“LGBTQI folks are naturally great designers because many of us, in an effort to make a world that fits who we are and feels right, have designed our own identities and ways of existing.”

—Cas Holman

Designer of both products and spaces, Cas is primarily known for developing play systems and learning tools for kids. But this sensibility shines forth in her product design (presumably for adults) as well. These joyous salt and pepper mills are a case in point.

Taking inspiration from the simple forms of wooden blocks, Cas converts these commonplace kitchen implements into objects of discovery and joy: “Inviting playfulness into functionality,” the mills began as private gifts for collaborators and friends, yet soon blossomed into consumer products courtesy of Areaware, an NYC-based manufacturer known for their functional and friendly objects for home, work, and play.

And for those who may be frustrated by their inability to immediately decipher how the mills work, Cas would likely say that’s all part of the utility of play—problem solving, discovery, success! Find out more about Cas and the spaces she’s designed for The Liberty Science Center, Science Museum Oklahoma, The 14th. St. Y, and other locales.