A Series of Obstacles
Through Obstacle, her brand, Sheila Llovet redefines furniture as a lasting, intentional presence within space.
Sheila Llovet is a Barcelona-born designer and founder of Obstacles, a furniture design studio that redefines the dialogue between space, material, and form.
Her work is deeply influenced by her Mediterranean heritage and shaped by years living in Cape Town, Paris, and Belgium. Drawing from both Eastern and Western design philosophies, she creates pieces that embody quiet luxury, essential geometry, and timeless craftsmanship.
With a background in interior design, Sheila Sheila Llovet’s journey into furniture emerged from a desire to enhance architectural spaces with pieces that respect their surroundings. Her work emphasizes simplicity, stillness, and the enduring beauty of natural materials—rooted in a belief that true elegance lies in restraint.
Through Obstacles, Sheila presents a vision where furniture becomes a meaningful presence—crafted with intention, made to last, and always in harmony with its environment.
"At the end, furniture within a space, and in architecture, acts as a physical obstacle. Something that defines the way you move around"
This is how she describes the concept behind the name—a very particular idea, and a word that feels unexpected for establishing a furniture brand. She adds, almost quickly: “it’s this game of—okay, we have this obstacle in the architecture, but at the same time, the object is silent enough to let the architecture breathe.”
We entered her studio not merely to photograph the space, but to engage with it—to touch, to experience, and to understand her creations firsthand.
The visit became an opportunity to speak about her vision, future plans, and the conceptual thinking that shapes the brand.
What is your favourite moment when creating your designs?
It really depends on the object. Sometimes the process becomes more engaging when the piece is larger or more complex—when it asks more of me. But what I find most meaningful are two particular moments.
The first is the act of drawing. I’m especially drawn to it when there are intricate details to resolve. In those moments, everything else fades away. I become fully present, completely absorbed in the lines, the proportions, the decisions. It feels almost meditative—like time slows down and all that exists is the work in front of me.
The second moment is when the idea begins to take physical form—during the prototyping phase. There’s something powerful about translating a drawing into volume. When I go to the carpenter and see the piece materialize in three dimensions, occupying real space, it feels like a quiet transformation. What once existed only in thought and on paper becomes tangible, almost alive.
Why wood? What draws you to this material?
It’s in my nature—I always loved wood.
I usually choose oak. It’s strong, but still soft enough to work with, so it doesn’t feel limiting. There’s a balance to it that I really like—it’s resistant, but it still responds.
I’ve also started bringing in walnut, and I’m interested in how the two relate to each other. There’s a contrast there, but it’s not just visual—it creates a kind of quiet dialogue in the piece.
Right now, oak feels like my material. You can stain it, shift its tone quite a bit, and the grain is very rich. Every piece is different, so there’s always something new in it. You’re not just repeating the same thing. It gives me flexibility, but also something to react to while I’m working.
How do you choose the furniture to include in Obstacles?
It’s very intuitive, and it depends on the piece, the circumstances, and the process. Some things need time. I’ll make something and leave it aside—come back to it later and change it.
Over time, it can become something else. The Tabi, for example, was originally designed as a stool, but through testing and prototyping it turned out to be much more stable as a side table, next to a bed or a sofa. The pieces come into the collection when they’re ready. There’s no rush. I just follow my intuition.
It’s kind of visible that your practice is really woven into your life—how do you keep a balance?
I live day to day. This is really part of my DNA—without it, I don’t think I’d feel the same motivation to wake up every day.
Of course, there’s also a side of it that happens behind the scenes, but overall, I just enjoy it. It feels playful to me.
Because it’s so integrated into my life, I don’t really think of it in terms of balance. I have a sense of purpose with the collection, but more than anything, I just enjoy the process.