A wooden bench with three smooth, rounded stone seats in varying colors, positioned against a minimalist light gray wall and green floor.
Photography by Ditte Gjøde.

June 2, 2026

Words: Georgina McWhirter

Innovative Materials Shine In These Product Designs

From high-fidelity speakers to a chair made from olive-tree roots, take a look at these designs worth a look in our May issue.

A man with short hair wearing a button-down shirt sits against a plain wall, looking slightly to the side with a neutral expression.
Photography by Maja Karen.

Hans Severin Jacobsen of Hans Severin Jacobsen

product Stone Bench.

standout The Danish designer, whose background is in architecture and formal training in cabinetmaking, works with stone found on beaches, here used to form seats on an oak bench. hansseverinjacobsen.com

A wooden bench with three smooth, rounded stone seats in varying colors, positioned against a minimalist light gray wall and green floor.
Photography by Ditte Gjøde.
Two men stand side by side against a reflective wall; one wears a dark sweater and has a beard, the other wears a white t-shirt and stands with his hands behind his back.
Photography by Dejan Jovanovic.

Alexis Tourron and Stefano Panterotto of Panter&Tourron

product Hall.

standout The aluminum floor lamps were made with From Lighting, anodized in gradients by BWB Surface Technology, and funded by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia for a Milan exhibit. pantertourron.com

Three tall, cylindrical floor lamps with vertical LED lights stand side by side; each has a gradient finish in purple, yellow-green, and black-green tones.
Photography by Sprofiler-sebastian Vargas and Jeremy Ayer Studio.
A person with a shaved head and mustache stands with arms crossed, wearing a white tank top, in front of a white brick wall and transparent objects.

Shivas Howard Brown of Friendly Pressure

product FP-498.

standout The Londoner began restoring vintage audio equipment and now crafts custom high-fidelity speakers like this, shown in “Beyond the Bassline: 500 Years of Black British Music.” friendlypressure.studio

Two large, dark wood speakers with prominent round drivers and unique, clear horn structures on top, set against a white brick wall.
Photography by Felice Knol.
A man in a light-colored jacket and t-shirt stands indoors, looking slightly upward. The image is in black and white.
Photography by Ofstudio.

Caleb Engstrom of Rest Energy

product Dry KISS.

standout Colored lacquer and crushed eggshell are among the myriad finishes available for the L.A. furniture designer’s minimalist chair, its aesthetic (and name) derived from the maxim “keep it simple, stupid.” restenergy.us

Two modern chairs with a minimalist design, made of light blue material, featuring curved edges and angular lines, shown from front and side views.
Photography by Ofstudio.
A person with short hair and hoop earrings stands in front of curtains, holding a textured rectangular object.
Photography by Jenny Sharaf.

Alma Jimenez Lopez for Nomadory

product Dulcito.

standout Mexican candy sparked the color blocking of this wool-Tencel rug, a reference that reflects the Texas-raised designer’s explorations of first-generation experiences and domestic rituals. nomadory.com

A geometric rug with beige and pink sections, featuring a black line, is partially folded against a pink brick wall on a light-colored floor.
A woman sits indoors, holding fabric in her hands and looking toward the camera. The image is in black and white.
Photography by William Daviau.

Marijke De Cock of Marijke De Cock

product Constellation F-IV.

standout Cobalt glass beads—some large and elongated, some tiny as blueberries—encrust the legs of the Dries Van Noten jewelry designer’s European oak table. marijkedecock.be

Three wooden shelves are supported by sculptural blue glass legs adorned with various textured and rounded glass details.
Photography by Arseni Khamzin.
Man wearing a beanie and puffer jacket sits indoors, looking at the camera with a neutral expression; background features striped caution tape and wall panels.

Jorge Penadés of Jorge Penadés

product Uprooted.

standout The Spaniard, whose studio engages in objects, spaces, and strategies, rethinks a byproduct of the olive-oil industry, sculpting olive-tree roots—usually sold as firewood—into a knotty chair. penades.xyz

A chair made from a single piece of rustic wood with visible natural grain and rough, uneven edges, resembling a blocky animal shape.
Two people sit indoors; one with long dark hair and a buttoned shirt, the other with medium-length hair and a T-shirt, both looking at the camera in natural lighting.
Photography by Marco Fava.

Marco Cattivelli and Bahar Pourmoghadam for Masiero

product Naar.

standout A charming introduction by the Scatter D studio founders, this cylindrical table lamp with a “bite” taken out of its middle features a grooved-brass structure inspired by ribbed fabrics. masierogroup.com

A modern cylindrical table lamp with a vertical ribbed texture emits light from a crescent-shaped cutout, placed on a beige textured surface near a wall.

read more