Culture Cush
Image: Culture Cush
Welcoming Reioni from Culture Cush in our latest TGD Friends Q+A!
hello! welcome to the TGD friends series! can you tell us what it is you create?
I make modular lounges with a focus on comfort, durability and the use of low-tox materials. I work from my studio on Awabakal land in Newcastle, NSW.
how would you describe your style?
Culture Cush is a nod to the past and heavily influenced by conversation pits and modernist furniture and spaces. My personal home style is ever evolving and I feel like it’s a real mix of mid-century, 80’s roadside finds and a couple of older antiques… it sounds like a mess but fitting inside a neatly wrapped “style” isn’t much for me. I just like what I like!
Image: Culture Cush
share with us a bit about your journey and how you got started.
Furniture and upholstery was a trade that combined my love of textiles, repurposing vintage and creating with my hands. After studying I moved to Newcastle and started my business Upholstrei where I’d bring old furniture back to life. For a few years I’d been on the hunt for a vintage lounge to recover for my home but my search always landed flat. I either couldn’t find the right configuration for my lounge room or the furniture wasn’t worth investing thousands of dollars in new foam and fabric. Culture Cush started as a fun side project and lounge for my own home but then I realised it had legs as a brand when I got my first order, 3 month before we launched.
what’s one of your favourite moments in your creative career so far?
It was a dream of mine to start a furniture brand and I’m pretty proud of myself for actually getting the ideas out of my head, funding a prototype and then creating a tangible, functional piece of furniture that gets used (and abused) everyday by my family.
Image: Culture Cush
who are the designers/creatives inspiring you right now?
It’s hard to narrow down! I appreciate so many creatives now that I know what goes into it. I really adore the work of Amy Vidler, a fibreglass artist who designs and make lighting, furniture and objects.
describe to us your perfect day.
A day that involves a strong coffee, diving under a wave and having an hour or two to myself sounds extremely luxurious!
Thank you so much for joining us!
Check out the durable, vintage inspired furniture by Culture Cush here.
All images courtesy of Culture Cush.