Wooden and Bone Cutlery by Kirsten Hecktermann

For a while I’ve been admiring the works of designer Kirsten Hecktermann and today seems like the perfect time to take an in-depth view into the objects and how/where they’ve been made. Kirsten is actually a textile artist, designer, and stylist based in the UK, but this cutlery showcased in this article is all handmade at her fathers workshop in Kenya. Kirsten was born in Kenya, originally trained as a chef and then worked in the film industry for 10 years, which involved restoring costumes and assisting costumer designers. Her main job now is as a freelancer where she consultes and resources for interior design projects, I guess this dinnerware is just an extension of that really.

The wooden spoons were my original fascination as they were the first I came across, but the bone ones have really grown on me as well, it’s great to know that these are all hand carved and each one has it’s own quirky features and exclusive character. The wooden ones are made from managed hardwoods found in East Africa, mainly Mvule Wood, using off cuts from the furniture industry, basically they’re pieces which would have been discarded or burnt for firewood. It’s nice to know this as I think it adds that timeless element to each object. I also liked the fact that a percentage of the profits from the bone cutlery goes back to a turtle sanctuary in Watamu, a nice thought.

These particular photos were collected from the Analogue Life website in Japan, who luckily for us are always incredible at taking product photography. Obviously I’ve tried to add a mixture of photos here but for more I’d recommend heading across to both the Analogue Life website and Kirsten’s website which also sells some handcrafted pieces if you’re in Europe. I’ve definitely got my eyes on a few different items.

www.analoguelife.com
www.kirstenhecktermann.com

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