About So Watt

Designers who challenge the ordinary.
We are the Modern Maker.

 

Founded in 2015, So Watt is a boutique design and manufacturing studio in Marrickville, Sydney, on a mission to make sustainable, Australian-made furniture and joinery more accessible.

Founders Jonathan and Sophie Biet saw a growing appetite for locally made, conscious furniture, yet few opportunities to shop consciously. So Watt bridges the gap between designer and maker, bringing every skill under one roof so clients can help shape pieces built to last, and support local industry along the way.

So Watt is owned and led by Jonathan and Sophie Biet, both qualified industrial designers with international experience who believe great furniture shouldn't mean chasing trends or paying bespoke prices.

 

 

Material Philosophy

We design with honest materials, a refined process, and a constant focus on minimising waste, for simplicity of form and clarity of function. Every piece is made to order in our Marrickville workshop, so we design with its full life in mind. We don't make fast furniture or chase trends; when something is purpose-made, it's treasured for longer. Rather than force materials into shapes they aren't suited to, we follow their natural logic and work primarily with sheet materials to reduce waste and hold accuracy.

Custom Furniture, Made Accessible

Beautiful custom furniture usually means an expensive bespoke commission. We think there's a better way. Our designs are conceived as building blocks: start with a piece from our collection, then make it yours through our modification service. Because we build to order, we can fine-tune dimensions, materials, and finishes, drawing on years of practised craft to help you land on the ideal piece. It's custom design, made accessible.

Materials Made for Life

We only work with healthy materials from suppliers we trust, a reliable network that lets us offer consistent quality every time. We never use MDF; it's harmful to work with and has no place in a healthy workshop. Everything is FSC-certified and finished in low-VOC, water-based finishes, so our furniture is among the healthiest available, and still affordable. At the core of our range is birch plywood: strong, dependable, and responsibly sourced, with clean edges and flowing grain that suits homes and commercial spaces alike. For harder-working surfaces we add Laminex and Fenix laminates, metal-on-ply finishes in brass, copper and zinc, and locally made recycled-plastic panels. For us, sustainability isn't a label, it's part of the process: honest furniture, inside and out

Jonathan Biet

Director • Lead Designer

Jono leads the efficient micro-manufacturing and lean practices in our workshop. His Industrial Design degree from UNSW drives a keen interest in machinery and detailed parts design.

Sophie Biet

Co-Owner • Designer

Sophie shapes each project from brief to build. With an Industrial Design degree from RMIT and a background in commercial project management, she brings creativity and a disciplined plan so budgets and deadlines are always met.

Our Team

Sophie Bain

Sophie loves a brainstorming session. From problem-solving and unpacking unique client project requirements to suggesting exciting and unusual materials and manufacturing techniques, Sophie helps establish the basis for your project and outlines the requirements for the workshop team. During the course of your project or custom build, you can always reach out to Sophie for updates or thought bubbles.

With a degree in Industrial Design and a background in commercial project management, Sophie approaches all projects with creativity and a strict plan to ensure budget and deadline are always met.

Jonathan Biet

Jonathan is known as the MacGyver of all trades. If there is a need for a special piece of hardware or unusual manufacture method, Jono will find it. Always able to think outside the box to make sure a project is being done the best possible way, Jono will unpack a project to its core and scrutinise every element until it is being done as perfectly and efficiently as possible.

Jonathan’s degree in Industrial Design led him down the manufacturing trail and he brings clients plenty of hands-on experience in all forms of making.