open-sewing-box-cabinet

Through many generations, grandma’s sewing box has held a kind of magical appeal for kids all over the world. This project from Kiki van Eijk takes that sewing box magic and amplifies it, turning it into something that is truly larger than life.

Continue reading below
Our Featured Videos

Despite its huge size, this cabinet opens easily with a simple pull on one side. The function is distinctly reminiscent of the classic multi-level sewing box design, right down to the sturdy legs on the bottom of the main volume.

kiki-van-eijk-sewing-cabinet-storage

The Dutch designer spent four years perfecting this massive cabinet, getting it to function in exactly the right way. She was sure that she did not want the cabinet to require more than one person to open – that, according to Kiki, would not mesh with the idea of the project.

sewing-box-cabinet-knobs

The project was taken from design to finished product by a carpenter in Arnhem. It is made of solid elm and features beautiful brass knobs. Its slightly whimsical nature is balanced by its decidedly elegant silhouette and impressively smooth functionality.

“A cabinet made of elms wood. This cabinet is inspired by the mechanism of a wooden sewing box. It evokes the cheerful feeling of needlework, yet it has a very technical mechanism inside. The beauty of both the movement of the sewing box and the idea of textile craftwork is reflected in the handcrafted brass elements and wooden construction.”

“Kiki grew up in Tegelen, a small city in the Netherlands. She spent her youth immersed in nature, daydreaming and drawing. She is now one of the most accomplished names of Dutch design. She studied at the Design Academy of Eindhoven where she met her future partner, Joost van Bleiswijk. Inspired by a childlike sense of wonder and the smallest details of the everyday, Kiki’s world is whimsical and colorful, lyrical and personal, yet refined by a rigorous attention and skillful craftsmanship.  Since establishing her studio in 2000, following her graduation Cum Laude from the Design Academy Eindhoven, van Eijk has produced a unique body of work that spans from furniture design to textiles to experimental art installations and works on paper.”