Andrew Deming and Rachel Gant

Name: Andrew Deming and Rachel Gant

Instagram: @yielddesignco

YIELD lives at the intersection of functionality and elegance, of high-end design and accessibility. Ranging from furniture to jewelry, YIELD's broad product line is designed by founders Rachel Gant and Andrew Deming. The line is unified through an uncompromising approach to craft, thoughtful production, and a design language that is at once distinctive, understated, and livable. YIELD’s products are available at hundreds of retailers internationally and have been featured in numerous publications such as The New York Times, Dwell, Sunset, SF Chronicle and more. YIELD was established in late 2012 by Andrew Deming and Rachel Gant in San Francisco where the two met at the California College of the Arts (CCA). Yield is now based in the historic coastal town of Saint Augustine, FL, the oldest European settlement in the U.S.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?: Feeling comfort in your own mind, but still having access to beautiful physical surroundings and a small group of close friends & family. There should be loose structure, a few events on the calendar, but plenty of opportunities for spontaneity.

What is your current state of mind?: Existential. We are likely answering for a large percentage of the population with that one in our current state of affairs. The recent pandemic has thrown us all into a loop of new routines, questioning our current paths, and contemplation of what the future may bring. Even at work as a studio we can feel this existential questioning, but we are doing our best to redirect all skills and resources to provide value during this crisis. We are all going to encounter change in our lives after this, but the most valuable thing we can do is to remain engaged and agile.

What do you consider the most underrated virtue?: Temperance. "Living in moderation" is often overlooked simply as a nice to have. While we don't expect any human, or wish it upon them for that matter, to fully master self-control, a basic grasp of moderation is essential. Many other virtues are wrapped up in this one skill. If we can't practice self-restraint, we will deeply struggle to be patient, modest, proud, generous, etc. Life is a push and pull of energy whether that is emotional, transactional, or physical, and we must achieve some internal balance in order to take the blows and push them back in a positive direction.

What do you most value in your friends?: Humor & Acceptance. The most valuable friend is one that can listen to your darkest moments with understanding and acceptance, but also has the ability to pull you into laughter when you need it the most.

Who are your favorite writers?: Dostoevsky, Haruki Murakami, C.S. Lewis, Kurt Vonnegut.

What is your motto?: The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.