Serpentine Dreams

From a commission by designer Nicole Hollis, David Wiseman’s passion project of a hand-carved tabletop snake grew into something far more ambitious. The dream client, eager for something truly memorable, approached the studio when digital tool development was already underway. Two years of design and fabrication later, Wiseman Studio delivered six custom pieces for a powder room in San Francisco. The jewels of the space were six uniquely patterned snakes, wrapping around both the mirror and the decorative screen.

Prior to the commission, Craig had guided the development of the studio’s digital tools, collaborating with an independent contractor to create the main Grasshopper script for the snakes’ bodies and pattern extrusions. After testing functional prototypes, the script was handed to the in-house team, who enhanced it with rotation controls for the snake bodies and fabrication tools for 3D printing—allowing the designs to be split, printed, and reassembled. Meanwhile, the screen and mirror were modeled in parallel. Many patterns on the screen had to be newly created or adapted from the studio’s mold library, often requiring scale changes or designs with both sides visible. These patterns were also used to build a full digital mock-up of the screen to plan compositions.

Mock snakes were fabricated to test the forms, ensure proper fit with the bronze elements, and refine the visual flow. The final snakes were cast, pigmented, and polished to a high sheen before being carefully attached in different ways depending on their location. Electrical work for the illuminated mirror and ceiling light involved carving the backs of natural quartz stones to transmit light, routing wiring through mirror branches, and allocating space for a transformer.

Coordination with the designer and site team was ongoing throughout the process. Electrical locations were determined early, and every object had a preplanned position before the room build-out. The installation of pink onyx on site led to the design of custom escutcheons, which offset the screen from the stone molding while concealing a rubber buffer at the wall attachment. A threaded plate was embedded prior to the stone installation to secure the piece.

This project brought together numerous craftspeople and designers, all researching, developing, and refining fabrication methods to bring these unique works of art to life. The completed installation was featured in Architectural Digest and The World of Interiors.