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Collection by Alex Ronan

Moving Mountains

Syrette Lew's pieces, designed under the name Moving Mountains, are plain yet playful.

Syrette Lew grew up in Hawaii and ended up on another island 5,000 miles away. With an industrial design degree, Lew moved to New York, where she spent years designing furniture for West Elm. In 2012, she began making jewelry and leather bags under the name Moving Mountains. A relationship milestone changed the purview of the studio. “I was sick of all the rustic, reclaimed wood in Brooklyn, so when my boyfriend moved in, I decided to make pieces that we’d actually want to live with,” she says. Her designs maintain a plainness that’s still emotionally resonant—the exaggerated proportions of a Windsor lounge chair imbue a playful sensibility; the Confetti credenza simplifies a flashy form while drawing attention from children and octogenarian alike. Last year, Lew’s first collection received the Editor’s Award for Craftsmanship at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York; in 2015, she’ll be exhibiting in the new downtown gallery Colony.

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The Confetti credenza is every bit as jolly as its name suggests.
The Confetti credenza is every bit as jolly as its name suggests.
Hi-Lo shelving unit by Moving Mountains.
Hi-Lo shelving unit by Moving Mountains.
Windsor bench by Moving Mountains.
Windsor bench by Moving Mountains.
The Summit nestling table series by Moving Mountains.
The Summit nestling table series by Moving Mountains.
Syrette Lew, the New York industrial designer behind the moniker Moving Mountains.
Syrette Lew, the New York industrial designer behind the moniker Moving Mountains.