Elle Decor : 'FINCH Hudson Debuts Line of Benches and Collaboration with John Derian'

FINCH Hudson launched its first proprietary furniture line with the Axel bench, a Scandinavian-inspired seat available in leather or a Zak + Fox fabric. The piece — produced in Pennsylvania by Amish craftsmen — features a distinctive boot-like leg rooted in Nordic design tradition. “That leg part, specifically, is part of that Scandinavian style we love,” says Hofemann. “The bench is a perfect example of our interest in mixing time periods and styles.”

Alongside the bench, FINCH debuted its first brand collaboration: a line of decoupage trays designed in partnership with John Derian. The trays feature landscape paintings by Hudson River School artists — the 19th-century American group, founded by Thomas Cole, who lived and worked in the Hudson River Valley. “We know John personally, so this is kind of a natural extension of our relationship,” says Arrick. “As our first collaboration, it's nice to work with people we know and trust.”

The paintings were carefully chosen to translate at tray scale — all public domain works selected over a six-month process. “We had to pick pieces that would size properly onto a tray. One is six feet across, but we didn’t want to crop them,” says Arrick. Ten percent of proceeds from the tray collection supports The Olana Partnership and the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, both landmarks of Hudson Valley artistic heritage.

With the Axel bench established, Arrick and Hofemann are already looking ahead. “For their next product, the pair is interested in exploring sculptural lights. ‘Michael and I spend our lives shopping, so we have endless inspiration,’” says Arrick.