Stepping Up

Tom pioneered a new steam bending technique to shape wood in his third year at Falmouth. After graduating in 2005 he set up sixixis with two fellow graduates, winning a Laurent-Perrier Design Award in 2006. Based in Cornwall, he now runs his own award-winning lighting and furniture design company, with clients including Brad Pitt, Aldo Zilli and Liberty. Tom’s designs can be seen all over the world including lighting installations at the Waterfront Project, Sweden and Tiara beach resort Hotel, Dubai, and furniture at the Dorchester Hotel, London and Tommy Hilfiger, Amsterdam. His work has been featured in books by Taschen, Thames & Hudson and Bloomsbury (amongst many others). In 2011, Tom won Best Pendant Lamp for Pendant No.1 and Flock Light at the Lighting Design Awards.

"In the second year of the course I started to experiment with different ways of manipulating and forming wood. I discovered the process of steam bending and was amazed by its potential. It seemed to be a lost art with no one pushing the process forward or doing anything new with it. After several months I developed a new way of using steam with my own design of toolings, which allowed me to create new and exciting forms out of solid wood.

"Most of what I now create is based on the techniques and designs I developed on the 3D Design course. The Chaise Longue no.4 was developed at Falmouth and has become my signature piece, being sold to clients throughout the world and becoming recognised as one of the most iconic designs in wood of the 21st century. Falmouth gave me the help, support and knowledge to approach design in a completely new and exciting way – as well as the skills and experience to set up my own creative enterprise straight after finishing."