Wooj Founder Sean Kim Searches for Utility in Unconventional Textures
From patterned mugs to 3D-printed pleated lamps, the designer takes a minimalist approach to his favorite home goods.
When Wooj founder and designer Sean Kim "introduced" his first product—a 3D-printing experiment that eventually turned into the best-selling Wavy Lamp—he was in the middle of a graduate program at Pratt. Lockdown had just started. He was sent home to finish school. He needed a project to work on. So Kim took the working base of a Noguchi lamp that needed a new lampshade (the original had been accidentally torn in delivery) and decided to use a 3D printer, which is a machine he’d been working with for his master’s, to create one. "The wavy texture was a generated pattern that was programmed using software and code," says Kim. "The pattern was sort of the emergent phenomena of that. 3D printing has always been interesting to me because it really enables creation from almost anywhere."
Kim posted the lamp to Instagram not thinking it would take off the way it did—within days, he had multiple requests for orders. The lampshade, which is made from heat-resistant, corn-based recycled plastic, somehow mimics the movement of a bobbing jellyfish while also providing a gentle stillness and glow to any room. For a while, Kim kept the early stages of Wooj (a word that’s based on his Korean nickname) a one-man, one-machine operation out of his closet—until it wasn’t sustainable anymore. "I could only make one lamp every two days. Printing the shade took 15 hours; printing the bases took another half day. I didn’t know what I was doing with the printer at the time," he says.
And although he has learned a lot since then (Kim’s now in a studio with 24 printers and a small team), he frequently finds himself questioning his own design instincts. "I think there are some people who are totally convinced by their vision. I'm not one of those people. I have lapses of confidence all the time," Kim says of the ever-growing Wooj lineup that now includes mugs and vases.
"I’m trying to rely less on what other people are thinking about what I do. We're well known for the wavy pattern but I've sort of made an effort to not be tied to it. I'm interested in exploring textures and phenomena. With our Pleat Lamp, we tried to explore playing around with the appearance and simulation of cloth. With the Arcas Lamp, we’re creating a woven texture that looks like it's knit," says Kim. "We try to find these interesting patterns and textures and then work backward to find a way to utilize them in a functional way."
When it comes to Kim’s home life, he describes the interior as "a hodgepodge," given that he and his partner have fairly differing styles: "I’m kind of a minimalist design snob and she likes super colorful pattern things so we’ve made it work in a chaotic but coherent way." Some of his favorite and most used items include a well-designed coffee maker, a thoughtfully manufactured pen, and a book on how to reconfigure a room based on the home library. Certainly, the Brooklyn apartment feels cozier now that it’s no longer "a shipping center and a mini factory," Kim says. "It’s mostly finding ways to highlight things that we both really enjoy but also be super functional at the same time. It’s a challenge but our interior always changes too, so it’s kind of fun."
Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker
Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffee Maker With Wood Collar
"You can’t argue with a classic. I have the six-cup version and it has served me well for five years, and it is the epitome of simplicity and function. The wood handle lends it functionality, keeping you from burning yourself, but is also elegant and beautiful. For $50 you can have amazing coffee every day."
HMM Project Ballpoint Pen
HMM Project Ballpoint Pen
"We met the HMM team when we did our first trade show and were super impressed by all of their products, but I was particularly drawn to their pen. It has a lovely heft to it and feels really nice to write with. Just having the pen made me more inclined to write and is something I (used to) carry around with me every day. Unfortunately, I lost mine, so I’ll have to pick another one up ASAP!"
Craighill Wilson Keyring
Craighill Wilson Keyring
"Another simple, elegant, and inexpensive object that I love. I’ve had mine for almost six years and it has remained a constant companion for me. I believe it was their very first product, and remains a mainstay of their collection. It does exactly what it is meant to do, perfectly."
Bibilio Stye: How We Live at Home With Books
Bibliostyle: How We Live at Home with Books
"Over the years, I’ve collected a number of design and interior-related books, and this one remains my favorite. Unlike most interior books, this one is… well, about books and how different people build their homes around their library. Really unpretentious and extremely varied. I reference this one the most when I’m thinking about how to arrange my space."
Wera 051024 Kraftform Kompakt 25 Pouch Set, Flat
Wera 051024 Kraftform Kompakt 25 Pouch Set, Flat
"This is probably my most commonly used tool. I think everyone should have a couple of good screwdrivers around because you always need them and it’s nice to have one that works really well. There’s storage for a bunch of bits in the handle and it extends and retracts so you can maneuver it into tight spots."
Hasami Porcelain HP020 Mug
Hasami Porcelain HP020 Mug
"Before we designed our own cups, this was the mug that I always used. I have both the unglazed and white glazed mugs and they are just lovely. They feel wonderful to hold and are reasonably priced."
Wooj Design Wavy Cups
Wooj Wavy Cup
"We just released our Wavy Cup in a new finish—vanilla bean. The glaze is matte and slightly translucent, so you can see the speckle of the stoneware through the glaze, giving it a really nice texture. The ceramic is thick enough so that you can pour coffee in and hold it without a handle (and it feels nice and warm!)."
De Buyer MINERAL B Carbon Steel Fry Pan
De Buyer MINERAL B Carbon Steel Fry Pan
"This pan never leaves the stove. It takes a little effort to get it set up (you have to build up a layer of ‘seasoning’—but once you do that, it’s as non-stick as the most high-tech teflon pan sans toxins. I cook everything on this pan and the nice thing is that it’s definitely lighter than a cast-iron pan (which has many of the same benefits). It’s still fairly heavy, though."
Wooj Design Zigzag Lamp
Wooj Design Zigzag Lamp
"This is our newest light in our ‘basics’ series and it works excellently as a bookshelf lamp. It’s a very basic geometric design that’s almost too simple, but feels just right."
Wooj Design Arcas Lamp
Wooj Design Arcas Lamp
"My favorite lamp design. We developed a mesh pattern that we can 3D print, which allows light to pass through the shade without being too bright. It has a touch switch which dims to three different levels and looks good wherever you put it."
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