Nothing completes a Mid Century Modern space quite like the element of texture. Submaterial knows this well. As a design studio that produces everything from wall art to room dividers to artful curiosities that are often also functional, Submaterial has been specializing in artful texture for almost two decades.
The company was founded by David Hamlin in 2006 in Seattle. David was a natural creative with stints in lighting design (he did shop windows for Nordstrom) and magazine cover illustration. “[My early years in Seattle] were a great period of exploration. I used to buy pieces of vintage furniture and disassemble them in the middle of my studio apartment – I’m sure my neighbors hated me – but I needed to figure out how things were built because I didn’t have any practical application or education in furniture or design at that point,” David said in an interview published on Submaterial’s website. “I started dissecting the world and figuring out how things came together, what people used to join different materials.”
Trained as a fine artist, he also had a nagging entrepreneurial side, always exploring business ideas informed by his creative pursuits. After working for various companies and gaining business acumen with each one, he launched Submaterial. “The point of the business, originally, was that I was going to create design modules that designers could expand upon and use to incorporate designs into their own projects,” he explains. Submaterial developed in the service of architects, looking for interesting pieces to put into lobbies of buildings, connecting the studio to the architecture and interior design community in Seattle and soon beyond.
Turns out the demand for customizable modular artful elements that David created was strong and came not only from the design community but from homeowners looking to infuse their homes with beautiful objects that served as both art and a reflection of their personal style.
Today, the headquarters of Submaterial is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and employs 30 people, including fabricators, designers, salespeople, marketers, and more. The fabrication team is made up of skilled artisans who carefully and thoughtfully create wall art, mirrors, room dividers, wood and felt wall coverings, and decorative objects by hand. From small residential panels to large-scale commercial installations, Submaterial’s designs are pared down to essential elements of material, pattern, and function. In their simplicity and beauty, these works explore the territory between objects of art and objects of design.
A Material Muse
The creative origins of Submaterial was born out of a love of the texture, colorfastness and durability of felt. The company’s product line development combined a love for this material and inspiration drawn from the modernist exterior architectural features seen all throughout Seattle’s buildings. Submaterial’s works were an exploration of these lines and shapes in the form of wall coverings and as the line grew, the studio’s designers were also culling inspiration from nature and the built-environment of the entire urban landscape. “Over the years, with the addition of new design staff, a desire to work with different materials, and a goal to expand to other functions (mirrors, room dividers, etc.), new products took inspiration from early patterning while also working with brand new linework, which also continues to inspire, and so on and so on,” says designer Damián Garduño. “Our current design team is constantly inspired by the design heritage of Submaterial. We love to riff on the pattern work David has developed throughout his career. A great example is how we adapted the floral petal shapes from the Divvy Lyric Screen and the trapezoidal form of the Divvy Steno Screen module, then reinterpreted them in the Lyric Flat and Steno Flat wall art pieces. We create consistent design threads and familiar touchstones by borrowing these geometries and adapting them across product categories. This means that if someone loves a pattern on a wall panel, they can find a version of it in a room divider or wall covering.”
The Mid-Century Fit
Submaterial has found an adoring audience with Mid-sCentury Modern design loving fans. Their works can be found in modernist homes from their original homebase of the Pacific Northwest to the mod desert darlings of sunny Palm Springs to other postwar gems from across the country. Why? Submaterial’s design language echoes the tenets of Mid-Century Modern design: simple clean lines, abstract motifs and expressive color palettes.
“Modularity is the core of everything we design. We’re always thinking about how each product can adapt to different spaces and needs. And because everything we make is handmade, every piece carries care and character with it,” says Damián.
“Submaterial work also blends seamlessly into modernist space because of their form-follows-function approach, their pieces are aesthetically pleasing while also practical. “Like wool felt in wall art pieces, our materials add acoustic dampening to spaces. Our Divvy screens function as space dividers while also creating acoustic separation,” says Owen Scwab, another Submaterial designer. “Our collection of mirrors, those that feature felt framing and those that are fabricated with wood and powder-coated metal, are striking wall pieces as well as reflective surfaces. As designers, we take inspiration from the iconic architecture that has come to define mid-century modernism. I especially love the bold colors and shapes emblematic of the movement. The fun part of our job is abstraction and distilling the MCM design language into a Submaterial piece.”
Made In America
The other thing that makes the company unique is that it is entirely made in the US, and they’re committed to staying that way. “Submaterial is unique and unusual because we’ve committed to large-scale manufacturing and production on a handmade studio model, and it is the people who do the work that make this possible,” David says. “In theory, this work could be done elsewhere, overseas perhaps, but it would be unlikely… for two main reasons. One, Submaterial cares for and wants to enrich its local community, providing safe, healthy, and equitable opportunities to creatives in the community. Second, Submaterial was created in service of designers and architects using a modular design language, meaning customization is hardwired into our production. All products can be customized in size, shape, color, sometime materials, and often layout depending on the space. We love challenges and want to ensure we can meet clients’ needs. This requires flexibility, agility, and an openness to quick changes that would be nearly impossible if the manufacturing took place outside of the US.”
A Submaterial continues to grow, it’s goal will always be to manufacture the highest-quality materials by employing skilled craftspeople who earn a living wage. “We deeply value the time, attention to detail, and imperfect charm inherent in human craftsmanship, says Brigid Harmon, marketing manager for Submaterial. “We aim to offer sustainable, American-made products that can be customized precisely to the client’s needs for their space. For those unable to order a bespoke piece, we are always looking for ways to expand our ready-to-ship offerings at lower price points so that fun, colorful, sustainable pieces are available to a larger design-loving audience.”
Looking for more ways to express your personal style? Here’s some advice for combing two major mod styles.
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