metal & modern
Growing up in New Jersey, Marc Maiorana learned the fundamentals of blacksmithing from his father. Later, he took various art classes in college but found he was always drawn to metal.
In 2001, Maiorana earned a degree in metalsmithing from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. The following year he headed South to the renowned Penland (NC) School of Crafts as a resident artist.
In 2008 he relocated with his girlfriend to Cedar Bluff, VA, and started Iron Design Company, which combines traditional metal work with contemporary design.
Soon requests started coming in for the simple, round bottle openers ($15) he first made at Penland. It is pictured below.
Maiorana enjoys making sleek, everyday objects, including his tension candles holders ($125 each), modern andirons ($2,400) and book sconces ($125) for a special or first-edition book you want to display.
But he also welcomes larger, custom designs, such as staircase railings.
His best-selling design, here and in Europe, is a wine rack ($250). A curving strip of steel that rolls in and out from the wall, the rack holds six wine bottles.
Maiorana said that many of his designs, like the wine rack, began at home, where he was short on counter space.
To learn more about his designs and products, visit www.irondesigncompany.com
