a Bespoke Kintsugi Commission

— From Sketch to Loom —

I love it when a signature series gets to grow and evolve with a new space. I recently got to dive back into my Kintsugi Series for an exciting international commission that just left the studio. If you’ve been following my work for a while, you know how much this concept means to me. This newest piece, Kintsugi 004, takes that beautiful Japanese philosophy of treating breakage and repair as a proud part of an object’s history, and scales it up into a massive 36x36-inch statement.

While I can’t reveal exactly where its permanent home is going to be just yet (it's a secret for now!), I couldn't wait to share the behind-the-scenes process of bringing number four to life.

Finding the Perfect Flow

Because this piece was all about those impactful Kintsugi lines running through the weave, the design phase was incredibly collaborative. I drew up five completely different iterations of the "crack", exploring how fractures would cut through the space and interact with the warp.

The client chose their favorite direction, and with the blueprint locked in, it was time to get to work.

No Metal, Just Wood: The Foundation

Every piece that leaves our studio relies on a flawless foundation, and this is where Prash’s magic comes in. As a two-person show here at the atelier, we are constantly bouncing ideas off each other, and he always has a massive input on how the structural side will bring the design to life. Because a 36x36-inch square weaving frame has to hold an immense amount of tension from the cotton cords, it needed serious engineering.

Prash built a custom, made-for-purpose frame out of beautiful raw oak. To handle the scale, he added splines plus extra wooden reinforcements on each corner. And as always, we did this without a single metal fixture or bracket. We rely purely on traditional woodworking techniques because we believe it respects the material better. It allows the oak to "breathe and move" naturally with the seasons and changing weather.

The Great Warping Challenge

Once the frame was in the studio, some real heavy lifting began. Let’s be honest: warping a weaving frame is always a long and slow process that requires calm and patience. When you blow that up to a 36x36-inch scale, it’s no easy feat haha! It takes a lot of patience and precision to get the tension absolutely perfect across the entire width.

Once the warp was set, Prash sketched out a full-to-scale template of the chosen Kintsugi line and attached it directly behind the frame. This allowed me to follow the client's chosen iteration perfectly as I worked, ensuring every single twist and turn of the design was spot-on.

Slow, Meditative Weaving

With the blueprint resting right behind the threads, the weaving finally began. This stage is always so slow and meditative. I love sending progress pictures to our clients during this phase. It’s wonderful to bring them into the studio virtually so they can see the texture growing and feel part of the creation process. Once they gave the nod of approval on the direction, I went into full completion mode.

After final photos and a very happy sign-off from the client, it was time for the nerve-wracking part: packing!

Crossing the Ocean

Since this piece was traveling overseas to the US, our packaging process had to be just as precise and robust as the oak frame itself. We constructed a custom, heavy-duty crate system lined with dense foam reinforcements, ensuring the artwork wouldn’t budge a single millimeter during transit.

And voila! It made its journey across the Atlantic flawlessly! I can't wait to show you the final installation photos once the project is officially unveiled, but for now, knowing the level of care that went into every single detail, from the first sketch to the final secure weld of the box. makes its arrival incredibly rewarding.

Are you working on a space that needs its own signature story?

Whether you’re an interior designer looking for a collaborative studio partner for your next project, or a collector wanting a bespoke statement piece tailored to your home, we’d love to bring your vision to life. Drop us a message, and let’s start discussing your own custom commission!