Collectible design refers to contemporary, original objects created as single pieces, short series, limited editions, or custom commissions. They exist at the intersection of design, art, and craft, and their value comes not only from their function but also from their authorship, idea, material, and execution.
Where did collectible design actually come from?
Collectible furniture is nothing new. On the contrary, the history of design is full of objects that have long ceased to be merely utilitarian.
Eames chairs, Bauhaus designs, Scandinavian design icons, Memphis, or objects like the Panton Chair now function simultaneously as utilitarian objects, elements of design history, and collectible items. Their value is not solely derived from their purpose. What matters is the designer's name, the historical moment, the significance of the design, the technology, the material, and its place in design history.
However, this is not exactly what we call collectible design today.
Contemporary collectible design grew out of this history but shifted the focus. Designers began to consciously work at the intersection of design, art, and craft, and galleries started to treat furniture or objects as works whose value could lie as much in their authorship, material experimentation, or execution as in their function.
This is why contemporary collectible design often comes in single pieces, short series, or limited editions. However, it's not just about a small number of objects. What is essential is the approach to design.
These are often objects created by designers and artists who work closely with the material and process. The manufacturing technique can be as important as the object itself or the material.
In this sense, collectible design lies somewhere between object and artwork, production and craft, function and artistic expression.
Where to look for collectible design?
The easiest place is where these worlds meet: in specialized galleries, exhibitions, fairs, and during major events in the furniture industry.
These include Milan Design Week, 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen, or the COLLECTIBLE fair in Brussels, as well as galleries such as Galerie kreo or Carpenters Workshop Gallery, which have been building their programs around contemporary design close to art for years.
It is this circuit: galleries, designers, collectors, curators, and specialized fairs, that allows us today to speak of collectible design not only as a method of production but also as a separate part of contemporary design culture.
And this is where the question of UN'COMMON begins.
Is Un'common collectible design?
Honestly? No.
At least not according to the classic definition. Collectible design exists in galleries, limited editions, auction catalogs, and one-off commissions. We make furniture in collaboration with small manufacturers in Łódź, for people who actually use it. We don't number every piece. We don't create editions of one. We don't design furniture just to be looked at.
And yet the line is not so clear-cut.
Because Un'common's uniqueness doesn't end with the material. Every piece of Breccia, Calacatta, or travertine that comes to our studio is different. The stone's pattern, its veining, color, and texture are unique and unrepeatable—in this sense, nature creates its own unique editions. But Un'common is primarily an original form and approach to design.
The distinctive language of Un'common
Un'common was not created to imitate existing styles or fit into prevailing trends in contemporary design. From the beginning, the goal was to create its own language — recognizable, consistent, and developed collection after collection.
Behind this language is Gosia Korycka, co-founder of Un'common and the brand's designer. Her way of looking at proportion, material, detail, and the relationship between furniture and space defines the brand's direction.
This approach to design is close to what characterizes collectible design – authenticity, closeness to process, and craftsmanship. Although we do not create limited editions or single objects, our furniture successfully functions in this context: it appears at major industry events and exhibitions alongside collectible designs, and some of it also finds its way into specialized galleries and design platforms.
Furniture for living or an object for collecting?
That depends on the collector.
For one, collectible design will be an investment; for another, a piece of art they want in their collection. Someone else will gladly incorporate such furniture into their daily life: they will sit on it, put a cup on it, look at it every day, and enjoy its unique history of creation.
There is no single right answer. There are no rigid rules – neither in design nor in the use of furniture.
However, we adhere to one principle: it's best to surround yourself with objects you feel connected to. Those that move you, have a story, and make you want to live with them. That's why we see no need to choose between the world of design and collectible design. The most interesting interiors are created when these two worlds can meet, and that's where we see Un'common's place.
We create furniture that can be displayed in a gallery. But above all, we create furniture that can be placed in your own home.
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