A Material Evolution – P0ly Designs

A creative business that emerged from COVID-19 lockdowns, P0ly Designs has cemented itself as a notable local design and fabrication studio. This is largely due to Co-Founders Lara Fisher and Andy Kepitis’s commitment to the maturation of their brand and evolution of their product range beyond a purely tiled offering.

In Lara’s words, P0ly is “very functional, playful and robust without being too serious.” She quickly adds that, in fact, “the best way to describe P0ly is by what our clients want,” signifying the importance of the studio’s made-to-order process. Customisation has always been an essential component of the P0ly offering; while the studio gained prominence for its tiled tables and plinths, its ability to customise almost any element – from tile choice and grout colour to dimensions – has fed its enduring presence. “We put a lot of effort into sourcing tiles from Italy and Japan, but equally, if someone comes to us with an idea for a pink gloss tile then we’ll source that specifically for them,” she says.

In Co-Founder Lara Fisher’s words, P0ly is “very functional, playful and robust without being too serious.” She quickly adds that, in fact, “the best way to describe P0ly is by what our clients want,” signifying the importance of the studio’s made-to-order process.

Recently, there has been a “huge demand for tiled furniture,” Lara says. Just last year, the pair visited their Italian tile factory – a third-generation family-run business near Lake Como – to find tiles were in higher demand than ever before. Instagram may have spawned considerable interest in this material yet, for P0ly’s older customers, tiles nod to the furniture of their childhoods, most notably, 1970s mosaic coffee tables. Thus, tiles will always have a place amongst the P0ly offering, however the introduction of steel represents a fitting evolution. As Lara explains, “steel is sturdy, fun to work with and the ability to powder coat it means it sits well with the tiles and grout.” She adds, “our clients are pretty out there in terms of colour, so the versatility is great.” Determined to keep production and manufacturing local and remain involved in the process, the steel is cut, bent and welded in P0ly’s Heidelberg warehouse, “powder coated, zinced and sandblasted” by a local fabricator and hand-finished by Lara and Andy in their Fitzroy North studio.

P0ly’s Indoor/Outdoor Steel Table – which was prototyped for 18 months to ensure a level of durability which could match the harsh Australian outdoors – epitomises the studio’s growth. A clear evolution of its ubiquitous tiled plinths and tables, it features a flat tiled surface and a pleasingly rudimentary steel frame. The boxy edges of the tabletop complement the similarly chunky, round legs, offering a wink of P0ly’s recognisable spirit. As Lara says, this piece was born from a desire to create “something highly durable but also playful”. The table is also a great example of P0ly’s made-to-order process as it can be completely customised. As Lara says, “we’ve already made petite ones for inner-city balconies” as well as large-scale dining tables for generous outdoor entertaining spaces.

Also new to the P0ly mix is the Steel Mirror. Available in two sizes, it features built-in shelves within a fine steel frame. “With our offering so far, we’ve noticed that people are enjoying the storage aspect,” Lara shares. “Our tables always have hidden drawers and secret compartments so when we decided to do a mirror, we thought of including shelves in the design.” It is functional and aesthetically pleasing, and true to P0ly’s form, it adds a touch of vigour to a space.

P0ly is a young studio, and it is promising to see its Co-Founders considering its maturation so early in its actuality. This, paired with an authentic approach to design and fabrication, will hopefully see P0ly demonstrate the same level of robustness and solidity as the materials that have come to define it.