Carson Maddox + hejfina: Chicago
Carson Maddox creates exquisite furniture that is both highly functional and beautifully formed. Modern elemental details and rich woods are both strong and elegant, the steel frames and accents are the foundation of his work. Each piece is hand-crafted, unique to the buyer and their space. His creations include chairs, barstools, tables, cabinets, and beds.
Maddox was first exposed to modern design while working in the furniture business at a young age. He began to build furniture while attending college, experimenting with designs and detailing. Maddox is known for his flawless metalwork, which he refined while working at Waxman Candles where he made display fixtures and steel equipment for the factory. For years, Maddox provided metalwork to other furniture designers and fabricators, including prototyping and fabrication for the then Chicago based Radio Flyer. Eventually his desire to create his own line of furniture drove him to encompass more varied materials and construction techniques.
Maddox now resides in the Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago where he lives and works in a gutted warehouse. His sprawling space is a lab for creation and his home an extension of this workspace. Maddox has been building out this space over the past nine years; his passion for and commitment to furniture design is apparent in every corner you turn.
In 2005 Maddox was chosen as one of Design Within Reach Modern + Design + Function final exhibition selections. His chaise lounge made of Brazilian wood (suitable for indoor and outdoor use) and steel garnered recognition for its clean lines and beautiful craftsmanship.
Maddox?s work can be found at hejfina, a lifestyle boutique in Chicago?s Wicker Park neighborhood located at 1529 N Milwaukee Avenue. The boutique?s proprietor, Heiji Choy Black (you may recall her from Lucky magazine, October 2005), collaborates with Maddox to assess a client?s need and then facilitates the creation of his unique, hand-built pieces. This is a shop that I'll definitely hit the next time I'm in Chicagoland!
(images from carson maddox + hejfina)