About Gnobby Gnome Whatnots™

At Gnobby Gnome Whatnots, we make curious things for curious people.

What·not (noun): a curious object; an odd little thing that makes life more interesting.

Our workshop is small, our batches are smaller, and that’s exactly how we like it. Every product that leaves our bench has been tested, tweaked, and refined through dozens of design cycles — and a few too many cups of coffee. We don’t chase trends or outsource imagination. We build, break, rebuild, and hand-craft every piece until it earns a grin from someone in the room. Only then does it become a Whatnot.

We believe the best ideas start with something familiar — a toy, a planter, a wallet, a game — and become wonderful when they’re re-imagined through play and engineering. Our creations combine rugged function with a spark of mischief: part invention, part art piece, part “why didn’t anyone think of this before?” Even our packaging gets in on the act, often designed to fold, lock, or transform into part of the experience instead of the trash bin.

We design for real people — and we mean real. Every new idea goes through actual human testing (gnomes are terrible at filling out surveys), and we listen closely before releasing anything to the world. Each product you see here is the result of a long line of prototypes, experiments, and happy accidents.

Our tone is tongue-in-cheek but sincere. We take design seriously — just not ourselves. Whether it’s a wallet “made from dinosaurs, not cows,” a sculpture that refuses to sit still, or a coffee tool engineered to gnomish precision, our goal is to surprise, delight, and invite a bit of wonder back into everyday life.

Gnobby Gnome Whatnots™ is the home of all our odd and ingenious creations — construction toys, planters, sculptures, games, and yes, coffee tools — all crafted with imagination, patience, and a wink.

Behind the bench:

Dave – Founder, Engineer, and Concept Designer, with 40 years in tech, engineering, and product design.

Natalie – Lead Designer, with a background in Industrial Design from the University of Cincinnati.

Together, we tinker, laugh, argue about tolerances, and send out things we are genuinely proud of.  Because at the end of the day, the world could use more Whatnots.

Discover the whimsical, gnome-filled origin of our workshop and the world behind Whatnots.