Vincent Roy, a French designer and a cabinet- maker, decided to settle down in Pondicherry after ten years of carpentry experience in France, Australia, Cambodia and India. Previously specialising in repairing French antique furniture, Roy had the chance to observe how the wood and the joinery react with time, preserving the knowledge from past generations. Gaining that deep understanding has given him the ability to design artistic as well as functional pieces applying best practice of ancestral knowledge. Passionate about the original designs of Scandinavian furniture created during 1920s-1970s by a circle of craftsmen, architects and designers combining works of art with functional furnishings for everyday life.
Wood’n design is a thoughtful brand, how do you define yourself?
At Wood’n Design, we believe that an iconic design is a combination of simplicity, aesthetics, and functionality brought to life through skilful work with the highest quality materials. We take pride in using the finest timber from antique beams, which provides the best seasoning and quality of precious wood aged from 80 to 200 years.
Along with using the best timber, our creation is hand made with traditional ancestral joinery, hand sanded and hand polished. The artisanal creations express our passion for modern and minimalist design.
We noticed that Wood’n design has a lot of beautiful, long curvy lines in many designs, which brought a contemporary touch to your furniture, this style seems unique. What is your understanding of the combination of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design?
I am proud of our solid wood lamination technique that we use when we have to make large curves in wood. Apart from that, I also like to use a combination of brass and wood details in our designs, along with certain unique joinery techniques that you don’t get to see often in furniture pieces nowadays. I like the mix of authenticity and traditions in modern-day India. This inspired me to mix the traditional craftsmanship and materials with modern details and forms to come up with designs that are rooted in the Indian context yet have a fine European touch. Indian methods are already very grounded and sustainable from their inception. By using them carefully with technique and skill, we really have a great scope here for experimenting and designing new products.
What’s the most difficult and complex piece of woodwork you’ve made? What do you consider as one of your eminent or most celebrated work? Anything you want to call our readers attention to.
Every new lounge chair, which should have strength and perfect ergonomics, is a challenging piece. Every curve design has to be achieved 70% by hand, so it is a challenge as the direction of the grain through the curves and you also need to find the perfect ratio between the ecstatic and the strength. To build a durable piece as complex as designing a building for an architect demands a lot of knowledge and experience.
It is evident that you are genuinely passionate about wood. What sets Wood N Design wooden creation apart from others the most?
We work with reclaimed wood as our main material, and we make sure that our products are durable and have a long lifespan. I also like to use white ash wood with a burnt black finish, which accentuates the beautiful grains and texture of natural wood.
We are mainly focusing on making a durable product with a timeless design. We want our clients to experience the craftsmanship by looking at what we have achieved together.
From the time of design-conception to production, we optimise the sizes to minimise wastage. Our new workshop is designed to maximise natural light and ventilation, due to which the working conditions are very comfortable for the carpenters without any artificial lighting or air conditioning during the day.
After establishing a strong foothold and catering to the domestic market, what are your expansion plans for India? What plans do you have to expand your business globally?
Today we are only working directly with the client or architect. B2C. I would like to supply a few different retail places in India to start B2B in order to have more visibility. We are already supplying some galleries in Europe and would like to be able to spend more time on masterpieces that we would like to ship there.
In your expertise, have you seen any design trends in recent years?
I brought mid-century furniture design with me from France because it was popular in Europe at the time. Fortunately, a lot of people are still fond of this style, even in India. I mostly produce mid-century furniture, sometimes with a modern touch. My clientele chooses me specifically for that and the craftsmanship and quality that we offer.
Is there hope for the rediscovery of this centuries-old craft due to a new wave of craft ardour among young adults? How vital is it to keep your craft traditions alive?
Machines won’t replace everything; the hand of man is unique, and I believe that society will always need craftsmen. We have a soul that machines can’t replace.
What inspires you to embrace a design-focused approach? When it comes to design, do international fads or Indian artistry inspire you?
I got inspired by the famous Scandinavian designers from the 50s like Hans Wegner and Kofod Larsen, and also French artists like Perriant, Royere, and Prouvé. I like the classic with a modern twist. I like the mix of authenticity and traditions in modern-day India. This inspired me to mix the traditional craftsmanship and materials with modern details and forms to come up with designs that are rooted in the Indian context yet have a fine European touch. Indian methods are already very grounded and sustainable from their inception. By using them carefully with technique and skill, we really have a great scope here for experimenting and designing new products.