wood, steel, and aluminium. Thanks to their original designs and an always-present desire to offer high-quality products, FOUND has managed to stand out in the Canadian furniture industry. Today the company’s pieces can be found within numerous architectural and design projects, clearly demonstrating the confidence level the brand has been able to inspire in professionals of this milieu.
CLIP wall shelf in powder-coated steel, cream beige, 250$
“FOUND is dedicated to designing and creating high-quality, locally made, refined yet affordable creations” relates Isis Djebara, from the Fabrique 1840 team. “The brand uses only locally-sourced materials, contributing to the local economy as well as infusing a richness of culture locally. Even the packaging comes from environmentally friendly companies such as Cascade which is local. Simons via its Fabrique 1840 department, has given itself the same mission: procure materials locally and offer well-made and unique products at a fair price.”
Thanks to a reflective approach at each step of production, FOUND is able to create accessible and affordable furniture, all while maintaining a high level of design and know-how. To maximise fabrication efficiency, the brand always strives to optimize its use of materials and shapes. On top of this, FOUND produces and finishes a large portion of its pieces in its Montreal workshop, allowing the company to maintain costs and keep quality standards consistently high, all while offering competitive pricing for its clients.
MOTTO book stand in powder-coated steel, cream beige, 185$ + PHANT coffee table in black stained oak, 475$ + Large LAD stool in solid oak, 475$
At FOUND, wood is a cherished building material, particularly red oak due to its local availability, its distinctive grain, and its warm tones.
“We’ve made this choice because wood is an abundant material in Quebec and we have acquired a recognized expertise in this area. This allows us to support the local economy, reducing our carbon footprint by minimizing transport distances all while promoting design durability by using renewable and naturally esthetic materials. On top of this, wood provides natural warmth as well as a unique esthetic quality which contributes to the creation of timeless and durable pieces. We also work with aluminum and steel, two robust, versatile and modern materials that can be used in infinite ways, inspiring unique pieces with exceptional finesse.”
FLO wavy mirror, cream beige, 350$ + SILO chair in aluminium, 750$ + DREAM nightstand in powder-coated steel, cream beige, 350$
On the esthetic level, FOUND finds inspiration in past movements and styles and adheres to different creative philosophies like Jasper Morrison’s “Super Normal” style which puts the emphasis both on simplicity and accessibility. The MIDI chair was specifically designed by FOUND with this philosophy in mind, aiming to create a timeless design that transcends passing trends. The SILO chair, for example, was inspired by Italian design from the 1970’s, borrowing the formal language of plastic molding. Also, their TUBA lightning fixtures revisit and transform streetlamps from the public arena to be used within residential spaces.
“Our aim is to create furniture that is both retro and contemporary, by playing with historical references and proposing unique and evocative designs.”
Selection of MID chairs, varied colors, 625$ ch. + MOTTO book stand in powder-coated steel, blue, 185$ + SILO chair in aluminium, 750$ + DREAM nightstand in powder-coated steel, cream beige, 350$ + FLO big wavy mirror, baby blue, 900$ + STOP bookend set in aluminium, natural and waxed finish, 110$
By all accounts, FOUND enjoys rethinking function and shape, combining verticality and horizontality, as well as density and finesse, challenging the limits of traditional design, in order to create unique pieces that stand out all while adding an esthetic and functional value to a space.
“Danish company HAY has inspired us enormously, notably because they offer a very large line of products for the home”, relates Maxime Lévesque. “In the near future we would also like to be able to offer hundreds of products which meet the needs and varied preferences of our clients.”
Discover a selection of FOUND products from Fabrique 1840 at Simons.ca.
Small LAD stool in solid oak, 425$
FOUND
Founded in 2020 by Montreal-based industrial design team AllStudio, FOUND creates products for the home in a timeless and minimalist style which blends harmoniously into various environments, responding to a multitude of needs.
On Instagram @fouunndd
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FABRIQUE 1840_SIMONS
Fabrique 1840 is an online store powered by Maison Simons dedicated to the promotion and sale of exclusively Canadian, artisanal pieces.
On Instagram @fabrique1840 + @maisonsimons
On Facebook @fabrique1840 + @simons.ca