Stools with "wild simplicity" and colourful storage boxes feature in the debut series of a new Montreal furniture brand.
Called Vaste, the company launched last year as the furniture arm of Montreal design studio F & Y, established by woodworkers Frederique Beaubien and Yannic Ryan in 2009.
The two and their team, which comprises three designers and five woodworkers, make the furniture in their workshop in the city. They specialise in using wood that is indigenous to Canada – particularly white oak, walnut and blackened ash.
"Designed and manufactured locally, the collection shows a consideration for Canada's nordicity to offer elegant, adapted and timeless pieces," said the studio in a project description. "Vaste is a selection of durable furniture that fits naturally in everyday life."
Among the collection is Nord, a dark wooden table that the team describes as a "sturdy table" with a "graceful look".
"It is by deconstructing the table and ridding it of all superfluous components that they manage to leave full place for clear and honest lines with harmonious curves," said Vaste in a project description. "The result is a minimal, classic and elegant piece of furniture."
The Nord table is accompanied by the chairs of the same name, which feature an oiled walnut frame and dark leather upholstery. The Nord chair was first produced by F & Y in 2012 as part of its design of a local Montreal restaurant.
The Olmsted series, meanwhile, comprises a chair with an upholstered back, as well as a stool and a dining table with a solid structure and central crossbar. The studio said it designed this collection to integrate the outdoor environment into the inside.
"The influence of nature is reflected in the organic fluidity of the joinery and lends the Olmsted stool a look of wild simplicity," it said.
For the stool, two different portions below the seat are formed by rods, creating places for the user to grip with their hands and feet.
Vaste's collection also includes the Sted chair, featuring a rounded back and "playful and attractive" proportions. The structure is made solid ash, while the seat is formed of moulded plywood covered with ash veneer.
Rounding out the designs are Tame side tables and benches with slatted rods underneath to provide storage and the Cache storage boxes and chests, which are designed to save space and minimise furniture.
The storage volumes are available in oval or half-oval shapes, and are made of veneered plywood and covered inside and out with white oak or walnut veneer.