The document provides information on various design projects by Karla Tull-Esterbrook across different mediums including furniture, lighting, sculpture, and graphic design. Some key projects discussed include the SHADOW OF INFINITE REGRESS MIRROR which uses layering to create 3D visual interest, the POKE lamp which is turned on by pressing its flexible silicone shade, concrete outdoor furniture like the GARDEN BENCH cast using a custom mold, and the GEODE furniture concept using sandwiched plywood strips of varying widths. The document shows renderings, prototypes and details Karla's design and manufacturing processes.

1. Karla Tull-Esterbrook

2. Product Development and materials exploration
SHADOW OF INFINITE REGRESS MIRROR
The SHADOW OF INFINITE REGRESS MIRROR creates unexpected 3-dimen-
sionality and visual interest through an interplay of transparency, layering and a
harnessing of infinite regress. It began simply as a stenciled mirror, was layered to
create a more dynamic aesthetic, and then the positioning of the layers was
tweaked to push the 3-dimensionality further.
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 2
Stenciling process

3. Product Development
Lighting
POKE was born out of a desire to create a lamp that would induce
uncommon engagement with the user. This spurred the question “If a
lamp can’t be turned on through conventional means, what are some
unconventional ways to turn it on, and how would the lamp be com-
posed in order to facilitate such an interaction?” Combined with the
theme of play and material investigations into rubber, this inquiry led to
POKE.
Having a flexible shade composed of silicone, POKE requires the user
to depress this shade in order to turn on the light.The body of the
lamp is mostly hollow, which ensures that the interaction remains mys-
terious, as the user will feel no buttons or switches when depressing
the shade.
Working Prototype:
Version 1
Render of Version 2
(In development)
Base
Diffuser
Silicone shade
hole for cord
hole for cord
bosses for attachment
of diffuser and PCB
vents in bottom allow for
heat and air to escape
large hole in bottom allows
shade to stretch over base
for assembly, and allows air
vents in base to be uncovered
feet elevate the lamp slightly
so that air and heat can escape
through air vents in base, and
hide assembly screws
Version 2: Anatomy
Render ofVersion 2
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 3

4. Poke
Process
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 4

5. Sorrento Hotel Design Commission: Lighting
Half-Painted Globes
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 5
The Half-Painted Globes were a project presented to the Sorrento
Hotel for the hotel’s redesign this year. These globes are the first
draft of an approach to updated retro design. Rhino render below,
photos of 1st prototypes to the right.

6. Furniture Design
Hand-Cast Concrete
The form for the OUTDOOR LIVING ROOM CHAIR was inspired by classic
mid-century easy chairs and the desire to bring this aesthetic outdoors.
Both the chair and the material it’s made from are taken out of
context to create a living room piece suitable for an outdoor lounging
space. Despite the seat being made of concrete, users have found the
chair surprisingly comfortable due to the generous waterfall edge and seat
angle. I built this chair as an Artist-in-Residence at Solus Decor inVancou-
ver, BC, a company which creates hand-cast concrete architectural
elements.
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 6
Hand built model of seat for making the mold.
Form with internal rubber mold and plug (for a hollow pour)
suspended in the mold.

7. Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 7
Furniture Design Commission
Hand-Cast Concrete
the form
This GARDEN BENCH was my first foray into
casting concrete for furniture. As this was a
one-off, I built a custom form meant for several
concrete pours rather than a longer term mold.
Custom metal brackets connect the back and seat.
The legs and seat are concrete, the back is white
oak with a weather resistant varnish.

8. Weld seam ground
down and polished
for a smooth surface
Part in context:
Bulbous Side Table fully assembled
spun part
Product Development
Manufacturing in Metal
Bulbous SideTable design copyright Codor Design 2015.
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 8
The BULBOUS SIDETABLE was designed byTamara Codor of Codor Design, who then
approached me to develop it further and research how it could be manufactured. I include
this project to show my thought process in terms of manufacturing custom parts in metal.
To create the domed part of the table, the most straightforward way seemed to be
starting with a spun part that could then be quartered and these parts reconfigured into
the desired shape, as shown in the infographic. Spinning the metal rather than pounding it
over a form would give us a smoother surface texture.Additionally the initial tooling of the
mold for spinning would be cheaper and simpler than to have it stamped or pressed in a
2 part mold.
The rest of the table could be made from one piece of sheet metal, with a portion cut out
where the dome would be assembled, and the table top bent on a break.
Bulbous SideTable rendered, with matte powder coated dark grey.
17”
21”
16”
16”
16”

9. Codor Design
Crazed Glass Surface Design
The CRAZED GLASS surface finish was a collaboration between
myself andTamara Codor of Codor Design. I presented the
concept of stenciling mirrors, and we arrived at this surface
design organically through the exploration of desilvering mirrors.
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 9
Surface design copyright Codor Design 2015.

10. BONDED PAIRS are functional sculptures made from found chairs.These pieces explore a
romantic theme, the idea of two becoming so close they seem to be one. Functionally the
chairs retain their structural integrity, often becoming stronger through their union than they
were as individual chairs. Meant to seat two at a time, to induce snuggling. Each sculpture is
one of a kind.
Functional Sculpture
Bonded Pair Chairs
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 10

11. Graphic Design
greeting cards
The imagery for the BONDED BIRD greeting cards came about as a result of
collages I did with vintage illustrations from bird encyclopedias. Rather than
photoshopping the seams where the different pieces join, I kept them as part
of the compositions so that the resulting creatures would read more strongly
as collage. In so doing, collage as an art form is highlighted through the design.
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 11

12. Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 12
Furniture Design
CNC and Special Materials
I designed the CONCAVE SIDETABLE during
my participation in a annual juried design chal-
lenge called Structure, as part of IDS West. Me
and 5 other designers were recruited to create
furniture from LVL, a material typically used only
in architectural applications.Wanting to show-
case the thickness of the material and the stria-
tion of the veneer layers, I designed this table
top with a deep bowl carved into it using a
CNC router. The bowl as the usable surface is
unexpected and in some ways more effective
than a completely flat table top, as it’s highly
unlikely that objects will fall off of it (though
they may fall into it!).

13. GEODE consists of strips of plywood of irregular widths
sandwiched together so that a flush outer surface and
an irregular internal negative space both emerge.This
construction method creates a dynamic visual language
that can serve as a basic aesthetic with the flexibility to
take many shapes and forms, adaptable to different pieces
of furniture of varying sizes. Playful, sculptural, and visu-
ally stunning objects, GEODES embody both function
and art.
Furniture Design
GEODE
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 13
graphic detail of
plywood endgrain negative space highlighted
by vivid colors in durable,
lowVOC paint
sandwiched plywood slats
of varying widths create a
dynamic negative space
internally and smooth,
usable surfaces externally
straightforward joinery
which maintains the formal
language of the construction
and materials

14. GEODE
Process & Specs
Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 14

15. Karla Tull-Esterbrook 2015 Page 15
Furniture Design
GEODE

16. Karla Tull-Esterbrook
KarlaTull-Esterbrook
karla@deerheartlovesyou.com
206.858.2419