Moroso’s Victoria & Albert Sofa in African print fabric at Milan Furniture Fair  2009 

African American designer Stephen Burks was asked to design an exhibition based in Moroso’s Milan showroom. His work is a contemporary vision of Africa, translating traditional crafts into an industrial product. Seen here are Moroso furniture designs covered in patchworks of African textiles. This theme of mixing old and new carrys over into the design of the textile. In the detail shot you can see the handset from a games console used in a traditionally styled fabric design.  Mixing images of popular culture into these traditional fabrics is not unique to this project  - its a whole fascinating subject in its self!  www.moroso.it  

Arne Jacobson’s Egg Chair covered by Danish Artist Tal R 

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Egg Chair in 2008 Fritz Hansen the producer of the Egg Chair commisioned artist Tal R to recover this iconic chair. He came up with 50 patchwork versions.

  “The idea of combining this representative symbol of Danish Design which qualifies as high culture with patchwork which qualifies as popular culture, intrigued me. Patchwork is like a bubble and squeak of blankets. It’s the leftovers from the workroom, and traditionally something people have made together. It’s associated with collectivity. For example, people used to send patches by chain letters, and then one day you’d have enough to make an entire quilt.”

The chairs were first exhibited at Galleria Carla Sozzani as part of the 2008 Milan furniture Fair and are currently on tour around the world. For more info go to www.fritzhansen.com

Squint Limited specialise in creating unique patchwork covered furniture and accessories. Using a variety of fabrics from vintage silks and damasks to contemporary prints each piece is priced according to the type of fabric used. The range certainly isn’t cheap – £250 for a cushion up to £5000 for a sofa.

www.squintlimited.com

There is always something fascinating about the use of geometric construction in design. The extrapolation of a simple pattern into a more complex one tweaks the senses into looking more closely, trying to understand where the pattern begins and ends. As Karim Rashid said “It’s a way to move the eye and break up surfaces to bring illusion or entropy , to embellish and give richness to surfaces materials and objects. It can add emotion and meaning to the flat dull world”Islamic design has employed the mathematics of geometry to dramatic effect for centuries.  Here’s a few examples of how designer and artists have stripped back the ornamentation and used colour and geometry.

Above is the work of Matt W Moore the painter designer and illustrator. His work is inspired by sacred geometry, asymmetry and optical illusions. His Vectorfunk series uses a vivid colour palette.  “its about adding and refining layers to the point where I’ve got a well balanced, unique, powerful composition.          

www.mattwmoore.com

Coming up for AW09  Basso & Brooke Collection features their signature digital prints but this time with a distinctly geometric feel.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

 Swatch by Hella Jongerius  Identical in shape, sections of coloured tiles are set in walnut marquetry on a simple low table. The coloured sections are made of individually cast polyurethane. Within each colour, different hues can be seen, orange within red, blue greys within white. Light can flow through some sections but not others. The piece holds with Hella’s vision of design offering options and possibilities.   www.jongeriuslab.com 

 Above is Pentagon by Thomas Tritsch   Inspired by medieval fortresses it demonstrates the innumerous possibilties of geometry. Each of the elements can be slotted together to suit the space or your mood! You can create curves, circles, straight lines.

http://www2.quinzeandmilan.tv/#/en/home/

Of course geometry isn’t just about the creation of flat tesselated patterns. Messing about with the angles and you suddenly have a chair – oh it sounds so simple! Thomas Feichtner’s FX10 Lounge chair pictured below is an example. Invert an angle or two and you have a chiseled chunk of a chair. The designer likens it to the angles cut to make igloos, and although it does look rather hard edged, the soft upholstery doesn’t make the sitter feel their on a block of ice! It does look really cool though…. yeah bad joke

Clouds by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec is a 3 dimensional installation that you construct yourself to create your own unique cloud. Using tiles that can be bent on the crease lines and elastic bands to join the tiles together the installation can either be hung from the wall or ceiling. You can rearrange your cloud or add to it create a multicoloured cloud. Its up to you how you use the pieces.

www.kvadratclouds.com

 And should you wish to have a play with geometry you can’t go wrong with David Sutton’s beautiful little book Islamic Design  A genius for Geometry. Available through Wooden Books  www.woodenbooks.com

Piet has spent his career working with reclaimed materials. A graduate of the Design School in Eindhoven, in 1990 he produced his first work made entirely from recycled wood and has built his career around the concept of reusing, adapting and recycling. Its not just his desire to be ecological its more a thought process beginning with the material around him.

Pictured above is detail from a lamp he produced for Spazio Rossana Orlandi.  Formally a tie factory the store had rolls of unused tie fabric in the loft. Piet has used the fabric to create lampshades over a simple wire frame.  Shown here are the two sizes of lamp base and a large pendant shade.

 Also displayed were the 99% cabinets. Continuing on a philosophy of the most efficient use of material and labour, the production of the cabinets leaves less than 1% wastage from the original sheet of metal. The cabinet is available in white coated aluminium, copper or the brass version pictured below.

The plank chair was a personal favourite of mine. Born out of an irritation at mediocre design sold at a ridiculous price, Piet decided at Salone 2008 to create an inexpensive high quality product. Not only that, you can actually produce this chair yourself, plans and instructions were provided.  I nabbed a copy but my photo of them is a little too small to be of use – the plans will be available from his website in the future.

It does look incredibly simple to do (certainly compared to a dress pattern!) but unfortunately the instructions are in Dutch so I’m getting a friend of mine to translate before I attempt it.

Also shown was a collection based on his work with scrap pieces of wood. The Dark coffee table, bench and chairs were all made using doors and wood panelling found in an old watermill. The pictures here are taken from his website, I’m afraid I got distracted by his book and forgot to take the pics myself!

 Shown here is a close up of how the scrap collection is put together and lacquered. Ten layers of high gloss lacquer are applied to the pieces giving a beautiful water effect, and an amazing silky feel.  

For more information on his work  (and better pictures) here’s the link to his website

 http://www.pietheineek.nl/

Here are couple of interviews Peit did for Dwell and also Design.nl giving a more detailed insight  into the production of this collection.

http://design.nl/item/five_minutes_in_milan___piet_hein_eek

http://www.dwell.com/articles/interview-piet-hein-eek.html

Here’s a link for the book by Max Fraser covering the first 15 years of his work – sorry its amazon- other book stores are available! just use the isbn no.   

http://www.amazon.com/Boek-Piet-Hein-Max-Fraser/dp/9063691483

Or, even better, if you email here  apparently you can get a signed copy Well it says so on his website!

http://www.pietheineek.nl/en/book

Quilt by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Established and Son is an inviting and comforting chair. The idea originally came from the desire to make something unstructured and welcoming like a quilt or a blanket.  Using stretch fabric  by Kvadrat, the chair is sewn with individual pockets each containing foam cells this gives the chair and elasticity and enveloping nature as you sit in it.  Unfortunately the rather tired Italian grandma found it so comfy she didn’t want to go so after waiting ages I just took a pic anyway.

Memory Chair by Ole Jensen for Normann Copenhagen was also designed with the idea of enveloping you. The warmth of the wool fabric and the arms that embrace you as you sit in it give a comforting security. Created on a wood frame base with different types of foam upholstered on to it. The patchwork effect is created using 120 pieces of tailored wool stitched together. I do love this patchwork effect.

   Soda Chair by Trimodestudio was inspired by bubbles in soda water.  There’s something rather charming about the irregularity of the upholstery.  I’m afraid my picture isn’t so great but they have a much better image on their website.

www.trimodestudio.com

Moroso made Patricia Urquiola’s Bohemian chair in African hand dyed fabric.

Also worth a mention though not at the show.

Charlotte Kingsnorth’s One Chair which won the D&AD Award last year. Inspired by the work of artist Jenny Saville’s painting of a rather rotunde lady and also the media obsession with obesity, Charlotte created a chair that devours the occupant  ”a sofa that has been devoured by its obese occupier”. “The flesh has spilled and encased the sofa… until the two have married into a new grotesque form,” she explains.

http://www.charlottekingsnorth.com/

 Tokujin Yoshioka’s Panna Chair, also explored the idea of encasing the occupier. Made of polyurethane foam over a metal base the fabric and foam adapts its shape to the person sitting in it. I can’t help feeling both the Quilt and  Memory Chairs owe a nod to this earlier work by Yoshioka.

Studio Job: Beautiful setting, a sanctuary from the rest of the busy venues.

African artists created furniture, furnishings and installations curated by Patrizia Moroso

Piet Hein Eek’s installation at Spazio Rossana Orlandi

 Jaime Hayon’s work for Baccarat at Spazio Rossana Orlandi

Dedon goes plaid.

We’ve seen so many plaid shirts around I guess it was inevitable it crossed over into furniture.

I love the way Norwegian firm LK Hjelle have used plaid to cover a number of their designs. Their Boy Ottoman pictured in the background looks particularly cute in red plaid. In the foreground is their modular seating system Ugo.

Also by LK Hjelle Hotel Chair

Ralph Lauren have been pushing plaid for years and they’ve got a great range to choose from to get this look.

Osbourne & Little’s Lomond Wool Collection is a more contemporary update of Plaid using hot pinks and chartreuse mixed in with the more traditional plaid colour palette.

And to complete the theme you could also listen to Plaid, an old favourite of mine and they just happen to be playing at the Southbank Centre this weekend…

Have a peek at their lovely site to see what they do http://www.plaid.co.uk/

Jeroen Wand Paper Chair – Starting with paper only 160 grammes thick the chair is constructed by layering 30 laminated sheets together in 8 different moulds. Each chair takes 25 hours to construct and is a limited edition of 25. http://www.jeroenwand.nl/         

David Graas Finish Your Self junior – A chair and a puzzle in one. You pop the pieces out of the packaging then watch as your child spends ages trying to fit it together, actually it doesn’t look that hard to do and a 3 year old could probably do it quicker than you; but then they’re good at that kinda thing. Its also 100% recyclable for when they’ve grown out of it. Heres a link to David’s website, the Don’t Spill Your Coffee Table looks like more a challenge if you’re into puzzles. http://www.davidgraas.com/

Oki Sato – Cabbage Chair:  Fashion designer Issey Miyake challenged design agency Nendo to produce a chair out of the waste paper left over from producing his Pleats Please clothing range. Oki’s solution was simple, take a pair of scissors, cut each layer and fold down. The paper is impregnated with resin adding to the stability of the chair; the pleats give a springy elasticity or gently cushioning effect as you sit down.

Originally exhibited at the XXIst Century Man exhibition held at Tokyo’s 21_21 Design Sight Gallery (curated by Miyake) the chair has been selected for the MOMA collection.  http://www.nendo.jp/en/

 Frank Gehry Wiggle Chair- The grandaddy of the paper and card chairs; originally made in the 60’s the chair has been reproduced by Vitra. Created using 60 layers of corrugated cardboard the chair is held together by hidden screws and has laquered hardboard edges.

Above: I love Inke Hans Flow Chair in this fabulous shade of blue.

I’m also coveting a McQ jersey top in the same shade but that’s another story…

Above: Etage table by Claesson Koivisto Rune

3 tables made of high gloss formica. The tables slide into one another allowing different layout combinations. Made by  OFFECCT

http://www.offecct.se/

Above: Frame by Marco Maran Design

I’d give you a link but the site just didn’t work!

Below:  Hangers by  danish firm Bent Hansen – Spots of colour that are functional and rather fun.

They can be attached onto any blank wall to add a bit of colour and give you somewhere to hang your coat.

http://www.benthansen.net/

Right: Stitch Chair by Adam Goodrum for Cappellinni. The chair folds away, hinges inbrightcolours are as much an aesthetic feature as functional.

Left: Stack Chest of Draws by Established & Son. Breaking with tradition the draws of this floating unit can be pushed and pulled in both directions allowing it to be positioned anywhere in the room rather than just propping up the wall.

I’ve seen a green version but not a blue…

Round created by Dissing + Weitling for the University Library Copenhagen.  Comprising three different blocks creating different landscapes in social or lounging areas.

http://www.dw.dk

Cristian Zuzunaga’s sofa , such a beautiful design his work is inspired by architecture and the urban enviroment. For more of his designs heres a link
http://www.cristianzuzunaga.com/

 Left: Ayme Fitzgerald  – Wildside Wallpaper.  Combining photography and digital manipulation Ayme produces imaginative wallpaper designs that can be embelished with flocking,  foil.  Citing  inspiration from a wide range of sources Las Vegas  to the Safari.

http://www.aymefitzgerald.co.uk/

Flow Chair by Micheal Sodeau covered in grassy pixelated textile. Produced by Swedese.

 Left - Iiro  A Ahokas textile design  for Marimekko  uses faceted stripes of colour giving a playful optical design.

Right – A2’s Cupboard – shown at Stockholm Furniture Fair 2009

It’s safe to say we’re fed up of drab beige and neutral living; could colour be the antidote to our current malais?

We’ve had a shift in perspective, looking at what we already have and adapting to our environment. We’re looking at ways to reconstruct our living space with maximum effect. Colour, whether through vintage pieces or new design, is mixed up and mashed up. It’s not the clean aesthetic of modernism, real life is more messy, more colourful, more beautiful. We live with pieces around us from different eras; different generations have added to the mix of stuff we all have in our homes. We have a new respect for colour mixing and a new attitude to splashes of colour. We’re being more playful and witty with ways of using colour.

To follow: 3 different themes featuring this colour trend coming through into interiors.

Image by  http://mwmgraphics.com/