Studio

Studio

Born in Chicago, Lake + Wells brings stories to life in artisan-made furniture, lighting, and objects. Marrying age-old, living materials and handcrafted methodologies with modern elements and technology, the husband-and-wife studio’s principal desire is to discerningly bring forth fresh, evocative designs in timeless form.

Process

Every element of every piece undergoes painstaking iterative development in collaboration with hand-picked artisans and fabricators — each chosen for their technique and mastery. Metal elements, such as brass and copper, are machined or hand-hammered, and custom finished. Glass forms are mouth-blown and molded. Crystals are individually cut and polished. Aluminum structures are anodized in small batches to draw out beautiful satin finishes. Concrete bases are cast and then stained. These classic techniques result in pieces that are imbued with just enough hand-touched imperfection to make each one subtly unique.

Every piece is made to order and available exclusively through Lake + Wells and select partners.

Founders

The storied pieces of Lake + Wells are forged from the harmonious dichotomy of husband-and-wife founders, Mark Kinsley and Tamera Leigh Staten. Founded in 2010 by Mark, son of a Midwest tool-and-die maker, Lake + Wells was premised on utilizing master artisan resources to create timeless and innovative products. In the midst of growing this new company and daylighting as a lighting designer for luxury brand Holly Hunt, Mark met Tamera Leigh Staten. She had just returned from England, completing her graduate studies in Children’s Literature, and was working as a graphic designer and an apprentice in antique lighting restoration. Their meeting sparked what turned into a marriage of both life and work as they discovered their creativity expanded exponentially in collaboration with one another. Mark’s technical artistry, engineering skills, and focus on functionality pair uniquely with the dark, creative whimsy of Tamera’s visual storytelling and aesthetic vision.