Hugh Altschwager, a 6th generation farmer, founded Inkster Maken in 2013 and uses locally sourced, unprocessed natural materials to create long-lasting products with a timeless aesthetic.

How would you describe your design philosophy and aesthetic?

I like to use natural materials where possible to create balanced forms that I can see fitting into a variety of settings. I think we are naturally drawn to more tactile materials and enjoy engaging with them. I try to offer products that are refined yet have a distinct materiality and connection to their origin. Having grown up in rural Australia, the materials and palettes reflect my own story. I also draw on my northern European family roots in terms of aesthetics. It’s hard to beat Scandinavian design.

Hugh's 'Flashlight' pendants in the making

What is your biggest motivator or muse when you are designing?

The materials dictate the majority of the way I design. I come from a very hands-on background but also studied architecture. I think that designing and fabricating are so intrinsically linked that it is very hard to achieve great results by understanding one of these processes and not the other. The best results come when you truly understand the intricate nature of materials and the variations that exist. This is knowledge that can’t be developed through a computer screen. Authenticity in design is a hugely complicated area. I try to produce product that cannot be replicated easily yet still tells the story I want to tell. Without authenticity there is no story and no connection.

Hugh at work

What has been the most pivotal point or event in your design life so far?

Being invited to exhibit at the London Design Festival in 2013 only a couple of weeks after I quit my day job. That was good timing!

Hugh's 'Foxfire' pendant is crafted from South Australian limestone and timber, with a solid cast brass and bronze collar.

What (or who) inspired your most recent design?

My latest design is the Foxfire pendant. It features an interchangeable 3-component system that allows multiple configurations for materials and sizes. It was inspired by old industrial lampshade forms. I wanted to make a modern and refined pendant using a combination of natural materials – it’s harder than it sounds!

The 'Eclipse' wall light is hand made in Melbourne from SA limestone

Do you have a favourite design in your portfolio, and why?

My favourite would probably be the Flashlight pendant or the Matchstick lamp. I love the combination of the stone and timber together and the minimal forms. It’s all about proportion.

'Matchstick' lamps by Inkster Maken

What materials, processes or new categories do you hope to explore in future?

In terms of product, I want to further explore the theme I have started with and keep going deeper with it. I want to provide new options and new products but also avoid doing a million things with a million materials. For me its about quality and telling a story. I enjoy the challenge of designing by restriction and feel that’s where the best results are achieved.

In terms of the wider design field, I have many ideas I‘d like to explore further – installations, one-off pieces, events, landscape concepts etc. These are ideas that I want to develop because they excite me and I think they will excite other people once they can see them too. I like the way that offshoot concepts can build brands and peoples association with them and their products.

Inspiration comes from Hugh's South Australian coastal home

Do you have one piece of styling/ /design advice for home decorators?

Great atmosphere and warmth are created by a combination of the right lighting and natural materials.

Quickfire questions:
My favourite iconic design is: Glenn Murcutt’s work
My dream project would be: Building my own house on a coastal hill
My guilty design secret is: I still prefer to draw by hand
My favourite era for design is: The present day at any given time. Everything is always changing
I am creatively fuelled by: Music and nature

Follow Hugh on Instagram @inkstermaken

Voting in our Emerging Designer Award 2015 has now closed.