Like certain luminaries before and doubtless more to come, designers Ana Mil and Emil Padrós of Barcelona’s emiliana design studio seem smitten with the potential of plywood. Like Alvar Aalto and the Eames duo before them, Mil and Padrós apparently love curves almost as much as they admire the blatant contradiction of the concept of bent wood. They respect it so much, in fact, that they designed an entire series of stools in different heights and finishes to showcase what ply can do for you: “The Naoshima Stool combines four identical pieces of plywood to construct the seat. The seat, together with four wooden legs, creates a solid and unique whole. The empty spaces generated in the corners of the plywood seat make Naoshima a light and visually vibrant piece of furniture.” Read more…
Way back when, I profiled the work of Giancarlo de Astis, a designer who had the inspired idea of rifling the famed “boneyard”—otherwise known as Davis-Monthan Air Force Base—for the cast-off components of retired military aircraft. De Astis re-claims these skeletal remnants to forge intriguing side and conference tables with a decidedly industrial aesthetic. Artist Donovan Fell III of So-Cal’s MotoArt shares De Astis’ admiration for these estimable artifacts. Read more…
Animal themed furniture is usually reserved for children: the Eames Elephant immediately comes to mind as one of the classier examples of an animal shaped piece. Other typical forms of animal decor include the use of the hide, which can be used as an upholstery or a rug. Read more…
Although home construction around the globe seems to have slowed in the past couple of years, Italian construction seems to be just about the same as it was 500 years ago. Instead of knowing what it would be like to build quickly - in wood, brick, or simply in speed between coffee breaks Read more…
Just like Hyundai’s Kitchen Nano Garden and the Electrolux Outdoor Kitchen, the Canteen series of furnishings by London design firm Very Good & Proper is an auspicious harbinger of appealing eclecticism. Read more…
It’s always exciting when we get a tantalizing taste of a new, innovative concept—even more so when the designer is someone like Russia’s Dima Loginoff, author of such perennial 3rings favorites as the Bless You Lamp, the Anomaly Loveseat, Read more…
On the heels of last week’s Elements Desk System, by Agati this terrific Tuesday brings another re-vamping of the modular office. Beta by Pierandrei Associati for Tecno shares Elements’ yen for customized flexibility while striking out into unprecedented aesthetic territory. Read more…
If you’re among the fortunate few who’ve attended April’s annual Salone del Mobile, than you know the intractable pull of Milan. Perhaps your most recent stroll through the annual springtime rites of A & D has inspired a late summertime visit to this sunny, sultry city. Read more…
Oh the dilemma. A dining room table or comfortable seating for four? In my last 250 square foot apartment, guests were forced to sit around the coffee table while occasionally sliding to the side to allow the refrigerator door to open. Read more…
To look at the website of outdoor furniture manufacturer Viteo, one might think they’re angling for casting the sequel to Where the Wild Things Are. Or perhaps the roster of human-legged, animal-headed models leisurely enjoying the cozy confines of the new Cementum Light Collection Read more…
