Contemporan

45 Degrees is a Chicago based furniture design company owned and operated by Jason Wade. The furniture of 45 Degrees is reflective of mid 20th century design but is planted firmly within a contemporary approach to materials and construction. Operating out of 5800 square feet on the city's southwest side, 45 Degrees offers furniture from its collection and also produces custom work. With clients all over the U.S., from New York to Miami and Las Vegas, 45 Degrees has reached a client base beyond the Midwest. This is due in large part to having participated in the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City in both 2004 and 2005.

Jason Wade is the principle designer and builder, but the shop also draws on the talents of local craftspeople of which Chicago has no short supply. Educated at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in painting and printmaking, Jason Wade's design approach is informed by an artist's eye towards form and a builder's awareness of process. Restraint in conception, a willful consideration of materials, and expert execution typifies the work of 45 Degrees. While the majority of the furniture produced employs solid wood joinery and hand-applied finishes, we have veneering and spray finish capabilities for appropriate applications. It is important for each piece built by us to leave the shop and never have to return. Building things well is a guiding principle.