Our Designs

“If I had to link our furniture to any one tradition, it would be that of the skilled American nineteenth-century rural cabinetmakers – including the Shakers – whose designs were rooted in utility, economy, and proportion, and who used the wood at hand.”
– Tom Moser

Thos. Moser designs are not cutting-edge statements of current fashion, but rather a synthesis of what has been given to us by craftsmen and designers of the past. They are timeless and, unlike style or fashion, have relevance across cultures and centuries.

In designing our furniture, we are committed to simplicity in form – to achieve grace through proportion and simplicity, rather than embellishment. As such, we strive to create forms that are pleasing in themselves; forms that serve human needs and aesthetics predicated on function.

The ornamentation in our work derives from the exposed architecture of the furniture and the translucent richness of the wood itself. The handwork of each craftsman is revealed in visible joinery – whether this is a dovetail joint on a case piece or the wedged tenon of a chair spindle – ornamentation in our designs is derived from function.

While craftsmanship of a piece of Thos. Moser furniture is complete when the ink dries on the maker’s signature, the unparalleled beauty of the wood continues to evolve. We embrace this natural process in our designs, anticipating the gradual deepening of wood’s color over time, adding a richness and complexity that makes each piece unique.

As designers and craftspeople, we continue to evolve our aesthetic, while remaining true to the ideals that Tom Moser himself established in the beginning. Our advanced technology and machining capabilities have elevated what is possible in the craft. Several of our designs aim to embrace these capabilities, creating parts and forms otherwise difficult and insufficient to create.

The intention of our contemporary designs is to embody and magnify all things Thos. Moser; a dedication to functionally driven objects, formal simplicity, the characteristic elimination of ornament, use and celebration of traditional materials and woodworking techniques – all with an emphasis on craftsmanship.

It is through simplicity of form and attention to detail and proportion that we achieve a well-designed piece. A piece from which nothing can be taken and to which nothing can be added.