Since taking the helm at legacy interiors firm NB Design Group in 2018, Whitney Emiko Maehara and James Kin-Ling Fung have been making a splash in the Northwest design scene, bringing their elevated and elegant sensibility to residential projects in Seattle and beyond. With their affinity for combining high craft and luxury finishes, the duo often found themselves creating custom furnishings, so it was a natural fit for them to launch their own capsule furniture collection, all handmade in the Pacific Northwest. “We wanted to design pieces that incorporate different materiality since we work in a location that boasts really great craftspeople, specifically in woodworking and metal,” Maehara says. Accordingly, they opted for a combination of rift-cut white oak and steel in the first two pieces released: the Parker daybed and Theo coffee table (named for Maehara’s son and Fung’s nephew, respectively). “The curves integrated into these otherwise very angular designs give a playful touch to the form,” explains Fung of the clean-lined furnishings. The fully customizable collection, released under the label Emiko James, represents a moment of personal expression for the designers, who are planning to launch an ottoman and side table later this year. “For us, this was an opportunity to put something out there that is specific to our aesthetic,” Maehara says. “It reflects our point of view.”
