Raw and sober: brutalist design shapes Wewood’s latest sideboard

Ever since 1964, cabinet makers at the Wewood workshop have been crafting wooden furniture with know-how and expertise. The sideboard was a popular piece of furniture back in the sixties; a must-have storage cabinet in any dining room. Fast forward to today, and it’s safe to say it remains a treasured and useful item in contemporary homes.

Wewood has verified both its heritage and curiosity for modern-day trends with its newest sideboard, Brutalist. The making of Brutalist is a combination of innovative, cutting-edge technology and artisanal mastery, illustrated both in its softly rounded edges and the seamless, uninterrupted linear flow of natural wood veins across the sideboard’s entire front. ‘When you work with noble woods like walnut or oak, the most important skill is to understand the material, know how to shape it and find the right moment to work with it; if not, sooner or later it might crack or the drawers won’t function well anymore. A piece like this should last for generations,’ says Hugo Ferro, Communication Manager at Wewood.

Young Belgian designer Erno Dierckx crossed paths with Wewood for the first time at the Maison&Objet design fair in January 2023 and presented a few ideas to the company. ‘Do you know when you see something and you think: Wow, this was made for us!?’ explains Ferro. ‘We really liked the look as we wanted something with a strong language. The designer came up with the name “Brutalist” and we found it suitable as this expression is very sober and clear. It deliberately exposes the construction details and showcases the material as it is – like in mid-century brutalist architecture.’

Wewood has added Brutalist to its extensive sideboard repertoire. Whereas some brands are known for their iconic chairs, tables or sofas, Wewood stands out for its sideboards.

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