Pebble Kettle

Consumer Appliances

Pebble Kettle is a personal project designed with HAY Design’s aesthetic in mind.

With its playful, rounded form and clean lines, this kettle brings a sense of lightness and fun to the kitchen. Its full-metal body ensures a plastic-free design while fulfilling the essential need of boiling water.

Special Thanks to Women in Design SF and my mentor, MJ Park. 


2025 Spring

The market lacks a plastic-free kettle that remains both colorful and stylish.

Most existing plastic-free kettles have a more sterile, utilitarian look, while playful kettles often rely on cheaper materials.
Colorful and playful designs are frequently associated with “fast” fashion and lower quality.
However, HAY has consistently integrated playfulness into high-quality production.

Given its brand identity and positioning, I see HAY as having the potential to introduce a colorful, playful, and high-quality water kettle to the market.

First Sketches

I explored several design directions based on the keywords "Playful yet Refined."

Among them, the one featuring round and geometric elements aligns best with HAY's design language.

Moodboard for the kettle

Based the chosen direction, I created a mood board to gather CMF references and form inspirations.

The kettle will feature a combination of shiny and textured surfaces on different parts. It will have a geometric outline with soft, rounded elements.

Explorations of the form

First, I experimented with different handle placements and lid-opening mechanisms in side-view sketches.

After picking the most successful sketches, I brought them into 3D and continued itertating to optimize the design.

Along with iterating in CAD models, I printed some 1:2 models to feel it in real world.

I also tested different ratios, volums and handle size.

I tested handle sizes and base styles using 1:1 scale printed models.

The final selection features a thicker handle to ensure a comfortable grip when the kettle is filled.
A flat base was chosen to showcase the full body of the kettle, maximizing its playful form.