Artisan furniture maker Trent Dean cuts steel leg sleeves that will connect wooden legs to the metal top of an end table he’s making for West Elm LOCAL, a program launched in 2013 that partners the company with independent makers to distribute their work in local stores. Dean crafts the legs with salvaged, locally-sourced walnut from the Sacramento Tree Foundation Urban Wood Rescue program.
“More often than not, someone welds up a metal base and slaps a wood top on it. I wanted to flip that and see if I could do it in reverse,” says Dean, who works from Hacker Lab in Midtown Sacramento. He finishes each piece of furniture with a laser cut signature before sending orders off to West Elm stores in Roseville, Sacramento, Emeryville, Palo Alto and Palm Springs.
A Lodi native but Sacramento resident since 2010, Dean is known locally for his participation in popup events and art shows, such as ArtStreet in 2017. He started designing furniture in 2014 and this is one of five designs he currently sells to West Elm, though he plans to expand his line in 2019. Dean says he is drawn to clean lines, functionality and simplicity.
“Minimal design allows the individual piece to have its own pedestal. That’s how I like to design. I like each piece to stand on its own and not need complimentary features to make it stand out.”