The Dwell 24: Crosland + Emmons

For Dana Castle and Michele DeHaven, design offers a different kind of thrill from their day jobs running a marketing agency. Their Atlanta-based lighting studio, Crosland + Emmons (a riff on their middle and maiden names), arose in response to what they perceived to be an absence of elegant, unique fixtures on the market. But the two, both with arts backgrounds, also enjoy the opportunity to use their hands that working in earthenware and porcelain gives them, and they revel in the imperfections of the medium. 

"We want the lights to feel slightly uncomfortable, as if they were unbalanced," Castle says. 

The slab-rolled and hand-formed globes of the Jardin and Crown collections possess an eggshell-like quality, their delicacy offset by the sturdy brass stems. "They stand on their own as sculpture," DeHaven adds. It’s no surprise, then, that the pair are expanding their line to include vases and candlesticks. "There are unlimited variations and ideas for us to build on," Castle says.

Learn about Castle's and DeHaven's first encounter with design, plus read more of their responses to our Q&A below.

 Hometowns: Morristown, TN and Minneapolis, MN

Describe what you make in 140 characters. Crosland + Emmons creates lighting and objects that pay homage to the human touch. Our pieces are made from white stoneware and porcelain.

What's the last thing you designed? A prototype pendant light with a beautiful hibiscus cuff to be used in a boutique hotel in Hawaii.