ONE Dwellingup designer is walking the line between art and function with his collection of handmade furniture and lighting.
Adam Cruickshank has applied his big business experience to his recently established small business and is now making ripples in the interior design world with his unique work.
While interior designers from across the country may be seeking out Mr Cruikshank for his one-off pieces, for him it’s all about functionality.
“It’s all about being innovative in the design process,” he said.
“There’s a degree of it being an art process and trying to be new and fresh with ideas.
“But it’s more design oriented.
“There’s a lot of function involved so that has its constraints.
“But I’m interested in making something with purpose.”
Mr Cruikshank’s high-end designs have been used for companies such as Wesfarmers and Lotterywest.
But these designs may not have happened if he hadn't begun working for a studio in Midland straight out of university.
From there he was able to gain experience working for corporate businesses.
He also had the chance to explore using different materials in his work, thus expanding his design techniques.
“I just started with wood but I built up my material knowledge and now choose what is suitable for the form or structure and decide on what’s best,” Mr Cruikshank said.
“It helps me develop new processes for using materials as well.
“There’s a couple of different processes which I use, such as 3D paneling, and people will commission me based on that.
“Sometimes commission work is more playful as well which develops into learn more material processes.”
Interior designers from across the state and the eastern states now seek out Mr Cruikshank for his work.
He said even when he works along side interior designers who have an idea of how they want a room to look, he doesn’t feel any pressure to design his pieces to someone else’s specifications.
“Interior designers have something they want,” he said.
“I’m working on a café in North Perth at the moment which is the interior and furniture design and it’s great.
“Most of the time clients and interior designs are happy to let you do what you want.”
For now Mr Cruikshank is working in the quiet of his Dwellingup studio on a mission to turn rooms across the country into individual spaces.
To do so he is continually trying to make things different.
“I want to provide a service within Western Australia and Australia also, of exclusive high-end furniture which is innovative in design and pushes boundaries,” he said.
“It’s easy to make generic furniture as it’s cost effective but I try to have that difference.”
