On December 20th, a new flagship store opened in Soho featuring Molteni & C furniture, Dada Kitchens and Unifor Office Systems. The new space is 8000 square feet on two levels. I have long been a fan of Molteni & C’s uncomplicated brand of modernism. Pictured here is one of my favorite chairs ever, the Alfa by Hannes Wettstein - the shiny geometric chair is made of resin reinforced with fiberglass. The result is glossy smooth. It comes in Chalk White, Metallic Silver Grey (more grey than silver), orange and black. The chair is paired with Less table by Jean Nouvel - a metal table on iron legs with a super slim profile.
January 7th, 2009
Hard to believe this chair was designed over fourty years ago - what goes around comes around is true here. Gio Ponti’s 1965 Dezza was reintroduced in 2003 by Poltrona Frau. Named for the address of Ponti’s Milan studio, Dezza is a simple, lightweight construction with exposed functional hardware (my favorite detail, followed closely by the black and white cowhide upholstery). In this image, the surround is upholstered in leather with a black and white cowhide seat and back. The legs are painted ash. @Limn.
January 2nd, 2009
When I first saw pieces by Esque, I loved them for their organic and artful look. I visited their website and found they were working out of Portland, Oregon, where I grew up - so now I love them even more. And it just keeps getting better - their glass creations are hand blown, made with recycled glass processed in a wind powered furnace. Looks great and environmentally friendly - each time you look at a piece from Esque, you can feel good about it. Off Pitcher and Cup is the perfect bedroom or guestroom piece for that right-before-bed sip of water. @ Velocity.
December 29th, 2008
We have shown you the earth friendly designs from Brazilian designer Domingos Totora before. But I just kept thinking about the “showroom” on site in his hometown of Maria a Fe Brazil. It is so simple in its design and use of materials. The building gracefully acknowledges its beautiful surroundings, which is what the studio is all about. Seeing where an object comes from and why it is produced makes it so much richer.
Brazilian designer Domingos Totora created the Gente de Fibra, a cooperative of local artisans, with the aim of providing artistic and economic opportunity for his community in Maria a Fe Brazil. Using a mixture of banana tree fibers and recycled kraft paper, the Gente de Fibra creates a number of decorative objects and furniture pieces. The studio is committed to sustainable practices. The pieces are available through TOUCH.
December 23rd, 2008
So we all know the Eileen Gray Adjustable Table and probably most know the Bibendum Chair, but I must confess I was not familiar with Bar Stool 1 and 2 until just recently. Bar Stool No. 1 features a leather seat on a chromed steel adjustable column with a cast aluminum base. Pretty simple, but considering it was designed in 1927, pretty radical. Bar Stool No. 2, designed only a year later in 1928 is a totally modernist piece designed for a particular house but also used in Gray’s Paris apartment and her country home at her drawing desk. It also features a leather seat on a fixed base of painted steel and brushed stainless. @ Limn.
December 22nd, 2008
John Pawson has collaborated with Belgian culinary products manufacturer Demeyere to produce a high performance and high design line of cookware. The line was developed to mark the 100th birthday of Demeyere. The line is not inexpensive but it is beautiful. Designed to evenly distribute heat while maintaining a cool handle. Pawson designed the line to be, in his own words, “mod, but not modish”. Available at moss.
December 17th, 2008
Forget Swarovski, try this ecofriendly Chandelier made from discarded plastic coffee stir sticks/spoons. Designed by Studio Verissimo to use waste to create a beautiful lamp. You know the drill, get your coffee, add cream and sugar, give it one or two stirs and the stick is in the trash. Apparently in Portugal, the stir stick is more often a clear plastic piece. Who knew that such a lovely piece could arise out of the local coffee shop trash bin?
Studio Verissimo is the collaboration of Claudio Cardoso and Telma Verissimo - based in Portugal, their design intent is to make people happy - and this light, called Spoon is certainly a step in the right direction: beautiful, creative, inspired and ecofriendly. Available at Touch.
December 17th, 2008
Lydon by Oluce is one of the best looking outdoor lights I’ve seen in a long time. Available as either a single globe wall mount (with great looking hardware) or a four globe standing lamp. The standing piece is either 9.8 or 6.5 feet tall, a big light. The globes are polycarbonate and teh structure is zinc plate and black. @ Karkula
December 12th, 2008
The Netherlands’ oldest company (started about 400 years ago), and you probably know some of their products - Royal Tichelaar Makkum. But this is no stodgy old line ceramics company. They produce modern works from the likes of Studio Job, Hella Jongerius, Marcel Wanders, Jan Broekstra, Arian Brekveld and Roderick Vos. Additionally, they develop custom building applications for leading architects including Ettore Sottsass, Allied Works and Kohn Pederson Fox. Very interesting and enthusiastic approach to the design business. Its worth checking out their website. From exquisitely produced traditional ceramics to out-there modern design.
December 12th, 2008
If you haven’t been to LIMN Los Angeles, now would be a great time. Not only is the showroom itself an experience, but the completely unique modern designs inside are on sale at significant discounts. Why the sale? To make room for new designs due to arrive in February. Additionally, LIMN is pleased to offer 10% off any special order placed in December - and they have access to a ton of cool designs. LIMN Los Angeles is at 169 N La Brea Avenue in LA.
December 9th, 2008
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