Kipper (The Brand)
Founded in Los Angeles in 1996, Kipper Designs was established with a clear purpose: to preserve the artistry, history, and integrity of antique furniture. After years working in antique shops, we recognized that, too often, emphasis is placed on the sale, rather than the significance of the object itself.
Kipper Designs doesn't exist solely to sell antique furniture. It exists to preserve the artistry and unique history of each item that comes into the shop.
We are custodians of the past. It is a simple sentiment, and one that defines the workshop's approach. At Kipper Designs, restoration is not about making something old look new. It's about ensuring that its history, craftsmanship, and character endure for generations to come. Because who are we without our history?
Kipper (The Man)
For Kipper's Founder, Niall Bourke, working with wood has been a lifelong relationship with nature, craftsmanship, and the stories held within.
Born in Ireland, Niall spent his earliest years helping tend the estate's rose gardens, developing an early appreciation for the patience, care, and respect that both nature and craftsmanship require.
His career would take him across Ireland, London, and the British West Indies before he ultimately settled in Los Angeles, founding Kipper Designs in 1996. Along the way, he worked alongside remarkable craftsmen and structural engineers, experiences that shaped his technical expertise while reinforcing a philosophy grounded in humility and respect for traditional methods.
Of his work, Niall often says, "I look at a tree, and it tells me what it needs to be."