Piano Nobile / Seattle, WA creative/cooperative studio

Piano Nobile is a collaborative studio out of Seattle. I met one of the founders, Isabelle, at the same [Ballard] farmers market where upon I met felt cafe. She was kind + lovely enough to give me a little tour of their space...

Taking their name from the Italian term ("second floor," or the principal floor of a house where live/work happens); Piano Nobile embraces the convergence of work + life. Housing their studio in their, well, house (a converted garage), husband and wife team Isabelle Grizzard Robertson (textile/surface designer) and Nickolas Robsertson (designer/builder) share a space adjacent to their living area where they can letterpress, print, build, design and dream up the next collaboration.

Featured below are some of their printed textiles:

typography on silk [as utilized on shades]...

typography on canvas [as utiilzed on bags]...

letterpress prints on cards...

Piano Nobile provides an array of services to nicely accompany their products:  Interior Design, Product Selection, Construction, Drafting, Metal + Wood Fabrication, Color Consulting, and Graphic Design [for print and web].

In addition to the two founders, the studio consits of four additional artists/designers/builders whose skills, as shown by their many collaborations, are complimentary and congruent.

To demonstrate said collaboration:  piano nobile printed pillows from felt cafe fabric, atop a chadhaus sofa...

image courtesy of piano nobile/felt cafe...if this whole arrangement weren't mom+pop enough for you (in the best way possible, of course), it's notable that there are some family ties in action here..

Chadhaus, directly next door to Piano Nobile is a design and fabrication workshop owned and operated by Chad Robertson, brother of one of the founders of Piano Nobile, Nickolas Robertson.

He has quite the modern style and wonderful craftsmanship. Below is the Vollen Walnut bench:image courtesy of chadhausand a piece from the farmhouse modern collection

image courtesy of chadhausBetter yet, Chadhaus is a sustainable shop, using locally milled steel and hardwoods, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified plywood and formaldehyde-free adhesives.  Additionally non-toxic finishes derived from natural materials, like beeswax, are applied to the finished wood products.

Piano Nobile and their neighboring/collaborating artisans understand and embrace the life-work balance and we are happy to indulge their collective opus(es).