David Flynn is an architect by trade with over 20 years of woodworking experience, and since 2019, his furniture has evolved into a distinctive art form under the concept of *Smoked Grain*. His work focuses on creating unique, handcrafted pieces that blur the lines between functional furniture and sculptural art.

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Each piece is crafted from solid Douglas Fir or solid cedar—local construction-grade woods—that are milled, shaped, and transformed into one-of-a-kind works. These materials, often overlooked in traditional furniture-making, are used to highlight the natural idiosyncrasies and character of the wood itself. By eschewing mechanical fasteners, Flynn embraces a design philosophy rooted in simplicity and the inherent beauty of the materials, emphasizing craft over convention.

 

A signature technique in his work is the application of *Shou Sugi Ban*, a traditional Japanese method where the wood is carefully charred before a protective finish is applied. This not only enhances the natural grain but also imbues the pieces with a deep, rich texture and a striking contrast of light and dark.

 

This approach celebrates the imperfections and eccentricities of the wood, encouraging a shift away from the pursuit of uniformity seen in much of traditional furniture design. Instead of striving for consistency, his work embraces and elevates the unpredictability of the material, making each piece an expression of nature’s raw beauty and the artisan’s vision.