There is always a harmonious mesh between individuality of ideas and collaborations of production. For lead designer Oki Sato at Nendo, having no experience in designing cutlery, the partnership with Valerie Objects for the Belgian brand’s new set of silverware created a design solution that’s both playful and innovative.

Presented at Maison & Object 2018, the collection of cutlery named Skeleton consists of a spoon, teaspoon, fork, and knife. By reducing the objects’ forms to their most basic functions and thinking of a complementary mode of operation, the designer utilised the consistent negative space for efficiency in storage and placements. Here, the modification of forms offer functional values at a singular contour of each item. Each curve placed onto the design to produce said negative space carries a seductive simplicity. The brushed surface also adds a subtle and textural depth that can only be appreciated when inspected closely. Coming in four different colours: silver, black, copper, and gold, the cutlery is PVD coated to prevent dust and scratches.

With a fresh perspective on cutlery, Oki Sato was able to condense the needs of daily objects to elevate them in Skeleton through the dialogues with Valerie Objects. While the playground of design is no longer singular, as it is now interdisciplinary with many cross-intersections, the designs themselves can always be enhanced with cleverness, thoughtfulness, and modesty.