HIGH POINT — Tristen William has followed up on its initial introduction at High Point Market last October with a furniture collection that evokes the American Southwest and ranch living.
Colton, which is part of the Ranch collection, currently encompasses five pieces: sofa, swivel armchair, lounge armchair, bar stool with arms and swivel stool with arms.
Som Santoso, principal, described the collection as having a modern, masculine feel, with its “Texas sized” scale.
“It started with weight. I wanted each piece to feel like it had mass, bulky in nature, and something solid, almost masculine that you could rest your whole day against,” he said.
The upholstered seats in boucle and chenille offer curved arms and sculptural, channeled backs in warm colors of green and brown that are paired with dark wood stains or natural wood. The stools and dining chairs feature leather, a Western staple.
The pieces are accented with stud details that Som described as reminiscent of saddle hardware or even bullets. The Colton derives its name from the iconic Colt revolver.
While harkening to the Texas ranch house, Santoso said there is a modern feel to Colton that can cross over to other collections. “American design isn’t one thing,” he said. “It’s a mix of histories and perspectives. This collection is one expression of that, rooted in the Southwest, but designed for today.”
Plans are to continue the ranch aesthetic with the Silverado collection in October, which will feature different fabrics and some additional pieces such as an armoire and armless dining chairs and bar stools, and then to follow with Latin- and Asian-inspired lines. “The silver lining is modern can be taken across different cultural influences,” he said.
Santoso, who is from Indonesia, said his background is in designing kitchens, but his approach for the U.S. market is to offer upholstery and case goods. As owner of the brand, Santoso works from design to prototype and then contracts with different factories in Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Vietnam for the finished products.
