By Jessica Micallef
Eamon Riley is the toast of Gisborne.
The furniture designer and maker was presented with Houzz X VIVID’s Award for Furniture Design 2019 and People’s Choice Award 2019 for his handmade Bar-Code drinks cabinet.
Mr Riley, 22, said it was an honour to have received both awards.
“It’s pretty crazy and unreal because the quality of all the other work that was there, it could’ve gone to anyone,” he said.
“It’s such a prestigious award for emerging designers. It’s really awesome that I won in the furniture category.”
Mr Riley said the inspiration for his drinks cabinet came from a barcode on the back of a whiskey bottle.
“I thought it’d be a bit of a comedic idea to take the barcode and use the words in it,” he said.
“The whole facade is for it to be a whole bunch of zeros.”
Mr Riley studied an associate degree in design (furniture) at RMIT.
“This is the first piece out of university, it’s my first major project,” he said.
“In the next few years, I hope to set up my own brand and have my own commercial range of products.”
Mr Riley’s mum Yvonne said she was proud of her son’s achievements.
“It’s a hard industry to get into and we’re really excited for him and just glad that he can do what he wants to do,” she said.
