Although furniture is subject to the vagaries of fashion, some designs endure, proving popular for anything upwards of a decade. In this series, Furniture News investigates what characteristics these ‘modern classics’ have in common, exploring their history, concept and evolution to identify how they deliver long-lasting commercial success. This instalment looks at a solid contemporary oak range which has remained a bestseller for Habitat for two decades, and shows no sign of bowing out …
Simon Pengelly designed Radius back in the summer of 1998 whilst freelancing for Habitat. Following a brief by Habitat’s creative director Tom Dixon to design a furniture range with broad appeal, Simon agreed to develop “something RTA in solid wood that could not be mistaken for a veneer”.
Two decades after its inception, Radius remains one of Habitat’s bestselling ranges. Indeed, Simon is working on new additions to the collection as we speak, and these are slated for release this summer.
Conception
"Habitat did some nice furniture at the time, but far too often the obviousness of things being flat-packed and veneered was far too prevalent," says Simon.
"Radius was a deliberate attempt to create a design that was quiet but had traditional references – something simple and understated, but imbued with Arts and Crafts references, very contemporary, and pragmatic.
"It had to appeal to everyone. That sounds trite, but the scene back then was full of designers working in London, and only seeing London stores. We all had our own take on contemporary furniture, but it needed to be far more general than that, and appeal to people with traditional tastes, too. I just started sketching away, trying to create something that expressed the production methods behind it, as well as the nature of the materials.
"There is an honesty about it. I haven’t tried to disguise the joints. It has a machined aesthetic that gives an idea of the way it is made, yet is imbued with a sense of craft and detail.
"Bridle joints run through the range – these have been around for millennia. These had to be softened with curves – which is where the ‘radius’ joint came from.
Materials
"More than any other timber – especially for Europeans – oak has a sense of longevity. You think of it as very hard, weighty and durable, like those old ships that have been under water for hundreds of years and still come out intact. Oak will go with anything, and everyone loves it.
"Beech had been used to death, so had cherry and ash, and oak was on the ascendant at the time. It also lends itself to timeless designs – it’s not a wood that’s associated with a specific period of time.
"The obvious problem at the outset was where to manufacture Radius to hit the price point Habitat wanted. Unfortunately, it was never going to be in the UK – even back in my early days, that was too expensive.
"It was decided that it would be manufactured in various factories in Croatia and Slovenia, using oak from that region. Oak from the Balkans is exceptionally good – they have cold winters, so it’s tough and fairly consistent. There is a lot of hand-crafting skill over there, and it’s nice to integrate that.
"It was also very important that the finish looked natural – not lacquered, polished, or sanded to within an inch of its life. The finish is so natural, like a Scandinavian soap finish, it’s almost as if it isn’t there. This is thanks to a waterborne lacquer with UV content to stop it yellowing.
Construction
"Radius was an antidote to all the square-edged veneered panel furniture that was coming in at the time – but to make it affordable it had to be flat -packed for shipping and warehousing. There was a very conscious effort to make it ready to assemble without looking like it was flat-pack – and I think that comes across with the leg assemblies, and how simple it is to put together.
"Radius’ joint means the shoulder is offset inwards, and is incredibly strong, as there is lots of gluing area. There is no need to brace the legs at the bottom.
"The range comprises tables, benches, chests of drawers, chair, wardrobes, a dressing table, AV unit, plus coffee, lamp and hall tables. There were 15 to 18 pieces originally. These were whittled down over the years, but some of them have come/are coming back. I’m currently working on a longer sideboard, dressing table, an extending dining table, and I’m bringing back a coffee table in new proportions.
Evolution
"It struck a chord straight away. It became Habitat’s bestseller very quickly, and has stayed up there ever since. None of us knew how successful it was going to be. It was a case of right time, right place – it also sold very well in France.
"We worked very hard on the proportions to hit the sweet spot. Some of those may have changed over the years, but the range as a whole is still pretty much as it was laid out in the original drawings.
Success
"When I received an email from Habitat last year, I thought they’d be telling me that Radius was being discontinued – but they wanted me to add to it. It was one of those designs that just worked and came together easily. It’s still selling very well after 20 years, and that’s very gratifying.
"I think there’s a number of reasons for its continued success. Firstly, it’s flexible – Radius will go with any sort of furniture, from antiques to contemporary plastic chairs.
"It doesn’t really date. A lot of ranges come and go within three to five years, but Radius wasn’t aimed at any current fad or fashion. Furniture designed for the modern day is either dull and uninspiring or has too much personality, and people get fed up with it.
"It’s not targeted towards any particular customer group. It has a timelessness about it – which was deliberate. It just gets better over time with that patina of use. It’s like a blank canvas. And it has always felt like great value for money.
"The materials, and the way they go together, do the heavy lifting. It’s a functional vehicle that speaks volumes about the way it’s made, and isn’t ever trying to be the main protagonist in the space it’s in.
"I think it still represents Habitat in a very positive way. As well as my father, who was a furniture designer at ercol, what Terence Conran did in the early days was a huge inspiration for me. I used to go to the Wallingford store near Oxford – it was a futuristic, inspirational place to be. Radius is the best thing I’ve created for Habitat, and I’m proud that it’s reflected the values of Terence Conran for the last 20 years," Simon concludes.
