Him & Her Chairs are described as the evolution of the Panton Chair from the “hermaphroditic” original. Using a three dimensional scan of two plaster sculptures, the chairs are of moulded polyethylene. Him & Her were designed by Fabio Novembre, the flamboyant Italian designer whose website tag line is “I want to breathe till I choke, I want to love till I die”.
This remodel to a South Bay beach residence that faces a “walk street” – these are pedestrian only streets that lead directly to the beach. These lots are very narrow on the walk street and deep on the side parallel with the ocean. Lean Arch worked to open up the existing space and provide a natural feel with the finishes. The new plan takes advantage of ocean views by extending an exterior balcony the entire length of the dining room. The natural wood finishes provide a warm backdrop for the modern furnishings. The dining table was custom designed for the space. Pieces were chosen for their soft edges and curves in contrast to the rectilinear space. The Saarinen Executive Chair was used in the dining room and Ligne Roset’s Togo Lounge.
Devi design is a New Dehli based company that created these inspired designs. The first piece really caught our attention – titled Crowd Bowl it is inspired by the art of the Warli tribe. The small tribe has a long history of mural paintings in which men, women, trees and birds are joined to create the whole. A common theme in Warli paintings is spiral formations of people, symbolizing the circle of life.
These pieces from Devi Design are crafted from metals such as brass, aluminum and stainless steel. They are fabricated using a traditional sand casting method. The collection effectively blends tradition with contemporary design with an emphasis on nature-inspired themes. Some of the pieces are available through The Conran Shop.
Finding the perfect pillow to finish off a room is no easy task. However, if you do a little homework, you will be pleasantly surprised at the number of options available at a reasonable price. Little pieces of art in the form of a pillow.
Loft spaces are generally expansive – open floor plans with very high ceilings. Working that into a human scale can be challenging. Susan Diana Harris, a San Francisco based designer did it by “…introducing sculptural details that invite us to touch and play.” She took a loft space in a Yerba Buena loft South of Market in SF and infused it with color, curves, pattern and organic materials. I found this vignette she created on a zebrano wood sideboard to be a nice composition of color and balance. She selected the pieces in contrast to the modern industrial space. She felt these handmade, “imperfect” pieces were the perfect complement to the clean modern lines of the architecture. The ceramic bowls and stands she selected are by Marilyn MacKenzine Ceramics, the wood vases from Cost Plus and the console from West Elm. Photography by Frankie Norstad Photography.
Finishing strong is not easy. Sometimes it comes down to that last pillow… today I was on a hunt for black and white pillows. There are alot of options, but I thought this group was a nice mix of inspired by nature, graphic pattern and art. First off is Flower Power, sort of a 1960’s thing made from felted wool. Next is Monach Sails from Hable Construction, handprinted graphic on cotton canvas. Hable Construction makes limited quantities of many of its pieces, including this one. So if you like it, better act fast. Daisy Pillow by Paper Cloud is a simple, nature inspired graphic hand printed on a 16″ linen pillow cover. Ok, its not really black, its chocolate, but I liked it so much, I included it anyway. If you aren’t feeling the Black(Chocolate) and White, it comes in a ton of color combinations. Kabuki Pillow by Thomas Paul is a 22″ square pillow of 100% linen. I love the Asian-nature inspired modern graphic. Pillow as art, art as pillow, not surprising coming from HZL by Henzel. Awakening Pillow is a 20″ square cotton blend pillow cover. You may know HZL Henzel by its X Module Rug collection that was introduced a few years back. Pienet Kivet Pillow cover from Marimekko is made from heavyweight upholstery cotton and is pretty well priced at $52.00. Onion Pillow by Wallter Fold is 20″ square and made from wool flannel and boucle. Tuuli, also by Marimekko (they have a boutique in NYC), is heavyweight upholstery cotton and is also available in black on grey. Last but not least is the little Zebra Pillow by Areaware, he’s so cute in a photorealistic kind of way and only $25.
Karkula will be home to flagship stores for Paola Lenti and Oluce. Paola Lenti is an Italian furniture and rug company which was founded about 14 years ago. The collection is modern with particular emphasis on textiles. The upholstery or covering is not a finish, it is a completely integrated, significant design element. The combination of natural and manufactured materials are used to create durable, resistant and creative furniture and floor coverings. Paola Lenti pieces definitely have a look of their own.
Oluce Lighting, on the other hand, has been around since 1945. The claim is that it is the oldest Italian Lighting Design Company that is “..still active today..”. Oluce has a very rich design history with lights by Tito Agnoli, Joe Colombo, Vico Magistretti, Maiko Watanable and many more.
Designed in 1937 by Salvador Dali, The Muletas and Cajones lamps. Dali ventured out beyond painting to apply his artistry to various disciplines. In Paris in the 1930’s, he worked with Jean-Michel Frank and others to design pieces such as lamps, mirrors, door hardware, plumbing fixtures and furnishings that he used in his own home and in other design projects. The pieces, not surprisingly, are surreal and ultra dramatic.
b.d. Barcelona Design is commemorating the 20th anniversary of Dali’s death in 2009 by offering some of his designs in a limited edition run. The Muletas, and Cajones lamps are being produced in black - black dyed lime wood and handmade black linen lamp shades.
MASH Studios, the creators of the LAX Series, is adding some new pieces to the collection. Like the rest of the series, the dining table, benches and chairs offer a sort of relaxed modernism. The table, chairs and bench are all made from solid English walnut with a natural oil finish. The table top is a satin white laminate, so its going to be pretty durable. The dining table is $1890, the bench $510 and the chairs 2 for $690. Preorders being taken @ LAX Series.
This is an awesome light designed by Marc Sadler in 2006 for Foscarini, Italy. A floorlamp made from a flexible composite that allows the gentle curve of the support column. A system of counterweights allows you to position the shade height. The lamp height is also adjustable. The shade is approximately 18″ in diamter and 11″ high. This lamp is usually over $2000, so this is a pretty incredible deal. This is a floor model, so there is only one at this price. @ Property, NYC.
