High Five To Playful Ottomans Representing Conversation

High five! Inspired by the curves of the human body, Palma ottomans represent British-born, London-based Ghanaian designer Kusheda Mensah’s first collaboration with Swedish company Hem, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary. The concept for Palma originated from Mensah’s earlier work, Mutual I: handlike structures introduced as residential and public sculptures that explored design as a tool for connection in the Internet Age. The playful “paws” encourage socially generous behaviors like closeness, interaction, and conversation, and Mensah notes the range of two-to-five-digit ottomans is “a real milestone in my journey as a Black woman in design.” Constructed of plywood topped with polyurethane foam, the 17-inch-high units are available in a variety of covers, including tactile bouclé or supple leather, and in three sizes ranging from 26 to 47 inches across.