ONLY HUMAN FURNITURE

Christina Stack is the other owner – an “amazing website searcher for international artists”, says Chris. Christina manages Only Human on weekdays to allow Chris to design and create furniture in their Bridge Street workshop. On Saturdays Chris mans the shop.

Only Human was born when Chris and Chris decided it was high time Victoria homeowners had the option of shopping locally for edgy designs instead of having to travel to Vancouver or Seattle for them.

Initially the store was located in Dragon Alley. But the quiet area didn’t get the traffic it needed so when the Market Square space became available the couple nabbed it. Here, with one side of the narrow shop completely windowed, people entering or leaving the square are afforded an intriguing view of the shop with its beautiful oversized lamps lending it a warm inviting glow.

Because Chris and Chris believe that massive change happens when each of us decides to make a small change, Only Human operates as a carbon-neutral business. Chris pointed to a lovely wood chair and table that he made, commenting that he was only interested in creating items that will last. In that endeavor, the shop is committed to using only the finest woods, including engineered bamboo, one of the world’s most environmentally-friendly building materials, beloved for its beauty, strength and flexibility.

Chris was born and raised in Mallairdville, the most Western French colony in the world, hidden in the midst of Coquitlam. He is a huge fixed-gear bike fan and cyclist who spends a lot of time building fancy bikes and riding them in races – that he often wins.

Had Chris always built furniture, we asked? No. In fact, he’d taken art and photography classes in school, not woodworking. Then, one fateful night he lay awake in bed and got an idea for building a chair. The design was so intense in his mind that he got up and sketched it. That incident prompted him to take Camosun College’s Fine Furniture program, where he earned his diploma.

Christina was raised in Metchosin. Her parents, Bauhaus modernists, flipped houses, which may well be where she got her design sense. At 18 she left Canada to travel and work, covering 43 countries in five years. On return, she attended UVic to study Political Economy and Asia Pacific Studies. While there she wrote an ethnography on working conditions in Vietnamese textile factories, which now influences who Only Human purchases from.

The couple met on a blind Internet date almost five years ago and are getting married next September. Chris says, “We laughed all night – with a little help from the beer at Big Bad John’s!” While Chris confides that Christina’s ‘shop personality’ hides “the most warped and hilarious sense of humour”, Christina divulges that he’s a “one in a million” partner who cooks better than her and showers her with affection.

Christina tells me that Chris’ latest design piece is called “Grandma’s teeth”, which he created for a local design show. They expect that this creation will be appearing in some of North America’s top design magazines, such as Canadian House and Home, Canadian Interiors, and Elements.

We spotted the “Sun Jar’ by Tobias Wong, a $45 solar-powered mason jar lamp covered in a frosted finish. It contains a solar cell, rechargeable battery and LED lights, resulting in a conversation-starting lamp that collects and stores sunshine for use at night. Christina says these always sell out at Christmas time.

Chris pointed out a unique purse made of one flat piece of industrial felt folded into a triangular shape and comes in three sizes. We were drawn to a handmade-in-Peru white ceramic giraffe lamp and a white horse lamp, both by Jonathan Adler and priced at $455 each.

Against the wall, a gorgeous Milan-made black leather Moooi chair invited a petting. Christina calls it a “smoke armchair” because it is set on fire after manufacturing and then covered in epoxy to hold in the burnt bits. This one is priced at $5579!

But not all is expensive here. Greeting cards are priced under $7 and there are numerous ceramic selections, many quite amusing. Or how about a wonderful little silver horse figurine? At 30% off, it’s an affordable $30. And any day now they expect a large shipment of Votivo candles, just in time for holiday entertaining.

The store features Dutch-designed Moooi furniture and lighting products that utilize classical extravagance and modern minimalism with stunning results. Jonathan Adler creates playful pieces with a tendency toward retro design. Two locals are represented via lighting designs by Bocci and ceramics by Caleb Speller.

Interested in some extraordinary furniture, lighting or home accessories? Got a vision in your head of something needing design input and expert craftsmanship? Amble down to Market Square and introduce yourself to Chris and Chris!

• Home
• Best of the Bunch
• Come Join Us
• Media
• About the Founders
• Contact Info