“My desk is actually an improvised filing cabinet now, since I’m in the process of moving from SF to Portland. I’ve taped some ideas for new designs, and my motivational print on the walls. I’ve placed my hammer next to my mouse as a physical reference for the material I’m designing with on the computer.

I never want a “cool” office with giant whiteboards, edgy wall art by a street artist, and a hoard of interns. A place like that would be stale before it’s done being built, and my designs would become as predictable as my environment. I want to stay small and lean as long as I can. If I have my sketchpad, computer, and access to hot water for tea, I have a workspace- the best workspace.”

Joey Roth designs products to articulate the beauty of everyday rituals. He combines simple functionality with honest, unfinished materials that become more personal as they take on a patina of use. He’s especially interested in designing tools for ephemeral experiences like tea and music.

Joey was born in 1984 in San Francisco and grew up in Montclair, NJ. He graduated from Swarthmore in 2006 with a BA in Industrial Design Theory. His favorite musicians are the Dirty Projectors and Ghostface Killah, and his favorite authors are Umberto Eco and Haruki Murakami. When taking a break from design, he likes long-distance skateboarding, being outside, and cooking with kale.

Beliefs and practices:
# Make products that push boundaries now and remain valuable for years.
# Bake sustainability into the product’s function, materials, and life cycle; sustainability should never be an end in itself.
# Recognize that both irony and beauty are crutches for bad design.

Follow Joey  @twitter.com/joeyroth