2020 Product Design Award: Tula Lounge Chair

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Who knew a move to Southern California would transform Riley Rea and Alex Segal, evolving their careers into a compelling furniture design and manufacturing company at Croft House, that would go on to create iconic pieces like the Tula lounge chair?

With its clean lines and strong materials, the chair showcases the brand’s vernacular; the name is derived from the Tularosa Basin in New Mexico and its colors from the desert landscape. “We love the contrast of natural textures,” says Rea of the duo’s designs, which utilize wood and metal, leather and fabric. “Ultimately, the starting point for this design was the material itself.” Here, two pieces of industrial sheet steel are sheared to size, welded and then topped with a hand-stitched and tanned cushion to create something timeless and forward-thinking, ethereal and rugged. “For us, California design is laid-back simplicity and modern comfort, always with a touch of cool,” Segal explains. “We are very proud to be taking advantage of the history of craftsmanship associated with American furniture and modernizing it with a fresh look and the latest technology.”