Tariq Dixon and Nick Nemechek know furniture. Since the two launched TRNK, an online destination for unique, stylish furnishings for the discerning urbanite, in 2013, they have, as Dixon puts it, “scoured the globe” for designs with a unique sensibility. They looked for products with stories behind them—stories they spotlighted on their site— and filled a void in the market for stylish male shoppers who wanted more than the saggy leather sofa and IKEA shelving of the stereotypical bachelor pad. Now, the duo has applied this design education to their own line of furniture, launching today.
The first release in The TRNK Collection is Truss, a four-piece assortment of upholstered furniture that blends its designers’ personal style preferences with a savvy knowledge of market needs. “Being a multi-brand site, we’re always on the prowl, looking for things that are different combinations of materials, different price points, so we have a really good understanding of the market and where we can add value to it,” says Dixon. “That’s why we started with upholstered furniture, because a lot of the customer feedback we were getting was asking for something that was lean and slender, but also comfortable. Our customers are primarily urban, so we had to be mindful of the size too when we were designing. So the arms of the sofa are slender for aesthetic purposes, yes, but they also minimize the footprint. We’re very mindful of who our customer is and what they want.”
“TRNK was started because we felt there was a void in the market for a unique, exciting place for people like us to shop,” adds Nemechek. “We personally like design objects that are refined, with a strong profile. Our site is about searching for standout conversation pieces, and we think these pieces are just that. We spent a lot of time with the foam, the upholstery, the frame, to find a way to maintain the profiles we wanted while still being super comfortable.”
The profiles they wanted are both in line with current market offerings and also unique in their elegance. Tapered arms add an unexpected gracefulness, while upholstery in mixed materials adds textural interest without distracting from the furniture’s slender silhouettes. “Our personal tastes are pretty timeless,” says Dixon. “We like design that can age and can grow with you, but we also want to find opportunity to do things that are slightly left of center. We appreciate restraint, but it’s finding little opportunities to do something that make the product look special.” Online Furniture Purveyor TRNK Launches In-House Line | Architectural Digest