Honest Furniture, Made to Last - JD. Lee Furniture

Product Feature

Mullumbimby, NSW, Australia

Words Rose Onans

As seen in the local project magazine %magazine%

Issue Nº1 contains just over 200 pages of inspiring, informative and engaging content curated by The Local Project.

The magazine explores a wonderfully diverse world of design, but uniting each feature is a human-centered approach to design. By which we simply mean, design that looks beyond the immediate moment and toward the broader context of human experience - of place, of history, of materiality and of culture.

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JD.Lee Furniture was founded by Jeremy Lee in 2015, born from a belief in sustainability and a passion for working with timber. Combining traditional craftsmanship and natural materials, JD.Lee has become known for creating honest furniture, made to last.

Training as an industrial designer before apprenticing as a furniture maker gave Jeremy a keen appreciation for both design and manufacturing, which influences JD.Lee’s holistic approach to their work. Their process involves carefully considering all aspects of the timber they use, from where it is grown and harvested, to its longevity and waste produced, storage and transport, with an emphasis on durability – helping their customers buy less and reduce their individual environmental impact.

This ethos is reflected in JD.Lee’s emphasis on simple design principals. Through simplicity, the integrity of the design is maintained for many years, not just a season, and the beauty of the natural timber shines. The simplicity of the designs also highlights the handmade, traditional craftsmanship that has gone virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. In this way, these furniture pieces provide a tangible connection to both the natural world and a centuries-old craft.

For Jeremy, working with wood is not only a practice that incorporates design and sustainability but a creative expression. He describes it as a deeply rewarding exercise in patience that involves slowing down and enjoying the challenge that working with timber presents. The results are beautiful handmade furniture designs that will bring joy to their homes for years to come.