A new chapter in luxury home furnishings is unfolding in New York this fall. Rising design studio Sunfish, founded by Kevin Hollidge and Julia Eshaghpour, is introducing an eight-piece furniture collection that revives a rarely seen 1920s Art Deco technique and brings it into contemporary interiors. The collection, called Entwined, launches in October at an East Village venue and represents a significant moment for consumers interested in statement furniture pieces with genuine artistic depth.

What Is Straw Marquetry and Why Does It Matter?

Straw marquetry is an ancient inlay method that uses flattened, dyed stalks of rye or wheat to create intricate patterns across furniture surfaces, much like wood marquetry. The technique gained prominence during the Art Deco movement through French designer Jean Dunand and architect Jean-Michel Frank, who famously used it in luxury interiors throughout the 1920s and 1930s. For decades, the method fell out of favor, appearing only in museum pieces and historical renovation projects. Today, it is experiencing a revival among independent designers and luxury brands seeking materials and techniques with historical significance.

Hollidge and Eshaghpour discovered straw marquetry through research on early twentieth-century design while preparing their most ambitious collection to date. They were fascinated by how the material’s natural silica can be coaxed to different levels of luster through careful rubbing, and how it can be dyed to achieve various tonal palettes. This discovery aligned perfectly with their design philosophy: merging fine-art visual elements with functional furniture pieces.

What to Expect From the Entwined Collection

Art Deco interior straw details
Photo by henry perks

The Entwined collection features motifs of Herculean knots and coiled snakes, each with symbolic meaning rooted in the couple’s personal journey. The snake imagery, they learned, represented Victorian-era symbols of devotion and eternal love, popularized when Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria a coiled-snake engagement ring. The knots serve as dual symbols, representing either strong bonds or complexity and tension. Throughout the collection, thin strips of straw in flaxen and brown tones are arranged in precise patterns across each piece’s surface.

Furnishings in the collection include a daybed, full-length mirror, room divider, jewelry box, and dining table, all constructed using straw marquetry. These are pieces designed to anchor a room, comparable in visual impact to statement-art installations. Unlike mass-produced furniture, each piece in this collection requires meticulous hand-craftsmanship, making them investment-level acquisitions.

What This Means for Shoppers Seeking Unique Furniture

The emergence of artisan collections like Entwined signals a broader market shift toward furniture as art rather than mere functional necessity. As colorful textures and statement designs gain traction across the home furnishings industry, consumers increasingly expect their furniture to reflect personal taste and craftsmanship quality. This collection demonstrates that demand for historically researched, handmade pieces continues to grow among buyers willing to invest in quality.

For those interested in acquiring such pieces, understanding the backstory and material provenance matters. Sunfish’s approach of embedding design history and symbolic meaning into each collection elevates these objects beyond trends. A straw marquetry dining table becomes a conversation piece rooted in Art Deco heritage while serving modern functional purposes.

Production and Availability

handcrafted wood furniture workshop
Photo by Devin Berko

Sunfish has expanded production beyond its East Village studio by partnering with an experienced family-run workshop in China to oversee straw marquetry work, while frame construction continues in-house. This hybrid production model allows the studio to scale output without compromising quality or design integrity. Pieces are built to order, meaning lead times are typically longer than ready-made furniture, but durability and customization options reflect the premium positioning.

The collection debuts at Tribeca’s Assembly Line Annex in October. Those interested in acquiring pieces should expect limited availability and pricing consistent with handmade, gallery-quality furniture. While many affordable furniture alternatives exist for budget-conscious shoppers, collections like this serve a different market segment focused on heritage, artistry, and longevity.

Why Collectors Should Pay Attention

The resurgence of straw marquetry represents interior design returning to techniques and materials that defined luxury interiors of the twentieth century. Rather than copying historical styles directly, contemporary designers like Sunfish reinterpret these methods through modern sensibilities. This approach appeals to buyers who seek authenticity and historical grounding in their furnishings.

Whether you are furnishing an entire home or seeking individual statement pieces, the Entwined collection exemplifies the level of thoughtfulness and craftsmanship increasingly expected in the upper-tier furniture market. Each piece tells a story, employs time-honored techniques, and reflects the designers’ deep engagement with materials and meaning.