Shin Okuda’s Home Away From Home

Images by Cody James

Furniture designer Shin Okuda shares a similar approach to work as he does curating his family's El Sereno home - slowly, sustainably and with unique glimmers of personality; children’s artwork, miniatures, and wisps of fabric that soften windows, lighting, even their television screen. The professional realisation of this approach is Waka Waka, a Los Angeles based studio that has produced wood furniture & functional objects, handcrafted by Shin since 2009. His works experiment with scale, colour & occasionally texture, many of which are made from off-cuts of designs past. Home life is shared with his wife & fashion designer, Kristin and 9 year old son, Issei, a budding student in the school of life. This week, we spoke with Shin about the contrast between California and his home country of Japan, and asked what piece of advice he would share with the next generation of creatives.

“We’ve lived here for 4 years.  It’s me, my wife Kristin and our 9 year old son Issei.  The house was built in 1956  in the El Sereno neighborhood of Los Angeles.  We are the third owners, the first owners being Japanese which was interesting to discover, especially when adding to our yard.  There was an original effort to make the outdoor space special.  The yard backs up to a public hiking park called Ascot Hills so there’s a wonderful humming of birds and nature noise.  What we have within our home is very much reflective of our work, our curiosities, and our friends.

What we have within our home is very much reflective of our work, our curiosities, and our friends.

“Our bedroom is very simple and gives a warm light most of the day.  It’s the room we designate for resting.  It’s quiet and undemanding and there’s not a clutter of things.”

“The tall display shelf I made for Kristin has a lot of special objects.  It’s a very tall box shelf I made because she kept running out of small corners and window sills for arranging her collection of curiosities and "casual" treasures.  She has small artworks, some are by kids, some by people we know and love.  There are some memorable ceramics from Japan trips, a few things by Issei and some miniatures (a chair collection, tiny pillows, a paper flower).  She adds and edits when she acquires a new keepsake. It's pleasant to look at and see how all the things connect our time together. It's the sentimental shelf for her.”

It's pleasant to look at and see how all the things connect our time together. It's the sentimental shelf for her.

“Japan is very structured and functional.  You are aware of the many contrasts in the culture, the deep history and ongoing traditions and what those traditions demand of you.  Los Angeles is very informal but also very dynamic and diverse.  Japan is mostly homogenous and Los Angeles is a mix of many people and experiences.  I like getting to know both places as an adult.

Japan is mostly homogenous and Los Angeles is a mix of many people and experiences.  I like getting to know both places as an adult.

“I read a lot of architecture and design history books in Japanese.  I’m also deep into studying tea ceremony architecture and philosophy.  Reading and absorbing home spaces helps me find a way to create new ideas with a material I’ve been using since I started.  Baltic birch plywood is beautiful in its simplicity.  I make things that are a design solution to me or to an imaginary audience, how to combine certain shapes in an innovative way, where color can be added and texture at times.”

A shelf made by Shin, housing Kristin's collection of 'casual treasures'.

“We have a large inventory of off-cuts and remnants that we like to apply to new and ongoing  pieces when possible.  We have a few shapes that we’ve developed that can incorporate the remnants quite efficiently.  I hope people use our furniture for many years and age with the work.  I don’t design things that waste material or promote a design fad or disposable design. I don't think you have to clutter the world. Your space can reflect a thoughtfulness through a single piece in my mind.”

I don’t design things that waste material or promote a design fad or disposable design. I don't think you have to clutter the world.

Shin & Kristin's bed is made with our Dove Grey Set & Sheet Set. 

“We enjoy going to museums and galleries.  Nonaka Hill Gallery is a favorite of ours. Bookstores like Alias, the Hammer Museum bookstore always have great things.  We buy a lot of books on our Japan trips and through online art book resources. I play on a soccer league so we are often at the many parks around LA kicking the ball or playing with our son.  Our friend has LTTT (Little Tokyo Table Tennis) which is fun to play table tennis during the week and they have a shop in Little Tokyo in downtown LA which is a community-building space.

“Our home is central to many different neighborhoods we enjoy and there’s a direct connection to nature with the park as our backyard.  It’s very peaceful.”

“[This year we are looking forward to] making the WAKA WAKA house in Japan.  We are looking for a traditional home in Japan to renovate and will include furniture that we make specifically in Japan.  It will tell a story of a handmade home space.”

A yellow bathroom pairs makes the perfect backdrop to our Cocoa & Ivory Stripe towels (back in stock in May).

Finally, we asked Shin for his advice to the younger generation… 

“Find your authenticity and what you are good at as well as interested in learning.  I think having a thorough knowledge of designers/design is important so that it can be about innovation versus imitation.  Understanding the why in your creative process!”