In a world of mass produced and manufactured home goods, Gagan Design, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, ascribes to the motto “the best things in life are still made by hand”. This dedication and commitment to bespoke goods is proven in their carefully designed, and handcrafted, furniture and lighting accents.
A major inspiration for creative director Gagan Singh is the history of Canadian aviation. The pieces in his aviation furniture line incorporate salvaged components of once magnificent aircrafts that are now destined for the scrap yard.
As seen below, The Bomber Chair is a vintage pilot seat that was transformed through new paint and upholstery into a new unique accent piece for the home.
Below, the C45 Cowling Couch is made from C45 Expeditor engine cowlings, and took hundreds of hours to construct.
I think that the funky shape almost makes it look like a vintage piece from the mid-century Space Age!
Bright colors combined with shiny metal are the aesthetic that Gagan Design applies to all their aviation pieces, giving a sense of joy and new life to the salvaged materials.
The other half of Gagan’s collection is made up of a range of floor lamps, wall sconces, and desk and tabletop light fixtures. One of my favourite tabletop luminaires is the whimsical Luna Lamp, which like its name, references the moon with a twelve inch round glass globe that softly glows in the dark. The globe delicately balances on a brass frame, which gives the light fixture the appearance of levitation.
The traditional wall sconce gets a radical update with the Angle Lamp – the punchy red cord makes a statement in contrast to the pale piece of birch wood that anchors the lamp to the wall. The cord can be pulled through and around the base to adjust the hanging length of the light. The unshaded bulb provides maximum illumination for working at a desk, or reading in bed.
As for pendant lighting, the black and gold Aubony Lamp, made of elegant hammered aluminum, is a fixture sure to provide a touch of style to any room. I think this piece would look amazing in a kitchen, or dining room, providing a soft and romantic glow for mealtimes.
One of the advantages of purchasing handmade Canadian goods is the ability to customize a piece. Gagan Design offers different colors, sizes, and materials for certain products – check with them to see if the product that you love can be altered to create something bespoke just for you.
Gagan Design’s products are sold through their website and their Etsy page. If you have a love for aviation or great Canadian design, be sure to browse all of their goods online!
Photos courtesy of Gagan Design.
Researched and Written by Leah Komishon, Faculty of Architecture, Environmental Design, University of Manitoba
