Lawson-Fenning's Collaboration With CB2 Captures the Heartbeat of Southern California
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After over twenty years of making their presence known in the design industry, Glenn Lawson and Grant Fenning found themselves fully emersed in creating a collection during the pandemic. Their namesake, Lawson-Fenning, is widely celebrated for its mid-century and vintage pieces created through the lens of California modernism. Today, the brand launched a collaboration with CB2 to celebrate the best parts of California—the charm, style, and scenery with the signature use of natural materials. The pair invites you into the equity of space, where any preference or aesthetic is able to curate pieces into their home no matter what size it is. The high-quality craftsmanship of each product leads first in a refreshing, yet authentic way you'll admire.
Lawson shares, "Our initial focus for this was to capture the vibe, mood, weather, people, how we feel when we're in and how other people feel when they come here. I want shoppers to feel like they're on vacation in their home."
Each morning, the designer-maker duo spoke over the phone to conceptualize the line even with the distance physical distance between them. "CB2 gave us so much freedom and support. They allowed us to go as far as we could. We finally had the time to give everything to it," Fenning says.
Similar to the majority of their work, Lawson and Fenning looked to nature for inspiration. They chose to analyze topographical birds-eye view images of the California coastline to build the color story for the line. "We were able to create this really awesome color palette. The forest, heavily leafy areas, to mountainous and tan browns, and suddenly there's the blue of the sea," Lawson explains. The brand successfully tributes the West Coast with furniture crafted to last.
"We strip it down to the natural material. Nothing is overly decorative for us. When something is in its purest expression and simple, you're able to style pretty much anything together," Fenning states. The collection features living room furniture (indoor and outdoor), bedroom, dining, accessories, rugs, lighting, and dinnerware. It's a full feast for design lovers! You can even upgrade your office with an eye-catching travertine bookend or wood desk detailed with intricate lines. Everything works together in an organic fashion.
CB2's Lead of Product Development, Sara Khodja, heralds Lawson-Fenning's design ethos. "Together, we created a collection of high-quality pieces at attainable price points while staying true to who we both are. For CB2, this new collection is transportive and draws from various aesthetic references that embody California modernism complete with artisanal craft details that are distinct to Lawson-Fenning," she expresses.
While it's hard to choose a favorite, we personally can't get enough of this whimsy mushroom-shaped accent stool. The tree stump shape even plays on the mushroom decor obsession that took over during the pandemic. Lawson can't help but point toward the Point Dume Wood Game Table. "At the time we were spending so much time at our dining table and it became the center of activity. So we thought 'How many things can a dining table do?' We worked backward from that and it was a fun one to design."
Fenning chose the outdoor pieces as they can work inside of your home as well. He desires versatility in the home space—a flow where items can be arranged anywhere without stealing the show. "We wanted to blur the lines between inside and out. I was in California with beautiful weather so I found inspiration sitting and drawing outside," he says.
"We design for everyone. I don't want it to be for this generation or that generation. If it's good design, it's accessible to all for a seat at the table," Lawson explains.
Lawson-Fenning has the distinct ability to remain true to themselves in a trend heavy industry. Anyone with an appreciation for design and the rich heritage of California craftsmanship will fall in love with the West Coast spirit of this collection. Shop the line today for a love story you'll never forget.
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