Found gracing a range of wall types — from restaurants and art galleries to every room of a home — Lars Tornøe’s Dots are as versatile as they are ubiquitous. The round wall hooks have become an essential design element through their playful yet functional expression, which, offered in myriad sizes and materials, can be artfully arranged in infinite ways.

“The idea for the Dots came from something that wasn’t really design-related,” says designer Lars Tornøe. “I wanted to make a mobile with circled pieces of wood in different heights. While working on the sketches, I discovered that it wasn’t a mobile at all — it was a coat hook!”

Tornøe’s original idea for a wooden mobile is evident when Dots are grouped together; circles positioned in unique combinations of various proportions and colors possess implied movement, but the composition is best viewed opposite instead of from below.

Elaborating on the process for creating Dots Wood, the first material he used in the series, Tornøe explains they are composed of two pieces of wood that have been glued together. “They’re put in a lathe and carefully shaped into the final form, so that there’s minimal waste of material.”

In 2018, a metal version was added to Muuto’s now-iconic collection of hooks. Differentiated both in terms of scale and material, Dots Metal are crafted in a robust material, making it possible to use them as a knob on drawers, cabinets, and closet doors.

The latest member of the family is Dots Ceramic, which was introduced in 2019 to bring an artisanal expression to the design. The ceramic pieces are crafted with a reactive glaze for a unique and sophisticated look, giving each Dot a distinctive appearance and refined touch while echoing the ideas of traditional, fine craftsmanship.

To Tornøe, “Dots strike the delicate balance of form and function to a high degree, making them a decorative object even when they’re not in use. It gives the design a friendly and playful character that really adds to the atmosphere of any room.”