Oom for Brayton International - 2005
This project began as an early opportunity with Brayton International, a Steelcase company based in North Carolina. Brayton asked me to explore a seating concept for contract environments, particularly waiting areas, lounges, and lobbies, where people often need a place to sit and hang their coats.
The final concept paired a soft rolling pouf with a tall wooden post that rises from the back and branches into a crescent-shaped coat hook. The form was intentionally playful, turning a simple act of hanging a coat into something more expressive. When occupied, the piece creates a humorous silhouette, with the hook appearing almost like a set of horns above the user’s head.
The project was unconventional and admittedly polarizing, but that was part of its purpose. It brought humor, utility, and a sense of personality into a category that often feels overly practical. Although its production life was brief, the experience remains meaningful as an early lesson in creative risk, commercial realities, and the challenge of bringing an original idea to market.
