There are so many exceptionally talented artists represented in the Home store, but only one line helmed by a husband and wife team whose past coworkers include AC/DC, Björk and the '90s New York gallery scene. DBO Home is the handiwork of Dana Brandwein and Daniel Oates, two formidable creators whose commitment to handmade quality and natural materials brings uniquely beautiful pieces in clay, leather and bronze to our shelves. We snagged some of Dana's limited time to ask her about DBO's history and process, what inspires her and Daniel, and what their future looks like. 

Tell us a bit about your background and Daniel's, and how you ended up forming DBO Home.

Well, DBO Home has been an ever-evolving idea that started after I left the music business in 2004 and wanted to get a job designing for West Elm. After nearly two decades as a record label executive my resume did not read designer. Sure I could market rock bands and singer songwriters, be an artist manager or maybe even a music supervisor in films, but designer - that was going to take some convincing.

I had started taking ceramics classes on weekends right after 9/11, and I was getting pretty good with my hands. So I put together a collection of one-of-a-kind pieces and sold them to a few shops in NYC that I shopped at. From there I needed to learn how to make small batches, and in 2007 I took my first collection to the NY Gift Show where I began my wholesale business. I was aiming to follow in the footsteps of designer/makers of the time like Jonathan Adler and KleinReid. After my second show, ABC Home picked up my line and my little business had to grow up pretty quickly. That order was 666 pieces! I didn’t even have a slab roller. But we took the leap and bought the equipment, hired a person to help and then we were able to fulfill that order plus orders from trendsetting shops like Cedar & Hyde all over the country. Over time I grew into my business and being a maker. Together with Daniel we added lighting, furniture and bronze objects. We began to work with restaurants, boutique hotels and interior designers, along with our wholesale business.

Daniel, on the other hand, was a prominent sculptor in the ‘90s NYC art scene, represented by 303 Gallery when we met. As he moved away from the art world into design he started designing toys for Bozart Toys, and then the crash of 2008 happened and he needed to find a new direction. He had made a simple table with a live edge slab for me to use as a prop at the trade show, and we had a lot of interest in purchasing it, so I suggested he actually design a group of tables and we bring them to the next show… ABC Home bought them and Daniel joined me in DBO Home. Now he designs and builds beautiful furniture pieces, collaborates with me on lighting and helps me create designs that are beyond my skill set.

What does a day or week in your lives look like?

Dirty. We always seem to both be covered in clay, glaze or sawdust. We work a lot. I have my studio at one end of our house and Daniel has the barn, plus a space above our kitchen for putting together lighting and building guitars. While Daniel is full-on in his studio, I wear many hats. I’m lucky to have a fabulous assistant who handles a large percentage of the production, while I glaze every batch just about every afternoon.

I work with our digital director Kady on the website, email marketing and social media (except Instagram, which I do myself). There’s meeting with interior designers, answering tons of email questions, and when I carve out a bit of time, I get to work on new ideas. Daniel and I conference over lunch or dog walks. And we try to find time not devoted to work or cleaning, or fixing the house, to enjoy friends and family. I love to cook and that’s where I work out if the tableware designs really function.

I’m not sure I can answer that question so easily. I know that Daniel is always happiest when he is making something or learning something new. He never just sits down; he’s always involved in some kind of project, and I think those projects and his curiosity inspire him.

I on the other hand find myself craving beauty and comfort and look for it wherever I can…mostly in nature, or in the pages of interiors magazines that I go through over and over again. Eventually I think whatever is percolating in the background of my mind comes through in my work.

Your bronze pieces are very special, as is the process you use to create them. Can you tell us how these pieces are made?

Yes, the bronze is special and it’s been so much fun for me to learn about bronze casting. Daniel of course studied bronze casting in art school, but for me it was a total mystery. For the candlesticks and the incense burner, the original pieces were turned in wood, then sealed with spray paint. Daniel made a box that is filled with an oily sand, and the forms are pressed into the sand. Then the bronze is heated in a crucible until it’s fiery red and molten, and it’s poured into the cavities formed in the box of oily sand. The bronze forms cool and are ready to be cleaned up. All of the sharp edges removed, sanded and smoothed, then divots are drilled into the candlesticks and a hole for the incense is drilled into the burner. Then the patina and wax is applied. It’s a process for sure - but the finished product is worth it.

What are the biggest challenges of running DBO?

Right now our biggest challenge is space. We have so much going on in the studio we have outgrown our space. We also have the challenge of many jobs and few people handling them.

What are you looking forward to in the future?

I’m hoping we will find a space or a way to build a space that will make production easier and more comfortable, while at the same time also having a showroom. It would be fantastic to be able to do local events with chefs, florists, etc. involving our work, from the table to the tableware. And of course, we are always looking forward to coming up with the next new design.

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Thank you Dana! Explore the DBO Home collection online, or stop in the Home store to admire these beautifully functional pieces in person.