keeping up appearances by tom harper from uk

A range of cleaning tools that combine high quality materials with traditional manufacturing processes, with the aim of transforming these often very disposable items into luxury home accessories.

Subtle, consistent detailing and inherent material value are the hallmarks of this range. Manufactured from a diverse number of traditional and highly specialized craft processes including metal spinning, woodturning and brush making; In contrast these have been combined with more contemporary CNC processes such as laser cutting and dip moulding. Finished in a mixture of hard-wearing processes such as galvanizing and powder coating.

The objects are intended to work as a family both in use and in storage; the bucket and bowls stack within one another, and the mop bucket borrows its form from the narrow spaces they are often stored. The objects have been designed so that elements can be replaced as they wear out, a point which is most relevant with the broom, as the connections between components weaken with use.

At a time when the pressures of consumption are most apparent we should give extra thought to the objects we choose to buy, no matter how utilitarian their purpose may seem.