Design duo brings clean lines and color to home accessories and more

Hidden in the basement of a labyrinthine building below Atlas Clothing on Capitol Hill is the design studio of Jamie Iacoli and Brian McAllister. This dynamic design duo (and real-life couple) designs furniture, lighting and "wearables" (rings, for now) that have clean, modern and simple lines and fit well in any decor in need of a burst of (mostly primary) color.

The two have been in business since July 2008, and use materials in their designs such as powder-coated steel, Corian and salvaged wood from trees that have fallen in the Seattle area. When asked to describe their design aesthetic, Iacoli calls it "fun, colorful, inquisitive and accessible."

When I asked about Corian and why they have chosen to work with it, Iacoli said, "We are impressed by its ability to be machined with woodworking tools, and it's amazing to bend."

Iacoli and McAllister have a small but growing inventory of items that includes colorful powder-coated steel frame lights (from $115) and my personal favorite: hand-faceted Corian or walnut rings made from scrap materials, cut by water jet and hand-polished to a shine ($42 for wood and $58 for Corian). (I'm told the wooden facet rings are available for a limited time only.)

Their Corian topped mini-pedestals (i.e., cake stands) have bases created from copper candlesticks scavenged from local thrift stores, then powder-coated in a rainbow of colors from pink and green to black and gray. They range in price from $80 to $150, depending on the size of the Corian top.

Sally Brock, owner of downtown's Fancy, which carries Iacoli and McAllister's line, likes the mini-pedestals for their bright colors and because "as a disorganized person it's great to have an object on a tabletop that screams, ‘I will hold that for you' to keep it from getting lost in the clutter."

Iacoli and McAllister's line of well-designed, usable and vibrant pieces is also available at Far4 and on their Web site.

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