Graham. Brian Graham. He may not be an International Man of Mystery (oh, but he just might), but he is verifiably a talented furniture designer and seasoned interior designer (we’ll get to that), Principal of Graham Design LLC in San Fran (which he claims that he is running as a non-profit organization… unintentionally, of course), California boy (he hails from the City of Angels), irrepressible and irreverent cut-up (he made us promise not to print certain excerpts) and all around great guy (he agreed to talk to us, didn’t he?). In fact, he was so generous with his very limited free time that we need to break this extra meaty interview down into two small plates instead of one big entrée so that it will be easier to digest via this automat that is the Web. So read on and find out how a so-so student transformed himself into a sought-after someone.

You have mentioned before that you were not a stellar student when you were growing up. When and how did you realize that you could develop your creativity into a career?

Well, you’re right, I wasn’t the greatest student…usually B-/C+…unless it was an art course…often I’d turn in a paper where the schoolwork was pretty weak, but full of sketches and doodles in the margins. So, when I was 14 my grandfather took me up to Art Center in Pasadena to tour the new building designed by Craig Ellwood and to see the Student Show in the gallery.

And there, for the first time, I saw how these design students would take their sketches and doodles and actually create something. And that was it…as soon as I saw that direct connection between the action and the result I knew that I wanted to do something like that. Of course, I first thought about Architecture, but I was pretty weak at math, so the next best thing was Interior Design, and I found that Cal State Long Beach had a degree program in Interior Architectural Design…so off I went to earn my BFA.

After you graduated from design school, you went to work for Gensler in Los Angeles and then in San Francisco. What kinds of projects did you work on and what on-the-job skills did you develop during your 8 years with them?

I did what most recent graduates do when they get their first job…which was anything they told me to do. The reason I was hired was because I could draw, specifically design sketching, which was my strongest asset coming out of school. And Gensler was, and still is like a graduate program; I was exposed to different projects, different approaches, all kinds of things, I mean it really opened my eyes.

I got to work on everything: Law Firms, Financial Institutions, Exhibits, Stores, Showrooms, you name it. And what was really great was that there was so much work at the time that things moved really quickly, and you could see the results of your efforts built out in six months or a year’s time.

What I learned at Gensler was: how to work with people, how to be a professional, how much I didn’t know, and how much I needed to learn.

And that last one about how much I didn’t know was the real eye opener, because when you get out school it’s human nature to think that you know everything, but you really don’t…at least that’s been my experience.

I thought I had great ideas, but I learned that without the knowledge and experience required to execute them properly, they would never reach their full potential, and nor would I. So as soon as that light bulb came on for me I really started to learn and grow as a professional.

How did you transition from interior design to furniture design, and what led you to start Graham Design LLC in 1999?

My interest in furniture design came through my experience as an interior designer, where if I would create one-off furniture when I couldn’t find what I wanted in the marketplace. From there it grew into a full-time practice, so much so that at the end of 1999 I broke off to concentrate solely on furniture and product design.

How would you describe your design aesthetic and what inspires it?

I am a modernist and a pragmatic one at that…I think the late Charles Gwathmey had the best term for it, “re-enriched modernism”, which to me involves modern design principals developed in concert with the human condition.

Which manufacturers have you collaborated with and what kinds of pieces have you collaborated on?

• I’ve developed wood casegoods collections for Baker, Decca, Halcon, Geiger, Knoll and Dfm.
• I’ve designed upholstered seating for Bernhardt, Cumberland and Martin Brattrud.
• I’ve designed guest seating for Falcon, Geiger, Halcon and Martin Brattrud.
• I’ve designed conference furniture for Geiger, Metropolitan (in collaboration with Gensler) and Decca.
• I’ve designed training room furniture for Howe (in collaboration with Brian Kane and Mark Kapka).
• I’ve designed a residential collection of furniture for Bolier called Live+Work+Play.
• I’ve designed lighting for Baldinger and desk accessories for Geiger.
• I’ve designed showrooms and/or booths for Decca, Howe and Martin Brattrud.

Stay Tuned
Next month Brian will give us a little insight into what a typical day is like for him, as well as the multi-step process he goes through from manufacturer collaboration, conceptualization and design to creation, production and distribution into the marketplace. Oh, and he’ll also reveal which Halloween candy he stole out of trick-or-treaters’ bags. (We told you he was irreverent.)