This Designer’s Dream Desk Was Impressed by Classic Aesthetics and Summary Shapes

What makes a purchase “worth it”? The answer is different for everybody, so we’re asking some of the coolest, most shopping-savvy people we know—from small-business owners to designers, artists to actors—to tell us the story behind one of their most prized possessions.

Who?

Sade Mims is a Brooklyn-based artist and designer. Ten years ago, the Philadephia-native moved to New York to accomplish her dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. The end result is her eclectic and sustainable accessories brand Edas (her first name spelled backwards), founded in 2013. “I always knew that I was going to be a designer,” she says. “In high school, I would take quarters, drill holes in them, and sell them as coin necklaces. That was my side hustle, so I always had that entrepreneur spirit.” All these years later, Sade has taken her brand from URL to IRL with a newly opened brick-and-mortar showroom, located in Williamsburg.

What?

Sade’s goal was to design all of the furniture for the space—one standout piece is an abstract, tubular table that she enlisted her woodworker friend Noah to collaborate on. “I came to him with all of my sketches, color theories, and concepts, and then he built my dream table,” she says of the process. The table is three parts: two bases (one orange, one yellow) and a green tabletop. “I love shapes and lines,” Sade adds. “I think that’s really telling when you look at my work, specifically with my jewelry and handbags. It’s a running theme for the Edas layout and for my own stylistic approach.”

When?

Sade began working on the table in late April, as the seasons began to change. “I remember that really vividly because our first meeting was at a park,” she says. The design process, which took about four months, didn’t come without a few hiccups. “Since the base is circular, it wants to roll, inevitably,” she says. “So, we had to go through a lot of trial and error of making it a bit more sturdy.” It acts as a product display piece, rather than a sitting table, so lasting durability was essential. Earrings, vases, ceramics, and other accessories adorn the colorful fixture.

Where?

From initial concepts to its final completion, all sourcing and woodwork took place in Brooklyn. “I would come to Noah with a sketch, he’d come into the studio, and we’d work out the dimensions,” she says. At first, they opted for an oval-shaped tabletop, but later decided on a sleek rectangle with rounded edges. They went back and forth like this about the details before settling on a cohesive design that was pleasing to the eye.

Why?

While working for the Brooklyn furniture store Home Union a few years ago, Sade developed a strong passion for design and vintage interiors—hence the retro style of the table. “I used to say, ‘I’m going to be the Black Martha Stewart,’” she explains. “I want to build a brand that’s multidimensional, where I get to express all of the creative things that feel important to me. The furniture part is just an extension of that. So, starting it in my own space was like, ‘Why the fuck not?’”

You might not be able to shop Sade’s custom table, but here are a few of the pieces that inspired her original design. 

RS Barcelona Plec Medium Table in Red Marble by A.P.O.