A typically droll dose of Christmas inspiration from sharp-as-a-tack Dutch design studio, Droog. Gift wrapping as designer handbag, resplendent with adhesive-fixed handles and key-ring ornament courtesy of Marc Jacobs. In this 2008 festive season over-shadowed by a spirit of global belt-tightening, it’s nice to remember that even the simplest gift can speak volumes. It’s all in the presentation.
Archives for category: products
Traditional materials, radical techniques, familiar silouette, designed to age gracefully: the Steelwood chair embodies the message resounding through design circles in 2008. The story, written by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Magis, is all in the name. An everyday chair deliberately aiming to be more delicate and deserving of attention than, as the Bouroullec put it, its ‘plastic siblings’. And I’d add more desirable too.
“For the well-travelled and the travel hungry amongst us”… Collectable, useable, keeper of memories and food of dreams, these delightful wooden blocks (Germany, London and the World in a bag also available!) form part of the range of ‘no brand quality goods’ by Muji. The Japanese manufacturer’s philosophy of ethical design extends from materials and processes to packaging, where it insists on presenting its products on the shelves with only the plainest of wrapping, basic product information and a price tag.
I couldn’t go past this gorgeous context shot of one of my ‘best desks’ - Nendo‘s apparently precarious but actually very sure-footed Bambi - all cosy inside a traditional mountain chalet somewhere in the Italian alps. The ‘set piece’, produced by Bravacasa, also features the Wave chair by BPA International and a prototype desk lamp, Eagle, by Artemide.
The fruity and fruitful partnership of iconic Spanish producer of porcelain, LLadro, and Spain’s crown prince of design Jaime Hayon took the stand as part of the designer’s retrospective at Interieur 08. Arguably one of the most intriguing and amusing collaborations between design star and artisan industry going on today (Hayon is guest creative director at Lladro since 2006), I get the feeling the medium of ‘highbrow’ porcelain really brings out the best in Hayon’s subtly subversive, intricate brand of fantasy. And on the flip side, the match up has had the presumably desired effect of a shot in the arm to a proud brand in danger of terminal irrelevance in the new century. A true design love story for our times.
After the triumph of their gorgeous little Net chair at London design week, the complete range from MARK of Cornwall is now online. And their freestanding slatted timber screen is a stand-out. Designed by Dylan Freeth and inspired by the “wide distant horizons of Cornwall’s north coast”, Horizon is a beautiful, useful thing. As many out there would attest, a good screen is hard to find and what I especially love about this one is the way the rails are spaced to give extra privacy to those at seated at a table. The screen comes in two heights (so clever) and can be used singly or in multiples to create a shallow zig-zag layout. Lovely.
Something about the ‘Bruegelesque’ workbench and those great solid, workmanlike tool cupboards. No nonsense elegance in the finest northern European tradition… I’ve been loving the Bulthaup b2 Kitchen Workshop since Milan in April, so seeing it make the leap from design week concept to a product destined for real life homes is exciting indeed. Happily, the Bulthaup website now features the new, elemental, ‘kitchen-in-three-movements’ system in a range of moods and finishes (I’m especially fond of the yellow room), along with a nice, snappy picture-book version of the story so far. Essential reading for kitchen design geeks (and we are many) everywhere.
The utterly lovely Net chair, winner of Best Interior Product at 100% Design, seems all the sweeter when you hear how it was inspired by the nets of the local fishermen left out to dry in the sun.
Net is the newly high-profile baby of Mark, a proudly Cornish furniture brand whose products, the designers say, ‘reflect the values of contemporary Cornwall’. Mark’s full collection is due online later this month… Definitely one to look out for.
There’s a definite theme of dynamic designer duos emerging here. And next up are Brits Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby. I especially love Cupola, their blown glass reading table for Meta and the Bottle table for Cappellini – especially this version in carrara. Somethng about the curves and slightly totem pole/stacking toy feel I think. And if you love venini glass, the extended story of the cupola table is worth a read too.
A child of the seventies, I found myself becoming quite sentimental about this new glassware by Michele de Lucchi. The maker is Italian company Arnolfo di Cambio, yet another specialist manufacturer keen to preserve its artisan credentials (not to mention market appeal) through collaboration with the top-rung designers of the times.