Hammer & Nail: Making and assembling furniture designs inspired by Enzo Mari

This book is a tribute to the simple ideas of radical Italian designer Enzo Mari, who challenged the consumerism of the furniture industry. It offers step-by-step DIY projects for hand-built, beautiful furniture, with easy-to-follow instructions and diagrams. The projects include a sheep chair, tilting shaker chair, pistol/windsor chair, garden chair, arts & crafts chair, ski chair, mirror stool, stackable stool, beer table, kitchen bench, park bench, sofa, top and tail bed, dining table, worktable, cabinet, gun kessles shelf, and giraffe lamp.

Format: Hardback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 17 March 2022
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Inspired by the radical Italian designer Enzo Mari, this practical book offers step-by-step DIY projects for hand-built, beautiful furniture. It pays tribute to Mari's simple ideas that challenged the consumerism of the furniture industry. While some interpreted Mari's book, "Autoprogettazione?" as a manifesto of nostalgic longing for a pre-capitalist society where people built what they needed themselves, Mari's goal was not to discourage consumption. Instead, he aimed to encourage people to consider the more fundamental aspects of the objects we surround ourselves with and what makes a piece of furniture beautiful, comfortable, and functional.

Erik Eje Almqvist, drawing inspiration from Mari and his book, delves into the practical aspects of the "Autoprogettazione?" theory. He presents simple designs for handbuilt, beautiful furniture, using only a hammer, nails, and boards cut to standard dimensions. In his book, "Hammer & Nail," Almqvist explores a few techniques but provides the reader with the skills and inspiration for creating furniture throughout their life. With easy-to-follow instructions and diagrams, the book covers basic methods for making furniture joints, as well as tips on avoiding cracking boards, making clean cuts with a saw, and applying surface treatments.

The projects featured in "Hammer & Nail" range from practical pieces like a sheep chair, tilting shaker chair, pinstol/windsor chair, garden chair, arts & crafts chair, ski chair, mirror stool, stackable stool, beer table, kitchen bench, park bench, sofa, top and tail bed, dining table, worktable, cabinet, gun kessles shelf, and giraffe lamp to more decorative items like a beer table, kitchen bench, park bench, sofa, top and tail bed, dining table, worktable, cabinet, gun kessles shelf, and giraffe lamp. Each project is accompanied by detailed instructions and diagrams, making it accessible to woodworkers of all skill levels.

By following the step-by-step guidance in "Hammer & Nail," readers can create their own beautiful and functional furniture pieces, embracing the essence of Enzo Mari's simple yet profound ideas about design and craftsmanship. Whether you are a seasoned woodworker or a beginner looking to explore your creative side, this book is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to create furniture that is both aesthetically pleasing and practical.

Weight: 808g
Dimension: 202 x 267 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781911663904