Faye Toogood’s name is practically synonymous with her Roly Poly chair. With its chubby legs and bowl-like seat, the now-iconic piece epitomized the trend toward chunky forms that defined avant-garde furniture design in the 2010s. But the visionary British artist’s contributions go far beyond the chair and its similarly robust companion pieces, in disciplines ranging from textiles and ceramics to fashion and home interiors.
“I design holistically, with an overall vision across fashion, furniture and interiors,” she tells 1stDibs. “Furniture is something I return to over and over again and is a very strong part of this vision. I am interested in humans and the way they live — the spaces they inhabit, the clothes they wear, the objects they surround themselves with.”
After a childhood spent running free in the English countryside with nature as her playground, Toogood studied art history at Bristol University rather than attend art school. Her design approach is underpinned by contrast and understandably informed by art history, particularly the mid-20th-century modernism of such British artists as Barbara Hepworth and Alfred Wallis. “For me, it is about playing around with references and our associations, be that with materials or the precious and the raw, the masculine and the feminine,” she explains. “I’m able to use those contrasts to create friction.”
Toogood has exhibited at Phillips and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Triennale in Milan and D Museum in Seoul. In addition, her works are in the permanent collections of institutions worldwide, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Dallas Museum of Art; Denver Art Museum; High Museum of Art, in Atlanta; Corning Museum of Glass, in New York; the National Gallery of Victoria, in Melbourne; and the Fabergé Museum in St. Petersburg.
Shop furniture designs from Faye Toogood today on 1stDibs.
$7,150 / item
H 16 in W 28 in D 24 in
Big D Coffee Table in Waxed and Polished Aluminium Plate by Jonathan Nesci
By Jonathan Nesci
Located in Columbus, IN
Big D coffee table in .25 inch thick aluminium plate, part of the solo show nine variations at Mondo Cane Gallery in 2011. Digitally cut aluminium plates in...
Aluminum
$28,250 / item
H 14 in W 60 in D 42 in
Bespoke Sculptural Coffee Table, Zinc & Resin Top, Black Oak & Bronze Base
By Wüd Furniture Design
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The sleek and striking curved jasper coffee table features a black oak and bronze base, and an irregular shaped tabletop featuring aluminum encased in resin. Dimensions as shown: L...
Bronze, Aluminum
$9,008
H 13 in W 48.82 in D 55.91 in
Modern Rubber and Waxed Aluminium Coffee Table by Jan Ankiersztajn
By Rossana Orlandi
Located in Milan, IT
After graduating from the Design Academy Eindhoven with a degree in Contextual Design, product designer Jan Ankiersztajn established his eponymous stu...
Aluminum
James de Wulf Straight Split Locking Concrete Coffee Table
By James de Wulf
Located in Paia, HI
A stylish update to the classic Split Locking table, the straight split locking concrete coffee table features a parallel split radius in the tabletop. C...
Concrete
$4,566 / item
H 14.18 in W 45.67 in D 43.31 in
Contemporary Coffee Table 'Funki', Square, Raw Iron by Louise Roe
By Louise Roe
Located in Paris, IDF
FUNKI Coffee Table by Louise Roe Shape: Square Size: 110 X 116 H36 cm Finish: raw iron (Suitable for outdoor use) The FUNKI Furniture essentially encapsulates Functionalism ...
Aluminum, Iron
$15,227 / item
H 17.72 in W 47.25 in D 59.06 in
Stainless Steel Moonland Coffee Table by Ana Volante Studio
By Ana Volante
Located in Geneve, CH
Stainless steel moonland coffee table by Ana Volante Studio The Moon Collection Dimensions: L 150 x W 120 x H 45 cm Materials: Stainless steel, brass, glass on top Ana Volante, founder of Ana Volante Studio, is a Venezuelan designer specialized in interior environments, furniture design and art proposals. Ana grew up admiring her grandfather’s painting...
Brass, Steel, Stainless Steel
AM Large Coffee Table in Waxed Aluminum Plate by Jonathan Nesci
By Jonathan Nesci
Located in Columbus, IN
Formed and welded aluminum plate. Seams precisely joined; edges radiused by hand. Surface finished in waxed aluminum. The AM table develops aluminum plate as a primary structural an...
Aluminum
$1,482 / item
H 19.69 in W 29.53 in D 13.78 in
Ondulae Coffee Table in Stainless Steel by Metalmorphosis Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Ondulae Coffee Table in Stainless Steel by Metalmorphosis Studio Dimensions: D 35 x W 75 x H 50 cm. Materials: Stainless steel. An irregular surface shaped like lived muscle. Tensio...
Stainless Steel
Coffee Table By Jan Janssen And Oliver Gustav
By Jan Janssen
Located in London, GB
Coffee table designed by Jan Janssen and Oliver Gustav, fabricated in aluminum with a planar top and a vertically articulated base structure. The surface is perforated in a controlle...
Aluminum
Roe Stainless Steel Coffee Table by Mingardo
Located in Geneve, CH
Roe Stainless Steel Coffee Table by Mingardo Dimensions: D 140 x W 123,5 x H 34,5 cm Materials: Satin stainless-steel with Sangue di Giuda finish. Variations in material and size a...
Stainless Steel
The British creative talent has turned a series of maquettes into covetable, life-size pieces that retain the delightfully handcrafted quality of the originals.
Get a sneak peak at some of the singular pieces that will be on display at this year's show, which range from vintage masterpieces by legendary makers to innovative creations from emerging talents.
