MUHLY Celebrates Texture At Afternoon Light
Texture is a unique facet of design in that it cannot be felt with just the eyes – or perhaps it can. Our brains are so primed to understand our environments on an immediate basis that those with practice will report feeling the very same sensations that they see. MUHLY are experts in texture, deftly transforming plans of material into familiar shapes and configurations, with a specific twist. The studio is proud to present their latest pieces, Dekko, Pokal and the Prairie Pendant. The work is developed collaboraboratively: each piece handmade to order, the burnished brilliance of oxidized copper meets the warmth of cherry planks, crafted in either Austin, TX or Philadelphia, PA.
Vintage cabinets circa 1930 make their influence known in the Bon Console, with extrusions and metallic chrome details that are quite charming in sequence. The extrusions match the inset circles in a way that almost resembles buttons, hearkening back to a time when buttons functioned mechanically.
The Dekko Collection is inspired by early 19th-century designs produced in the Western US. The broad skirt and holes bring a certain fortitude to the chair, visually dependable and lasting. The simplicity and honesty to the form is intentional – there is a quiet confidence in something done well.
The Prarie Pendant recalls many patterns in nature, impressions in galvanized steel create either raised or hollowed marks, depending on direction. An ode to punched tin lamps from their childhood in Texas, light is thrown both downward through the square, upward through the shade, and out of the punch marks themselves, dots of light decorating the space.
The Pokal Collection is inspired by the work of Jean Royère, who valued flair and style in a way that bled into many of his designs. Anticipating the turn towards organicism, his biomorphic pieces still inspire designers to this day. The celebration of natural growth is a strong theme within the MUHLY catalogue, reflecting not only nature, but holding a mirror to ourselves.
Led by Megan Carney and Ann Edgerton, MUHLY was founded in 2021, crafting handmade furniture that brings an easy simplicity and longevity to the home. A central question guides their process: ‘what makes us feel connected, at ease, and cared for in our own environments’? Designed to fit within changing spaces and seasons of life, the pieces are infused with an originality that stands out, with construction that makes pieces stick.
To learn more about the Dekko, Pokal and the Prairie Pendant from MUHLY, visit muhly.studio.
Photography courtesy of Maddy Pease, Bill Sallans, and Felker Schuck.
