THE WORLD MOVES FAST
Most of what surrounds us is made quickly, repeated endlessly, and rarely considered. It carries little weight, and even less feeling. I couldn’t connect with that.
Growing up close to the land shaped a different instinct; a pull toward something primal, and a path that sits outside the norm.
This work comes from a need to make objects that feel grounded, lasting, and considered; pieces that bring a sense of presence back into the spaces we live in.
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James Klein
Made in New Zealand
ABOUT JAMES KLEIN
I’ve always had an urge to create.
I grew up in Taupō, in the centre of New Zealand’s North Island. From a really young age I was constantly around the outdoors — the lake, the bush, and regular trips to the coast. By about ten I was free diving and spearfishing, and when I wasn’t around the water I was usually building huts in the bush or making things out of whatever was around.
I was always drawn to a more primal, traditional way of living — hunting, gathering, cooking over fire, being close to the land and water, and using simple materials in direct ways. That still shapes a lot of what I’m drawn to now: things that feel raw, grounded, simple and strong.
I was also really aware of buildings, spaces and form from quite young. One of my earliest memories of that was when our family home was renovated when I was about eight. I remember looking at parts of it and knowing I didn’t like what had been done, even though at that age I couldn’t really explain why.
I went into engineering because I liked making things — working with materials and creating shapes and forms. Over time, though, I realised that while I was making things constantly, I wasn’t really creating the things I wanted to create.
That pushed me further toward architecture, furniture and design. I became increasingly interested in how an object can alter a space, why certain proportions feel right, and why some forms have an immediate presence before you’ve even had time to understand them.
Furniture became the most direct way for me to explore that. I started jamesKleinStudios in 2025 as a way of bringing together that background in making with a much more instinctive approach to design.
The ethos of the studio is fairly simple: I want to make objects that are striking and have presence. Pieces that make you stop for a moment, question them, and perhaps not immediately understand why you respond to them.
I’m less interested in explaining every piece through a large intellectual concept. I’m more interested in making something that feels strong, something I believe needs to exist, and something that brings a sense of energy or joy into the space around it.
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James Klein
Made in New Zealand