Benjamin Rollins Caldwell

American designer Benjamin Rollins Caldwell was born in 1983 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He studied fine arts and business at Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California, between 2002 and 2006, graduating with Bachelor’s degrees in both disciplines. After school, he returned to South Carolina, and took on the role of brand manager for Votivo, his family’s candle and home fragrance business. He launched his design studio, BRC Designs, in 2010 in Spartanburg.

Focusing primarily on material exploration, Caldwell refers to himself as “the re-inventor.” The designer creates unique furniture from both unexpected and traditional materials, such as wood, metal, playing cards, and children’s toys. He is frequently inspired by items from thrift shops and junkyards, and even repurposes them. Notable projects to date include the 2010 Spider Chair, made of stainless steel, foam, recycled zippers, and silk ties; the 2011 Binary collection, a series of tables, chairs, and cabinetry composed of obsolete electronics found in a warehouse (motherboards, computer chips, metal, LED screens, and hard drive discs); and the 2013 Wingin’ It Floor Lamp.