This fantastic little desk is the result of a collaboration between cabinetmaker Karolina Stenfelt and Kristoffer Fagerström of Note Design Studio.

Karolina gave Kristoffer a free hand to work with her in designing her journeyman project at the Carl Malmsten School of Furniture in Stockholm - giving him the brief to 'design a desk that didn't reveal everything at first glance and would stand out in a discreet way.'

So, Kristoffer designed an architect's 'black box' that combines the old analogue approach of built-in rulers, hidden magnets, sketchpaper rolls with new needs like USB hubs and power outlets.

Both designers agreed that using Swedish pine would be a good material to work with, but with a difference; since Kristoffer developed the idea of using charred wood as a surface finish.

"Pine is a rather soft material and the charring was hopefully going to give the wood a hardened surface." says Kristoffer, but with no actual approved technique for charring pine veneer and in particular, no approved technique to create the intricate intarsia pattern that covers the desk, Karolina had to put her cabinetmaker's skills to work in experimenting with burning veneer.

Contrast was the keyword through the project. Pine is a versatile material and Kristoffer wanted the desk to express pine from its very best side to its very 'worst'. 

We think the final thing is a rather lovely marriage: the exterior is covered with an experimental burned veneer in a fishbone pattern, and when you open the desk the inside is covered with the finest selection of golden pine in the same pattern.

Kristoffer designed a tar-burned steel frame to carry the black box, and custom-made brass fittings as locks, rulers and hinges gleam against the sooted surface, referring to the fire used for burning the veneer. 

The desk is currently on show at the Carl Malmsten School's Spring Exhibition in Stockholm, although Karolina and Note Design studio are also investigating the possibility of developing a limited edition series of the desk following this...

Photography Mattias Nero and Karolina Stenfelt.