Not many find a way to make their passion their career. Darren is lucky to be doing that a second time. Having fulfilled his boyhood dream of becoming an architect, he’s now fulfilling his other long held dream, to design and make furniture. 

Darren began learning his craft at The Guild with Alistair in 2014. Five years later, his desire to make could no longer be contained. He closed the doors of his architecture practice and moved to Mittagong in NSW, to undertake the year long course at The Sturt School for Wood. 

In 2021 he opened Darren Naftal Fine Furniture, making limited run and one-off commissioned pieces. “I love to push beyond convention, making pieces that stand alone as a statement within a space, not just a functional item within it. My designs seek to bring a sense of importance and occasion to whatever it is used to house or display”