The Dwell 24: Sefako Tolu

In their shared design practice, Sefako Ketosugbo and Tolu Odunfa Dragone are guided by problem solving and happy accidents—and they like it that way.

"We go back and forth discussing how to use a material or how to arrange and rearrange things," explains Ketosugbo. "The end product is not something we necessarily set out to do." The two met in 2009 while studying interior design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where, says Odunfa, "we always had a love of furniture and wanted to collaborate."

So after one of their professors asked them to contribute some designs for a project she was working on, the pair "started trying to put ourselves out there," says Ketosugbo, by creating visually arresting pieces, such as the Two Spirit coffee table.

Made from walnut wood and Calacatta Viola marble, the table synthesizes contrasting materials, tones, and textures—a perfect "happy accident" that encapsulates Sefako Tolu’s shared creative vision. 

Read the full Q&A with Tolu Odunfa below.   

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Describe what you make in 140 characters. Beautiful, functional pieces with unexpected details.

What’s the last thing you designed? A dresser.

Do you have a daily creative ritual? I'm always thinking about design and almost daily, I collect inspirational imagery, sketch, write and play with color.

How do you procrastinate? I watch videos of people making stuff— ceramics, glass, wood joints, wall covering, car doors, traditional brooms... I'm usually inspired to do my own work after a good bit of that.

What everyday object would you like to redesign? Why? Many objects in my home seem treacherous as I'm slightly clumsy and I have small children. The door handles in my apartment always poke me in the side—I would redesign them to be a little shorter or spring loaded so they retract a little when bumped.

Who are your heroes (in design, in life, in both)? My mom. She was super creative. When I was a child living in Ibadan, Nigeria; she designed and made stuffed toys and children's underwear, by hand. All my friends wore her petticoats under their uniform. She grew plants and flowers, loved learning new languages and also did event design and decoration. I think I was influenced by a lot of that appreciation for beauty and function to find my calling as a designer.

What skill would you most like to learn? How to bring out the best in anyone.

What is your most treasured possession? Assuming I don't possess my dad, sisters, brother, husband, children and my friends... it is all my memories of them.

What’s your earliest memory of an encounter with design? Watching my mom draw and cut patterns and then make stuff.

What contemporary design trend do you despise? I appreciate trends for what they are—short lived.

Finish this statement: All design should... consider the environment.

What’s in your dream house? My family, but also a big kitchen cabinet with lots of bowls.

How can the design world be more inclusive? Introduce design as a career to Black and Brown students early on, and financially support them with sizable scholarships; fund their entrepreneurial endeavors and center and promote them equitably in media.

What do you wish non-designers understood about the design industry? It is fun, yes, but it is also work.

You can learn more about Sefako Tolu on their Instagram.    

View the 2022 Dwell 24!