Groovystuff debuts Appalachian State University“Featured Student Designer” Ian O’Hare, along with an array of new product introductions in the reclaimed steel drum “Moonshine Collection” at the Summer Las Vegas World Market, July 27-31, 2014. The Las Vegas World Market is host to more than 1,500 world-class manufacturers showing the latest industry trends at one state-of-the-art campus. Groovystuff exhibits on the Ground Floor of Building B, Showroom Number B-0146.
As the “Featured Student Designer” for Groovystuff at the Summer Las Vegas Market, Ian O’Hare will be revealing his design creation, “The Khunkhea Table Collection” exclusively for market attendees. The Khunkhea Tables (“Big Mountain” in Thai), were “inspired by the mountain ranges found in Northwestern Thailand. Reclaimed salvaged teak, native to Thailand, is used to construct the table tops. The welded and riveted cast iron frame gives the collection a rustic and sturdy architecture. All of these quality materials are repurposed benefiting the planet and a sustainable future for everyone."
Ian O'Hare, an undergraduate student at Appalachian State University majoring in Industrial Design, is a High Point, North Carolina native fortunate enough to grow up in the furniture industry capital of the world. His interests range from furniture to product design, and he draws inspiration from nature and architecture.
According to the June 2014 Home Furnishings News Staff Report by industry expert Jerry Epperson, “the parts of the furniture industry that are recovering the fastest are those that have had some sort of creativity or innovation.” The “Moonshine Collection” of furniture and home décor by Groovystuff reinvents the aftermarket application of the reclaimed steel drum and spearheads the market trend for material innovation with a colorful flair.
As noted in Time Magazine’s “A Brief History of the Oil Barrel,” the oil drum has historically been an industry standard since the mid-1800’s. In the early days, due to the number of Moonshine distillers on the market, Pennsylvania oilmen used whiskey barrels to collect oil after striking their first oil gushers. Despite currently being transported through tankers and pipelines, oil is still measured by the 42-gallon barrel on the world market today. To celebrate these early pioneers, Groovystuff has dedicated an entire collection of over 50 furniture, lighting, and home décor products titled the “Moonshine Collection” and is pleased to include the latest “Stetson Seating Collection” and “Great Gatsby & Daisy Bell Bicycles Built for Two” to the signature line.
