From Lego to Legacy

From Lego to Legacy

It’s a new frontier for Hamden, Conn., native designer and furniture-maker Ryan Kahen. Having recently relocated from New York City to Detroit, he’s already rocketing to the top of the city’s design scene with his innovative creations.

It began in 2017 when Kahen met his partner, Brooke Dexter, while working at a Brooklyn-based architecture, research, and fabrication firm. Dexter, who grew up in metro Detroit, introduced Kahen to the city during family visits. “I fell in love with the energy,” he says, and shares that the move felt liberating. “Unlike New York, you have a voice here. Detroit’s strong sense of community and entrepreneurial spirit welcomed me in. I’m excited to grow my practice within this network.”

Kahen’s creative energy first began in childhood. “It was like I played with Legos every waking moment,” he recalls. Forts, cardboard creations, and early experiments in making eventually evolved into a passion for design and fabrication. While architecture fascinated him, he increasingly gravitated toward furniture. “I kept finding myself wanting to do more and more at the furniture scale,” he says. “It’s about people interacting with objects daily — thinking about the body, ergonomics, and how pieces shape our space.”

His latest Nonus Collection, which debuted at the 2024 International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York, was inspired by Pluto’s eccentric orbit and its relationship with its largest moon, Charon. “When you look past the built environment, there’s an expansive universe,” Kahen says.

The collection, which includes the Nonus Side Table and Nonus Wall Light, reflects a balance of geometry, gravity, and the cosmos, and draws on inspiration from NASA’s extensive archives. This past September, Kahen expanded the line with the Nonus Coffee Table, which he launched at the Detroit Warehouse Art and Design Fair.

Working primarily with domestic hardwoods such as maple, walnut, and ash, as well as steel and aluminum, Kahen likes to discover a material’s transformation. He often experiments with finishes, using natural dyes and chemical patinas, and explores material and representation. His studio at The Custer Studios, shared with eight other artists and makers, fosters collaboration across disciplines.

With a design philosophy “driven by the principles of architecture, the built environment, and exploration,” it’s no wonder Kahen finds inspiration in everyday details — concrete sidewalks, weathered benches, and architecturally ornate façades. “Detroit has some of the most beautiful buildings,” he says. “You can be inspired forever just walking down the street.”

Teaching extends this spirit of exploration, as he recently joined the faculty at Lawrence Technological University. There, he leads a second-year studio with a focus on the relationships between building and site. Prior to his move to Detroit, he taught at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and the City College of New York. For him, the joy lies in helping students push ideas forward and gain confidence.

Kahen also takes on custom projects, working one-on-one with clients to make furniture and objects that blur the line between function and legacy, and that feel personal and enduring. Recently, he crafted a bedroom credenza for local architect Chelsea Hyduk. “It’s been really nice working with people to create something special for their homes — something that lasts,” he says.

Outside the studio, Kahen relishes discovering the Motor City, from spending time on Belle Isle to exploring new restaurants. “I’m happy for Detroit to meet me and for me to meet Detroit,” he says. Although he hails from the East Coast, it appears Kahen was born with a sense of classic Midwestern charm.

MORE INFORMATION: kahen.design