Usefulness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
Jacob Ruch has a knack for bringing out both characteristics in his work. Curbside cast-offs, salvage yard finds, construction refuse – all find a place at Reason Furniture Design, where the proverbial sow’s ear is transformed into… you know.
The company is named for Jacob’s great-uncle, Reason Ruch, who was, according to the artist, “extremely independent and self-sufficient, an excellent craftsman who could make wonderful things with very limited resources.” Jacob strives to make his business emulate those qualities.
“Having limited resources eliminates the option to be wasteful,” he said. “The inspiration I see in salvaged materials stems from an inherent aversion to waste. For years in the construction industry, this instinct led me to drag old materials home from job sites. Urban backyards and basements saw my own limited resources transformed into furnishings for the shabby apartments that I called home.”
What he calls his “first successful design” came in 2005, when he took some scrap wood on hand and combined it with salvaged glass to create a table for his apartment. Its assembly took place literally in his own backyard.
Materials and inspiration come from the oddest – and most humble – of sources. One piece, the Windfall Table, was gleaned from a fallen claro walnut tree.
“The termites got to it before the sawyer though,” he recalled. “It was pretty far gone, but I’m not easily discouraged. I filled the tunneling with resin and created a curved base to complement the slab’s gentle bend.”
Such adaptability is typical of Jacob’s work. He has learned to not simply make do with what others throw away, but to do very well.
Most of his material comes from New York City construction salvage. In his projects he has used reclaimed wood from water towers, floor joists, planking, doors, plywood, and even furniture cast onto the street. This willingness to experiment has also led to dipping his hand in the “Pandora’s box” of upholstery work.
The artist’s creativity is showcased by three tables pictured on his blog: one fashioned from a found redwood garden gate, a second topped with old formica countertop samples, and a third project where weathered redwood decking was reborn as a set of matching table and benches.
That thoughtful excellence carries through into all his custom work.
“I design simple, honest and useful forms that celebrate often modest materials, and favor natural finishes that need not be protected and preserved in order to endure. To me, objects that show the wear of good use are often more beautiful than their virgin counterparts.”
And although environmental concern is not spoken aloud on Jacob’s blog, the latter features links to organizations such as the salvage surplus building supplier Build It Green! NYC and San Francisco community resource The Bike Kitchen, both of which are actively working towards bettering life in their home cities. His philosophy and the sourcing of the materials created by his company proclaim where his heart lies.
Jabob’s work is constantly evolving. And what does he have in mind for the future?
“While pursuing new forms, whether independently or through collaborative commissions, I continue to arrive at designs worth duplicating,” he asserts. “Through the production of these ideas, I hope I can keep REASON accessible to the modest folks and lifestyles that inspire my work.”
~ Emerald
