Project Baseline

For Project Baseline, every piece was designed and built from scratch. No off-the-shelf adaptations, no catalogue substitutions. The brief required furniture that could anchor three distinct amenity spaces while reading as a coherent collection.

Brigil approached us with a clear vision and a specific challenge: outfit the lounge, kitchenette, and adjoining seating areas of the new Baseline condominium communal space with bespoke pieces that would set the tone for residents from the moment they entered. The aesthetic direction called for sculptural forms, tactile materials, and a restrained palette that would hold up to commercial use without sacrificing residential warmth.

What follows is a walk-through of the commission, the materials we worked with, and the design decisions that shaped each piece.

The Lounge

The lounge is the most public of the three spaces and required pieces that could function for both small gatherings and quiet moments. A custom banquette anchor the room: a curved sectional in cognac leather supported by a cerused oak base.

Between the banquette and the home cinema room, we built a series of small round tables in solid white oak with matte black metal bases. The proportions were calibrated specifically for standard-height seating: low enough to feel relaxed, generous enough to hold drinks, books, and laptops without crowding. The tabletops feature a subtle stepped profile that reads as a design detail rather than a structural one.

Throughout the space, the warm cognac leather plays against cool sage walls and a darker stained oak base, creating depth without contrast for its own sake. The result is a lounge that feels finished without feeling staged.

The Kitchenette

The kitchenette presented the most technical challenge of the project. Brigil wanted three islands that would serve as the working heart of the space while functioning as sculptural objects in their own right. We delivered three custom islands that combine solid wood, veneer, and a brass repose-pied detail.

The primary island uses a curved silhouette with vertical grain veneer running across its full height. The repose-pied — a brass foot rail traditionally found in bistro design — runs the length of the island, grounding the piece visually and serving a functional purpose for guests seated at the bar stools. It's the kind of detail that reads as effortless but requires careful execution: the brass had to align precisely with the curve of the base, and the height had to accommodate counter-height seating.

The two smaller islands echo the language of the primary piece while serving different functions. One supports the prep area; the other anchors the casual seating zone. All three share the same wood treatment and proportional logic, which keeps the space feeling cohesive even though no two pieces are identical.

The Dining Banquette

Adjacent to the kitchenette sits one of the most distinctive pieces of the commission: a bean-shaped solid oak table designed specifically for the curved leather banquette behind it. The table follows the contour of the banquette, creating an intimate dining configuration without the awkwardness of a rectangular table forced into a curved space.

The bean form was a design decision driven by function. A round table would have left too much space at the corners; a rectangular table would have prevented diners from being properly oriented toward each other. The bean shape solves both problems and produces a piece that feels considered rather than compromised.

The tabletop is solid white oak finished in a deep, warm stain that reads almost black in low light and reveals its full grain in daylight. The legs are solid wood racetrack posts in matching oak, a deliberate choice to keep the visual weight at the floor and let the tabletop feel like it's floating just slightly above the seat line.

On Working with Designers and Developers

Project Baseline is the kind of commission that defines how we like to work. The design intent was clear from the outset, the specifications were precise, and the trust between client and maker allowed each piece to be developed without unnecessary back-and-forth.

Our bespoke practice serves designers, developers, and commercial clients who need furniture that isn't available from any catalogue. We handle the technical drawings, the prototyping, and the production from a single workshop in Gatineau. Lead times for commercial commissions typically run between twelve and sixteen weeks depending on scope.

For projects of this scale, we work closely with the design team from the earliest concept stage through final installation. Material samples, technical mock-ups, and on-site reviews are part of our standard process. The result is furniture that fits the space it was made for, in every sense of the phrase.