Houston’s Contour Functional Art Is Creating Legacy Pieces That Inspire

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PHOTO COURTESY CONTOUR FUNCTIONAL ART

“Good design is always carefully composed to satisfy the demands of both form and function,” says Jamar Simien, co-owner of Houston-based Contour Functional Art with Ikechukwu “Ike” Igbo and Brandon “BJ” Destouet. “Our core focus is making beautiful art you can actually use.”

Their fully outfitted design-and-build firm creates legacy pieces that will last forever—from custom coffee, end and dining tables to creative wall decor and handmade bowls—while providing design consultation and project facilitation and shipping its handmade bespoke pieces around the world. But perhaps most impressive is their mission to empower and connect Africa and America using sustainably sourced exotic wood species, all handcrafted by its team in East Africa.

“We focus on the human aspect of what we do while still being concerned about the environment,” Simien says, adding, “We are Black-owned and operated, which is rare in the design industry. We hope to inspire young Black designers and woodworkers to push their own perceived limitations to refine their craft and seek ownership of their creative output.”