We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mark Plakotoris. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mark below.

Mark, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

In 2023 I was approached by Beth El Congregation in Baltimore to build a new Shulchan (a table/altar used for reading the Torah.) This piece was intended for a sanctuary that seats close to a thousand people! I had never done a commercial project of this scale before, so this was a unique opportunity for me. Having the chance to design a piece that would transcend from everyday furniture to a sacred ritual object was a remarkable brief. Having an entire congregation entrust me with such a large project was a very meaningful experience.

I designed this piece with harmony in mind– picking up small cues from the existing room architecture to allow new elements to complement the space. I went with a frame and panel style construction with housed mortise and tenon joinery. This allowed me to achieve a very strong piece with a clean modern look. Finding the balance in creating something that appears light while actually weighing six hundred pounds was a great challenge. I found I was able to use carefully placed angles, curved legs, and shadow lines to achieve this look. There were also a variety of functions the schulchan had to perform: it needed to roll, have lights, a sound system, an upholstered top, a secret step stool, and many doors and drawers. Overall it was a great challenge and secured a lot of future work for my business.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi. My name is Mark Plakotoris, and I build custom furnishings in Baltimore, Maryland. As far as I can remember, I was always tinkering with something. My father sold and restored antiques and had a basement shop which is where I spent a good part of my childhood. I used to help my dad with his projects until my curiosity grew strong enough, and I began dreaming up my own ideas.

I went to art school at VCU in Richmond, VA majoring in Craft and Material Studies with a focus on furniture design. After college, I set off to hone my skills further by enrolling in a guitar-making or luthiery school to understand how wood can be refined for instruments. I then traveled to Kyoto, Japan to learn traditional joinery techniques and hand tools which later inspired my own designwork. When I returned, I continued to refine my skills and learned from three different chair makers who specialize in different aspects of steam bending, mortise and tenon joinery, and jig making. With each experience, I developed a broad understanding of materials and how to best create with them.

I started my company Designed With Purpose in 2019 after a few years of building furniture part time for friends and family. Designed With Purpose makes everything from tables, chairs, bookcases, built-in cabinets, podiums, free standing lamps and pendant lights. I wanted to create a brand that would be known for high quality work, that people would want to invest in. I specialize in custom furniture designs, bending solid wood, advance veneering, joinery, CAD, and CNC fabrication.

Most of my time in the last 4 years has been taken up with larger custom builds: where I’m working closely with the clients to reach a shared vision. I want people interested in my business to see that I stand behind my work and care about what I’m building. I believe I do right by my clients, because I take the time to listen and incorporate as many of their ideas as possible in an elegant way. This is a delicate balance that takes time to learn.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

In my view, society can best support an artistic community by buying from local artists and small businesses and cutting back on mass-produced fast fashion/art/furniture. Most artists/makers want to keep creating their own work if possible. It can be a little bit harder and sometimes more expensive to support local, but I challenge people to search nearby to find real people making things near them. You may be surprised at what you find.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I love working with my hands and mind. It is very rewarding to transform ideas into reality. Quick sketches become refined drawings, then to 3D scaled computer renderings. Big rough pieces of wood become refined smooth pieces, then into functional finished furniture. I enjoy the process of building and using sharp tools to shape the wood. I also relish the challenge of design and figuring out how something should look and feel in any given space or for a specific use. These are not experiences I could have in another career.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.designedwithpurposefurniture.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designed_w_purpose/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designedwpurpose
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/designed-with-purpose/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@designedwithpurpose3527

Image Credits

Mark Plakotoris