# Artistic Wooden Household Objects Living Materials by Benwu Studio Celebrates Its Natural Essence By Meghan Young | Published 2013-07-11 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/living-materials-by-benwu-studio References: [trendland](http://trendland.com/benwu-studio-living-materials-collection) & [benwustudio](http://www.benwustudio.com/twig-vessels.html) Living Materials by Benwu Studio, a London- and New York-based design firm founded by Hongchao Wang and Peng You, is a series of [household objects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-objects-we-live-by) made out of [twigs and branches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/no1-common). The use of such natural materials is an exploration into wood's beauty and application. Creating objects that are expected in unexpected ways, the pieces do take on a beautiful presence in the space they occupy. What is particularly arresting about Living Materials by Benwu Studio is the raw essence of the objects. Although there has been a colorful application, almost as though old paint has continued to leave its mark, the designs embrace the [grain and texture of the wood](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/don-heston-studio) being used. According to the designers, "The collection searches for a new application beyond conventional categories," and it certainly succeeds. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.6/10 - Popularity: 43% | Activity: 26% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Exploration of Natural Materials:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Exploring unconventional uses of natural materials to create unique and visually appealing products. - **Embracing Raw Essence:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating the natural grain and texture of materials into design to celebrate their inherent beauty. - **Unexpected Utilization:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Reimagining traditional household objects in unexpected ways using unconventional materials. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Home Décor and Design:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing sustainable and eco-friendly materials to create innovative and aesthetically pleasing home decor products. - **Furniture Manufacturing:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Designing furniture that embraces the raw essence of materials, providing a unique and natural look. - **Art and Craft:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating natural materials in art and craft to create visually captivating and sustainable pieces. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Dynamic Timber Furniture Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/down-to-earth.md) - [Expressive Well Balanced Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hmli.md) - [Natural Landscape-Inspired Ceramics](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/matter-collection.md) - [Sustainable Wooden Natural Materials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/forestbank.md) - [Wood-Centric Simple Furniture Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/collective-collection.md) - [Natural Material-Transformed Artworks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/borrowed-earth-collaborative.md) - [Organic Furniture Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roots-collection-1.md) - [Sustainable Creative Craft Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fyrn-studio-series.md) - [Time-Layered Wood Displays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/age-of-wood.md)