DESIGNER PROFILE
Mark Anders: Building Landscapes of Connection
February 2025
Mark doesn’t fit neatly into the mold of someone pushing trends or making bold statements. His work whispers, quietly encouraging connections between people, spaces and moments. A storyteller at heart, he imagines furniture that feels lived-in from the first encounter, blending elegance with a simplicity that invites a deeper relationship over time.
Living on the south coast of England has shaped him, perhaps a little more than he realizes. “Most mornings, I walk along the seafront to my favorite bench,” he says. “The Dorset coastline is simple, unspoiled and whilst the conditions are ever-changing, the view is always the same – It gives me the space to be creative.” Simplicity, he believes, is the ultimate luxury – both in design and in life.
Anders didn’t set out to become a furniture designer. A love of all things automotive, initially led to working in and around the yacht industry, immersing himself in the world of bespoke interiors, engineering, and architecture. That experience taught him the importance of detail and durability – principles that continue to inform his work today. Since setting out on his own in 2004, he has gone on to develop an empathic approach to design, focusing on understanding and addressing the needs of others – putting people at the heart of his work.
“I spend a lot of time constructing imaginary environments and situations,” he explains. “I mentally live in these spaces, as the intended user, anticipating moments of ease or frustration.” By the time a piece reaches the real world, it has already undergone countless iterations in these imagined scenarios. These mental playgrounds allow Anders to share insight with others and distil complex ideas into forms that feel natural and, above all, human.
His latest collaboration, the Paley Collection with Summit, epitomizes this approach. Inspired by the effortless elegance of 20th-century style icons, the collection is an exercise in balance – between timeless design and contemporary sensibilities, between the statement a piece makes and the comfort it provides. Crafted from teak and stainless steel, the collection embraces the elements while offering a quiet sophistication that elevates any space. “We set out to make the furniture secondary to the moment it supports – enhancing the experience, rather than taking center stage.”
Every project with Summit reflects a shared focus on creating something that resonates deeply. Reflecting on Paley, Anders shares, “Working with the Summit family, learning from their experience, has allowed for this collection to develop naturally.”
Anders admits this rarely comes quickly. “Simple is rather complicated to achieve,” he says. “I seek to remove unnecessary distractions so the design can speak clearly, without completely diluting a design. It requires time and space to breath.” This philosophy is evident in the clean lines and thoughtful details of the Paley Collection, which invites you to linger, sit, and feel at ease.
Outdoor furniture, of course, comes with its own set of challenges. Weather, movement, and wear all demand consideration. Anders approaches these obstacles with pragmatism, using craftsmanship and collaboration to find solutions that feel seamless. “I savour my relationship with Summit, everyone there is very knowledgeable but most of all they care, doing their best to ensure everything falls into place,” he says with characteristic humility. “I am very thankful to have been working with them on this.”
What makes Anders’ work so compelling is its humanity. He doesn’t chase innovation for its own sake or follow fleeting trends. Instead, he focuses on creating pieces that are unassuming and approachable with a quiet strength – not because they resist change, but because they adapt to it. “Timelessness is subjective,” he muses. “If something resonates deeply with someone, it becomes timeless to them, regardless of the design landscape around it – I simply try to create things that just make sense from my perspectives.”
Looking to the future, Anders is intrigued by the possibilities of artificial intelligence as a creative tool. Far from seeing it as a threat, he views AI as a “fertilizer for creativity,” enabling creatives to explore and refine further. Yet even as he embraces technology, his core philosophy remains steadfast: design is about relationships – between people, spaces, and the objects that shape their lives.
Ultimately, Mark’s work is less about making grand gestures and more about creating pieces that quietly enhance the moments they inhabit. The Paley Collection is a testament to this vision: a subtle, sophisticated line of furniture that invites connection and contemplation. In his mind, design becomes more than a functional and aesthetic endeavor – it becomes a way of seeing, understanding, and elevating the everyday.
