-- When Architectural Thinking Meets the Miniature Romance of 3D Printing，discover how a 3D printing designer is redefining the scale of “home.”
In today's fast-paced digital age, 3D printing is often associated with terms such as "technical," "industrial," and "high-tech." In this edition of K’s Trend, we sit down with a designer whose journey offers a refreshing perspective.
Armed with a rigorous architectural background, he stepped into the world of digital fabrication and spent the past five years transforming cold digital models into warm, comforting home décor pieces and collectible art toys. Through his work, technology becomes a medium for emotion.
Today, we invite you into his creative universe to explore his thoughts on space, materials, and a fingertip-sized romance born from love.
From Architecture to Tangible Objects: XUNO’s Design Background
Every designer's signature style can often be traced back to where their journey began. XUNO was first introduced to 3D modeling while pursuing his degree in Architecture. Through systematic training in CAD software, he learned how to visualize and construct architectural forms, laying the foundation for his future work in 3D modeling and printing.
He aspired to transform those digital skills on a screen into objects that could be touched, experienced, and lived with—from minimalist home accessories to small decorative pieces full of character. Even today, his architectural training continues to serve as the structural framework behind his creative process, profoundly influencing the way he approaches form, proportion, and the deconstruction of design workflows.
Between Reality and Imagination: The Dual Narrative of XUNO’s Work
Within XUNO’s creative portfolio, his designs naturally divide into two distinct dimensions: One is rooted in the emotional order of living spaces. The other grows from playful imagination and affection-filled storytelling.
Part A: Home Decor & Functional Pieces
Home décor and functional design pieces have become a central part of XUNO’s design direction, as they are closely connected to his background in Architecture. Through architectural education, he was trained to think about how spaces are shaped, curated, and experienced. That way of thinking has naturally influenced how he approaches smaller-scale objects for the home.
For XUNO, 3D printing creates an opportunity to design pieces that can quietly shape the atmosphere of a space, whether through lighting, décor, or functional objects. His design philosophy is quite simple. Living in Singapore, where daily life can often feel fast-paced and rushed, he hopes to create objects that bring a sense of calm, warmth, and comfort into the home. He is interested in pieces that are not only visually considered, but also contribute to how a person feels within their space.
Featured Works
Lattice planter (PLA WOOD)
A minimalist ribbed planter with warm architectural lines. Designed with a seamless hidden twist-off drip tray, it can be used as a cache pot or for direct planting.
Rock lamp (PLA Magic)
A sculptural lamp that combines organic textures with a clean, minimal lampshade. Printed in Marble PLA, it functions as both ambient lighting and a decorative statement piece.
Kokedama Trays (PLA M malt clay and kraft)
Inspired by natural materials and Japanese gardening aesthetics, these pieces feature organic textures and understated forms. Designed to complement plants while adding a refined touch to interior spaces.
Tsuchi Planter (PLA M Malt clay)
“Tsuchi” (earth in Japanese) references worn clay and eroded stone, translated into a soft sculptural planter form. A twist-off drip tray is integrated, remaining seamless and hidden when attached.
This series explores organic surface language in 3D-printed home objects.
Spirale Planter (PLA M)
A clean, elegant planter defined by a continuous spiral form, creating a soft sculptural presence. Includes a twist-off drip tray that integrates seamlessly and remains hidden when assembled.
Tessera Planter (PLA M)
An experimental geometric planter built from repeating diamond facets, forming a tiled surface where texture and structure merge. Features a hidden twist-off drip tray. Multi-toolhead printing is recommended.
Part B: Art Toys — Tiny Characters Born from Love
Art toys and character-based creations began from a more playful and personal place for XUNO. It started when he made a gift for his girlfriend, who has always enjoyed collecting small art toys and blind boxes. Seeing how these little objects could add personality and charm to a space sparked his interest in creating his own figurines and miniatures.
This part of his work allows him to explore a more expressive and light-hearted side of design. While they may be small objects, he thinks art toys can bring a lot of character, warmth, and joy into a home.
Material Matters: A Q&A on Kexcelled Filaments
In 3D printing, materials are never an afterthought—they are an essential part of the design language itself.
For XUNO, Kexcelled materials play a significant role in realizing his creative vision.
Q: Why do you choose Kexcelled materials for your projects?
A: I chose Kexcelled materials because they have been very reliable for my projects, especially the PLA Matte lineup. The low gloss finish and smooth surface quality align well with the kind of objects I want to create, particularly home décor, lighting pieces, and functional design objects.
For me, material finish plays a big role in how a 3D printed object is perceived. The matte texture helps reduce the visual appearance of layer lines and gives the final print a more refined and polished look. It allows the object to feel less like a typical plastic print and more like a considered design piece.
Q: What was your first impression of Kexcelled materials?
A: My first impression of Kexcelled materials was a very pleasant surprise. It was one of my first experiences exploring alternative filament finishes, such as matte, silk, and wood PLA, and I quickly saw how much the right material could elevate a design.
I was initially cautious about printing materials with additives or special properties, as I expected them to require more tuning. However, Kexcelled filaments have printed very reliably for me with minimal adjustment, which allows me to focus more on the design and final object rather than the printing process.
Q: Does material selection influence your design decisions? If so, how?
A: Yes, material selection is very important to my design process. A design is not only defined by its form, but also by its color, texture, function, and how it feels within a space. Since material directly affects the surface finish and visual quality of a print, it can strongly influence how the final object is perceived.
For 3D printed objects, the same design can feel very different depending on the material used. A matte filament, for example, can make a piece feel more refined and less plasticky, while other materials may create a more playful, technical, or expressive result. Because of this, material choice often influences my design decisions from the beginning rather than being treated as an afterthought.
Q: What kinds of new materials would you like to see Kexcelled develop in the future?
A: In the future, I would be excited to see Kexcelled explore more fusion based materials. We have already seen how wood filled PLA, silk finishes, matte filaments, and other blended materials can change the character of a print. I think there is still a lot of potential to push this further with filaments that combine different properties, whether through texture, translucency, natural fibers, or new surface qualities. As a designer, I am interested in materials that make 3D printed objects feel less plastic and more like finished design pieces.
Materials × Creators
Through XUNO's work, we see a growing trend:
3D printing is no longer merely an industrial manufacturing technology—it has become a poetic medium capable of bringing warmth into living spaces.
Materials are not simply selected; they actively participate in redefining the scale and experience of home. The texture of an object, the order of a space, and even the emotional comfort embedded within a design are all deeply connected to the language of materials.
This is exactly what K’s Trend seeks to document: How creators transform cold digital code into meaningful objects that enrich everyday life through the power of materials.
K’s Trend · Ongoing
At Kexcelled, we believe materials do more than improve manufacturing efficiency—they actively drive design innovation.
Through ongoing collaborations with designers, we continue exploring how material science can be translated into meaningful design practice, creating new relationships between technology, craftsmanship, and creativity.
K’s Trend serves as an evolving platform for this dialogue, where materials and creators come together to shape the future of making—exploring the balance between aesthetics, functionality, and experimentation.
Join K’s Trend
If you are a designer or artist creating with Kexcelled materials, we would love to hear from you.
Share your work and join us in exploring the limitless possibilities of materials together.
