Talking Collectible Design w/ Tim Vranken
When knowhow, craftsmanship, passion and furniture design meet art, it’s called: Collectible Design. Tim Vranken is a Belgian furniture designer, craftsman and, yes, artist whose designs are displayed in high-end art galleries all over the world.
His designs are solid, handmade and meticulously creative. "My work is pure passion," Tim says, "something with which I am, as it were, possessed. Expressing this passion to create is an absolute must; I couldn’t live any other way.“
His designs are solid, handmade and meticulously creative. "My work is pure passion," Tim says, "something with which I am, as it were, possessed. Expressing this passion to create is an absolute must; I couldn’t live any other way.“
Tim Vranken - Collectible Designer & Craftsman
I always look for new and different methods of creating. I never choose the easiest way. If you enjoy the challenging yourself and your craft, then our niche is a lot of fun!
It wasn’t a quick and easy road to get to where Tim is today. Creating about 70 high-end pieces of furniture a year for international art galleries and collectors came about with consistency and persistence. “I graduated as a furniture designer in 2013 and started my own business, but continued working as a carpenter. I started designing some made-to-measure furniture pieces and my own collections. In 2015 I made my first collection of collectible design, but it was only five years later, in 2020, that I managed to concentrate fulltime on my collectible designs”.
“I move towards challenges”, Tim shares, “I’m always looking for new and different methods of working, designing, creating. I never choose the easiest way. If you enjoy the challenge of pushing yourself and your craft, then I think our niche is a lot of fun!”.
“Together with my small team of craftsmen, I make very complex furniture that requires specific knowhow and skill. We always push ourselves to do and discover more, to find new ways to process old techniques.”
Nave Collection - Tim Vranken
I love turning to old and forgotten things and techniques, reusing them, it offers endless knowledge and potential
“I’m constantly looking to gather more knowledge, knowledge from many different angles, to use in my designs and create entirely new things”, Tim can’t hide his passion.
“I love experimenting and keeping my mind open to entirely new worlds. I recently took a cooper course, I learned to make and repair wooden barrels, often used for storing wine, out of high-quality oak wood. This seemingly has little to do with collectible design, but I learned that the techniques cooper craftsmen use have things that I can apply, in my own way, on a small scale as well”.
“I love experimenting and keeping my mind open to entirely new worlds. I recently took a cooper course, I learned to make and repair wooden barrels, often used for storing wine, out of high-quality oak wood. This seemingly has little to do with collectible design, but I learned that the techniques cooper craftsmen use have things that I can apply, in my own way, on a small scale as well”.
In his growth and evolution as a designer Tim continuously questions: what do I want to make? What do I want to represent as a designer? “The answers to these questions form the parameters I’ve put out for my work and myself as a creator. A framework within which I craft”. Honest words from a passionate craftsman, designer and artist.