Uhuru

June 19 2007
Dan Steckenberg

Most of the buzz surrounding Uhuru, a furniture design shop based in Red Hook, Brooklyn has focused on its commitment to making environmentally sustainable designs — something that has, of late, moved beyond a trend to a absolute necessity for many a designer and consumer. True to form, in their most recent collection (appearing at both BKLYN Designs and ICFF this year), Uhuru frequently make use of pine wood reclaimed from demolished New York City buildings, old bicycle rims, recycled steel, and other such attractive waste. All the furniture is assembled in their own studio in Brooklyn or in other local workshops. But what might be left out in the appropriately congratulatory assessments of Uhuru’s eco-friendliness, is the other side of their designs — their attractiveness. Featuring clean lines and simple functionality, items like the Stoolen (pictured) and the Fenced in Table demonstrate that Uhuru isn’t just about politics or idealism, it’s about aesthetics as well. With increasing press coverage and interior design contracts — including one for Bar Martignetti on Broome Street in Manhattan, Uhuru might just make its way into your living room before you know it.