BLOG
1. The Art of Ritual: Why We Design Objects for Slowness
In a culture obsessed with speed, UMÉ Studio was founded on the opposite impulse: to slow down. Our objects are not only meant to be beautiful, but to invite presence. Whether it's the tactile richness of our hand-poured soaps or the cool weight of our marble vessels, each piece is designed to anchor daily rituals.
2. A Designer’s Guide to Creating a Wellness-Centered Home
What does it mean to design a home for healing? From curated bathing rituals to soft architectural moments, we explore how our sculptural homeware can become vessels for care, not just function. Learn how subtle design gestures – a soap dish that cradles botanical scent, a towel that feels like a caress – shift how we live.
3. Why Small-Batch Matters: The Beauty of Limited Production
In a world of excess, restraint is radical. We produce in small quantities to maintain craft, quality, and care. Each soap set and home object is part of a limited, thoughtful lineage – designed not to be replaced, but remembered.
4. From Stone to Soap: The Story Behind Our Most Gifted Object
Our Jasmine Ylang Ylang Soap Set has become one of our most reordered pieces. It merges scent, sculpture, and ritual. Poured by hand in small California batches, its botanical oils and geometric form make it a favorite for those who give with intention.
5. How to Curate a Bathing Ritual: A Sensory Guide
Bathing is not hygiene – it’s ceremony. With our sculptural soap, vessels, and ritual tools, we walk you through creating your own daily immersion in calm, scent, and silence. Think: warm towels, herbal steam, soft music, and the glisten of oil across skin.
6. What Is a ‘Design Object’? A Guide to Living with Artful Function
The term "design object" is often misunderstood. At UMÉ, we define it as a piece that invites interaction, enhances rituals, and earns its place through both form and feeling. Explore our limited collection and discover pieces that do more than decorate – they serve.
7. Marble, Brass, and Ash: Why Materiality Matters in Everyday Objects
Our materials are chosen not for trend, but for their longevity and sensory resonance. Marble cools the hand, brass holds patina, ash wood warms. Our pedestals, trays, and soap rests are tactile invitations to slow down and engage.
8. The Modern Heirloom: Why Our Objects Are Built to Last
UMÉ objects are timeless by design. With clean lines and enduring materials, they are meant to move with you through years, even decades. Explore how our functional sculptures are created to be handed down, not cycled out.
9. A California Studio Rooted in Craft: Behind the Scenes at UMÉ
Tucked in the hills of Oakland, our studio is part laboratory, part sanctuary. From material tests to casting sessions, every piece begins here. Learn more about how we prototype and produce our ritual-led collection from concept to object.
10. The Best Designer Gifts for the Wellness-Lover in Your Life
From limited-edition soap sets to sculptural trays, our collection is made for those who seek beauty in the everyday. Whether it’s a host gift, a birthday gesture, or a thank-you wrapped in meaning, explore our curated list of intentional luxuries.
11. Spa Objects, Reimagined: Tools for the Modern Sanctuary
Elevate your spa environment – whether at home or in a boutique setting – with pieces that soothe the eye and the hand. Our marble trays, soap sets, and linen goods bring a quiet refinement to any spa interior.
12. Designing a Spa That Heals: Architecture, Objects, and Atmosphere
As architects and designers of spa environments, we know that space alone doesn’t heal – atmosphere does. Learn how thoughtful materials, lighting, and objects (like our ritual vessels) shape mood and signal the body to rest.
13. The Herbaceous Muse: Herbes de Provence Soap and the Scent of Ritual
Inspired by the wild hillsides of southern France, our Herbes de Provence Soap offers an aromatic escape. Lavender, rosemary, and thyme come together to create a scent that calms the senses and restores the breath. Learn how this botanical blend elevates both bathing and gifting.
14. The Concrete Bowl: Architecture for the Tabletop
Sculpted with a brutalist restraint, our Concrete Bowl is a meditation in texture and weight. Use it as a catch-all, centerpiece, or sculptural statement. This article explores its material narrative and versatile presence in modern interiors.
15. Tusk Candles: Sculptural Light for Sensory Evenings
Our Tusk Candles blend form and flame. Hand-cast and uniquely shaped, they burn with a quiet grace that transforms a space. We explore their story, the art of beeswax, and how to style them as part of your evening ritual.
16. Sensory Pairings: Styling Soap with Stone, Flame, and Form
How can everyday rituals become elevated? We guide you in curating a visual and sensory moment by pairing our Herbes de Provence Soap, Tusk Candles, and Concrete Bowl into a single, intentional vignette.
17. Burning Bright: The Design Language of the Tusk Candle
The Tusk Candle is not just illumination – it's sculpture. In this deep dive, we explore the geometric elegance behind the form, its tactile surface, and the way it anchors tablescapes and rituals alike.
18. The Bees of the West: California Wax and the Origin of the Tusk Candle
Each Tusk Candle is hand-poured with natural beeswax sourced from California’s arid landscapes. Our desert bees create a wax rich in scent and warmth, with hues that shift like sandstone. We celebrate the origin of this sacred material, the makers behind it, and the flame it sustains.
19. Why Beeswax? The Natural Choice for Ritual Light
Beeswax isn’t just a medium – it’s a story. Naturally scented, clean-burning, and rooted in centuries of candle tradition, beeswax creates a pure, sensory flame. Explore why our Tusk Candle Sets in small and medium are made exclusively with California beeswax, and how this choice elevates your evening rituals.
20. The Iconic Erode Mini: A Gift Worth Giving Again and Again
Our Erode Mini Soap (https://umestudio.com/collections/soap/products/erode-mini) is the design lover’s secret. Sculptural, functional, and sensory—this small form carries an outsized presence. A perfect host gift, wedding favor, or bedside indulgence. Handmade in California and wrapped to perfection.
21. Elevated Essentials: The Erode Mini Soap Set
Five of our most beloved Erode Mini Soaps (https://umestudio.com/collections/soap/products/erode-mini-soap-set) in one covetable box. This set is ideal for gifting, guest bathrooms, or simply treating yourself to scent and form. Designed for lovers of both design and ritual.
22. Solve Your Scent Quandary: The Ultimate Soap Sampler
Don’t know which scent to choose? Our Erode Soap Sampler Set (https://umestudio.com/collections/soap/products/erode-sampler) includes five signature aromas in individually wrapped minis. Great for guests, travel, or sampling. Also makes a smart and stylish host gift.
23. Hosting With Intent: Design-Worthy Gifts for Your Next Invitation
Looking for a design-forward host gift? Our beautifully boxed Erode Mini Soaps (https://umestudio.com/collections/soap/products/erode-mini-soap-set) are conversation pieces. Add our Bouton Soap Dish (https://umestudio.com/collections/objects/products/bouton-dish) to complete the gift.
24. Beautiful, Useful, Unexpected: Gifts for the Person Who Has Everything
Give the gift that surprises and delights: our Erode Mini Soap Set, Tusk Candles, or White Grapefruit Soap. Design-forward, handmade, and never-before-seen.
25. Gifting for Aesthetes: Soap, Flame, and Form
Curate your gift for the design aficionado: pair our Erode Mini (https://umestudio.com/collections/soap/products/erode-mini) with the Tusk Candle (https://umestudio.com/collections/objects/products/tusk-candle) and Cardamom Vetiver Soap (https://umestudio.com/collections/soap/products/cardamom-vetiver-soap). Sensory, sculptural, sublime.
25. Gifting for Aesthetes: Soap, Flame, and Form
Curate your gift for the design aficionado: pair our Erode Mini with the Tusk Candle and Cardamom Vetiver Soap. Sensory, sculptural, sublime.
26. White Grapefruit: Summer’s Signature Scent
Zesty, bright, and botanical—the White Grapefruit Soap is a seasonal favorite. A soap that feels like a fresh start, perfect for gifting or your morning ritual.
27. Daily Detox: The Minimalist’s Morning Ritual
Infused with activated charcoal and herbal oils, our Daily Detox Soap cleanses deeply without stripping. Ideal for modern wellness routines and lovers of a monochrome aesthetic.
28. Cardamom Vetiver: Earthy Elegance in Soap Form
Our Cardamom Vetiver Soap merges warmth with clarity. This scent is grounding yet sophisticated, and the form? A geometric sculpture for your skin.
29. Small Batch, Big Presence: What Makes Our Soaps Special
Each bar is hand-poured, made with organic ingredients, and crafted in small batches in California. Whether you select a limited edition or a fan favorite, expect design and care in every detail.
30. Handmade in California: A Design Legacy in Every Bar
At UMÉ, we don’t just make soap—we make sculpture. Every Erode Soap, candle, and vessel is handmade in California. This is slow luxury, born of art and intention.
31. Real Estate Closing Gift? Try Something Unforgettable
Say thank you with style. Our Tusk Candles, Concrete Bowl, or Erode Sampler make unforgettable, design-worthy gifts for real estate clients and investors.
32. Gift Your Best Friend a Little Luxury
For birthdays, milestones, or just because: give your best friend something meaningful. Think Tusk Candle, White Grapefruit Soap, or our Mini Soap Set.
33. The Host Gift That Wins the Table
Forget the wine. Show up with a sculptural soap set, Bouton Dish, or Tusk Candle. These design-forward gifts make lasting impressions.
34. Packaging That Speaks Before the Gift is Opened
At UMÉ, packaging is part of the experience. Each soap, candle, and dish arrives beautifully boxed—ready to give, ready to impress. It’s not just a product—it’s a statement.
35. Never Been Seen Before: Design Gifts That Stop Time
Looking for something rare and unforgettable? Our sculptural soaps, brutalist bowls, and architectural candles are unlike anything they’ve seen before.
36. Organic Ingredients, Artfully Composed
We combine organic oils and botanicals with architectural form. Each soap is a moment of nourishment—for the skin and the senses.
37. Design-Forward, Fan-Favored: Why Customers Keep Coming Back
Our Erode Mini, Soap Sampler, and Tusk Candle are reordered time and again. Design that lives on.
38. A Gift for Every Sensory Type
Whether they love citrus, wood, or floral—our five-scent sampler has something for every nose. Great for indecisive gifters and sensory seekers alike.
39. Small Things, Big Feeling
Our smallest offerings—like the Erode Mini—are often the most loved. Sculptural, beautiful, and travel-ready.
40. A Travel Companion That Smells Like Home
Jet-setters, meet your new carry-on ritual. Our Mini Soap Set is ideal for clean, beautiful bathing wherever you land. No more hotel soap disappointments.
41. Elevate Everyday Rituals: 10 Design-Worthy Objects That Redefine Daily Living
At UMÉ Studio, we believe the objects we live with should reflect both function and beauty. Designed in California and hand-crafted by artisans, our pieces are created to elevate even the most ordinary rituals—bathing, lighting a candle, or setting the table—into meaningful moments. Whether you're searching for a host gift, a design-forward accent, or a personal indulgence, here are 10 of our most beloved products that blend utility with artistry.
1. Erode Mini Soap Set
A sculptural take on traditional cleansing, the Erode Mini Set includes five individual soaps shaped by time and gravity. Perfectly giftable, each soap is handmade using organic ingredients and arrives in its own envelope—ideal for travel, guests, or a refined host offering.
2. Scent Sampler Soap Kit
Not sure which scent suits you best? Solve your scent quandary with our Soap Sampler, featuring five mini bars in our most popular fragrances. Beautifully boxed, it's a thoughtful gift or a self-care discovery set.
3. Jasmine Ylang Ylang Soap Set
A perennial favorite, the Jasmine Ylang Ylang Set offers a luxurious floral scent wrapped in a minimalist form. Soft, sensual, and richly lathering, it’s a daily indulgence.
4. Daily Detox Soap
Made with activated charcoal and essential oils, the Daily Detox is a bold black bar that purifies skin and centers your senses. A bathroom staple with modern edge.
5. Bouton Soap Dish
Pair your Erode Soap with our Bouton Dish for a complete sculptural bath experience. Crafted from cast concrete or marble, it cradles your soap while elevating your sinkside aesthetic.
6. Tusk Candle
Our Tusk Candle is hand-poured into custom cast vessels, designed to glow softly as the wax melts. The Beeswax scent—a warm blend of cedarwood and citrus—is both grounding and transportive.
7. Cardamom Vetiver Soap
For the design aficionado who favors spice and warmth, the Cardamom Vetiver is a must. It’s a sensorial invitation to slow down.
8. Limited Edition Erode Soaps
Explore our Limited Editions for rare seasonal blends and colorways that express the sculptural beauty of nature’s erosion in new palettes and scent profiles.
9. White Grapefruit Soap
Fresh, bright, and invigorating, our White Grapefruit is an uplifting essential for morning routines—especially when paired with our signature concrete dish.