Adelman first discovered industrial design while working as an editorial assistant at the Smithsonian, having earned an undergraduate degree in English. After introducing herself to a woman carving French fries out of foam for an exhibition, Adelman had an eureka moment that would change her life entirely. She received a degree in industrial design from RISD in 1996, and while she initially gravitated towards lighting for its instant gratification, she soon became seduced by the medium’s more sculptural and experimental possibilities. She worked for a hand-blown glass lighting company in Seattle, moved to New York to found the design studio Butter with David Weeks in 2000, and eventually created her own studio in 2006. The company has since grown into a team of 25 who work collaboratively on each aspect of the business.

Lindsey Adelman’s work has been exhibited at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Design Miami, Nilufar Gallery, and BDDW, among others. In recent years, the studio has embraced a philanthropic mission supporting the Robin Hood Foundation to fight poverty in New York City. Adelman credits much of the studio’s current success to this desire to make an impact. Adelman lives with her designer husband Ian and their son Finn in Brooklyn.