Richard Watson

Brooke and Laura met while earning their Master of Arts in Interior Architecture. A close friendship and shared design sensibility brought them together to form an interior design studio in 2008. A great love of furniture design grew from the opportunity to create custom pieces for early clients. Guided by close mentors and collaborations, they released their first collection in 2012. Furniture and hardware have since become the heart of the studio.

Richard Watson’s design principles are defined by warmth, authenticity and a balance of strength and delicacy. Their work is created with a meticulous attention to detail, hand selecting every board in order to highlight the beautiful character and grain patterns found in their hardwoods. In the case of the Highboy for example, the boards with the most movement and character are used for the drawer fronts. These fronts are then arranged to create a quilt-like composition, making each piece unique. The feel and experience of a piece is also carefully considered- the smooth glide of a drawer, the relation to others around a table, the way the back of a pull feels.

Each piece is made in Pawtucket, RI by a team of men and women who are passionate about their craft. A strong connection and proximity to their craftspeople allow design and construction to continually inform each other. The pieces are constructed using select domestic hardwoods and traditional joinery and hand finished with natural oils, lacquers and wax. Their hardware is cast locally in solid bronze and brass and finished in their studio in Brookline, MA. The soul of each Richard Watson piece is in these handcrafted details.