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2013 Year in Review: Deconstruction

To be allowed into a company and/or a designer’s process is pretty special. We were lucky enough to be invited along to see how specific products were designed and made by some incredible names this past year in our Deconstruction column. Let’s take a look back:

Muuto Nerd Chair
Muuto’s all-wood Nerd chair, designed by David Geckeler, is a Nordic-inspired design for which we are treated to the entire design process.

Deconstructing simplehuman’s sensor mirror
The simplehuman team shared with us the extensive design process that was years in the making to complete their newly launched sensor mirror.

Video: Daniel Moyer Makes A Chair
Designer Daniel Moyer shared a video showing the making process of his cool chair with a super cool name, “I Would Do Backsprings For You”.

Foscarini’s Concrete Aplomb Pendant Lamp
A concrete lamp inspired by the plumb-bob tool used by masons, was born from a partnership between two designers, Foscarini, and the skilled artisans that created the pieces. They give us a look into how it’s done.

Mallen4’s Inlaid Resin Table
Matthew Allen, a painter-turned-furniture designer, uses a distinct process of adding inlaid colored resin to modern furniture, giving it a painting sensibility. Allen shows us what’s involved in the process.

littleBits at MoMA Design Store SoHo
littleBits created a really cool exhibition in the windows of MoMA Design Store SoHo that was full of objects that flicker, move, and spin. Check out the play-by-play of the design and installation.

OrWa Design’s Lime Zing Nightstand
The two-person team of Vancouver, WA’s OrWa Design builds solid wood furniture at an affordable price point. See how this duo makes it all happen in their two-bedroom house.

How Folditure Makes Its Leaf Chair
Folditure set out with a mission to create a line of folding designs that were both sturdy and comfortable, but also beautifully designed. They achieved that with the Leaf chair which folds up flat to less than 3/4″ thick. We go behind the scenes to see how it’s done.

Hot Pop Factory’s 3D-Printed Jewelry
The Toronto-based company has been blazing trails with their 3D printing, designing lines of geometric jewelry that make this technology so exciting. The pair walked us through the process of creating two new collections of 3D-printed jewelry.

Wishbone Chair by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Søn
Chances are you’re familiar with this classic chair that’s been in production for over 60 years. While the design is simple, each chair is handmade so it’s a treat to get a behind-the-scenes look at how they’ve been made since 1950.

Bec Brittain’s Vise Light
Brooklyn-based Bec Brittain’s lighting pieces are well-known for being show-stoppers and this light that combines brass and glass is no exception. Take a look at how this unusual, claw-like fixture is made.

Series 7 Chairs by Arne Jacobsen
While in Denmark, Design Milk got a firsthand look at how the Series 7 chairs were made for the Republic of Fritz Hansen. The chairs remain one of the most sold chairs for the brand and we got a glimpse at the comprehensive process of how this iconic chair is made.

SEER Table by Matthew Bridges Design
The SEER Table went through ten versions before a satisfactory prototype could be made. The journey to the finished product wasn’t an easy one but the results speak for themselves. We get a look into the extensive process that led to the finished product.

How Grain Audio Makes Its Packable Wireless System
The music loving staff at Grain Audio put their love into crafting a beautiful product with top-notch sound. We go along on the journey to see how the team brings the portable, wireless speaker to the market.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.