One of the most rewarding (and frankly fun) things about interior design is getting the chance to discover new makers, artists, and artisans who produce incredible, unique pieces. Often the work of a sole proprietor or tiny team of creatives, these small businesses produce furnishings that drive the industry forward, handcrafting game-changing products that feel more like artwork than furniture. And in an era when we’re all trying to support small businesses, it’s more important than ever to highlight some of our current creative obsessions.
Explore a first helping of some of our favorite small makers below — and don’t worry; there’s plenty more where these came from. We’ll be presenting even more of our faves over the next few months. And while you’re at it, be sure to browse our full variety of new and custom furniture and listen to our podcast episode all about small makers to make new discoveries of your own.
A fourth generation San Franciscan, Marjorie Skouras now resides in Merida, Mexico, in a restored Art Nouveau mansion. There she hones her designs and one-of-a-kind products, working with local artisans to produce her signature chandeliers and other pieces including tables, chairs, agate trays, and geode-encrusted mirrors. Her vibrant work has been featured in Elle Decor, multiple international editions of AD, and many other publications.
Orphan Work derives its name from the concept behind “lost designs” — an “orphan work” is the term for a copyright-protected product that’s lost its owner. These unique, often quirky pieces never quite had a home with the founders’ other brand, Material Lust, so Orphan Work was born. All their furniture is made in New York while all their lighting is made in Florence, and every piece is produced by artisan masters in their fields.
In their Catskills studio, the team behind artisan lamp company Stone and Sawyer meticulously crafts each of their signature ceramic stoneware vessels by hand. In recent years, their range of custom glazes has expanded to include a wide range of colors and surfaces, enabling clients to customize as needed. Metal finishing also happens in house, and all hardwood parts are hand-turned locally, ensuring a distinctive, carefully created lamp every time.
With a colorful, modern aesthetic, Charlie Sprout brings a sense of fun and personality to a room. Developed by Rebecca Bravin and designed in Brooklyn, the brand’s distinctive pieces are all either made locally in the borough or by artisan women in Eswatini, Africa. Every product in the collection is crafted from scratch, from the harvesting and dying of sisal, to the intricate hand weaving and printing, all the way through the embroidery and embellishment phases.
Born and raised in Paris, Marie Burgos draws inspiration from both French design and her family’s native home of Martinique. Paired with a deep appreciation of mid-century modern furniture and a certified mastery of feng shui, Burgos develops balanced, luxurious simple products, including plush seating, unique sculptures, paintings, and a wide-ranging lighting collection featuring unique, eye-catching materials.
Founded in 2014 by designer Morgan Spaulding in New York’s Hudson Valley, PHAEDO is all about creating purposeful objects and spaces with one-of-a-kind products that truly match a home’s surroundings. Spaulding designs and creates all the brand’s pieces in his studio, including wood benches and casegoods, Lexan polycarbonate tables, bubble-edged mirrors, and playful sculptures.
Founded in LA in 2004, ARTLESS is known for contemporary craft furniture, including colorful benches, chairs, casegoods, and tables. The brand’s designs are functional yet unpretentious, with specially sourced materials and local manufacturing. The team at ARTLESS handles the entire production process, from the first sketches to building the furniture and even packing it for shipping.
Based in Los Angeles, Amorph is a design and manufacturing company that uses cutting-edge technology — typically used in producing cars — to create sophisticated, design-driven furniture. Founded by designer Amir Habibabadi, Amorph’s American-made pieces are truly sculptural works of art, including chairs, coffee tables, side tables, and lamps.
Helmed by founder and creative director Alex Diaz Andersson, ATRA is a contemporary design studio based in Mexico City and San Francisco. The brand aims to marry the worlds of architecture, urban design, and practicality in the sleek, unique pieces they create. They also offer contemporary collections from up-and-coming young designers, along with reimagined classic pieces from the past.
Founded by designer and woodworker Adrienne Romine, Half Halt Studio produces high-end handcrafted furniture, including gorgeously finished credenzas, nightstands, coffee tables, and benches. The brand is focused on “intentional living” through their furnishings and a belief that the objects with which we interact daily can affect how we feel in meaningful ways.
Inspired by the eclectic island community off the coast of Maine where he grew up, Asa Pingree uses sculptural, organic lines to inform his furniture line. Based in Brooklyn, Asa Pingree furnishings are both minimalist and tactile, made from American walnut, white oak, ebonized oak, and fog gray ash, with sleek silhouettes that work in nearly any setting.
For nearly 20 years, Naula founder and creative director Angel Naula has worked with a group of artisans and designers to create a workshop that develops unique modern pieces. Naula’s unique furniture has been featured everywhere from the Mandarin Oriental in New York to the Pulse Contemporary Art Fair. Today the brand offers a wide range of contemporary furnishings, including sleek sectionals, curved coffee tables, and luxe oversized ottomans.
