Pottinger & Cole in their studio; Photo: Pottinger & Cole, 2008

Crossed leg coffee table (380x800x430cm) by Pottinger & Cole; Photo: Pottinger & Cole, 2006

Since forming their company 'Pottinger & Cole' three years ago, Wayne Pottinger and Nathalie Cole's work has become widely known for its quirky, often humorous designs. Their Marilyn lamp with its fibre glass shade mimicking her famous wardrobe malfunction, stands alongside the Twiggi coat stand, the angles of which might imply 1960s photo-shoots, but could equally reference the branch of a tree. Word play and humour have up until now attracted the majority of press attention, but Pottinger and Cole's work can primarily be defined by strong silhouettes - think less organic shapes, and more crisp and angular - and it is in this, perhaps more serious, direction that Pottinger & Cole are moving towards.

Based in Wolverhampton, Pottinger & Cole mostly design and prototype forms, while the making side is contracted out to manufacturers. Luckily for them the West Midlands has fabricators galore, some within only ten miles of the studio. So whether they choose to work with metal, wood or plastics, there are more than enough skilled hands nearby to realise these forms.

The Craft Council may seem an unlikely beneficiary for makers' who rarely make, however, this year Pottinger and Cole are the recipients of the Craft Council Development Award, and they intend to put it to good use. Technology is vital for their business, and this award will finance some significant purchases, including new computers and a 3D Modeling package, and the necessary training to use it. 'It is', Nathalie says, 'essential for us to be able to send CAD files rather than physical models, especially when manufacturing is increasingly taking place outside of the UK.' Having been to Origin a number of times, as well as 100% Design, this year the pair seek to put more pieces into production, and build up a solid base of manufacturers. Some of the award money has already been invested in generating new work, including an upholstered lounger chair in moulded plywood which will make its debut in the summer.

Website: www.pottingerandcole.co.uk