Q&A With Tom Fereday: Designing Custom Furniture for ABI’s Sydney Showroom

Custom furniture ABI Interiors Tom Federay Design

Steeped in a philosophy of honest, material-led design, award-winning Australian Furniture Designer Tom Fereday brings a rare level of intention to every piece he creates. Known for exploring the quiet tension between natural materials and contemporary manufacturing, his work feels both deeply restrained and quietly innovative, the kind of design that rewards a closer look.

For ABI Interiors’ new Sydney Showroom, Tom worked with our team alongside Esoteriko to design a series of custom furniture settings that anchor the space. Each piece reflects his belief in craftsmanship, collaboration, and creating objects with nothing to hide: an approach shaped by a background spanning art, industrial design, and over a decade of independent practice.

In this Q&A, Tom shares his journey into furniture design, the principles that guide his process, and the thinking behind the custom pieces developed exclusively for the showroom.

Custom furniture ABI Interiors Contemporary

Can you share your journey into furniture design and what inspires your work today?

I fell into furniture design somewhat by chance. I was initially studying sculpture at an art college before switching to Industrial Design at the University of Technology Sydney. I was excited to learn that people design and develop products through problem-solving and thrived on the constraints and challenges of it.

I began independently developing furniture for exhibitions as a creative outlet whilst working, and this passion for furniture and product design simply grew over time. I found myself working more and more on furniture pieces, and this slowly became a core part of my practice, allowing me to support and create an independent studio.

How would you describe your design philosophy and overall creative approach?

I’m fascinated by the tension that lies between natural materials and contemporary design and manufacture. I try to develop new pieces that celebrate the materials and craftsmanship behind furniture and objects, guiding what I hope to be considered thoughtful design outcomes that explore the notion of quiet innovation.

I’m trying to create unique designs that are the most pared-back version of a design, whilst exploring a concept or mechanism within the work. This often results in pared-back pieces with perhaps a surprise or unique element, rather than overly detailed or nuanced work developed solely for the sake of unique form.

How do you typically develop a piece, from early concept through to final construction?

Developing works can vary greatly; sometimes they bubble away for years, and other times they can be rapidly developed in a matter of weeks or months. I try to be reactive to meet the needs of specific projects and ideas, whilst also slowly developing works over more extended periods of time that are free from time constraints.

Before going straight into making new pieces, I tend to think about a piece and the problem I’m trying to resolve first, before acting. I find this helps me whittle out ideas in my mind before putting pen to paper.

How do you collaborate with local makers and partners as part of your process?

I’ve been working with some of the same local makers since I was 19, and this has evolved into an incredible network of creatives, each specialised in a particular material or process. I learn from and collaborate with them, and their material expertise is essential to developing sophisticated, unique works.

Custom furniture ABI Interiors Australia

How did you translate the brief — creating a warm, inviting space with subtle nods to Japanese design — into the final concepts?

Esoteriko informed the overall design, and we carried their theme into the custom-made furniture settings. We iterated the designs based on feedback from the space and tailored our existing pieces to be both aligned and slightly contrasting to the material palette within the showroom. Ultimately, we wanted to make furniture pieces that would truly stand the test of time and age gracefully as the showroom evolves.

Looking back, what are you most proud of in this project?

Working on some new pieces specifically for the Sydney Showroom was the most enjoyable aspect of the project. The bespoke 2.6m curved lounge required extensive development to achieve the soft yet seamless upholstery. If you look across the piece, there are no seam lines, which give it a pure, pared-back form while remaining comfortable.

We also developed bespoke stools in collaboration with ABI specifically for the showroom, and these custom finishes and fabric selections made for a cohesive palette throughout.