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Innovative design with Tom Fereday
In 2018, award-winning Australian designer Tom Fereday collaborated with King to create the award-winning Eto Desk. At the time, Tom could hardly have envisioned just how relevant his design would become. In today’s world, where working from home is the new normal, the Eto Desk delivers the ultimate working from home setup.
“Developing a desk with integrated wireless charging and lighting was an exciting prospect… I am proud to have created a product that genuinely responds to people's current need to work from home, certainly something that has dramatically increased over the last two years.” – Tom Fereday.
Redefining the home office
King charged Tom with the challenge of creating a desk that would redefine the home office. The brief for Eto called for integrating new functions and technology that would be relevant to today's user and push the boundaries of what furniture can do.
For Tom, the brief laid the ground for a rewarding collaboration with the scope to create a truly enduring and robust design. As Tom explains, “collaborations can push both designers and brands to create products that independently they might never achieve.”
Technology integration was a driving factor in the Eto brief. However, there were other major considerations. As with all King designs, sustainability was at the forefront of the process. To maximise the use of common components, the ETO desk was conceived as a wider collection that includes dining tables and where all components can be easily replaced if required, therefore extending the lifespan of the piece.
The Eto desk integrates power, wireless charging and lighting, removing the unnecessary clutter of objects and cables normally associated with desks.
Home office innovation
The award-winning Eto desk brings true innovation to the home office. Eto is the first desk in the world to offer integrated power with interchangeable lighting and charging accessories.
For Tom, sharing knowledge and working with King on the most effective way to bring technology into design was an exciting opportunity.
“One thing struck me most when we first met with King was the brand’s advanced use of technology in furniture,” says Tom. “We felt that if we could leverage King know-how in this area, we could genuinely create a meaningful collaboration.”
Technology in design
A concealed drawer unit provides storage for desk items such as laptops & stationary.
Integrating technology into furniture design is a delicate balance that must consider form, function and longevity.
Tom achieved this balance with the Eto desk by staying true to his values, “I believe in both aesthetic and functional longevity,” says Tom. “At the core of this was our universal adaptor series paired with a quiet and yet refined aesthetic.”
Bringing the universal adaptor into the Eto design ensured the desk would not be rendered obsolete by ever-changing technology, as Tom explains;
“Using the universal adaptor to house the lighting and charging devices was logical as it allowed for personal customisation and future-proofed the design for technological improvements.”
Honest design
Tom Fereday established his Sydney based, multi-disciplinary design studio in 2012 after working extensively across Australia and Europe.
Built on the principle of honest design, Tom's work celebrates the materials and manufacture behind furniture and objects.
“I am fascinated by the tension that lies between natural materials and contemporary design and manufacturing, originating from an intrinsic inquiry into the role of objects today,” says Tom. “For me, innovative designs look both forward and back with the goal of creating a timeless design that is contemporary and yet familiar at the same time.”
Tom’s approach is a perfect fit with King. Since 1977, King has set the benchmark for innovative Australian furniture. Driven by an unwavering commitment to timeless design, every King design is built to last a lifetime.
