It was during an architecture internship in Shanghai when the idea first emerged.
I was sharing a small two bedroom apartment with a flat mate who absolutely loved to cook and entertain seemingly all the time. He also lived there year round, so I really couldn’t argue, as I was only there for the summer.
After I accepted I would not being getting much sleep, it was great! He really was an amazing cook, and his friends were all soon my friends as well, even though I could hardly keep track of them all!
Time after time so many guests would cram inside our tiny apartment, and every time the furniture had to move, tables pushed into corners, chairs stacked yin-yang style against the wall to accommodate the torrential flow of guests arriving for another one of “our” nightly soirees.
One of those nights, I was standing against the wall, a cup of something in one hand and a plate of food in the other. Needing to get something from my pocket, I looked around for a place set them down upon.
Given there was barely room to stand, I searched in vain but eventually my eyes tuned towards the chairs beside me, stacked so awkwardly and uselessly against the wall, and I began to wonder aloud to my friends, wouldn't it be great if this was table now?
'Necessity is the root of all invention' they say, so when I woke up the next day and remembered the conversation, I was inspired.
Could chairs be more versatile and provide more options then just seating, even becoming other furniture pieces, on which, say a drink and a plate of food could be placed during a very cozy party?
The idea was always an obsession/hobby I worked on when I had the time and money to commission prototypes. Over time, both the idea and the object itself evolved as we made progress with each iteration, intent on finally arriving at something we could really get people excited about.
We eventually decided to prototype a kids version, and immediately knew we had taken a major step in the right direction. It seemed my passion for both the project and my family had coalesced to create something stunning.
Now a family man with two kids living in California, admittedly the context is very different from raucous house parties high up in the Shanghai skyline, but it's still the same issue! Having enough space is always an issue! Great looking and feeling furniture never goes out of style, but when it is also practical and functional, that's just icing on the cake!
Our goal at RME with the launch of TYL Chair is to provide high-quality, multi-functional furniture that fits into young and dynamic lifestyles. Ethically sourced, sustainably produced, and environmentally friendly. Designed and manufactured in the USA.
We hope you will join us and TYL YOR LYF!
- Michael Hamburg, Founder of RME Studio & Creator of TYL Chair