It’s often said that it’s the second career a person embarks upon that truly strikes a personal chord. That certainly seems the case with Dana Brandwein, one half of the husband-and-wife design duo that are the creative force behind dbO Home.
Creative Beginnings
Brandwein left behind a nearly 20-year career in the music industry to follow a passion that led her to craft one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces with a heavy influence from the natural world. A sculptor by trade, Daniel Oates, Brandwein’s husband and partner in dbO, joined her in 2008 and has put his background and imagination to work creating custom furniture crafted of “highly figured woods.”
The couple also collaborates on some pieces, creating mixed media accessories and lighting that join together their expertise working with porcelain and wood. The handmade items are crafted in the dbO Home studios in Sharon, Conn.
Nature-inspired
Brandwein’s work is a visual lexicon of all that nature has to offer. Pressed leaves, honeycombs, tree bark and branches; all lend a quiet sophistication to her pieces which include everything from vases and candleholders to platters and complete lines of dinnerware.
The ceramicist says her “vision was to create a collection of unique homewares for a bit of luxury everyday,” noting that for she and Oates, “luxury is without the bling and all about a soothing mix of tactile textures, natural materials and earthy hues created by hand.”
They return the favor of Mother Nature’s inspiration through a commitment to sustainable materials, recycling as much of their own materials as possible and working with local and Fair Trade artisans.
Haute Following
For a relatively new company, dbO Home has certainly secured friends in the right places. The company’s products can be found at fine retailers across the U.S., including the likes of ABC Home, Bergdorf Goodman and Gumps. They also offer the opportunity for custom work and have completed projects for restaurants and hotels including Blue Hill at Stone Barns and the Relais & Chateaux property Winivian.
The company’s dinnerware has also been featured in a Dining by Design tablescape by Designer Mary Davis.
