Australian designer Rachel Donath puts beauty into function.

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Viewing the world (in part) through a wavy lens, her spirited yet elegant line of chairs, stools, and, in particular, her charming Wave Fire Screen, have found favor with Experts including Sarah Sherman Samuel, Steve Cordony, and Moore House Design—just to name a few.

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Rachel, a lifelong furniture collector with a discerning eye, established her eponymous studio in 2020 and has quickly become known for unexpected pairings of form, tone, and texture inspired by great 20th-century European designers like Jean Royère. By collaborating with specialist makers, she is able to bring her distinctive designs to life—which is good news for all our homes. Now available to shop on Showroom, she explains how she makes it all happen.

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My backstory

I’ve long collected antiques for myself, and so extending the sourcing and selling element to a wider audience was a natural evolution of doing what I love, but on a bigger scale. The product ‘drops’ I would curate garnered a fabulous response, and the brand grew quickly.

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About six months in, the opportunity came up to produce my own line, which started with works inspired by iconic, mid-century designers. Following this initial collection I have moved onto my own concepts and I continue to let that evolve into new categories as the business grows.

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My design philosophy

I have forever loved art—particularly sculpture—and view furniture through a similar lens. I want to create timeless pieces that are not influenced by trends, but rather designed for their sculptural qualities and artistic merit.

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As a brand, I value people and the planet; it’s incredibly important to me that everything we do is done with kindness, and this extends to how we treat our fabricator partners and show consideration for the environment in our material selections and manufacturing processes.

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Where I find inspiration

I am influenced by older homes which boast beautiful architectural details—there is such exquisite craftsmanship to be found across doors, cornices, and millwork. Gardens inspire me too through their imperfections, their mix of color and texture, and also on a deeper level, around the inherent beauty of nature and the outdoors.

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The architectural era I can’t get enough of

The older the better: mud huts from the early 1800s can spark something as much as an Italian castle built a century later can. When you have an eye for interesting shapes and patterns, and the harmony of unusual material mixes, inspiration can be found almost anywhere.

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What makes our products unique

I’m incredibly proud of the fact that we work with artisans who are masters of their craft to create our pieces. This means that we collaborate with lots of different makers, and that every single piece is the result of an exploration around the nature of the components, techniques we might never have thought of, and better ways of doing things.

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This is the magic of working with skilled craftspeople, and is something I am very proud to support. It also means that the quality of each individual piece is second to none, and we have the peace of mind in knowing that every item has been lovingly made by hand.

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We look globally for the best materials and workmanship. While some of our lamps and stone pieces are made in Melbourne, Australia, our timber pieces are made of recycled wood from Indonesia. Our stone comes from Italian quarries, our metal work is done between Australia and the USA.

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The material combos I’m loving right now

I love burl and stone; rush and oak; stainless steel and… anything! Timber on timber—I love it all!

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What I love about Showroom

I love the thrill of bringing something new to the market—it’s nerve-wracking, because while I see the design value in it, you’re never quite sure if others will see it through the same lens. I love to push boundaries and come up with ideas that no one has seen before but that make perfect sense. It’s really about going beyond cookie cutter and embracing personality, individuality, finding one’s own inherent style and taste.

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The one place in the world that represents my brand

My home. In all of the world, it’s my favorite place. I was lucky enough to do a full renovation in 2022, which I led and was involved in every finish, knob, and bracket. My home is minimalistic, calm, filled with carefully curated artworks and furniture pieces that excite me and make me happy. I don't look to others for approval when it comes to designing my own home, it’s my own castle, for my own viewing (and living) pleasure!

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My biggest “pinch me” moment

There have been so many! I think the most meaningful come from individuals who have followed the brand from very early on and have seen the ups and downs and know where we are today. To have built such a loyal following of like-minded humans who want to support my little business blows me away, and makes me feel incredibly humbled and in awe all at once.

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What’s next

So much—we’re constantly trying to push boundaries and develop new products that align with our design philosophy. Watch this space!

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