Welcome to the latest edition of Behind the Brand, where KBB seeks to illuminate – somewhat! – the creative process from the perspective of top product designers in the kitchen and bath fields. Being able to look at everyday objects in a radically different way is the [un]common denominator of these talented individuals.
This month, we hear from:
Celine Kwok Garland, Lead Industrial Designer for Brizo
Hugo Volpei, Founder and CEO of Trone
Stephanie Oh Haley, Director of Product & Marketing at Watermark Designs and Water Street Brass
As a product designer, my greatest responsibility is…
Garland: To create work that embodies the brand’s values while listening deeply to its customers and bringing forward products that anticipate their needs and reflect their behaviors.
Volpei: To improve daily life by bringing beauty to the objects people interact with every day. Design has the power to transform how we feel about the spaces and products that shape our routines, and my ambition is to break taboos around the bathroom and turn this average experience into something elegant and desirable.
Haley: To create products that are genuinely useful, thoughtfully made and carefully considered down to the smallest detail. I’m driven by both function and aesthetics, and I want every element and detail to feel intentional and resolved. The products I design are meant to be used and appreciated for years, so longevity is always part of the process. That means thinking beyond how something looks. Durability, craftsmanship, and sustainability are just as important. My goal is to create meaningful, enjoyable experiences through products that people value, return to, and want to keep and use for a long time.
Faircroft Kitchen Collection, Wall Mount Bridge Kitchen Faucet with Side Sprayer in Unlacquered Brass from Brizo
One of my creative touchstones is…
Garland: A deep attention to detail by pushing a design just far enough to feel fresh yet still familiar and understanding exactly how far I can stretch engineering to create meaningful differences that resonate with consumers.
Volpei: The belief that even the most ordinary objects deserve to be reimagined. I’m interested in transforming the functional and overlooked into something desirable through craftsmanship and attention to detail, elevating everyday experiences.
Haley: Staying open-minded and curious. I try to find inspiration everywhere because I think that’s what helps you become both a more compassionate person and a better designer.
I love visiting all kinds of museums, from art museums to natural history museums, and with my background in fashion, I’m always paying attention to materials, craftsmanship and form. But inspiration doesn’t have to come from obvious places. Sometimes it’s an old gardening tool, my kids’ toys or another everyday object that sparks an idea.
I also love being outside and playing sports, and I’m constantly observing how people interact with the objects around them. Watching those everyday moments often reveals small opportunities to improve an experience or solve a problem in a more thoughtful way. Those observations, combined with curiosity about the world, shape how I approach design.
An industry trend that I’m watching is…
Garland: The rise of the truly livable home. Products that express personality and heritage, prioritize longevity, and weave in thoughtful innovation that enhances daily life without overwhelming it.
Volpei: The return of colour as a design language in interiors. After a long period dominated by neutrality, spaces are becoming more expressive again, using colour to create identity. Trone is part of that shift, bringing colour and sculptural form into bathroom design so that even these functional objects can contribute to the character of a space.
Haley: The continued resurgence of Art Deco influences, along with the return of classic, polished finishes like polished nickel. It’s always interesting to see how design trends evolve. So many of them eventually come full circle, which is why I tend to say, never say never.
While it’s important to incorporate relevant trends into our designs and product assortments, I always keep in mind that home fixtures are a long-term investment. People typically live with these products for many years, so my goal is to strike a balance between what’s current and what’s timeless. I want the products we create to feel fresh today while still looking and feeling relevant years down the road.
Callipyge toilet from Trone
The best part of my job is…
Garland: Translating an initial brief into a thoughtful design through iterative exploration. This means drawing on insights from research and the perspectives of my teammates to continually strengthen the work. By the time a product launches, my goal is for it to be not only beautiful and true to the brand, but also something that integrates seamlessly into our customers’ homes and elevates their everyday living.
Volpei: Challenging the conventions of bathroom design alongside talented designers, engineers and craftsmen. I love seeing an idea evolve into a product that surprises people and changes the way they think about something familiar.
Haley: The process of creating. I enjoy the entire journey from concept to final product. I love sketching ideas, sculpting pieces in clay, collaborating with 3D designers to bring those concepts to life, and seeing the early 3D prints come in. From there, it’s all about refining – adjusting dimensions, fine-tuning details, testing how things feel in the hand, and continuing to iterate until everything feels right. Because we work with such a visual and tactile product, that back-and-forth and constant refinement is a huge part of the process. It’s genuinely fun, and I feel very lucky I’m able to do what I love.
Vestige hardware from Water Street Brass. Photo: Addie Juell
If I had a week off from the studio, I would…
Garland: I would either work with a coach to sharpen my pickleball game or head out for a long 40–50 mile bike ride — stopping along the way for great food and drinks with my husband.
Volpei: Probably spend it conducting a sociological study of toilets and bathrooms. I’m fascinated by what people actually do in these spaces, how they experience these intimate moments, and how our relationship with them has evolved throughout history. Because they’re still surrounded by taboos, they’re often overlooked by designers. Understanding these hidden rituals and unspoken needs is what allows us to create products that feel truly unexpected – objects that respond to desires people haven’t even articulated yet.
Haley: Travel with my family. I love exploring, learning and eating a variety of delicious foods!
