Can you imagine being the custodian of an entire legacy of design? That’s the task faced by Marie Wabbes, widow of famed Belgian designer Jules Wabbes, whose aesthetic of simple, clean lines and exquisite craftsmanship was a palpable influence on Belgian—and, by extension, European—design, especially during the 50s and 60s. Mrs. Wabbes has taken the job in stride, tirelessly defending the designer’s legacy through years of legal wrangling and finally penning an agreement with manufacturer Bulo just last year to re-issue many of his designs. Read more…
Emeco is an aluminum furniture company that produces the iconic Navy Chair. The Navy Chair is a classic farm-style chair that is hand-made from aluminum in “77 painstaking steps.” Variations on the Navy Chair include bar stools, arm chairs, Read more…
Sparkeology is a new company which is launching its first products at Neocon 2010 and the American Library Association convention. Based out of West Michigan, the company is a collaborative venture by library furniture maker The Worden Company, Read more…
Textiles are on the outer reaches of my awareness as an architect, not because I don’t love and appreciate what they can do for a space, but more because of the stigma of “interior decorator” that is attached to them. Curtains bring memories of my grandmother’s plump window dressings and floral draperies. Read more…
Exhibitors at ICFF are always looking for a way to draw in a crowd. Techniques include crazy awnings, large signage or groups of oddly clad workers putting together shiny light boxes. Towards the back of the space I came across a white box which offered only a glimpse of what was inside. Read more…
Brooklyn-based designer Eric Manigian is a perennial favorite here at 3rings, and I mean that in the most literal sense of the word. That’s because every year, just like the year’s new blooms of perfumed peonies or aromatic amaryllis, Manigian re-visits the vaunted venue of Brooklyn Designs Read more…
There’s something familiar about the conical shaped hanging piece on the Scream chair. Its tough to pinpoint right away, probably due to the materiality or the fact that its a piece of furniture and not an anatomical model. Read more…
Our bodies nonverbally interact with objects daily and for no rhyme or reason, we feel preferences to the way certain cereal bowls and coffee cups fit inside our hands (for me it’s my precious Dean & Deluca mug). All too often we are left with the coined term “it just feels right” instead of understanding our affinities. Read more…
Way back in the early days (two years ago, to be precise), fellow 3ringer Joseph Starr profiled a haphazard tower of drawers with the unlikely name of Schubladenstapel. The Swiss-designed piece had a spontaneous aspect that gave new meaning to the idea of “shabby chic,” Read more…
100% is a pretty strong statement. What in modern life is 100% of anything? The popcorn I ate for dinner was 50% kettle corn and 50% movie style. My sweatshirt is 63% cotton, 33% polyester and 4% spandex. I doubt even the tap water in my apartment is 100% H20. Read more…
