Santiago Diaz Giral

Miami

FL

33132

As an avid reader I find the perfect place to curl up with a good book to be one that has a comfortable chair to sit on, a side table for my coffee, and good steady lighting to illuminate the pages. All within an arm’s reach. The problem tends to be that a side table that’s small enough to be at arm’s reach from the chair is usually cluttered by a lamp, and my books. So, I have to juggle things around to be able to fit my coffee and book on the table being extra careful not to spill it on the other books, while not pushing the lamp off the table, and making a mess in the living room floor. Therefore, the intention behind this piece, is to design a side table that can safely store books and have proper lighting, while keeping a clean empty surface to place my coffee and book upon. All, to create the perfect reading nook! And that is how Marulk came to be. The inspiration for the piece was the angler fish, or monkfish. Although this creature may be unsightly for most, it is one of nature’s self-sufficient wonders in that it lives in the deepest parts of the ocean, therefore to survive it produces its own light. Keeping in mind the ever-changing market of furniture and how things are shifting towards flatpack shipping, the design naturally developed into planar structural pieces. Two main bodies that could be easily disassembled and packed for shipping, then mounted by the customer to reconstitute the piece. Lastly, looking and the pioneers of flat packed furniture, all the little details sorted themselves out. Marulk (the Swedish word for monkfish) was my first project as a furniture student. It was built out of poplar, and took on a Scandinavian aesthetic finished with Woca wood stains. The white wash finish was applied to work with the natural tone of poplar. Although if fabricated with darker woods, it can be as beautiful and inviting as it’s Nordic counterpart. The lighting fixture was purchased from Color Chords and integrated into the piece. Being my first project, all techniques and materials were new to me, yet I’m pleased to say I was very satisfied with the result. I was limited to the use of poplar as part of the course, although I would like to continue an exploration into different color combinations and finishes. The versatility of design allows for customization in the tones of wood and lighting fixture, as well as the table top (which can be replaced by a marble or stone) making this a very personal piece. Customized by each bookworm to fit their perfect little reading nook.

I am the designer and builder of this object