A Conversation With Atelier Korbo
Founded in 2024 by designer Dex Vallon, Atelier Korbo
is a London-based furniture studio grounded in craftsmanship and clarity of form. Each piece is made by hand using traditional joinery techniques and solid timber, no shortcuts or no mass production. The result is furniture that feels rooted, durable, and made to live with over time. What sets the studio apart is its dedication to process: small-scale production, locally sourced materials, and a focus on craftsmanship.
THE CURALIST (Alice) : For those discovering you for the first time: what is Atelier Korbo ?
DEX VALLON: Hi, my name is Dex Vallon, and I’m the founder of Atelier Korbo, a London-based furniture studio I started in 2024 to focus on thoughtful, hands-on making.
The studio is built around a simple idea: to create furniture with presence, care, and permanence. Every piece is made by hand, one at a time, using traditional joinery and solid timber. It’s work that’s meant to be lived with, and built to last.
THE CURALIST (Alice) :Can you share the story behind Atelier Korbo, how it began, and what the name means to you?
DEX VALLON: Atelier Korbo started from a simple need to make things with care, to slow down and work with my hands.
The name “Korbo” is a slang word from the island in the French Caribbean where I was born. It means outsider, which felt fitting.
I’m a French expat living in London, and I’ve often felt like I’m finding my own way, a bit outside the usual path. The name is a quiet nod to that.
THE CURALIST (Alice) : Do you have any references that shapes your work ?
DEX VALLON: Yes, a wide range — from Greco-Roman architecture to mid-century Japanese and French furniture, and even contemporary sculpture.
But often, references are more atmospheric than literal — a photograph, a shadow, a building detail can shape a whole piece.
THE CURALIST (Alice) : What role does the material you use play in your products ?
DEX VALLON: Material is everything. It’s not just the starting point, but a collaborator. I try to let it speak — I don’t hide grain, or erase imperfections. Wood, especially, has its own memory and logic, and part of the job is listening to it.
THE CURALIST (Alice) : Wood seems to be a recurring presence in your work. What draws you to it?
DEX VALLON: Wood is alive — even when it’s been milled and dried. It shifts, it moves, it ages. It’s a material that rewards patience, precision, and care. There’s a warmth to it that you can’t fake — and every species brings its own tone, weight, and energy.
THE CURALIST (Alice) : What does the journey of a piece look like in your studio, where does it begin, and how does it take shape?
DEX VALLON: It usually starts with a shape or proportion — sometimes just a sketch or a rough idea. From there, I work through drawings, technical plans, and back-and-forth adjustments to figure things out. I test ideas, refine details, and keep adjusting until it feels right. Then it moves into the making — joinery, shaping, and finishing — where the piece starts to come to life. It’s a hands-on process, and the final piece always carries something from each step along the way.
THE CURALIST (Alice) : How does your production process work, are the pieces custom-made, or is there a set collection?
DEX VALLON: I work on both custom commissions and a slowly evolving collection of original designs. Nothing is batch-produced — every piece is made one at a time, by hand, in my London workshop.
THE CURALIST (Alice) : In a world of rapid consumption, what role do you see for traditional craftsmanship and slow making in your practice?
DEX VALLON: I see it as a form of resistance — and an act of care. Traditional craftsmanship doesn’t just produce beautiful things; it embeds time, skill, and attention into objects that outlast trends. In some ways, it’s more modern than ever.
THE CURALIST (Alice) : How do you hope people engage with your pieces in use, through touch, or over time as they age?
DEX VALLON: I design for the long term. Touch is essential — a chamfered edge, a polished surface, the way wood warms under your hands. But just as important is how a piece changes with its environment, gathering marks and stories over years of use.
THE CURALIST (Alice) : If Atelier Korbo were reduced to just a few words into a list, what would they be on that list?
DEX VALLON: Hand tools. Clean lines. Joinery. Presence. Silence. Rhythm. Quiet details.
THE CURALIST (Alice) : What’s next for Atelier Korbo, a dream project, a material you haven’t explored yet?
DEX VALLON: I’d love to collaborate with a gallery or architect on a full interior — something immersive, where the furniture doesn’t just sit in a space but helps shape it. I’m also starting to explore metals and leathers, with the aim of producing all hardware and upholstery fully in-house — keeping every detail under one roof.
BY
Alice Corolleur
BRAND
Conversation with Dex Vallon Owner of Atelier Korbo
IMAGES
Atelier Korbo