Draumr stuves to connect interior dreamers and talented craft makers. That's why we represent different creators who are all equally talented. Some are still working on their carreirs, others are already more established names. We will introduce the makers to you. Today we start with Vanessa Horig. A talented furniture maker who, every day, designs and makes some of the most beautiful furniture in Amsterdam.
Introducing Vanessa Horig.
Vanessa is a furniture designer and maker based in Amsterdam. Since 2021, she has been running her own one-woman business and sharing a workshop with other members of the Vakvrouwen Amsterdam collective
She grew up in India, where she was often involved in arts and crafts during her school years. She then went on to study furniture and interior design, still in India, where she worked with wood for the first time in the university workshop and immediately fell in love with its warmth and versatility. She realized that she wanted to be able to build her designs herself.
“One of the reasons I decided to train as a carpenter after studying furniture design is because I wanted to be able to make my own designs. I felt like too much was lost in the translation from design to actual production. I wanted to have control over the entire process, from concept to design and production.”
That's why she went to Germany to train as a carpenter. Here she followed a combination of theory and practical applications for 3 years. She developed a deep passion for wood, the craftsmanship behind woodworking, and perfected her own style of combining hand tools with machines. After completing this education, she moved to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam she decided it was time to start her own business.
What is Vanessa doing?
Vanessa designs and makes contemporary handmade furniture that is sustainably built and will last a lifetime. She enjoys working with wood, which she finds to be an incredibly warm and versatile material. She believes in sustainable practices and spreads awareness about craftsmanship through her work. Something that fully matches Draumr's thoughts.
She designs and builds custom furniture in consultation with her customers. Vanessa also develops her own designs. These designs are simple, beautiful, everyday objects that are intended to be a pleasure to use and to look at.
What makes Vanessa Unique
Vanessa believes that design is a process, and as a designer-maker she is in control of all steps, from sketch to final product. Every decision during the journey is a conscious balance between material, form and function. Her products are utensils, with beautiful details, often in a playful combination of wood and color. Vanessa builds furniture that lasts a lifetime and criticizes the disposable lifestyle that big brands promote. Through her work, she hopes to inspire other young women to pursue a career in craft and creativity.
Vanessa works with a combination of modern technology and traditional craftsmanship, something she says “I learned to combine after my carpentry training. I have a keen eye for detail and strive to perfect every product I make.” Her furniture often contains smaller handmade elements that add value and interest to the product. Woodworking is a craft that should be preserved and promoted, and my products are a medium to raise awareness
Why did Vanessa choose wood?
“I am most inspired by the material itself, the wood; its colours, its story, the way it behaves, the versatility it offers and the effect it can have when treated properly.”
Vanessa indicates that wood is so incredibly versatile and there are so many types of wood, each with a different color and grain pattern. She finds some more suitable for one use, others for another use. Because wood can be worked and processed in so many ways, beautiful objects can be made from it. It can be sawn, planed, milled, steam bent, chiselled, scraped, sanded. Used as solid wood, veneer or sheet material such as plywood. It can be oiled, waxed, varnished, painted, colored. In short, the possibilities are truly endless. That's why she starts every project with a conscious decision about which wood to use.
“Wood feels wonderfully warm, a gift from mother nature. Each piece of wood is as unique as the tree that provided it, and every piece of furniture built tells that story.”
Moreover, she is aware that wood is a renewable resource. So it is a sustainable material. The important factor when using wood is to ensure that it also comes from a sustainable source. As a maker, she uses wood that has an FSC or PEFC certification.
Own designs
In addition to creating custom furniture based on customer wishes, Vanessa also enjoys exploring her own designs and ideas. Most of her own designs are a way to explore a new idea or technique.
Vanessa is an example of a contemporary and daring creator. We are happy to represent Vanessa at Draumr. If you would like to see more of Vanessa's works after this story, take a look at our site.