Behind the Scenes
Welcome to the Shibumi Custom Design Studio. While many of you are familiar with our gallery on Fourth Street, we thought we’d show you our design studio and office space — and share news of the Custom Experiences we’ll soon offer here.
This location is home to the April Higashi Jewelry Design Studio, as well as our Shibumi studio and offices. We recently refreshed the space with new paint, adding color and a sense of tranquility. Let me show you around.
April Higashi Jewelry Design Studio
We affectionately call this area ‘The Conservatory’, as it’s decorated with a collection of plants we acquired during the pandemic. When I recently returned from Paris, I wanted something new, so I decided on a color refresh to shake things up. This space has always been painted white, so I chose two greens from Farrow & Ball.
I’m absolutely loving working doused in these new green walls, surrounded by all the lush foliage.
At the Design Studio, Claudia Alleyne and I work side by side to create new pieces for the gallery, as well as detail our custom projects. Claudia is our Design Lead, Studio Coordinator, and my right-hand here at the Design Studio.
Soon we’ll begin booking Custom Experiences in this space — adjoined to our studio, where we can discuss in detail your choice of materials, stones, or special techniques.
Meeting here will be especially helpful if you’ve already visited the gallery and are ready to hone in on ideas for a unique custom project. The beauty is that it adjoins our studio, so we can easily chat with the technicians as we go.
The Shibumi Studio
All April Higashi Jewelry and Shibumi custom work and repairs are done right here, in house. The studio hadn’t been painted in twenty years, so I picked a dark greenish-grey and washed the walls and ceiling with it.
Our team is committed to excellence and craftsmanship, ensuring that every piece we create is artfully designed and meticulously crafted. We have fun making things every day, and we welcome visitors by appointment.
We also hold two special events a year at the Design Studio — a Summer Showcase in July, and a Holiday Party in November or December. Sign up for our newsletter to hear about studio shows and upcoming events at the gallery.
The Shibumi Offices
This is home base for our operations and marketing. I painted in here as well, with a castle-gray accent wall and the same dark wash on the ceiling, and hung paintings by my grandfather, Kenneth Higashimachi.
I’ve found that I love hiring makers, evaluating their skills, and tailoring responsibilities to match. Each team member has a role created just for them. I like to believe I am mentoring the next generation to greatness and helping them discover how to be their best creative selves.
Currently our team has twelve members keeping things running smoothly. While we run a tight ship, I make sure there is still time and space for everyone’s creative process to unfold. We love what we do — and we hope this sanctuary we’ve created adds to your experience as a client, or simply as an admirer.
We’re looking forward to welcoming clients to the Design Studio. Visits are by appointment.
Make an Appointment