Project Gallery

Sometimes its the smallest tweaks that makes the perfect piece for our clients. For this long-time client it meant a subtle shrinking of the Otis sideboard to fit their space and storage needs, then a shift from the richer blackbutt ply to the lighter and brighter birch ply paired with white handle plates. Approaching a custom furniture commission by tweaking a piece already in our collection is the easiest way to enjoy the process and have fun making it your own!

This cute little sideboard cabinet is a riff on our standard Otis sideboard. It was reduced in length for a country home in Northern NSW. The natural colouring of the Blackbutt plywood has a radiance that will age softly as the materials settle into their environment. This unit was built with two drawer showing and one hidden drawer on the right hand side.

Pushing the common conceptions of a plywood table into the world of premium boardroom table design was a real joy in this custom commission for a new HQ in Brisbane. Working to the unrivalled strength of ply, we were able to keep the legs of this large table relatively thin with a narrow upright and wide spanning feet. The focal point of the design is the intersection of the dowel foot rail into the ply leg, which is done with a ‘living clamp’ pinch point often used in traditional hardwood furniture design. The oak dowl beam slots into a specially designed cut-out int the ply leg, which is then tightened with flush mount bolts. This is paired with a double thickness ply top with radiused bottom edge and flush mounted lid to access integrated cable trays The table top finish is the high-performance Fenix NTM Laminate.

Understanding the definition between joinery and loose furniture can be a tricky one, especially when we are commissioned to create a large storage piece to ship interstate. Our built-in joinery projects are assembled in situ and fixed permanently to the space which means it's both safe and fits exactly between walls. Becuase of this we can only do joinery projects within driving distance of our Marrickville workshop. This interstate project based on our Florence Wardrobe only came to life because of our amazing shipping partners Pedemonts, who carefully transported this unit in 4 parts. A handyman organise by the client expertly pieced it back together following our instructions, then secured it back to the wall to ensure it was safe. All in all an impressive collaboration!

Designed in collaboration with Greenbox Architecture, this custom credenza was a favourite collaboration of ours and resulted in the launch of our Riley Drawer Unit.

A sleek set of pedestals were the finishing touch for a law firm in Sydney CBD. Another design that is created from our Loft collection, with the mitred construction and shark-nose edge on full show, helping to break up the sleek black birch ply surface with shadow lines making a dynamic form. Custom folded brass handles are recessed into the top and bottom edges of the deep file drawer and shallower stationery drawer. The pedestal design is completed with black stained oak dowel legs.

This custom commission is a great example of the compatibility of our material collection across all our designed pieces. Our client was looking for a special 'forever desk' and loved the sturdy practicality of our Rover Home Desk. Typically made in birch ply with a Fenix laminate work surface, this piece was instead commissioned in full Spotted Gum ply construction, a unique and tactile type of ply which further defined the language of heirloom design intended here. The little pedestal side table made in matching spotted gum ply with white painted birch ply door is the perfect accompaniment yet still flexible for use elsewhere in the home.

Commissioned by a private interstate client, this collection of storage cabinets was designed for an open plan home where flexible furniture was critical in making the space useable. All the cabinets are identical depth, with the lower cabinets matching in height that can double as seating. Constructed with mitres but no shark-nose edge in this case, the flat exposed ply edges can sit against each other. The exposed ply edges are in such crisp contrast to the black thanks to a laminate face finish. Lockable castors keep everything in place when being used.

The second of three large cabinets shipped interstate for our lovely client, this one split into two cabinets and a serpate base to ensure it made the journey safely. Once it arrived, the pieces came seamlessly together again before being fixed back to the wall. The installed piece closely resembles our Florence Wardrobe without the fragile mitred corners to allow for the modular construction. While in seperate rooms of the house, there's a consistent design language across all three cabinets, with finishes in Cognac (SP16) and Sage (SP04) complimenting each other beautifully.

This little cabinet was voted favourite commission of the year by our design team, thanks to the bold but entirely lovable material and colour pallet selected by our client. This project began with our Floyd vinyl storage cabinet, with the dimensions adjusted to suit the nook in its new home. Rather than the plinth base, this time the cabinet was treated to the dowel leg base typically seen on our Otis or Florence cabinets. The combination of double-sided Laminex on ply in Macedon Mist (#2605) with the clear ply edges and leg base are the perfect pairing with the our Speckle recycled plastic doors and shelves in P01 colourway.

Another subtle tweak of our Otis sideboard with influences from our Riley Drawer Unit, this piece was commissioned by an interior designer for their client. In this case, the drawers were split into six offering each family member their own space near the front door. Subtle decisions like bringing the handles together to form a circle inject personality, and opting for our Cognac (SP16) stain on Australian made hoop pine ply affords the richness without the price tag of the more premium hardwood Blackbutt ply that our Otis is typically made with.

This project evolved from our Clarke Snr. Media Unit and uses construction and style elements from our Loft collection. These elements are the mitred joins with shark-nose leading edge and inset handle concept. For this client we increased the overall size to suit their space, then re-configured the layout of the storage to offer four deep drawers with a central shelving area. The cabinet houses gadgets that need a remote to operate so the mesh door in front of the shelving area continues the language of black internals, while still allowing the remotes to work through the mesh.

The final piece in this trio of bespoke cabinets continued the theme with the custom leg base and finish in Sage (SP04) while offering an entirely new use. Some shelves are fixed in position to keep the cabinet strong and squear, while others are adjustable for flexible storage. Again, this cabinet was fixed back to the wall once it arrived in Brisbane, but this time the cabinet shipped fully assembled. A credit to our long-running freight partners.

One of the most popular new additions to the culinary mecca that is Marrickville, So Watt were honoured to be invited to produce bespoke furniture for the new Messina Gelato HQ! The exterior furnishings is where the projects creativity really came into its own. Beginning with our Billi stool, we created a series of pieces including a coffee table, straight bench, curvy bench and of course more stools, all designed and built to withstand food fights and sugar crash tantrums! The success of this hardworking furniture suite is really down to the material. Every part of all these pieces is constructed with a custom colour combo of 100% post-consumer recycled HDPE plastic, thanks to our friends at Defy Design! Nothing withstands gelato splodges better.

Moving inside the vast and impressive Gelato Messina HQ in Marrickville, you will find a very different atmosphere to the sun-loving exterior. Here it's a more luxe pallet, with our Billi low stool and Billi bar stools alongside custom coffee tables and benches (this time made from high-grade hardwood Blackbutt ply), combined with locally sourced plantation Hoop Pine ply in Crimson (SP10). Moving into the theatre-like restaurant space, a custom Otis sideboard in matching blacbutt ply helps you link the spaces together. This time though, the restuarant features ultra matt black Fenix NTM laminate on ply for the table tops, keeping the language sleek and subdued to ensure the focus is on the culinary creations.

This fun-filled corporate headquarters achieved the perfect balance in the collaboration between Interior Designer and So Watt, resulting in a cohesive made-to-measure fit out filled with modified pieces from our catalogue to best suit the end user. As an inter-state project, all pieces had to ship to Brisbane and be easily assembled without hand-on install.

The team at Proud Mary Stylist understood the development that had gone into all our pieces, so to achieve this fit out in a short time, they worked off existing pieces such as our Plonk table, Rover Team Table, Pegboards and Billi stools to build the furniture schedule. After enjoying this smooth process, more bespoke pieces followed to complete the space. A fun customisation of our Nora Bench Box was certainly the cherry on top!

So Watt filled the gap between designer and construction team to deliver custom elements for the space that could not be found in any store. The scope included the large lunch table and meeting tables, as well as working alongside the builders to clad large areas of the walls and reception area in timber to match the furniture.

The timber all came from a single source where it had been waiting patiently in an architectural salvage yard for nearly 60 years. It was really special to have all the timber go to the one new home, but the age and condition really presented a lot of difficult dirty work to get it looking consistent across the furniture and cladding.

Our custom planter lockers became the focal point of this inner-city open plan office, bringing warmth and texture to an space that’s all about natural light and 360-degree views. Commissioned by Gray Puksand, these locker banks are a variation of our Banjo lockers, modified to include the addition of a planter box, and larger cabinet storage below.

Plywood and other timber planter boxes can be approached in serval ways. In this instance the planter boxes are lined in a pond liner making it completely waterproof and protecting the timber for water and soil. Using pot plants with drip trays allows the soil to drain and keeps the weight to a minimum.

The wonderful crew at Into Laksa in Sydney’s Mascot were really focused on using local brands and manufacturers for their fit out. So Watt were able to supply the bar stools and low table stools within 3 weeks to make sure the space looked and functioned perfectly for the launch of this now-cult favourite laksa destination.

Our Plonk Bar stools offer an intimate and comfortable seating space for indulging in laksa in a calm and relaxed setting. The low Billi stools scattered around tables in the main area encourage groups and flexible seating arrangements to offer quick perches for a speedy lunch. The Billi stools are set up outside during sunny days, the pop of bright colour attracting people to the restaurant.

Western Sydney University placed a strong focus on sourcing locally produced furniture for their newly renovated agile staff work areas, which were in much need of some TLC to raise them to the high standard of design shown elsewhere on campus. Our Banjo lockers provided the perfect starting point, making the process easy for the client to specify their ideal dimensions, finish, and preferred lock options. Constructed entirely from laminated plywood in the signature slot together construction style, the lockers are broken up by ply edge grain to transparently show the materials used.

In collaboration with Studio Mae, this multi-level Miller Street North Sydney office with harbour views took co-working spaces to new heights. With a focus on natural and honest materials, this fitout showcases Australian designs throughout and demonstrates the possibilities for more welcoming work environments, moving away from typical laminate and particle board furniture.

Delivering 108 work points across four and six person stations, So Watt designed and manufactured 100% plywood workstations with integrated plywood cable trays at their Marrickville workshop within 5 weeks. The space was completed with loose furniture from other leading brands such as Design By Them for an inviting and clearly custom space.

The arch style of our Billi stool made it an easy choice for interior designers Alkimi Studio when creating an elevated interior for the mcdonalds Sydney head office. The space needed to acknowledge the rolly-polly playfulness of the brand while supporting a fast-paced workspace for a large number of employees.

The Billi stools are easy to move around the space as needed for impromptu meetings or act as side tables at casual seating settings.

So Watt were commissioned by Koala to create an eye catching display for their Myer pop up that met all the strict safety standards for visual merchandising, while reflecting the design ethos of Koala’s brand. The large bookcase concept, modeled off our Watson Shelves, creates a room divider and backdrop for the famous Koala bed base.

The shelving had to be safe in a shop where children might be inclined to climb up on it, so the base is deeper than the shelves to prevent little hands reaching over to use the shelves as a ladder. This larger base also provides critical anti-tip stability. The bookshelves were designed as flat pack to be assembled with an Allen Key so the team could build the displays easily in Myer stores across Australia.

Another commercial project using Billi Stools, this friendly neighbourhood hangout completed their vision with a splash of colour alongside the natural pallet for a simple and inviting space. The timber grain showing through the opaque paint finish in Sage (SP04), ties all the wood textures together and allows café visitors to feel and enjoy the natural texture. Our paint finishes are all commercial grade with a final coat of clear on over colours.