Caroline Kepley

"One, Please!" is a furniture collection that responds to the cultural phenomenon of eating out alone and accommodates the needs and behaviors of a single diner. The social stigma of eating alone is broken down by providing the user with a tailored space. Eating alone is statistically the most American thing you can do, yet there is no cafe setting that reflects the single user's actions. Instead, the single diner orders take-out, sits in corners, avoids direct eye or body contact, places belongings next to themselves for personal space, and multitasks while eating. Combined, these behaviors highlight possibly the most poignant insight: the diner wants to be alone. By creating a table and chair that accommodate this preference, the designer lets the user understand that they have been considered in the space; they are welcome. The table is a direct response to the need to multitask. The drop prevents food or beverage spilling onto the other activity. The coat hanger was deliberately placed on the side, so that a coat or bag creates a sensory barrier between the single diner and the other diners. The open back allows for the stool to be rotated 360 degrees, so the coat hanger can function on either side.