True to Craft
Designer Stories
Keith Melbourne
Leaving his engineering career behind in search of a passion, Melbourne studied furniture design in the remote city of Perth, Western Australia. Immediately he discovered a new creative world that he loved.
Keith Melbourne’s acclaimed designs are clearly influenced by his diverse experiences, and seem to sit in a realm where engineering precision meets artistic creativity.
Keith studied engineering in England while working in the aerospace industry. He then moved into the international automotive industry and spent 15 years developing advanced engine and control system technology. While in the automotive industry he traveled around the world to test vehicles and manage large engineering projects. Keith Melbourne has not followed a typical path into furniture and product design.
Leaving his engineering career behind in search of a passion, Melbourne studied furniture design in the remote city of Perth, Western Australia. Immediately he discovered a new creative world that he loved.
He now lives and works, rather ironically, in Melbourne, Australia where he draws on a sophisticated knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes to develop his products. This allows him to create surprising forms that are also very manufacturable. Believing strongly in the importance of the designer/manufacturer relationship, he enjoys close collaboration with manufacturers and their skilled workers, which allows him to develop his designs for the market.
