Mark Tuckey on ethical design, working for love, and all things furniture

 Domain speaks with furniture designer Mark Tuckey about what inspires and drives him.

Q: How did you come to make furniture for a living?

A: I was in my late 20s when I realised I wanted to spend my time doing something I loved, rather than getting up every day to do something because of the need for money.

I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and I wanted to be involved in an environmentally friendly creative process. I started the Mark Tuckey brand to design sustainable solid timber furniture. In the beginning, it was just me, my old F100 truck and a couple of hundred dollars.

Q: You now have a workshop in Melbourne and showrooms in Newport on Sydney’s northern beaches and Fitzroy in Melbourne. How has your business changed since those early days?

A: The business has certainly grown in 25 years. There are more than 45 people in our team now. Lots of them have been working with us for many years and are more like family.

When I first started the business, I made “one-off” tables in a mate’s garage. Now we design, manufacture and sell tables, beds, sofas – almost everything you could need in timber.

I still get a buzz when I find unusual timbers because they offer the potential for a unique product. We also moved into sustainable plantation timbers to be able to appeal to a broader range of customers.

• Related: Jardine Hansen on why we really love flowers
• Related: Coco Flip’s Kate Stokes talks good design
• Related: Designers call for reforms to protect their work

Q: What is the philosophy behind the Mark Tuckey label?

A: The philosophy has remained the same: the desire to make furniture that will last a long time, and that I would love to have in my own home. The furniture has always been minimal in form, with a focus on quality and function. Of course, commercial reality is always a consideration in decisions about what goes into production. We’re still proudly Australian designed and manufactured and I am still passionate about ensuring the business maintains a small environmental footprint.

Q: Can you share some insights into the creative process at Mark Tuckey?

A: Everything we design is very much a team effort. I personally sign off on all new designs. The process often starts with sustainable and recycled materials at hand or a rare batch of recycled timber we have sourced. Discussions will take place regarding construction, cost and sales potential before any final decision on any new piece is produced.

Q: Your designs have been described as “quintessentially Australian”. What does this mean to you in relation to interiors?

A: For me, it means a relaxed, robust product designed to be used and not just admired from a distance. Australians love to have a good time and there is no better place than around the family table. I often draw inspiration from my surroundings, so the design style is often relaxed and minimal. One of the advantages of solid timber furniture is that it’s repairable and will last generations, becoming part of the family.

Q: There’s growing awareness of the downsides of “fast fashion”, both in terms of the manufacturing side and the waste it creates. What do you think about fast furniture?

A: I’m not a great commentator on the industry or other furniture companies. I have witnessed disappointment among some of our customers, mainly from stories they tell when they come in to purchase from us. Their complaints are often about the longevity and quality of pieces they have bought elsewhere. Apart from that, I do not really come into contact with fast furniture.

Q: What’s your most extravagant recent purchase?

A: I bought a new motor for the F100 truck – the one I had when I started my business, and intend to have for the rest of my life.

Q: Where else can we expect to find Mark Tuckey pieces?

A: We’ve designed a five-piece range that’s exclusive to Domayne. It features a dining table, buffet, side table, console table and coffee table made of American oak. It’s intended to be very useable and long-lasting – something that we’d be proud to have in our stores. I’ve also been commissioned to design a bathroom scene for Caroma using our products and theirs for their new showroom in Adelaide,  due to open in October.

See more at marktuckey.com.au