British designer Tim Sharpe founded Octate in 2000. The San Francisco design studio designs and produces elegantly simple vases, candleholders, table settings, and lighting.

Octate uses materials such as milled aluminum and bent ply in their designs. The gentle curves and spare lines lend an organic feel to items such as the Bolo serving bowl. It's not only beautiful, it's practical, functioning equally well as either a fruit bowl or a place for holding your keys and the other bits and bobs of daily life.

Octate's designs have been written up in the Chron, Architectural Record, Dwell, Interior Design, and The Washington Post.

Our very own AT: Chicago wrote about the Bow 24 wall lamp here.

The Bow 24 is made of multi ply and thin veneer.

We're especially fond of the Sucro & Cremo, a lovely sugar bowl and creamer set made of thick aluminum.

Salt & Co. are tabletop sculptures, and their different aluminum finishes make it impossible to mix up the two spices.

The Glo Mesh tea light candle holder makes us imagine eating dinner outside on warm summer nights.

We look forward to seeing more of this local artisan's work.

Octate's products are available online, and at Wrapables and Velocity Art and Design. They're also sold at retailers such as The Magazine, Limn, and Atys. The de Young sells exclusive items with a copper finish.

(2007: Octate has closed up shop in SF and moved to the UK)