Search

Friday Five with Kevin Lim + Caroline Chou of OPENUU

12.06.19 | By
Friday Five with Kevin Lim + Caroline Chou of OPENUU

Founded in Boston in 2011 before relocating to Hong Kong in 2012, OPENUU (pronounced “open, you! you!) is an interdisciplinary design studio founded by Kevin Lim. Architecture, interior, branding, and product design services are all offered with a focus on social engagement and innovation for the masses. Lim, alongside partner Caroline Chou, bring their own unique aesthetics and visions together to create some truly dynamic design work. As they say, OPENUU creates to engage with people and engages with people to create. Today we’re sharing some of Lim and Chou’s favorite inspirational things in Friday Five.

Photo: Tom Dixon Official

1. Tom Dixon Scoop High Back Chair in Wool
This is absolutely our favorite chair in the house. Having saved up for a year for our first Scoop Chair, there are no regrets. As we always propose designer chairs for projects, it was only fitting for us to own one. This chair can be placed in any space, and immediately adds a touch of elegance. Since we only have one, we constantly make excuses to sit on the chair while working or relaxing. We may need to purchase a second one soon!

Photo: Kevin Lim

2. Monstera / Swiss Cheese Plant
We’ve always been a huge fan of plants and landscape design. As designers, we see landscape design as an enhancement to the built environment. Our recent favorite is the Monstera, also known as the Swiss Cheese Plant. The beautiful leaves are used on clothing patterns and prints and give it a whiff of a tropical beach vibe. If you only had one plant, this should be the one in your house!

Photo: Oh Joy

3. Terrazzo
We have been fascinated by terrazzo for quite some time, being exposed to it while traveling through Europe, and being constantly reminded about this material as we walk through older districts in Hong Kong. We appreciate the versatility and endless variations of the material. Terrazzo can add character to any space, paying homage to the Art Deco period. Now we’ve been introducing it to some of our projects to add character and life to them.

Photo: Crucial Detail

4. Porthole Infuser
As a couple that likes design and cooking, there is no better gadget than the Porthole. The Porthole allows us to experiment with different flavors conveniently, without needing multiple tools. We also use it as a centerpiece while we wait for the magic to happen.

Photo: Caroline Chou

5. Travel
We love to travel, some of our favorite cities include Venice, Paris, Phuket, and Kuala Lumpur. We love European cities for their food, culture, and museums, while we also enjoy the tropical Southeast Asia cities for their spicy food and beautiful weather. We love visiting these places repeatedly to discover new things. We also like to travel via cruise ships, this allows us to broaden our horizon, both figuratively and literally. We are able to visit multiple cities on a short trip, touching on many cultures, and seeing local designs. It also allows us to sample various local cuisines – feeding our culinary inspiration.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.