Design Stories

BDI Designer Profile | Matthew Weatherly

For over 30 years, BDI has been committed to creating beautiful and functional high-end furniture for the home and office. Delivering the very best in aesthetics, performance, and quality means we must always strive for innovation.

To gain some insight into the creative processes at BDI, we chatted with Associate Design Director Matthew Weatherly to learn a little more about the personal and professional influences that have shaped his design direction.

Weatherly is most well known for the popular Corridor, Tanami, Sequel, and Centro collections.

TELL US ABOUT A FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY

"I fondly remember visiting my extended family in Tennessee during the hot summer months. My grandfather and I would jaunt to the local convenience store in his pickup truck. The memory appears like an overexposed Polaroid picture of an old, blanched gas station, unchanged since the 1950s. The place stocked my favorite items, Dr. Pepper and candy cigarettes. Of course, I couldn't articulate it then, but these outings showed me how effectively aesthetics and sensory can create a sense of time and place."

"There’s something about modern design that just speaks to me."

Matthew Weatherly

YOU STUDIED ART AND DESIGN AT PRATT INSTITUTE AND ABROAD IN FRANCE AND DENMARK. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THESE PLACES?

"I was attracted to Pratt's Industrial Design program because of its historical reputation and teaching methodologies. I was fortunate enough to have instructors and classmates who cared about my academic success. The campus's location in New York City's vibrant metropolis certainly didn't hurt, either!

I scraped enough money to take my first journey abroad to France, where I studied figure and portrait sculpture under Martine Vaugel. The following year, I attended a study-abroad program in Denmark, which was an exciting opportunity to learn from one of the leading academic institutions in architecture and design. My time there was instrumental to my career as a furniture designer."

WHEN DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER YOUR LOVE FOR FURNITURE DESIGN?

"Browsing through design and architecture magazines sparked the beginning of my love for design in general. Like most design students, I started by memorizing famous designers and their works and was fascinated by the numerous possibilities for furniture design."


WHO OR WHAT HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON DEVELOPING AND REFINING YOUR DESIGN AESTHETIC?

"My studies in Denmark had the most significant impact on my overall design values. The works of Danish Modern masters such as Arne Jacobsen, Børge Mogensen, Poul Kjærholm, Finn Juhl, Poul Henningsen, and Hans Wegner are among the most influential to me."


WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION WHEN CREATING A NEW FURNITURE DESIGN?

"I gather inspiration from everything ranging from architecture to fine art."

"My design aesthetic can best be described as soft and minimalist, which I believe gives furniture a timeless quality."

Matthew Weatherly

Continuum 3471 Mirror


WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST DESIGN FOR BDI? WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?

"My first design for BDI was the multi-swiveling Continuum mirror. The project taught me about structural limitations with steel, wood, and glass materials. Each project since has taught me something new."


HOW HAS YOUR DESIGN AESTHETIC EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS?

"I describe my design aesthetic as clean, quiet, and minimalist, which gives furniture a timeless quality."

HOW DO YOU STAY ABREAST OF THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES, AND HOW DOES THAT INFLUENCE YOUR DESIGN?

"I am always researching technological developments as they pertain to furniture applications. As technology and devices become smaller, I'm interested in finding smarter methods — ergonomics, assembly, day-to-day use cases — to increase human interaction with our products."

HOW DO YOU SEE TECHNOLOGY SHAPING FURNITURE DESIGN IN THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS?

"I believe we will continue to see furniture applications evolve with the Internet and user-interface technologies. There will continue to be creative methods for how we research, purchase and interact with furniture."


WHAT IS A "BUCKET LIST" DESIGN YOU WOULD LOVE TO WORK ON IN YOUR LIFETIME?

"I would love to dabble in transportation and footwear design, which appealed to me during college. I guess that's my subconscious reminding me that even when we're on the go, there can be — should be — an aesthetic element."


WHAT IS SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

"I'm a martial artist and have been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 2010."

FINALLY, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WORKING WITH BDI?

"I love the team I work with. Their creativity and passion are unmatched, and we drive each other to constantly innovate."

Popular Designs by Matthew Weatherly