Hammer & Nail: Making and Assembling Furniture Designs Inspired by Enzo Mari

by Erik Eje Almqvist

Inspired by radical Italian designer Enzo Mari, this practical book with step-by-step DIY projects for hand built, beautiful furniture is a tribute to his simple ideas that challenged the consumerism of the furniture industry. Many interpreted Enzo Mari’s book Autoprogettazione? as a manifesto of nostalgic longing for a pre-capitalist society where people built what they needed themselves, but Mari’s goal wasn’t to make people cease consuming. Mari wanted people to consider the more basic aspects of the objects we surround ourselves with and what it is that makes a piece of furniture, beautiful, comfortable and functional. Taking Enzo Mari and his book as his influence, Erik Eje Almqvist unpacks the practical aspects of the Autoprogettazione? theory, offering simple designs for handbuilt, beautiful furniture. Using just a hammer, nails and boards cut to standard dimensions, Hammer & Nail explores only a few techniques but arms the reader with skills and inspiration for life. With easy-to-follow instructions and diagrams, there are basic methods for making furniture joints, and includes tips on how to avoid cracking boards as you go, making clean cuts with a saw, and ideas on surface treatments. Projects Sheep chair, Tilting Shaker chair, Pinstol/Windsor chair, Garden chair, Arts & Crafts chair, Ski chair, Mirror stool, Stackable stool, Beer table, Kitchen bench, Park bench, Sofa, Top and tail bed, Dining table, Worktable, Cabinet, Gun Kessle’s shelf and Giraffe lamp.

Genres: Nonfiction, Design, Woodwork

160 pages, Hardcover

First published October 5, 2020

Reviews

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Build very basic nailed furniture, based on 60s designs. A bit too many sharp corners and the tool list should have a block plane added to ease edges and the like. An interesting collection, but some look a bit gimmicky.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Nordic-based, English-language elaboration on Enzo Mari’s Italian classic Autoprogettazione?reminded me a lot of Rietveld’s book, which stemmed from a similar philosophy of enabling the Everyman to build their own furniture, without complex shaping or joinery, with whatever wood was cheaply available. Most of the designs use 21x43 mm pine boards (roughly 0.75x1.5”), giving a paradoxically delicate yet industrial impression. In general, I prefer the Rietveld look, but plan to try a couple of designs from this one in 2024.
Speaking of Rietveld, there is a hilarious error on page 48: the “Furniture“ chapter illustration shows a Rietveld Crate chair instead of a Mari/Almqvist Arts & Crafts chair.

[Adam Helgesson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otroligt bra och lättbegriplig bok om snickeri. Har gjort flera möbler själv och det är så enkelt och roligt. Man kan också skapa sin egen touch på möblerna.