More than a decade since Roll & Hill began producing the lighting designs of both established and emerging designers and disrupted the American design industry, the Brooklyn-based company is at it again – this time with a Roll & Hill furniture collection. The expansion comes on the back of Roll & Hill’s acquisition of the Alexis Manufacturing Company in early 2020. Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and known for its expertise for producing complex wooden components and seating, the 75-year old company is also a well-regarded supplier of seating and components to several big-name companies.
The ‘Cross Bar’ table and ‘Three Plane Chair’, both by Campagna. Both pieces are available in a choice of Hard Maple, White Oak and Black Walnut (pictured here)
‘For several years, we have been thinking about different ways to expand upon what we have done over the last decade in lighting. Furniture made a lot of sense because it aligns well with what we already do in terms of sales and production,’ shares Roll & Hill’s founder Jason Miller of the new offering. ‘Additionally, I personally just love furniture. Furniture was my original entry into the design world and I have continued designing pieces outside of Roll & Hill. Buying Alexis Manufacturing gave us the expertise and production capability we needed to make this a reality. Just as we do with lighting, we will continue to make pieces on demand and or course customized when necessary.’
Roll & Hill's inaugural furniture collection
Roll & Hill founder Jason Miller designed the ‘Lexington Table’, while the ‘Taper Counter Stool’ in wood and unlacquered brass are by Karl Zahn
Roll & Hill’s inaugural furniture collection features the design talents of Karl Zahn, the design studio Campagna and Miller himself. Comprised of stools, chairs, a dining table, a bedside table, dresser and a bar table, the eight-piece range hits a strong note with its melange of classic and contemporary elements in a rich material palette.
‘When I started Roll & Hill, there was one mission – to create well-designed contemporary lighting that would appeal to an American audience. At the time, this was somewhat of a novelty. Most of what was considered good contemporary design came from European companies and, as a result, there was a disconnect with the American consumer. I wanted to bridge that gap,’ Miller reflects. ‘The design landscape has changed quite a bit since the first decade of this century, but I still think our mission holds true. There are not a lot of manufacturing companies in the US that focus on contemporary design. Our furniture will fill the void.’
Karl Zahn's ‘Taper Bar Stool’ in Black Walnut
Roll & Hill’s purchase is indicative of its commitment to advancing the idea of American design, in more ways than one. In addition to using time-honoured methods to produce contemporary furniture pieces, preserving Alexis’ own manufacturing heritage is also a key focus. This is exemplified not just by the number of craftspeople and makers who have been retained, but also by the fact that it will continue to fulfill its contract business obligations under the Alexis name.
With more pieces set to come throughout 2021 and beyond, expect Roll & Hill to bring the same dynamism to American-made furniture as it does with lighting time and time again.
INFORMATION
-
Apple Music’s new space for radio, live music and events sits in the heart of creative LAApple Music’s Rachel Newman and global head of workplace design John De Maio talk about the shaping of the company’s new Los Angeles Studio
-
David Lynch’s photographs and sculptures are darkly alluring in BerlinThe late film director’s artistic practice is the focus of a new exhibition at Pace Gallery, Berlin (29 January – 22 March 2026)
-
Roland and Karimoku expand their range of handcrafted Kiyola digital pianosThe new Roland KF-20 and KF-25 are the latest exquisitely crafted digital pianos from Roland, fusing traditional furniture-making methods with high-tech sound
-
Kohler unveils ‘Pearlized’, an iridescent new bathroom finish with an under-the-sea backstoryArtist David Franklin was inspired by glimmering fish scales and sunsets for this mesmerising debut
-
Once overrun with florals, this old Hudson farmhouse is now a sprawling live-work artist’s retreatBuilt in the 1700s, this Hudson home has been updated into a vast creative compound for a creative, yet still exudes the ‘unbuttoned’ warmth of its first life as a flower farm
-
Chris Wolston’s first-ever museum show bursts with surreal forms and psychedelic energy‘Profile in Ecstasy,’ opening at Dallas Contemporary on 7 November, merges postmodern objects with Colombian craft techniques
-
How an Austin home went from 'Texan Tuscan' to a lush, layered escape inspired by the AlhambraThe intellectually curious owners of this Texas home commissioned an eclectic interior – a true ‘cabinet of curiosities’ layered with trinkets and curios
-
With a secret members’ club, this Washington, DC barbershop is a ‘theatre of self-care’At Manifest 002, come for a haircut; stay for the boldly hued social spaces designed by INC Architecture & Design
-
Step inside a ‘dream desert sanctuary’ tucked into Moab's rust-red landscapeSusannah Holmberg designed this home to harmonise with the extreme climate and dramatic surroundings of Utah’s Moab desert. 'The landscape is everything'
-
Nicole Hollis launches a collection of home objects ‘rooted in mindfulness’The American interior designer worked with artists, makers and artisans to create objects for the home, emphasising materiality and visual simplicity
-
USM furniture turns shelter in a New York exhibition‘The Room You Carry’ by interior design studio Loveisenough examines the space between order and wilderness, indoors and outdoors
