Dean Toepfer
Adelaide-based multidisciplinary designer Dean Toepfer’s creative practice spans furniture, lighting and object design exploring different material, shape and form with each new design.
Words: Hande Renshaw I Photography: Dean Toepfer, Victoria Zschommler & Andrew Carvolth
Vase Versa styled by Berry Dijkstra.
Adelaide-based Dean Toepfer is a multidisciplinary designer whose creative practice spans furniture, lighting and object design.
With a background in fashion and trained in Rotterdam under Lex Pott, Dean has always been passionate about design, a journey which has been filled with valuable lessons and growth.
‘It’s hard to pinpoint how I landed where I am now but I’ve always wanted to be immersed in a creative environment and thankfully it ended up that way,’ says Dean.
Today, Dean leans into many creative endeavours; from developing work for exhibitions, products for direct sale and private commissions to exhibition design and setting up a multi-disciplinary studio space.
Exploration of different materials is at the core of Dean’s practice. His most recent projects have included the application of steel, timber, concrete, brass, resin, limestone, glass, acrylic, LED lighting and reclaimed electrical wire.
‘My work is ever-evolving. Each time I take on a new project I’m learning new ways of utilising processes and achieving outcomes, these experiences then influence future projects,’ says Dean, ‘I’m always trying to challenge my skill-set, it’s good to have a slight feeling of uncertainty as you will learn from the process. If you play it safe you won’t grow.’
Working across a broad variety of materials means there is a learning process that comes with each new design, ‘There’s not one material I favour. I like the challenge of working with multiple materials, understanding how to best process them and making them work cohesively with others.’
Vase Versa in Teal by Dean Toepfer. Photo: Cool Machine
Vase Versa in Red/Taupe by Dean Toepfer. Photo: Victoria Zschommler for Vogue Living
“What would I tell my younger self? Make the most of every opportunity you have, don’t be ashamed or shy for not knowing and ask a lot of questions.”
‘Being creative, problem solving and turning an intangible thought into a tangible object keeps me inspired,’ says Dean Toepfer. Photo: Andrew Carvolth
Apres Cart in Blue designed by Dean Toepfer. Photo: Dean Toepfer
Memories Of You And The Light It Brings by Dean Toepfer, a lighting sculpture which was part of the Wonderstruck exhibition by One Two One Two for Melbourne Design Week 2021. Photo: Dean Toepfer
‘I’m always trying to challenge my skill-set, it’s good to have a slight feeling of uncertainty as you will learn from the process. If you play it safe you won’t grow,’ says Dean Toepfer. Photo: Dean Toepfer
Bold and joyous colour plays a part in Dean’s work, an area which he has recently delved deeper into after working with a more monotone palette, influenced from his time spent in the Netherlands with Lex Pott.
‘It’s suprising how the colour of a piece can change a design’s aesthetic or character,’ says Dean, ‘While there’s a lot of time deliberating on what colour is chosen for a material or piece I don’t think there is a specific rationale. Each design has its own personality and through the process of designing and developing it, you get a better understanding of what colour or colours will work.’
Inspiration for Dean’s pieces which include vases, furniture and light sculptures, comes mostly from his immediate environment, whether that be through friends and colleagues and the conversation they have, or books and magazines to the music he listens to, ‘From both positive and negative experiences, I learn and am influenced by what’s going on around me. I take elements from all of these experiences and let it shape the way I create.’
The future looks bright for the designer who is currently building on his network and business relationships in Australia, with his sights firmly set on extending his work to include European furniture and lighting brands – watch this space!
