Skip to main content

Modern Industry’s Evolution in Design

We all have that moment when we have been on the hunt for that perfect piece of furniture and we can’t find exactly what we want and wish we had the skills to make it. Luckily Jacob Wener has those skills. There was a void in sustainably made contemporary furniture so Wener took what he learned from his father and grandfather and opened Modern Industry in Chicago. The results are each piece being truly unique, finishes are applied by hand, and the wood is damn good looking.

We spoke to Jacob about his latest work, where he finds his wood and what is next. Check out the video below of Werner in his studio.

Where are you showing your latest work?

Recommended Videos

The Golden Triangle; they are primarily dealers of Asian antiques; they got started in Thai handicrafts (hence the Golden Triangle), but they’ve recently been showing my work out of Chicago.

How often do you roll out a collection?

I roll out a new collection of work every 9-12 months, usually 10-15 pieces, ranging from large to small.

Is there a piece in the shop you would consider your trademark?

The newest sideboard, the walnut one with three drawers and two blackened steel doors, with “x” brace legs  is probably the most expressive piece defining what I do- elegant, refined furniture with a few industrial touches.

Where do you source your woods? Is there a woodworkers trade show everyone goes to?

I source all of my wood from the City of Chicago.  My wood supplier works with various public and private resources, so that if a tree falls due to storm damage, or needs to be removed for construction etc, they harvest the wood, mill it into lumber and kiln-dry it.  I prefer to buy my wood from them, not only because it has a story- I can usually tell my clients exactly where their wood came from- but also because I can hand select pieces for interesting grain patterns, as well as series of book-matched boards that have grain that lays out in a mirror-image of each other.

What inspired the video? 

The video was made to show more of the process, from solid log to finished item, and the attention to detail at each step.  This detail is what separates my work from that of more mass-produced furniture brands.

What’s next?

In terms of new design concepts, I really want to get into leather details.  I’ve been in early talks with a few leatherworkers to see where we can go with it, and I’m thinking of using it in some unexpected ways.  From a sales perspective, I’ve got my eyes on finding representation in New York- I sell quite a bit on the East Coast, and I really should have somewhere to send   New York clients to see my work in person.

Come to Chicago this June 11th where I’m going to be showing some more new work as part of this year’s Guerrilla Truck Show.  It runs concurrently with Neocon, the big contract/industry design show here, both in a gallery offsite with Object Society and in a truck as part of the actual show.

Check out the video below to see Jacob in action.

Modern Industry: Furniture For Life

(A film by Winter Beach Productions)

Cator Sparks
Former Former Digital Trends Contributor, The Manual
Cator Sparks was the Editor-in-Chief of The Manual from its launch in 2012 until 2018. Previously, Cator was covering…
Don’t ruin your cigars: here’s how to properly season a new humidor
Seasoning secrets every cigar lover could use
faceless man presenting a cigar humidor with cigars inside with gloved hands

If you're a newcomer to the world of cigars or just bought a brand-new humidor, you'll need to season it. And no, I'm not saying to add salt and pepper to it. If you've never heard of it, you might ask, "What is seasoning for a humidor?"

Don't think you need to flavor the box or anything — seasoning is really about getting the wood inside your humidor so as not to rob your cigars of precious moisture. Easy to understand, and getting it done is relatively straightforward as well. The trick is figuring out the "why," and we'll get into that in a bit. But let's first discuss seasoning a humidor.

Read more
The NBA’s ultimate celebration tool: The victory cigar
A look at the players and coaches who smoke to celebrate
Jordan smoking a cigar image on a bag

Sports are synonymous with celebration. After winning the biggest trophy of their lives, athletes want to indulge in the payoff that comes with seeing their dreams realized. Teams go into the locker room, where a waterfall of champagne hits them in the eyes, and swimming goggles seem to be a requirement, lest you walk around on the best night of your life half blind. While drinking is often the activity of choice after winning a championship, the NBA has an alternative symbol of greatness that other sports don't use nearly enough: the victory cigar.

Basketball is a team game, but it's also an individual canvas for solo superstardom. After winning an NBA championship, the coaches and players who sit atop the throne have long smoked a cigar in the locker room, during the parade, or even on the bench before the clock has hit zero. There's nothing quite like a good stogie to signify the ultimate win over the rest of the league, but how did the victory cigar get so ingrained in NBA championship celebrations? We want to take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the historical moments and people who made the cigar what it is within the NBA today.
Red Auerbach's victory cigar on the bench
Red Auerbach: The Story Behind the Victory Cigar + His Disdain of NBA Officials - Red on Roundball

Read more
The best medical shows of all time to binge now
From ER to The Pitt, these are the best medical shows ever made
Noah Wyle in the Pitt

Throughout TV's long history, the medical drama has occupied a somewhat unique place in the landscape. Medical shows are often some of the most reliable on TV precisely because there's so much drama built in to working in a hospital.

Personally, I've found the medical drama to be deeply comforting for years, even if I have no desire to be a doctor myself. Understanding the stress of people in the healthcare profession is fascinating in and of itself.

Read more