Q:

What motivated The Resting Stone? How long have you been thinking about it?

A:

I've been itching to get a utensil rest into our line since 2019. A lot of it was because there are so many functional-looking utensil rests out there, but not really ones that feel uniquely designed or special. They’re often really silly and kitschy. We thought to ourselves, how do we elevate what the everyday utensil rest is, but also make it more versatile so that it feels like it could be incorporated into multiple parts of your cooking or your entertaining?

Q:

Could you walk us through the design process?

A:

As we always do, we started first with materials. One of the most important things for us as we think about our assortment is considering different textures and layers of material that can be incorporated into the kitchen. We loved the idea of glass because we could play with color and opacity level. Our design team has also always loved getting inspiration from nature and organic forms, specifically pebbles and stones, so the concept we landed on was the perfect marriage between glass as the material and the shape that we've always wanted to do, which is the pebble design. As we began designing the product, what was really wonderful to see was how it started to become more than just a utensil rest. We were realizing its versatility—not only can this be a classic utensil rest or catch-all for little trinkets in your place, but you can actually use it on snack boards to hold jams and dips on it, or you can use it pass spices and garnished around the table.

Q:

How did you think about color for this particular design?

A:

I'd say because we knew the form was going to be very much inspired by nature, we wanted to stay close to a color palette that was inspired by things you see in the natural world. Not only did we feel really inspired by pebbles, but we also loved looking at sea glass and all those different colors you see. The color Cocoa was us trying to find something that was definitely a little warmer and had a bit more of a dramatic effect, but still felt very inspired by what you could see if you were out in nature.

Q:

Were there any problems you were hoping to solve?

A:

I think there were two that immediately popped up when we were thinking about the design. The first was creating something that didn't scream ‘utensil rest,’ so there was a form element that we wanted to solve for, having it be decorative and something you would want to leave out on your countertop. The second one actually came about through an interaction with a customer at a pop-up we were doing last year. They said, “I wish I could have almost more than one spoon rest and that they weren't so bulky, so I could have one on each side of the stove or in different parts of the kitchen.” This comment further solidified why we wanted to do this pebble approach to the product because we loved the idea that all your utensils didn't have to share one rest, but that you could have multiple places where you could house your utensils. That's why we’re selling The Resting Stone in pairs, because we do feel as though you can benefit from having more than just one—one could be your utensil rest, one could be where you put your dish brush, one could be used exclusively for charcuterie boards or for serving… and so on.

Q:

Was there anything that didn’t make it into the design?

A:

When we first started thinking about the design, we thought we could go in many different directions—it could be more geometric or something super minimal. But I think in our heart of hearts, we always knew we wanted a glass, pebble-like design. Even if you look at the very first design, we're actually not that far off from the final product because the shape and look was something that we had always wanted to do.

Q:

What about this item makes it feel like a Material Object?

A:

I think the whole concept of Material Object is something that feels collected and treasured—definitely a reinterpretation of some of these everyday items, but in a really special manner. And I think The Resting Stone fits that bill perfectly. It almost feels as though it's something you might find walking through a vintage or antique store. It's something that you can't tell whether it was designed today or whether it was designed back in the '60s or '70s. Material Objects all feel like they have a perspective. That perspective can live in multiple areas of your kitchen, but also in other rooms—in your dining room or even your bedroom or bathroom. That’s a hallmark component of Material Objects: it feels like it’s right for your home and you can define where in your home it goes.