Calum Bettison

Calum Bettison’s work is inspired by people. It is a reflection of what he admires in human beings. Working across furniture, lighting and interior accessories, Calum’s design style is bold but quiet. At the core of his practice are values of humility, curiosity, transparency and conviction, which he translates into physical objects through material choice, texture, form and composition.

“My work is inspired by the people who inspire me. I often feel a connection with those who are thoughtful and considered. Humble characters who aren’t compelled to say a lot, but whatever they do say has gravitas.”

Characteristic of Calum’s design language is the use of primitive shapes; triangles, squares and circles which carry a sense of playful innocence and an easy-to-interpret simplicity. “With simple forms, there’s no need to read between the lines. Like when you’re speaking with a small child, what they say is what they mean. That transparency is important in my work.” What brings an air of maturity to his designs is careful attention to balance and proportion.

Taking time to extract simplicity from complexity, a defining trait of Calum’s creative process is reduction. His research and development often involves experimental processes from which he distills clear concepts.

Following an education in product and furniture design, Calum has led a successful career designing commercial interiors and exhibitions, eventually returning to a craft-based practice. Calum now runs an artisanal design studio producing work in native hardwoods, and occasionally includes metal, textiles, plastic and ceramics.