Van Dusen began making her own clothing as a teenager after convincing her mom to buy a sewing machine she'd use to reconstruct her closet full of thrift store garments. Color was her primary muse, often favoring bright hues in unexpected combinations and graphic patterns. What she couldn't find, she created, albeit inefficiently — the only way she knew how — by assembling her own printed textiles, one element at a time.

The office houses the letter “U" as well as cameras.

Designer Christiane Hogner, Bruxelles

Finlayson's fun tiger motif is also available as a rug.

The workstation and the cabinets are by Korben Mathis Woodworking; the desk lamp is from TaoTronics.

In addition to the aforementioned designers, catch work from artisan textiles and apparel studio Small Trade Company; textile artist Llane Alexis; handwoven apparel and textile maker Voices of Industry; and jewelry maker Liz Oppenheim. "It's a very diverse group, which we like," Chiang says. "What unifies the participants is a deep relationship with both design and material. Great craft is not complete without design."

Yolo Colorhouse / Paints Poster-sized sample swatches, a host of attractive colors, and nontoxic paints let pint-sized paint company Yolo Colorhouse handily compete with their mega-sized corporate competitors.

Designer Christiane Hogner, Bruxelles

A workspace, bedroom, and bath comprise each of the two studios; an early riser, Lida spends most of the day painting in her space.

Although Foscarini had originally estimated a production run of 2,000 Aplomb pendants per year, Crea now produces some 2,000 per month, making it one of Foscarini’s top-selling products. The fixture, which is available in six colors, including natural gray, retails starting at about $700.

A garage full of cupboards can’t contain Orpilla’s toolkit.

Zee standing in front of her new 8 ft x 8 foot piece.

A workspace within Wenes's Antwerp house and gallery features splashes of color.

While there is "a lot of stuff around," the busy, "cluttered" studio doesn't feel sloppy. It's like a very colorful bomb went off but everything landed in a perfectly logical place.

Inspiration crowds Alexander’s studio desk.

Owen and Clara prepare proofs at their screenprinting station. Clara assumes the role of the chromist, separating images into individual colors and preserving the artist’s intent in the process. As printmaker, Owen physically passes the ink through the screen, one color at a time, taking great care that they are correctly registered to the overall composition.

There's a sense of organization amidst the madness. A collection of scissors hang from nails hammered into a shelf packed with books seemingly arranged in no particular order — that is, until Van Dusen hardly glances when she pulls one, The Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Geometry, within seconds of referencing it.

The catwalk running above the studio is aptly named for the household: Farley’s felines patrol their owners’ activity from this overhead perch.

6. Release the Pendant: Mamadou removes the pendant, using a special clamp and tapping the edges of the form with a hammer to help release the cast. It is then left to set for 7 to 12 days, depending on temperature and humidity.

Downing a beverage from a cup made of solid ice just seems somehow godlike. It’s as if you’re attending Odin’s birthday bash and the winds of the frozen North have supplied the drinkware. Unfortunately, unless you’re enjoying your drink someplace with an ambient temperature of less than 32°f, you’re going to be holding less and less of a mug as the party goes on. Still, it might be worth it.

Loll invited attendees to take a load off at their enchanting beer garden.

10. Add the Protective Coating: Giovanni’s son Carlo Piccinelli dips the nearly finished pendant in a protective coating that repels stains and fingerprints. The Aplomb is then sent to an assembly factory in Pordenone, Italy, where it is wired.

In his detached painting studio, Dunlop considers a work in progress. The building is oriented east-west to avoid direct sunlight, and the long, narrow shape enables the artist to get some distance from his paintings as he works. An oversize front door and angled ceiling accommodate extra-large canvases; the plywood walls and floor can ably endure a beating, or, as is more likely, stray splashes of paint.

2. Prepare the Mold: Ndiaye Mamadou wipes the inside of the mold with oil—a release agent—and then seals it with several metal pins that clamp the mold in place.

The heart of Numeroventi is the artist residency.

5. Let the Concrete Harden: The mold is stored in a shelved locker for one day before the pendant is released.

4. Cast the Mold: Before filling the mold, Mamadou uses two vessels to decant the concrete to help eliminate large air bubbles, then lets it sit until the remaining bubbles rise to the surface. Then he slowly pours the mixture into the mold.

“It’s easy to be in the honeymoon phase. But too often people skip important conversations, and things can go badly.” —Architect Michelle Kaufmann

A view of the workspace in Zee's studio with saw table on the right.

Verda Alexander and her son, Apolo, collaborate on a project in their first-floor studio.

The main rooms include an art nook.