Carol Egan, Sculptural Hand-Carved Shelf, United States, 2012

Manhattan-based furniture designer Carol Egan thrives at the crossroads of 21st-century technology and traditional woodworking. Her striking modern furniture, including boldly creative shelf designs, frequently features serpentine forms. Her hand-carved walnut shelves have a single twist, which seems to defy physics. 

Born in Dublin in 1974, Egan is a graduate of both University College Dublin and New York City’s Parsons School of Design. She complemented this formal education with an interest in 3D printing technology. 

Egan’s unique designs, like her twisted walnut stools and benches, begin as 3D models before skilled woodworkers craft and hand-finish the pieces. Using the modeling software, Egan imagines unusual and contemporary shapes that blur the lines between artistic sculpture and furniture. 

While often using walnut, mahogany or oak, Egan has also designed furniture made with marble, bronze and steel. Her timeless and innovative design perspective made her inaugural 2010 furniture line a global success. 

Maison Gerard in New York City was the first gallery to show Egan’s furniture and has continued to exhibit her work. Galerie BSL in Paris and Hostler Burrows in Los Angeles have also showcased her designs. Her free-standing console earned a Special Mention for Best Contemporary Piece at PAD London in 2015. Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Wallpaper, the New York Times and Vogue are just some of the publications that have featured Egan’s signature approach to furniture design.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Carol Egan seating, tables, wall decorations and more.