Maker Profile – Frying Pan JIU
It’s not often you see products that bring handcrafted techniques into the field of industrial design. For this reason, I have been fascinated by the work of Osaka-based Fujita Metal and Tokyo design studio TENT. By fusing TENT’s passion for modern design and Fujita Metal’s high-qu
New in the Shop – Cutlery by Rieko Fujimoto
Japanese metalworker Rieko Fujimoto has been hard at work over the last six months producing some stunning new cutlery for the shop. We are so pleased! I am especially fond of the ‘Both Ends’ spoon that’s been handcrafted from brass and features a scoop on one end and a small spoon
Potential of Light – SOZOU Lighting Design
Founded by Melbourne-based designer Kohtaroh Colwell-Matsuura, SOZOU studio specializes in the production of minimal-looking metal lighting pieces that create a Zen-like ambiance. Next to being connected to eastern and western philosophies, the studio’s geometric lamps bring to mind the legacy
Maker Profile – Metalworker Ruka Kikuchi
Ruka Kikuchi, also known by his nickname Lue, makes utensils and accessories out of brass in the Japanese city of Setouchi. Born in 1983 in Soja, a city located in Okayama Prefecture, Ruka trained to be a metalworker under his father Masaaki Kikuchi in early 2000. After a six-year apprenticeship, he
Playful Design – Everyday Objects by Ashley Corbett-Smith
Can everyday objects be functional and fun at the same time? Australian designer Ashley Corbett-Smith creates playful-looking monochromatic functional objects made with long-lasting and sturdy materials like bronze or brass. His designs normally stem from a conceptual analysis of the emotional conne
New at OEN Shop – Copper Metal Dishes and Objects by 86400
Founded in 2018 by Nobuhisa Yamamoto and Shota Shimizu, 86400 is a Japanese design studio and brand with the concept of producing tools that can improve our daily lives. Working with small manufacturers in Japan, their main focus has been a selection of metal objects that are functional but also hig
Floating in Space – No Vase Series by Studio Moisés Hernández
I have always been drawn to this idea of “emptiness”. I’m sure part of that comes from an inner desire to strip back and appreciate the simple things in life. Reducing complexity. It’s not that easy in this day and age with so many distractions all around us. I believe the in
New at OEN Shop – Cutlery by Metalworker Rieko Fujimoto
Just on the outskirts of Osaka is where Japanese metalworker Rieko Fujimoto resides, crafting tableware out her quaint studio. Thanks to her fascination with collecting classic metalworking tools, from hammers to files and even a tree stump used for hundreds of years to craft tools (see the last pho
New at OEN Shop – Cutlery by Lue Brass Industrial Now Available
We previously highlighted our new shipment arriving from Japanese metalworker Ruka Kikuchi of Lue Brass. His ‘Industrial Design’ collection has now come in to stock and we are shipping these out in 1-2 days from our studio. Ruka worked closely with a local metalworking studio in Japan to
New at OEN Shop – Metalwork by Japanese Artisan Tomomi Ishikawa
The appeal of functional ware for me is the time spent and connection shared with such necessary pieces of design. There’s also something fascinating about an object that melts away and becomes a lifelong companion. Tokyo-based metalworker Tomomi Ishikawa grabbed my attention with his characte
New in the Shop – Handcrafted Iron Frying Pans by JIU
I’m a big fan of rethinking everyday design and seeing if there is any improvement to be made. This is exactly what Japanese design studio TENT did with Osaka-based metalworkers Fujita Metal. Fujita Metal’s speciality is the production of more traditional metal objects, from frying pans to a
New in the Shop – Iron Teapots Handmade by IWACHU
Although I try not to make a distinction between new and old, it’s exciting to see those workshops that have stood the test of time and continue to use artisanal skills to produce beautiful objects that have become staples. In Morioka, Japan resides IWACHU, a family run workshop who have been prod
