Knotty is a floor cushion with a plaited upholstery was designed by Kumeko, a design studio based in Prague, Czech Republic. Available in two sizes, the pouf was inspired by old weaving, knotting and basket-making techniques. Made from soft jersey tubes stuffed with highly resilient foam, and a lining that is filled with polystyrene balls, the cushion adjusts nicely and molds to your body making it extra comfortable.
Bradley L. Bowers sent me his Shell lounge and the simple design and elegant minimalism about it made me want to grab a towel and slap on a bathing suit and head to the pool. Shell is designed to bring you balance – literally and figuratively, encouraging meditation through use forcing the user to relax and achieve equilibrium of the mind and body.
Serie FW, designed and produced by Tommaso Bistacchi and Giovanni Pappalardo, is a family of stools and benches made of felt and wood. They were recently presented in Milan.
Heartbreakingly, I missed the very talented Jessica Carnevale and her fabulous Puffy furniture in Milan, so we caught up afterwards. Here’s what we talked about…
Kartell’s Salone del Mobile stand showcased an iconic range of products, deconstructed. Every phase of the creative process was on show, from initial sketches, through prototyping to the final manufactured products.
Innovation, a Danish company founded in the early 1970s that began by making beanbags, now supplies convertible beds, sofa beds and other seating to the furniture industry. Convertible furniture isn’t easy to make – in addition to looks, wear and tear, you have to think about the mechanics, functionality, easy of use, and even how the fabric lays and moves as each part moves. That’s why Innovation, which came to the US in 1991, is a leading supplies of these products. It was by far one of our favorite companies showing in High Point not only because of the clean lines and modern styling but also the fact that so many of the pieces were – surprisingly – also beds. And even better? Most of them are in the fairly affordable range of $799-$2600 retail. It was in their showroom that we spotted our “Best in Show.”
Designed by Per Weiss in 2010 after a trip to Milan, the SLY Z10 is a small sofa with removable back pillows that converts into a queen-sized bed. It immediately caught my eye with its dark gray fabric (a big trend from High Point this year) and contrast red stitching. I especially love that the stitching on the seat and back was made in a cross pattern to give the feel and look of tufting without actually having any buttons.
Italian architect and designer Stefano Pugliese presented a series of furniture at SaloneSatellite – Furniture Family Made in “Chitaly.” If you didn’t guess, Chitaly is a combination of Chile and Italy, the two places in which this series was made.
The always busy Karim Rashid has designed a new sofa collection for the Spanish furniture company Sancal. Float features an oval-shaped back to lean on that also doubles as a space divider for privacy. Available in three sizes: two low back sofas and one sofa with a higher back. Each piece has Rashid’s signature color combinations, but you can also pick your own fabrics if you prefer.
Russian designer Dima Loginoff has created a new collection of ultra-contemporary sofas for the Italian company ARTEX. The four designs are: Confusion, Not too late, Kisses, and Diamond Lounge. Each style has its own unique shape and look. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea but they definitely make a statement and give people something to talk about. I think they’re super fun!
Gravity Stool by Amsterdam-based designer Jólan van der Wiel is a project that if nothing else, it’s quite magical. Using a combination of gravity and magnetic fields, he’s able to sculpt these organically shaped stools that are unique and one-of-a-kind.
