Favoring used materials that wear well and tell a story, Canadian artist and furniture designer Stephen Kenn aims “to create products worthy of repair.” For instance, making comfortable pillows out of vintage, military-issued shelter halves is one way in which Kenn’s pieces facilitate a conversation as rich as the history that inspires them.
Kenn is a passionate designer and entrepreneur. In his early 20s, Kenn set up shop in Los Angeles and co-created two denim companies before selling them to investors. Kenn then focused on constructing men’s travel luggage through his third company. Once again, he went on to sell the company to investors. He shifted to making industrial-style furniture to match his loft apartment. Kenn took apart a vintage sofa and armchair to discover their inner workings and repurposed them into his designs. Through this experimentation, his fourth business, Stephen Kenn Furniture, was born. His wife, Beks Opperman, handled the business end while Kenn advanced his creative process.
Kenn had access to a large array of military fabrics, which became central to his Inheritance Collection. Along with repurposing the fabrics, Kenn welded rusted steel frames covered in a protective coating. Replica “mule belts,” originally used for pack mules in World War II, complemented the tarnished metal and supported the backs of his sofas.
In 2019, Kenn partially opened his downtown Los Angeles loft to the public as an experiential showroom that holds a collection of his work and favorite items from the past. It is open for community events and overnight stays and houses a popular neighborhood coffee shop.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Stephen Kenn’s seating, tables and more.
Tan & Charcoal Outdoor Lounge Chair
By Stephen Kenn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by weekend visits to the Stark desert landscapes found a few hours east of Los Angeles, the Outdoor Collection by Stephen Kenn is composed of steel frames that have been zin...
Steel
Black & Charcoal Outdoor Lounge Chair
By Stephen Kenn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by weekend visits to the stark desert landscapes found a few hours east of Los Angeles, the Outdoor Collection by Stephen Kenn is composed of steel frames that have been zin...
Steel
Black & Tan Outdoor Lounge Chair
By Stephen Kenn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by weekend visits to the stark desert landscapes found a few hours east of Los Angeles, this collection is composed of steel frames that have been zinc primed and powder coa...
Steel
Outdoor Cream and Charcoal Corner Chair
By Stephen Kenn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by weekend visits to the stark desert landscapes found a few hours east of Los Angeles, this collection is composed of steel frames that have been zinc primed and powder coa...
Steel
Outdoor Cream and Charcoal Chair
By Stephen Kenn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by weekend visits to the stark desert landscapes found a few hours east of Los Angeles, this collection is composed of steel frames that have been zinc primed and powder coa...
Steel
Outdoor Leaf and Charcoal Corner Chair
By Stephen Kenn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by weekend visits to the stark desert landscapes found a few hours east of Los Angeles, this collection is composed of steel frames that have been zinc primed and powder coa...
Steel
Contemporary Outdoor Dining armchair With Upholstered Backrest & Metallic Legs
Located in New York, NY
This dining armchair will bring a classy touch to any outdoor space. Upholstered backrest in a choice of fabric , wooden seat and metallic legs. Avail...
Metal
Minimalist Outdoor Armchair in Metal and solid wood
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
The iconic design collection, Branch is characterized by the essentiality of a robust metal structure, enriched in a flexible and expressive way by a textile coating, that creates a ...
Metal
Minimalist Outdoor Chair in Hardwood, Metal and Fabric
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
This minimalist chair is made for use outdoors with solid wood, metal and fabrics. The chair's multi-finish structure is combined with outdoor fabrics such as the Batyline to create an interesting outdoor solution. Bellow the full Skyfolding collection concept: Skyfolding In-Outdoor Collection, the collection concept is inspired by the Asian building scaffoldings, where a structure is composed by bamboo sticks crossed to create this inspiring and fascinating structures. We combined elements of this structures and also references from the ballet stretching bars that often combine metal and wood, this combo is the concept very soul. All the figurative elements are abstracted in the design process to extract the precise best of each world, and by then resulting in a collection of delicate objects, cult and curated to the minimum details, in design and engineering. The collection is composed by outdoor net, batyline or plastic, in a portion leaving room to a more soft design approach that is harmonious, this elements are combined to a structure made of wood and metal that transcends to tech and soft, a paradigm of past, present and future that invite all the viewers to contemplate and reflect in this philosophical matters in a tactile and visual way. Resulting is a essential and timeless set of objects...
Metal
James de Wulf Heirloom Patio Dining Chair, Stainless Steel and Ipe Ironwood
By James de Wulf
Located in Paia, HI
Clean, contemporary design. Made from stainless steel, Ipe ironwood, stainless steel machine screws, and solid brass caps on the top. Suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Ipe wood...
Stainless Steel
Outdoor Modern Dining Chair in Metal Solid Wood Rope and Textiles
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Fence collection concept The “Fence” collection concept is inspired by the countryside elements that are part of the daily life, to create this premium outdoor collection the mai...
Metal
Shelton Outdoor Teak Dining Chair
Located in Paris, FR
Dining chair shelton outdoor teak with stainless steel powder coated structure in black finish. With solid natural teak seat, backrest and armrests.
Stainless Steel
