New York, bluegreenworks.com
After logging time at Apparatus and The Future Perfect, designer Peter B. Staples struck out on his own this year, forming a new company with friend James McAvey and releasing two collections of sophisticated lighting — one with thick, flared-glass profiles, the other in soft, amber-hued fiberglass — that draw from influences as disparate as stained glass, ’60s Fire Island Brutalism, and New York City skate parks.

What is American design to you, and what excites you about it?

Asphalt, bubble gum, Chicago dogs, Howlin’ Wolf, Marlboros, muscle cars, plywood, gay rights, New York City.

What are your plans and highlights for the upcoming year?

We are working on the next collection and also diving into some collaborations with other artists. The best part of this is the opportunity to work with people I love and admire. I want to show people what I think Blue Green is and what I want it can be. I’m excited to be here.

What inspires or informs your work in general?

What inspires me most is an energy or an attitude. When I see it in physical form, it’s a combination of the singular and the ubiquitous. It’s like there’s a clear hum between things that I’m looking for. I like objects that communicate across boundaries — things that translate to many spaces and aesthetics and still feel perfectly in place. I think it’s about a certain directness of form and honest storytelling — not some towering narrative —just a bold reflection of the things that inspired it and the people who created it. I am always looking for these objects and learning from them.