The St. Charles collection by VOLK takes flashes of inspiration from the neon lights and ingrained heritage of its namesake New Orleans street, carefully uniting colorful accents with traditional craftsmanship.
Before starting VOLK, founder Brian Volk-Zimmerman was a musician; as a student, he’d majored in painting at RISD. With creative pursuits always at the forefront of his mind, he’d been drawn to furniture making after helping a bandmate fix up his studio. Tending to wiring quickly turned into fixing up furnishings, and the process became one that started inspiring his own designs.
This side project started in his former boss’ workshop, where he’d build his own furniture after hours and on weekends. Over the next few months, he applied to exhibit at Brooklyn Designs, and later the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, where he made vital contacts as he built VOLK from the ground up.
On finding his design voice, Volk-Zimmerman quotes “mid-century roots, modularity, and simplicity – with details that aren’t simple” as his guiding influences. He’s also an avid fan of textiles, working closely with pattern makers and textile artists to incorporate a fabric story into every collection.
For the St. Charles collection, Volk-Zimmerman worked to deviate from the trend of facets and sharp geometry, using shape as a complement, rather than a feature. The result? Elegant, high quality furniture that’s visually striking and beautifully functional.
Shop VOLK at The General Store by Maker’s Row.
