Levantin design story – Designer Furniture and Signature Design

The Backyard Workshop

In the summer of 2012, during the university holidays, Sergei Lvov sketched out a furniture restoration business plan on a scrap of wallpaper, soon joined in the project by his brother Aleksandr. That very evening, an ad appeared on the city’s notice boards: “We buy old furniture.” Instead of enjoying a carefree summer, we found ourselves hauling another dilapidated dresser into a cargo taxi – much to the surprise of its previous owner. By acquiring and accepting as gifts unique pieces, we spent our free time transforming them into contemporary art. The culmination of this creative period was the exhibition Levantin Redesign Work at the local history museum. The collection showcased various pieces of furniture and interior décor, which later found a new home in the city’s very first coworking space.

What began as a lighthearted summer hobby soon shaped our professional paths. Sergei Lvov, a graduate of the Department of Industrial Design at the Academy of Design and Arts, and Aleksandr, who earned a bachelor’s degree in management from the Polytechnic Institute, came together to create original products. Yet restoration defined the core principle of our work: conscious creation – enriching the world with meaningful objects and taking pride in every single piece we craft. When searching for a name, we wanted something that would identify us with the objects we create. That’s how we arrived at “Levantin” – a transformed version of our family name, Lvov, and a nod to our childhood nicknames. The antlers on our logo are a detail taken from the façade of the very first restored cabinet – a reminder of where we began and of the many branches our creative journey still holds ahead.

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Creative Manufactory

After several years of hands-on craftsmanship, we decided to bring our own design vision to life, starting with pure engineering forms – geometric compositions built from symmetrical lines. Our work soon caught the attention of the international design press and earned us our first design awards in France. However, the bold portfolio full of daring ideas was not warmly received by local factories, which preferred producing mass-market, impersonal products. Rather than discouraging us, this only fueled our ambitions. We made the decision to establish our own production cycle, gathering around us a team of passionate enthusiasts and independent artisans. This approach allowed us to create memorable products, born from the dedication of people who love their craft. Every piece is made with soul, shaped by the skilled hands of masters who respect their work and proudly showcase the results.

The creation of the brand’s unified design vision and the introduction of new products are curated by Sergei Lvov. His design approach merges contemporary metamodernism with elements of natural aesthetics: “In my practice, I strive to create original objects that resonate with the modern way of living – a concept we describe as ‘Wow in your space!’ These pieces possess artistic value and bring joy to our clients. While experimenting with clean lines and simple forms, I am deeply inspired by the exploration of natural textures, shapes, and materials, imbuing familiar objects with new layers of meaning.”

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Corporate Clients’ Love

We enjoy being part of contemporary interiors for public spaces, corporate brands, and the HoReCa segment. We are inspired by the idea of an office manager or a hostess introducing guests to a local brand that boldly experiments with design and explores relevant themes from plastic recycling and the revival of traditional crafts to collaborations with local creators and workshops. Our goal is to bring signature pieces with storytelling into these spaces – objects that reflect the values of the environment and become part of its DNA. For example, for Kyiv’s main department store TSUM, we implemented one of our largest integrated projects – the ONE LOVE coffee point. Assembled in Kharkiv, the structure was divided into blocks and installed on-site within just a few days. Today, we also receive export requests to furnish creative spaces worldwide. Among our projects are IT company offices and headquarters, a hotel skyscraper in Singapore, a coffee shop in Qatar, an art school in Austria, and many others.

We remain focused on developing the local market for designer objects and deeply value the support of our partner furniture showrooms, which share our philosophy and recommend Levantin design products to their clients. At the same time, we are open to international collaborations, actively working with showrooms and agents in Poland, Italy, Germany, and the USA. Our products are also chosen by private clients – modern urban residents with active lifestyles, who seek objects that resonate with their identity, aesthetics, and worldview rather than faceless, utilitarian items. It is especially meaningful when our designs find appreciation among well-known personalities, trendsetters, and influencers.

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Design for the Global Market

We participate annually in domestic design exhibitions and are regularly invited to international festivals and trade shows. Over the years, we have had the opportunity to showcase our work at Maison&Objet, Paris Design Week, Stockholm Furniture Fair, High Point Market, Barcelona Design Week, Warsaw Home, and many other significant events. By presenting our vision of the object environment to the world, we have demonstrated that it can be both distinctive and in demand, which opened the door to collaborations with international manufacturers.

In our projects, we bring to life our own artistic vision, which takes shape in close interaction with factories that provide detailed technical specifications. We believe that limitations are not obstacles but rather tools for creation. Passing through their natural funnel, something beautiful and new emerges. We approach every project as a form of research – studying human habits, the properties of materials, technological capabilities, and the cultural context to create objects that carry meaning and seamlessly integrate into the contemporary environment.

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War, Production and Peace 🕊️

We have resumed production in Kharkiv after a six-month pause, restarting the shipment of completed orders and the acceptance of new requests. In the early months of the war, we were forced to halt the workshop’s operations and convert our industrial space in the city center into a shelter for several dozen people and their pets. We are endlessly grateful to our team, partners, and clients, whose support has made it possible to continue creating interior objects even in these challenging times.

Since 2022, our design department has been based in Meda – the heart of Italy’s furniture industry near Milan. Immersed in this craft-driven environment, we have deeply embraced the conceptual Italian approach to industrial design – a fusion of tradition and innovation. Inspired by the heritage of generations of creators, we strive to merge artisanal mastery, advanced technologies, and contemporary symbols into our products. Our cross-cultural experience shaped by the influence of avant-gardists, constructivists, brutalist architecture, and socialist-era object design allows us to reinterpret European craftsmanship, traditions, and materials through a new and unexpected perspective.

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