Katryn Furmston

I am a PhD candidate in Sustainable Furniture at Nottingham Trent University. Teaching for 7 years before starting my PhD. I am drawn to narrative and sustainability, you can tell about an object through its design and how it is used day to day and this can be interpreted in different ways through theory and practice. Upcycling, as an example, can often incorporate this into it by telling the story of what something once was or where it came from. Upcycling additionally provides a challenge, in that you must look at a waste item and see more than what it represents and its function. Alongside and interacting with upcycling is my passion for crafts, practised through both my professional and personal work. The application of it into the design world and its rich evolution over time fascinates me.

My PhD looks to investigate and understand what fast furniture is, define it and identify how furniture consumers see and value it. I have conducted significant primary research into consumer understanding, industry viewpoints as well as material explorations. This research pioneers a new avenue of academic research that will contribute to understanding the effect of fast furniture on perceived furniture value and perceived value on longevity. I utilise the method of material culture as a lens to understand consumer views and how this contributes to longevity of furniture.