RED BANK IS HOME TO THIS UKRAINIAN WORKSHOP’S ONLY SHOWROOM IN THE COUNTRY, INVITING TASTEMAKERS, DESIGN ENTHUSIASTS, AND THE STYLE SAVVY TO EXPLORE A TREASURE CHEST OF HAND CRAFTED WORKS OF ART FOR THE HAND AND HOME

BY ZACHARY WEG PHOTOS BY ALEX BARETTO

Nestled along Broad Street in Red Bank, the town’s main shopping and social thoroughfare, a pair of large display windows showcases a fascinating exhibit of artisan-made furniture and jewelry, sculptural pieces crafted from precious metals and salvaged woods that present like works of art. The display is a sneak peek, an appetizer for what lies behind Kochut’s front doors: oblong coffee tables made from rock elm and epoxy resin, dramatic live-edge dining tables atop metal frames, hand-built wooden work desks that defy conventional shapes. In a world of big-box retailers, fast overnight shipping, and cookie-cutter silhouettes, Kochut celebrates the time-honored art of interior design.

The Ukraine-born brand’s only showroom in the United States, Kochut Red Bank opened in 2021 and is run by Olena Prykhodko, whose passion for furniture and design took root when she studied architecture in Ukraine. Before the boutique’s opening, Prykhodko spent an impressive three weeks at the company’s headquarters in her native Ukraine to learn the ins and outs of the brand.

“In 2020, I went to the main manufacturer in Ukraine, and I spent almost three weeks there learning all of the steps: how each piece is made, care requirements, what kind of manufacturing is used, the types of wood, and more,” she said. “I learned all of the techniques so I could fully understand the product to best assist our customers.”

Today, Prykhodko serves as the Red Bank store’s manager, partner/owner, and U.S. ambassador for the Kochut brand, which was founded by a trio of brothers, Yuriy, Roman, and Ihor Kochut, in Uzhhorod. Kochut launched in 2013, though the seeds had been planted long before, when the brothers began crafting jewelry for fun in high school. At the time, it was a passion, a creative outlet for joy, not profit. But upon graduating from Uzhhorod National University with degrees in mechanical engineering, the Kochut brothers realized they could turn their hobby into a business without sacrificing their art. The early days were spent in a small, DIY workshop in their home, hand-making pendants and rings from copper, tin, and brass. Their first sale was a knight’s necklace made of silver eagles.

Nearly ten years later, Kochut is a global brand, with showrooms throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, and here in New Jersey. The brothers eventually expanded beyond jewelry into wood-working. (Their inspiration? Upon opening a new flagship jewelry showroom in 2018, their search to find the perfect tables and display cases to match the style and spirit of the brand came up fruitless. So they decided to make the pieces themselves). Today, Kochut’s furniture line spans a variety of tables, chairs, decorative crystals and lamps, kitchenwares like serving trays and cheese boards, and more. The designers use rich, exotic woods like Japanese pagoda, American walnut, Moraine oak, wild olive, mahogany, California maple, and more.

“The wood comes from all over the world,” Prykhodko. “We condemn deforestation and only use salvaged wood, materials that would otherwise be discarded.”

At the Red Bank showroom, customers can work with Prykhodko and her team on a custom, made-to-order piece or choose from a collection of wood products in stock. At any given time, shoppers might find items like a circular coffee table made of elm wood and clear epoxy resin set on a steel metal frame, or a sturdy work desk cut from European walnut and ocean blue epoxy resin. There’s also a selection of kitchen accoutrements and curios, from bowls and serving trays to jewelry boxes and decorative coasters, all in original patterns formed by a dance between wood and different shades of epoxy resin. Each piece is hand-made and one of a kind.

Jewelry remains a cornerstone of the Kochut name, heirloom investment pieces inspired by the natural beauty of the world. Every ring, pendant, bracelet, and earring begins and ends in the Kochut workshop, from design and casting to crafting and processing with decorative coatings. “There are epic stories in every detail,” explained Prykhodko. The Love of the Shrew ring, for example, features a rhodium plated, white gold serpent that coils around the finger and bites onto a 4-mm emerald. The Little Fox pendant is cast from oxidized sterling silver and finished with an emerald eye. Unique, hand-crafted wedding rings are becoming increasingly popular, and there is also a selection of colorful jewelry cases and boxes made from wood and epoxy resin.

As the founders note on their website, “Inspiration lends its strength to people and brings them a sense of fulfillment by offering the opportunity to dedicate oneself to a cause that evokes wondrous emotions and creates unforgettable moments in life.” For the designers, this cause is found in the woodsy, whimsical world around them.

Kochut Wood & Jewelry

37 Broad Street, Red Bank  / 732.889.8138 / kochut.org