Karlin's first collection varies from a stately table to stools to glassware to barware. Restricting herself to a palette of natural materials including wood, metal, glass, ceramics, and brass, she aimed for the objects to work in a series. "The pieces are meant to create little scenes within a space," she says. Each item maintains a clean silhouette and attention to detail is paramount.

To achieve the high level of quality necessary for the unique details she craved, Karlin enlisted local craftsmen and fabricators. Working at a small scale helped to guarantee consistency. While this cost both time and money, Karlin didn't think twice about setting the bar high after enduring a long design process. Comparing product design to her work as a graphic designer she says, "It's a much lengthier process than you can imagine! But all those tiny tweaks are worth it—you can see it in the quality of finish in the collection."

Navigating a new field of design not only came naturally, but served as an additional outlet to express herself. "Each medium has its limitations and constraints," she says, "[it's] just about navigating each one to express what you want to." Looking at the portfolio of this multi-purpose designer, it is clear she has much to convey. As one might expect, Karlin is already thinking about her next collection. Her current works can be viewed and purchased at furniture.annakarlin.com.

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Anna Karlin: Designing in 360 Degrees