Two awards in two months for Edinburgh furniture designer

Edinburgh furniture designer, Kevin Tronel of Wedge Designs has won ‘maker of the year’ in in the student category of the Australian Wood Review magazine’s awards for one of his furniture designs – the Ligérienne unit. His Verne easy chair also attracted a commended award.

It is not the first time that the Verne chair has drawn attention, having won ‘best chair in show’ at the Young Furniture Makers Awards in London in October. Kevin says: “I am incredibly proud of the Verne easy chair. Designing a chair is often considered one of the greatest challenges in furniture design, and seeing my vision realised was deeply satisfying.”

Kevin, who was born in France, studied at the Chippendale International School of Furniture in East Lothian: “My roots in Nantes have a profound influence on my work, which is reflected in the names of my pieces,” he explains: “Each name connects to something significant about my home city. For instance, the Verne easy chair is named after Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes and has always been an inspiration to me.”

Kevin’s designs, along with the work of nine other artisans will be on display at the Edinburgh Open Workshop exhibition, on Saturday 30 November at 39-41 Assembly Street, Leith, from 10am-4pm. As well as his award-winning pieces, he will also be showcasing a newly crafted bench and a dog bed. 

In addition to designing furniture, Kevin has restored hundreds of mid-century pieces over the years: “Seeing them brought back to life is incredibly rewarding,” he says. 

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Image: Anna Patxot