Scrap Facet Chair

[Images: Thinkk Studio. Found via: Apartment Therapy]

The scrap wood on the back makes each chair unique. I love the crisp faceted form contrasted against the the patina of the aged wood.

Colourful garden furniture

I rediscovered last year's Fermob catalogue and scanned in some of my favourite pages. I don't have a garden or balcony but I wouldn't mind a set of pretty chairs to use at my dining table!

Ron Arad

[All exhibition photos by me]

I visited the Ron Arad exhibition at the Barbican on Monday. The exhibition is called Restless and there is an underlying theme of movement. Chairs have mechanisms causing them to spontaneously rock back and forth, and there are bouncing and sliding bookcases. The pieces of sculpture are really beautiful and he used so many exciting materials: wicker covered in resin, steel, woven mesh, found objects. It was so frustrating not being allowed to touch anything!

A bit of background about Ron Arad: He was born in Tel Aviv, he moved to London in the 1970s to study architecture and made his name in the early 1980s as a self-taught designer-maker of sculptural furniture. He now works across both design and architecture.



Although we weren't allowed to test these particular chairs, some looked really comfortable and I can see that he's studied the contours of human body. But other pieces were clearly just experimental art and would have been quite painful to perch on!

I think the following chair is so elegant. I love the way the seat flows into a carpet...



In the piece below, the end of the rails lift up then lower causing the round bookcase to slide across the rails. I was expecting it to roll the whole length like a giant wheel, but it only moves a small distance. It's still impressive though.



This is a light sculpture that projects squiggly lines across every surface of the room. One of my friends lightly pushed the dome and and it caused the squiggles to go crazy and move around the room. It looked like the walls were moving and felt quite disorientating!



At the end of the exhibition there is an area where visitors are able to test out some pieces of furniture, which was fun. Some of the pieces looked really funky but were really uncomfortable or dangerous to sit on. But maybe we were swinging on the rocking chairs too violently! Here are a couple of my favourites:


[Image from Bonluxat]

Space of the week: Vintage Treasure

[Image credits: Kay Loves Vintage Flickr and Blog]

I wish I could step into these photos and relax in that lovely blue arm chair, sitting amongst all the vintage goodies. I love the subtle grey-purple wall colour in the first photo; it really brings the room to life and is perfectly balanced by accents of black and pops of colour.

Room 606, Royal Hotel Copenhagen

[Image credits: Flickr pool, Ultraswank, Smow]

Room 606 is the only hotel room with the original Arne Jacobsen décor from July 1960 when Royal Hotel Copenhagen first opened. It still functions as a normal hotel room: can you imagine waking up there one morning?! The blues and greens are so refreshing. I like the way the pictures have been hung in the simple frames and I can just imagine Arne calculating the perfect position. To me, this room is perfection.

Dream Dining Room

[Image source: Living etc]

I love the bold colours in this space and the way the paintings are casually propped up against the wall. It's so relaxed yet elegant!

PS. Some sweet person nominated me on the Lovelies. If you happen to be over there, feel free to leave a message to vote for me - or vote for whoever you'd like, of course! ;)

Juicy mid-century

[All images: Zoe Murphy website and blog]

I'm really loving these colourful designs by Zoe Murphy. She takes inspiration from her home town Margate, and reinvents midcentury furniture and recycles textiles. The designs are ethical and beautiful at the same time. She is a real inspiration as she only left university in 2008 and has already launched her own line!

Japanese furniture by Ideé

[Images: Ideé online]

I was so happy when I came across the Japanese company Ideé, as these images seem to encapsulate the aesthetic I like. The simple furniture is set off beautifully against the bursts of colour. It's all so light and delicate, and I particularly like the slim sofa legs: I'm a fan of being able to see under furniture as it makes a room feel airy. I wish I had the courage to paint a wall in that bright shade of orangey yellow. Mmm it tastes just like mango sorbet...

Tripod Chairs

[Sources: Walter Papst, Arne Jacobsen, Azambourg, Wegner, Egon Eiermann, Emiliano Godoy, Egon Eiermann, Max Bill, Poul Kjærholm]

I bought a tripod side table a couple of years ago, and have always admired tripod lamps. Can you see where this is going? Well... now I'd really like a set of three-legged dining chairs. Or maybe just one side chair. I'd be quite happy with any of the chairs above :) In reality this is more of a fantasy as I can't afford to buy new chairs at the moment, but I am considering painting my Ikea chairs to introduce some colour into my home.

Formable Furniture

[Photos: Yanko Design]

I love the concept of Formable Furniture designed by Reed Crawford. The interlocking pieces are connected by a wire, and when you tug on the cable you can manipulate the tension to create new forms. It's like a game for adults: imagine being able to create a new piece of furniture whenever you get bored of the shape!

This would be great for people who move home often as you could create a new piece of furniture that fits into your new place perfectly. It makes financial sense: if you find you need an extra chair for a guest, just transform your table into a chair without having to go and buy one! But if it came in white, grey and some bright colours I would love it even more.

Aram Store = Heaven

Photo credits: Metrotwin, renaissancechambara on Flickr

Aram Store holds one of the largest ranges of modern furniture and design in London and was founded by Zeev Aram over 40 years ago. It's located in a massive five-storey fruit and vegetable warehouse and the array of design is breathtaking. To give you an idea: the chair section doesn't just have half a dozen chairs on display, but more like 20. In every colour. You can easily spend a few hours exploring everything. The great thing about it being a showroom and not a museum of design is that you're free to get up close to each piece and see how it works, how it feels to the touch, or how comfortable it is.

My favourite items available in the store are these rugs designed by Eileen Gray in the 1920s and 1930s that Aram Store has reintroduced to the market. I always find it astonishing how forward-thinking her designs are for the era she worked in.

Here's a fascinating interview filmed by Dezeen with the store founder, Zeev Aram, talking about the transformation of the design scene in London in the 1960s and why the endless supply of creative talent makes London so unique. It lasts about 8 minutes and is well worth listening to!



And finally, I'm very excited about MONDAY as I'll be posting the first edition in a mini-series about Charles & Ray Eames, so make sure you come back then! I won't be focusing on their designs as such, but on some other aspects that I find so appealing. I promise it'll be fun!

Unto this last

Nurbs Chair, Facet Sideboard, Cell Shelf, Coat Stand - Unto This Last

In their workshop in London's Brick Lane, Unto This Last creates stunningly unusual furniture at mass-production prices. Items are made from digitally cut plywood that's available in a range of finishes. The designs are classic and understated, often incorporating soft contours (imagine how comfortable that chair must be!). And I rather like this plywood Christmas tree...


Christmas Tree - Unto This Last