Designer takes some of the pain out of breaking up
Furniture designer Alexandra Tinning has created a splittable cabinet, ideal for couples who, er, split.
Alexandra, a Northumbria University student in 3D design, decided that when relationships break up, the furniture should too.
So for her final year show at the university’s School of Design, she developed a “divorce cabinet” which can be sawed in two when couples go their separate ways.
Alexandra, who has a passion for 1950s furniture, came up with idea came after studying the social changes which make life today so different from the post-war decade.
She told Newcastle's Journal: “There are issues like today’s throwaway society compared to the 1950s, but a massive difference is the easier divorce now and higher break-up rates. It affects a lot of people’s lives. For thousands of years, men and women’s roles were clearly defined.
“The divorce cabinet is the result of designing for today’s culture.”
Inspiration for the piece was also drawn from the high profile breakdown of Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills' marriage, but unlike that pairing, the cabinet has four legs.
It comes complete with its own saw and features pre-drilled cut lines across the top to mark where it can be sawn in half. The cabinet also features pull-down legs so that each half of the cabinet can become a functional piece of furniture when the couple separate.
The idea could apply to other furniture and can also reflect the complexity of dividing property.
Furniture designer Alexandra Tinning has created a splittable cabinet, ideal for couples who, er, split.