Matera Dresser, Five Drawer

A trip to the Noguchi Museum in New York made Sean Yoo realize that he didn't want to be a city planner after all. “One visit and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life," he says. “I was particularly attracted to the way Noguchi applied sculptural qualities to common household items. It seemed to give meaning and purpose to otherwise meaningless objects." Yoo's Matera Dresser (2007) incorporates that ethos. Designed while Yoo was living in Matera, Italy, it features clean lines, beveled edges and slotted mortise-and-tenon corner joints. The dresser's side panels and drawers float above the floor, while its full-extension, handle-free drawers have top slots for easy opening. Made in Malaysia.