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Best of ICFF + WantedDesign 2023: Handcraft, Reclamation, and Blobjects

05.29.23 | By
Best of ICFF + WantedDesign 2023: Handcraft, Reclamation, and Blobjects

Increasingly inspiring work from the exhibitors at ICFF and WantedDesign 2023, with a strong return to skilled artisanship, organic motifs, and blush tones. Check out our favorites from this year’s show at the Javits Center!

Best of ICFF 2023

side by side images of rugs hanging on walls

Auda Sinda

Auda Sinda

Beautiful work at the Auda Sinda booth for their first show. These handwoven rugs combine reclaimed cording from the leather industry with traditional loom techniques for a warm, textural finish. The weave quality is superb, and most rugs are completely reversible.

side by side images of wood furniture dining table and chairs

Mozea

Mozea

Romanian-based Mozea was turning heads at the show, with highly organic and expressive forms. A signature look, their Testa Chair is paired with the Mantis Table on the left, while the Locus Chair sits next to their Flow Dining Table on the right.

side by side images of bathroom shots with modern fixtures

GRAFF

GRAFF

GRAFF’s Harley collection recalls iconic shapes and textures we all know and love, in the luxury of over 20 beautiful finishes. The feel of these handles are so tactile and satisfying in an increasingly touchless world. Graff’s vertically integrated approach ensures a level of quality that has been trusted in the industry for over 60 years, and in American motorcycles across the country.

side by side images of colorful rugs hanging

Tantuvi

Tantuvi

Tantuvi brings a wonderful sense of color and shape to their booth, with bright colors and geometric details inspired by Indian architecture. Working closely with seventh-generation weavers using panja hand looms, each piece takes two weeks to two months to complete. Founder Arati Rao is passionate about amplifying the connections we have across products, and how an heirloom can cross generations.

side by side images of modern wood tables in different finishes

Bernhardt Design

Bernhardt Design

Border by Yiting Hou brings a balance and sophistication we know and love from Bernhardt Design. The transition from top to leg is elegant from any angle, similar to the capsule shaped base – refined yet approachable in its footprint.

side by side images of modern ceramic tables and lights

SIN Ceramics

SIN Ceramics

This handmade ceramic furniture from SIN plays on familiar shapes we already know: the cinder block, the cube, the column. Along with a playful lighting collection, these forms feel like we know them already, like home.

side by side images of low chunky upholstered seating

Dooq

Dooq

Big, firm shapes take center stage at the Dooq booth, featuring the Marlon collection by Pietro Franceschini along with cheeky copper details and bold buttons. Scarlet and sage make a delightful pair in luxurious velvet upholstery.

side by side images of porcelain candleholders and wood lamp

Namuh

Namuh

Namuh is a Mexican brand that specializes in blending stone, metal, and wood into contemporary furniture. Their bases can be mixed and matched, and they work with their sourcing partners closely to offer only the highest quality materials.

side by side images of translucent green wall hooks on white wall

Studio Plastique

Studio Plastique

A truly inventive and exciting booth, Common Sands provides a beautiful solution to our growing electronic waste problem. Silica-based materials, such as glass, are reclaimed from refrigerators, microwaves, and other appliances that would otherwise stagnate in waste streams worldwide. These materials then form glass homewares, with their origins stamped inside. This project aims to question the responsibility designers and consumers have in the life cycle of a product.

side by side images of oversized knitted chairs with lanterns hanging

Moooi

Moooi

These Knitty Lounge Chairs by Nika Zupanc were just as much a joy to look at as to sit in. Gorgeous booth from Moooi this year, with plush woven seating and immersive wallpaper (with lanterns to match).

side by side images of wood chairs in different finishes

Fernweh Woodworking

Fernweh Woodworking

Featuring expert craftsmanship paired with innovative details, Fernweh Woodworking’s new Fjoon collection is an elegant solution to an age-old problem. Furniture wears out, parts need replacing. This system hides screws and joinery with custom, patent-pending plugs, perfectly flush to the new piece. Each comes with a super light aluminum key, which fits in a small pocket underneath the seat.

side by side images of pink velvet modern chairs

bnf studio

bnf studio

bnf studio’s chairs featuring round, simplistic shapes in comforting hues this year. The transition from velvet to wood is all expertly crafted in house, with well-balanced, sturdy cushioning for a very solid and enjoyable seat.

side by side images of wooden furniture vignette and curved wood and glass lighting

9 & 19

9 & 19

Hand-hewn cabinet tops and portraits of the designer as a frog dot the 9 & 19 booth, which feels more like stepping into your favorite living room than rounding a bend at Javits. Anyone for Connect 4?

side by side images of woven silicone poufs, rugs, and furniture

Shore

Shore

Shore is a London-based brand that offers beautiful, functional, indoor/outdoor furniture solutions made completely of silicone tubing. The whole line is heatproof, waterproof, hypoallergenic, vegan, and very easy to clean.

side by side images of clear resin objects

Evenline

Evenline

This cutting-edge booth from Evenline features 3D-printed glass bookends and other home objects, creating a warp of light and color. Evenline is talking to designers and businesses across multiple industries to explore what applications this technology could possibly be used.

Best of WantedDesign 2023

side by side images of an upholstered chair and various textiles

MINNA Goods

MINNA Goods

In this special collaboration with Like Minded Objects, MINNA Goods is proud to present The CRCL Chair along with a beautiful new line of handmade textiles. The fabric choices bring the playful, oversized forms to life with bold patterns and a comfort level to match.

side by side images of a pink chair with seat and back made from pink coat hangers

Joey Zeledón

Joey Zeledón

Finally – The Coat Check Chair from Joey Zeledón lands at ICFF. Inspired by our natural inclination to drape a jacket over the back of a chair, a hot pink visual cue stares back instead: just hang it up. While acting as a functional chair, this piece reminds us to tidy up in an encouraging way.

side by side images of layered glass table and wood chair

Bowen Liu Studio

Bowen Liu Studio

Bowen Liu returns with another impressive show, celebrating traditional jointwork and delving into layered glass with expert skill. The Cast Glass Collection is solid, refined, and just right for right now.

side by side images of colorful textiles

Fefostudio

Fefostudio

Fefostudio marries the tactile and industrial qualities of felt with soft seating and play mats. Made in Mexico using organic wool, the versatility of the material provides comfort while also offering lasting support. Inspired by traditional glaze techniques, the color palette is rich and inviting. The pear details on the seating are a pretty sweet bonus.

side by side images of colorful playful prints in textiles form

Tomma Bloom

Tomma Bloom

This playful print collection from Tomma Bloom can be translated into carpet, acoustic wall tiling, wall ornaments, and numerous other surfaces for a complete family of matching products. This allows for a total outfit of a space, promoting continuity and a spark of brightness.

side by side images of various textiles and ceramics

Karen Gayle Tinney

Karen Gayle Tinney

This delicate work from Karen Gayle Tinney beautifully explores the relationship between textile and ceramic. Ranging from large scale pieces to smaller vases, all are unique art for the home. Each piece is handcrafted by the artist in her Okemo Valley studio.

side by side images of blush and rust colored ceramic stools and tables

Bzippy

Bzippy

All lovingly handcrafted using slab-based forms, Bzippy offers all their ceramic wares in over 40 custom finishes. From planters to furniture to house goods, you can achieve exactly the look you want in any style that suits you. Inspired by architectural elements from California and around the world, LA-based founder Bari Ziperstein strives to push the boundaries of what the definition of a working artist looks like.

side by side images of furniture strapped together

Tecnológico de Monterrey Escuela de Arquitectura, Arte y Diseño

Tecnológico de Monterrey Escuela de Arquitectura, Arte y Diseño

As moving rates continue to rise, furniture that one can pack into a suitcase and bring along somehow seems a bit more appealing. The Straps booth explores the form of what this could look like, while also inviting the user to consider how the objects can be used outside of their original function. To the left is Persona by Andrea González, and to the right is Galileo by Enky J. Padilla and Ricardo Ballesteros.

side by side images of concrete cast styrofoam shaped packing materials turned into a chair

Madeline Isakson

Madeline Isakson

Loving the subversive nature of this concrete turned styrofoam from Madeline Isakson. What looks brutal and unwieldy from afar softens immensely when up close as you come to find fabric and foam.

side by side images furniture and accessories in cobalt blue leather and wood

NJ Roseti

NJ Roseti

Another interesting show this year from NJ Roseti, utilizing deep cobalt leather and solid walnut with painted detailing for a regal, dynamic look. Veneer acts as a diffuser for the lighting, giving the whole scene a golden glow.

Aria Lee is a NYC-based designer drawn to furniture, textiles, and yarn of all shapes and sizes. She creates custom crochet work at aacrochet.com, and has a deep passion for bread.

You can view her portfolio here, and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.