Maker Monday 2018 Review: A Look Back at Up-and-Coming Makers

In 2018, interiors+sources began its first-ever Maker Monday series, a bi-weekly online segment that features up-and-coming makers in the interior design field. We got the chance to talk with over 28 individuals who are just getting their start in the industry, or who are beginning to grow after having their foot in the door for a few years.

From New Zealand to Finland to California and New York, we’ve discovered makers who create unique light fixtures, home goods, textiles, wallpapers, rugs and much more. It’s been an exciting journey to hear their tales and share their stories. As we look forward to sharing more makers in 2019, take a look back at a few of our favorites from this year below.

Aimée Wilder

In January, Aimée Wilder was the first to be featured in interiors+sources’ bi-weekly Maker Monday series. Wilder held positions at DwellStudio, Martha Stewart Living and The Gap, and even had a fashion-licensing contract with Vans before she launched her own namesake brand in 2009. “My mother and father, my many employers and my friends all helped me realize my dreams” says Wilder in her Q&A with i+s Editor-in-Chief Kadie Yale. “My mother inspired me to follow my passion and use my natural strengths, like creativity and artistic vision, to help my career.When I decided to start my business, both of my parents supported me in many ways, like coming to trade shows I was showing at and helping me structure my business. Former employers helped me learn many skills that I still use today, like digital file structure; but when the time came to stop working at a specific office, I am still grateful to this day that they set me free.”In recent years, Wilder’s brand has expanded its line to include home textiles and handmade rugs, as well as accessories such as pillows and poufs. Be on the lookout for her new collections in 2019.

David Trubridge

Sustainability is a prime focus for the David Trubridge Ltd facility located in Whakatu, New Zealand. This is because designer and maker David Trubridge, founder of David Trubridge Ltd, has had a long-standing passion for nature and the environment. His furniture and light fixtures hold close connections to the sea and other inspirations he finds in nature. For example, one light fixture named Snowflake was designed following a trip Trubridge made to Antarctica, while others are inspired by salt water creatures found around New Zealand.

When asked what his favorite thing is in his working environment, Trubridge remarks: “Our factory garden where I can grab an apple or guava fresh off the tree when I'm puckish…or is it the coffee machine?” Learn more about Trubridge and his work in his Q&A.

Debbie Bean

Glass artist Debbie Bean is a present-day maker living in California who has modified the thousand-year art form to include her line of decorative objects and functional home goods. Made from colorful glass that is cleverly crafted together, Bean’s handmade products are meant to be organic in nature and not perfect factory reproductions. “In 2014, I was burnt out in my career and looking for a creative outlet,” says Bean of how she got her start. “I took a stained glass class to reconnect with my childhood hobby and it immediately took over my life.”Geometric architectural elements can be found in her unique pieces that include panels, triangles, wall hangings and more.

Kate Casey

Since starting her Brooklyn-based studio, Peg Woodworking, in 2014, maker Kate Casey has kept it as a one-woman-run operation. Paying tribute to the clean lines and intricate weaving found in Shaker and Scandinavian design, Peg Woodworking provides a contemporary take on the traditional. Casey gathers inspiration from Peruvian and American Indian weaving, which she then incorporates with a unique array of patterns and colors in her furniture.“I love to steal shapes from architectural sources challenging myself to design a piece based on a curve or some small architectural detail,” says Casey of her inspiration. “I like the resolution of function and sculpture that takes place in both furniture and architecture.”

Kate's a Cat Addict: Hold the News, Start the Mews

Casey adds that when starting a new project, she always likes to have grid paper for sketching and a tiny tape measure for calculating lumber on the fly. Learn more in her Q&A and visit her shop at pegwoodworking.com.

Michele Dopp

Designed in Brooklyn, woven in Belgium and hand screen-printed in New England, Michele Dopp’s textiles are truly one of a kind. After working in the interior design industry for nearly 20 years, Dopp founded Fabric & Steel, her own textile company based in New York City. Her collections are inspired by architecture, landscape and urbandscape. “All of the textures, shapes and moments that these things create,” as she puts it.Her passion in these areas is reflected in her latest collection, Indigo, which was released just this fall. When asked what was next for her in 2019, Dopp says she is creating a line inspired by her recent travels through Andalucia, Spain and Morocco. As she puts it: “Everything about this area of the world is beautiful – it takes your breath away.”

Hanna Lantto

Finnish designer Hanna Lantto made a name for herself at Habitare 2018 with the debut of her Piilo stool - it was selected by Cara McCarty, the Cooper Hewitt’s curatorial director and International Friend of Habitare in 2018, as the fair’s “Most Interesting Product” for its multiple uses and great colors like Ink Blue and Forest Green.

“That was a big deal for me to get started,” says Lantoo, who is inspired by the bold and skillful use of color. “It was a long and challenging project, but the result shows in many ways what I want to express with my work, such as good functionality, versatility, top quality and sustainable manufacturing, but also playfulness and fun. I think that design can be serious and fun at the same time.”On top of the multi-purpose Piilo stool, Lantoo also designs jewelry, some of which is displayed in her Q&A with interiors+sources.

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