The Dwell 24: Bellafonté Studio

A devout Christian, Tiarra Bell of Bellafonté Studio embeds the teachings of her faith into her furniture designs.

Most often working with wood, the Rhode Island School of Design graduate uses her craft to "translate biblical stories, words, and ideologies into something tangible." For Purity Mirror, which she created under the mentorship of Botswana furniture designer Peter Mabeo, Bell coated strips of ash and panga panga wood with dyed wax.

The resulting mirror frame evokes the undulating sand dunes of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert while prompting the viewer to reflect on faith and transformation.