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Photo by Laura Dart
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Craftsman Christian FechtPhoto by Laura Dart
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Photo by Laura Dart
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Photo by Laura Dart
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Photo by Laura Dart
Inside artist Christian Fecht's charming Inglewood studio, I'm picking up ideas for a new fragrance: eau de sawdust with a hint of walnut. The woodsy-sweet smell is intoxicating. Before long, the philosophy-student-turned-furniture-designer and I are huddled around a space heater lost in a conversation about how passion doesn't usually pay the electric bill. That's the thing about passionate people; they have a way of transporting you to a place where silly points like heat and comfort become moot.
Fecht originally came to Nashville from Chicago to start a small contracting business, but always had a passion to create art that might play a role in someone's everyday life. His current project is laid out beside us: a Y-shaped slab of walnut that looks like it might be on its way to becoming a large coffee table. When asked about his plans for it, he responds: 'The wood wants to be something; I just don't know what that is yet. Walnut can do some wild things.” He's currently collaborating with coffee shops and restaurants to create conversation-piece tables for their spaces (he designed several pieces for Rolf & Daughters in Germantown) as well as with interior designers to build custom pieces for homes.
'What I enjoy about furniture is, I have to be creative within the realm of limitations,” he explains. 'Furniture is art that tends to fade into the background, but serves as an intricate part to someone's everyday life.”
For more information about Christian Fecht Designs pick up the May issue of Nashville Lifestyles or visit his website christianfechtdesign.com.