Bluebird Design Philosophy
Unique Custom Designs
Using a range of materials including plywood, salvaged materials, exotic species and classic north american hard and soft woods, Bluebird Millwork designs and builds custom furniture and cabinetry.
Major influences upon the design of our work stem from The Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th century, the Arts Nouveau Movement of the early 20th century including perspectives from great designers like Victor Horta and Charles Rennie MacKintosh, and of course the Modern and Post Modernist Furniture design of the European Cabinet makers.
Between the process of drawing and building furniture I ask a question of my ideas,
"How would this feel to skate"
Skateboarding lends a unique and fresh perspective upon the world and all that is within it. Designing furniture that constantly features even the smallest references to transitions, obtuse angles, planes that are inclined in favor of movement, and a subtle sense of flow are incorporated through seeing through the eyes of skateboarding, and building by hand.
Using a range of materials including plywood, salvaged materials, exotic species and classic north american hard and soft woods, Bluebird Millwork designs and builds custom furniture and cabinetry.
Major influences upon the design of our work stem from The Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th century, the Arts Nouveau Movement of the early 20th century including perspectives from great designers like Victor Horta and Charles Rennie MacKintosh, and of course the Modern and Post Modernist Furniture design of the European Cabinet makers.
Between the process of drawing and building furniture I ask a question of my ideas,
"How would this feel to skate"
Skateboarding lends a unique and fresh perspective upon the world and all that is within it. Designing furniture that constantly features even the smallest references to transitions, obtuse angles, planes that are inclined in favor of movement, and a subtle sense of flow are incorporated through seeing through the eyes of skateboarding, and building by hand.
Matt Blouin |
Building Skateboard ramps, boxes, ledges and eventually building D.I.Y concrete skateparks for my entire life I found a love of working with my hands was directly attached to the perception of the elements and my surroundings, through the eyes of skateboarding. Art School courses studying fine arts and designs of the 20th century imparted a keen sense of what beauty can mean, and how function and form are entwined with expression.
I have built Timber Frame homes in the Appalachian foothills of Virginia, Bars and Restaurants in the trendy cores of Vancouver and Toronto, worked as a framing carpenter for years, and as a finish carpenter for more. I can dream in color, and build from memory.Though drawings are key, and essential to the exploratory process of any project |
Our History |
Bluebird Millwork was started in teeny tiny basement studio space in Toronto in 2012. Working in a small confined space pushed the demand for designing and crafting custom furniture that is often modular, and capable of fitting into any space. It also forced me to find new ways to work around the limits of the building process in a tiny room. In 2013, 14 and 15 Bluebird was located in a larger garage space in the Junction area of Toronto, close to reclaimed and salvage timer yards, as well as a growing housing market. Custom cabinetry and unique dining tables took up much of these years. 2016 continues to be a year of creating the designs for furniture I have filled the pages of my sketchbooks with drawings of for the past ten years. Building with plywood, I have spent the first part of 2016 pioneering a production process with which to produce a coffee table, stool and movable bench in a streamlined process, reminiscent of a production facility. Understanding this process allows me to now lower costs and create a series of furniture unlike anything seen before. This series is called the Barrier series. Check it out on our gallery page.
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