Olivier Desrochers was born in Montreal in 1973. Ever since he was a child, he has been interested in design, particularly of furniture, which combines form and texture. He completed his interior design education in 1999, but it was a trip to Bali that triggered his design career. Inspired by the Balinese landscapes, markets, and people, he designed the Nuovo/Nuova furniture line, which he then sent to Quebec by container. When he returned, he founded his company, OD Design.

Desrocher’s works are produced essentially for individuals seeking custom design; he creates with a particular emphasis on the analysis of form and the relationships among space, human being, and object. The result is pieces of furniture that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are ergonomic and comfortable.

“For me, aesthetics and comfort are closely connected,” Desrochers explains. “A piece of furniture that has perfect lines but is uncomfortable has no place, except perhaps in a museum. For example, Ronron was a major challenge, since it has a very low back for a rocking chair. I had to change the angle of the back three times before finding the ideal angle, but I would never have disfigured its general shape to make it comfortable. I would simply have designed a different chair.”

While Desrochers is currently working on a table that is at the prototype stage, as well as on a modular sofa and a bookcase, the form of the chair continues to preoccupy him. “The chair is the perfect design icon,” he observes. “I can’t say why I, and many designers, find it so fascinating. Perhaps one day I’ll find out; for the moment, I’m happy to design them.”