The Dwell 24: Evam

Brooklyn-based Caroline Kable and Udaipur, India–based Aditya Jaimini set out to harness the diversity of Rajasthani craft traditions in contemporary furnishings with their studio, Evam. The partners launched their metal-embossed side tables in May. It was a labor of love that required tons of cross-continental coordination and navigating through different working cultures. 

The pair first met when training in world renowned designer Stephanie Odegard’s studio and connected again at a recent wedding. The idea of a collaboration sprung up as a chance for Kable to get back in the game, after medical issues kept her from taking work. For Jaimini, it was a chance to branch out from his position within Odegard’s studio. "I’ve spent years producing furniture in New York and have honed my expertise in that space, but I wouldn’t know where to start in India," Kable says. "Aditya has so much knowledge of the different trades in the area. He knows all the specialized artisans and vendors in Udaipur and farther afield."

Joining forces in August of 2023 proved to be fruitful and intensive. "Caroline comes here for three months, we have chai, eat all the great food Udaipur has to offer, and work hard," Jaimini says. "She returns to Brooklyn and, in the next three months, spends time figuring out shipping and all of the other logistics."

Starting simply, they created the Z table, a cubic monolith with wide rectilinear legs covered in embossed motifs. Though it is intricately finished, its design has a minimalist, geometric, and almost architectural quality. "We worked with this incredible craftsperson who hand-carved all the individual dyes," Kable says. "Many of the artisans we’ve worked with are inventive. In this case, the woodworker makes his own carving tools out of disused nails. That’s what we want the work to represent: the ingenious processes behind each."

The duo debuted new pieces at Verso gallery during NYCxDesign this May. Works like the Rikt coffee table have the same level of detail as seen in the Z table but were produced using reclaimed teak and oak inlay. The Akar chair combines this wood with wrought iron, and the Iris counter stools incorporate woven cotton rope. The material comes from the doorframes of old homes torn down throughout the regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Many of the architectural elements are also thrown out because it takes too much time to remove the nails—but Kable, Jaimini, and the various craftspeople they work with take the time to remove them, as they adapt and create new relevance for age-old craft traditions.

You can learn more about Evam by visiting the studio’s website or on Instagram.

Top image courtesy Evam

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