about
pare is a design and manufacturing company based in downtown Los Angeles. pare produces custom furniture, fixtures, upholstery, lighting, audio and other goods. The collection at pare presents elegant and functional objects to be used daily. Objects that are made by hand and designed for a purpose. Objects that are grounded with natural materials. Objects that are playful but serious. Objects that are monumental but delicate. pare brings emotion and sensation, tactility and feeling, balance and calm.
All of pare's products are handmade in the workshop in downtown Los Angeles using traditional methods. pare uses the highest quality materials and all FSC-Certified American hardwoods. pare is committed to sustainability.
about pare Founder,
Peter De Jong
Pare was founded in 2025 by artist and master craftsman Peter De Jong.
Born in California and raised in Virginia where he studied art, later apprenticing in Philadelphia before returning to Los Angeles, where he continues to live and work. His education includes mentorship under acclaimed artists and historians such as Robert Hobbs, Sanford Biggers, Michael Jones McKean, and Elizabeth King.
Peter’s background in fine woodworking reflects a distinguished lineage of master craftsmen from both the United States and the United Kingdom—one that can be traced back to Edward Barnsley, a pioneering figure in the British Arts & Crafts movement. This movement championed simplicity and utility, and an honesty of materials, along with a critical dialogue with industry—principles that influenced visionaries like Frank Lloyd Wright and generations of makers and designers thereafter. Barnsley’s legacy was carried forward by his apprentice David Powell, founder of the Leeds Design Workshop in Massachusetts, one of America’s earliest centers for craft education and design.
As a direct descendent of this tradition, Peter brings forward that same ethos of integrity and craftsmanship. He also blends in a minimalist, contemporary design language with an intimate understanding of materials—allowing each piece to express its inherent character and beauty.
Peter draws inspiration from influential thinkers and makers such as Norman Potter, Bruno Munari, Enzo Mari, Hans Wegner, Tage Frid, George Nakashima, and Wharton Esherick. His work tends to balance East Coast formalism with West Coast sensibility, merging conceptual or minimal rigor with the ergonomic comfort and functionality reminiscent of Eames-era modernism.
Throughout his career, Peter has collaborated with architects, designers, and brands on a range of projects. His work can be found at Lawson-Fenning, Heath Ceramics, A+R, and other design retailers across the United States.
To learn more about pare or to collaborate directly, please contact us.
-
pare is a design and manufacturing firm led by Peter De Jong in downtown Los Angeles. pare furniture and home goods are handmade using traditional methods.
-
pare grounds itself with natural materials. pare brings emotion and sensation. strength and comfort. Brutalism and elegance. tactility and feeling. balance and calm.
