Tom Fereday’s New Sydney Studio Gallery Brings a Decade of Australian Furniture Design Under One Roof.

Details from Tom Fereday’s Sydney studio/ gallery. Photography: Hamish Mcintosh.

After 12 years designing furniture and products from his Sydney base, Tom Fereday has opened a new space in Camperdown that’s part working studio, part gallery. Located at 16 Chester Street, the space launched in February as a direct response to the increasing cost of creative spaces and the growing number of designers leaving the city for cheaper digs elsewhere.

“I felt that it was important to dig my toes in and retain a creative studio in Sydney to act as a visual archive of the last ten years of my work and form a welcoming creative space for anyone of design interest to visit,” says Fereday.

It’s a bold move. With studio rents climbing and creatives scattered across Australia chasing more affordable workshops, Fereday is doubling down on Sydney—investing in a dedicated studio in the heart of the city signals his commitment to maintaining a visible presence in one of Australia’s biggest design markets.

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Furniture & Product Designer Tom Fereday on Creating a Body of Work that Grows & Lasts a Lifetime.

Fascinated by the tension between natural materials, contemporary design and manufacture, the Sydney industrial designer seeks to create something honest and enduring in everything he touches.

“My goal is to design works for every functional part of a home, with the dream one day of being able to supply every element to my own home.”

A Hybrid Approach to Making and Showing

The new studio operates somewhere between a gallery and a furniture studio—a place where Fereday’s body of work can be viewed together in a single space. The environment brings together brand collaborations alongside studio editions and one-off experimental works, creating what Fereday describes as “a nuanced hybrid” of his output over the past decade.

“As my studio has evolved, it has organically grown without intention to develop bespoke works for both private and public spaces,” explains Fereday. “As my portfolio of work grew, people were able to use my pieces in a growing number of areas, allowing for an interesting approach of being able to source my work more readily from brand collaboration pieces whilst also commissioning custom or one-off pieces.”

This dual approach has enabled Fereday to work at multiple scales—from single statement pieces to comprehensive fit-outs of entire spaces. His portfolio includes the members’ lounge, library and public seating for the Art Gallery of New South Wales, alongside residential commissions and commercial projects developed in collaboration with interior designers and architects.

A Creative Dialogue: Versa by Tom Fereday & Charlie White at Melbourne Design Week.

Developed through a process of independent collaboration, the pair’s works utilise end-of-life materials and the challenging of their perceived value.

Photography: Pier Carthew.

Material-Led Design Philosophy

Central to Fereday’s practice is a celebration of natural materials and honest design. The studio space reflects this philosophy, presenting works that highlight the inherent beauty of timber, stone, metal and glass without unnecessary embellishment.

“I have been working with some of the same makers and artisans since the age of 19, developing furniture and products through collaborations with leading furniture and design brands alongside private commissions and experimental edition pieces,” says Fereday. His long-term relationships with Australian craftspeople have been instrumental in realising designs that honour both material and making process.

Pieces on display range from collaborations with brands like Nau, Rakumba Lighting, SP01 and Eco Outdoor, to limited edition works and bespoke commissions. The Sia Chair for Nau sits alongside newer work, showing how Fereday’s design language has evolved while maintaining a consistent focus on material integrity and functional longevity.

Nau Makes a European Debut at 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen.

Nau's European debut showcased the best of contemporary Australian design with Tom Fereday's elegant Cove collection and hand-cast Nola lights.

Photography: Sean Fennessey.

Photography: Pier Carthew.

Building for the Future

The Camperdown studio represents a showroom and a working space where future projects take shape. With 2026 set to unveil new bespoke commissions and collaborations, including works for the Powerhouse Museum, Fereday is steadily building a body of work that grows rather than replaces his existing portfolio.

“My goal is to design works for every functional part of a home, with the dream one day of being able to supply every element to my own home,” he says.

For Fereday, who studied industrial design at the University of Technology Sydney before working his way through Australia’s design industry, the new studio marks a significant milestone. Born in Sydney but raised in the UK, his return to Australia as a teenager set the foundation for a career deeply rooted in local making traditions and material culture.

As Sydney’s design world continues to evolve, Fereday’s studio is a physical stake in the ground—a space where collaboration, craft, and good design can continue to flourish.

Tom Fereday Studio is located at 16 Chester Street, Camperdown. The studio is open by appointment, Monday to Friday, for anyone interested in design. It’s a chance to see ten years of work—old pieces next to new—all in one active practice.

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[Images courtesy of Tom Fereday. Photography by Hamish McIntosh, Pier Carthew and Sean Fennessy. Video by Tommy Devy.]