about — LAURA McCUSKER Furniture Designer and Maker, Studio and Workshop

about.

Dedicated to creating functional pieces from honest materials, Laura has been designing and making furniture for more than 25 years. Founding her business in Sydney, Laura now calls Tasmania home, working from a 110 year old former apple packing shed, with the sound of the New Town Rivulet as her soundtrack.

Her adopted island state provides inspiration for her work, and she strives to make pieces that don’t compete with the natural beauty and peaceful simplicity of her surroundings. Instead she aims to be sympathetic to what’s around and let the timber speak for itself.

Laura has a deep respect for her materials, preferring to use any of the five species under the umbrella term Tasmanian Oak. Sourcing her timber from the family owned McKay’s Timber or Britton’s Timber for specialty materials, she has a great relationship with suppliers and will hand pick through piles to find the right piece for your job.

Laura’s work extends from indoor and outdoor tables and benches to custom joinery and functional art. Laura doesn’t create dining chairs, but can point you in the right direction of beautiful makers who can.

Locally, Laura’s work can be seen at Mona, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and Spring Bay Mill.

praise and press.

“Tasmanian-based Laura McCusker is doing exceptional tables and benches.”

Tyler Brule
Editorial Director, Monocle

“Her works are wonderfully varied - there is no recognisable McCusker style, except in that her pieces betray an evident love and deep knowledge of materials. There are no wasted gestures in her cabinetry, and lovers of timber cannot fail to be moved by her ability to simulate fragility, and to carefully conceal, or subtly and surprisingly express perfect joints.

Above all McCusker is aware of the power of brevity. In a table a single idea is conveyed; when it tries to express more than the idea of a table, it has said too much.”

Robert Stevenson
Australian Design Review

“Laura has made me the most amazing table in the world. No question.”

David Walsh
Founder, Mona

"If only more people could be inspired by woodworking. I admire Laura powerfully!”

Nick Offerman
Philosopher, author, woodworker

“Laura is unendingly busy with extremely cool work, and I’m just so happy for her. ”

Nancy Hiller
Renowned American cabinetmaker and author

“McCusker’s deep respect for timber is clear, and she shares this respect with her clients who increasingly want to know the maker and the provenance of the timber.”

Broadsheet