Episode 47 | Forms with Functionality with David Weeks
Working early on in Ted Muehling’s orbit, David Weeks absorbed a standard of beauty that shaped his own.
How I first met David Weeks years ago is another classic example of how tight-knit the New York creative world can be. Here’s how it played out.
I was developing a story for Martha Stewart Living and thinking how great it would be to include one of David’s lamps when Jodi Levine—then an editor at Martha Stewart Kids—happened to be nearby and said, “I went to art school at RISD with David.” I told Jodi how much I’d always admired his work, and she said, “Well, if you want to meet him, he has a sample sale at a DUMBO maker fair coming up.”
At the time, David was selling one-of-a-kind lamps at maker fairs, assembling them on the spot from whatever parts he had on hand. I was able to purchase a couple—pieces I still treasure today.
An Athens Native
David is originally from Athens, Georgia, home of R.E.M. and The B-52’s, and graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a degree in painting. After college, he followed his girlfriend (now wife) to New York City, doing what many art school grads do: taking on a range of freelance jobs. One of those led to regular work in the studio of jewelry and housewares designer Ted Muehling.
Reflecting on that time, David said on the podcast:
“I was very able, design-wise and making-wise, from childhood, but Ted Muehling synced it all—the quality and the beauty. If you make a beautiful thing, it’s pretty much guaranteed people will like it. You can’t deny something that’s really beautiful.”
Launching His Own Studio
He and a friend took studio space in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood, where he began making his first prototype lamps in the mid-1990s. He showed them at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair on a single shelf—near the restroom—which, as it turned out, meant a steady stream of foot traffic. Not a bad location after all.
The attention led to custom commissions, and word of mouth took it from there. His designs evolved in response to customer needs, and to this day his products are made in the United States.
For David, design is fundamentally an act of problem-solving: how to make an idea work, how to turn unconventional parts into components for his now-iconic lighting. He’s collaborated across disciplines—for example, with Ralph Pucci on furniture. The collaboration that resonates most with me is the one he did with Lindsey Adelman. Together they formed Butter and, among other products, created Lunette, a glass-fiber clip-on lamp. The idea behind Butter was to create space for more affordably priced lighting outside of David Weeks Lighting’s signature style.
Top Spin
In many ways, David’s story mirrors my own path. I also went to art school and, after graduating, classmates Darren Kearns, Mary Lui, and I formed Top Spin Design. Together we designed and produced lamps and other home products, selling wholesale to Barneys New York and other retailers.
Like David, we benefited from early publicity—being featured in Metropolitan Home magazine gave us exposure that led to more sales. After several years, we closed the business but left with the kind of knowledge that only comes from running your own company.
These days David works with a small team in a studio near the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He’s shaped light into something both sculptural and deeply human—objects that feel as thoughtful as they are functional, and as enduring as they are inventive.
Have a look at his work here. I really enjoyed sitting down with David—talking about our early years in product design in New York and getting to know the man behind the work.
Enjoy your week! Melañio.