CRANK FURNITURE have come a long way, baby – in a relatively short space of time. The Sydney-based commercial furniture company have become known for their hipster industrial vibe, which they have injected into some of Australia’s leading hospitality spaces.

Launching in 2010 with a capsule collection of quality furniture, Crank Furniture‘s dream from the outset was to capture the attention of café, restaurant and furniture retailers.

Their big break came in late 2011, when they were asked to create customised industrial pieces for a new concept café in the warehouse district of Alexandria. That café just happened to be The Grounds of Alexandria, which has become a Sydney icon.

The Grounds of Alexandria. Image: www.thegrounds.com.au

Crank Furniture were on their way.

Since then, they have furnished some of Australia’s most interesting hospitality spaces, including Pony Dining and Steampunk.

“The Grounds is still my favourite”, says Hemang Savla from Crank. “It was our first project and an important stepping stone. We had fun creating some exceptional one-offs for The Grounds and it has certainly been rewarding.”

Other favourite projects include Meat District Co. and Wild Sage.

Crank Furniture’s forte is manufacturing commercial grade, cast iron furniture from recycled elements. With these materials they create exceptional table bases, seating and dining/bar tables that are durable while adding a differentiated point of view. It’s an approach that has seen them become a favourite of Australian interior designers.

Their growth has also been global. Their factory in India now caters to a staggering 70% of the world’s demand for Industrial Cast Iron products. They have also recently extended their manufacturing to retail specific furniture for homes using recycled timber, vintage brass elements, woven cane and eco-friendly screen-prints.

However, their operations in Australia have been limited to customised furniture for commercial fit-outs. While they have experienced consistent growth from 2013, they decided to “stay trim” and focus on this specialist area, ensuring they do not take on too many projects at one time.

“Our format is very different from other big wholesale suppliers of furniture to the hospitality industry,” says Hemang. We rarely hold any stock as we provide customised options for every product we create. This makes every project we work on slightly different.”

“I think being able to customise is very important in an otherwise saturated market; where every venue looks almost identical and really has no differentiating characteristic.”

When it comes to 2018 trends, Crank have noticed that clients are looking for softer textures and more refined finishes. There is also a more extensive use of fabric seating, along with the always-popular recycled timber and cast iron frames.

With the theme of this year’s Australian House & Garden International Seminar Series at Decor + Design ‘Everyday Luxury’, we asked Hemang about his own interpretation of luxury. He says:

“You’ve actually touched on a favourite topic of mine. I am an alumni of ESSEC MBA Luxury Brand Management from Paris, graduating in 2000. To date, I have not been able to frame the concept of ‘Everyday Luxury’ in totality. To my understanding, any product that adds an element of continuous satisfaction is luxurious.”

“Crank Furniture creates products that are not positioned as luxury items…but they certainly would be a product of everyday luxury for many and not so luxurious for a few. Perceptions are limited to individual circumstances and scenarios. As long as a brand stays committed to what it stands for, every brand can create a product that will be perceived luxurious to that brands’ clientele.”

Crank Furniture will be exhibiting at Decor + Design for the very first time in 2018. Trade visitors interested in stunning commercial furniture that can be adapted for residential use can visit them at Stand J20.

Register now for Decor + Design, Australia’s No.1 Interiors Trade Event, July 19 – 22 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.