This modern take on an ancient tradition was made by two French designers Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for the Spanish brand Nani Marquina. The Losanges collection was created by combining 13 colors through the geometrical rhombus shape. All rugs are handmade by the craftsmen of Northern Pakistan. The material itself, the Afghan wool, was also spun by hand, which allowed for some unique tones to be highlighted. And we can see that these rugs are all about color… This is what the Bouroullec brothers say about their creation: ‘We have always been captivated by the traditional Persian rug, especially by the very old kilim savoir-faire which we see as a delicate mix of rusticity and fineness… This subtly random technique makes each lozenge slightly different and each rug, a unique piece.’
Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec with Nani Marquina during the Maison & Objet 2011 in Paris.
This project has won the Interior Innovation Award during Imm Cologne 2011, which is not the least bit surprising. German designer Florian Gross has created a universally likable piece, called Konnex, that has all attributes we want to see in a bookcase. It is light, modular, stackable, easy to put together, fully customizable in any room, big or small. And because the bookcase can be taken apart and stored in a form of nested modules, it is easy to ship as well. The combinations and uses of the Konnex bookcase are endless, it can even be paired with other furniture pieces, put under your desk, for example. Sold in sets of 3, the slot-in units can be stacked, added to, arranged and rearranged to the extent of your budget and imagination.
One cannot be truly design-oriented today without considering the ecological aspect of the object. This piece, for example, in addition to being a thing of visual delight, can make us feel good about the production methods. Made out of 100% recycled (and recyclable) leather, o-Re-gami lampshade, designed by Matali Crasset for Regenesi, made quite an appearance at the latest Maison & Objet in Paris. Here is how the designer conveys his vision: ‘In France, interest in post-consumer products is not new but it is difficult to find companies with a genuine will to act and find a new production logic. Regenesi represents this approach and my design revolves around playing with basic things; you start with a sheet and then proceed from two dimensions to three, generating origami shapes… Then, by slightly changing the fold, the shape can offer a different function.’ And like every genius idea it sounds and looks so simple – an unexpected material, some folding and perforating, and the magic is done. Why no one else had thought of that…
There is no reason whatsoever for bringing a boring bookcase into your home. Especially when pieces like this one exist. Designed by Kittichai Reawsanguanwong, the Chinese Checkered Bookshelf was made to draw attention to itself. According to Yanko Design, the bookshelf joints are fitted with magnets to hold the chess pieces. Although not actually playable, the pieces can be rearranged to add visual interest and variety. They can also hold notes and small items. The bookcase was displayed during the ‘Imprints: Designing for Memories’ exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore.
A spacious and functional workspace in the morning, a social hot-spot in the afternoon, and a dining table at night – these are the roles this piece of furniture can play. A truly multifunctional table, called Doppelleben, is the recent creation of the Ahhaproject design studio. The idea is ingenious in its simplicity. The tabletop consists of two layers. If you need to use the lower layer, you can slide two lightweight panels down the sides. And when the work is done (or is safe to be interrupted), the panels come up creating a surface for dining and entertaining. This working/dining combo is merely a suggestion, of course. You can use the lower layer tabletop as a bookshelf, a utensil storage, a display for your collectables, or in any way you see fit.
Combining sitting and book storage is a popular game these days, and here is another impressive effort in this direction. The Ransa sofa, designed by Younes Duret studio, consists of a sit elevated above the book shelves. The piece not only has the obvious space-saving capabilities, but also provides a pleasing book display. Ransa is big enough for an average person to lie down, which makes it a proper couch, designed for an avid bookworm. The piece only exists as a concept, but when put into production, it will surely find many fans.
Acoustable is a coffee table/sound system, created by two Belgian designers Jérôme Spriet and Wolfgang Bregentzer. The table consists of a base and a top with an advanced acoustic system resting in between. Here is how the designers describe the concept: ‘The project Acoustable is born out of a reflection on music and ways of listening to it. As the digital revolution has made music more widely available, mobile and compact, so a good quality dock is essential. The idea of an object which combines good acoustics with user-friendly ergonomics arises from these considerations. The coffee table at the center of the room becomes the sound system and the power terminal. There are no visible technical elements, only the player and a remote which can both be stored in a built in pocket.’ So there you have it – the table with one more good reason to gather around.
Source: Freshome
Alain Monnens, the guy who designed the Flip lamp we like, came up with something interesting again. His new creation for tossB is called 25DEGREES. This unusual light fixture is made out of quadratic aluminium tubes, cut at a 25 degree angle. When mount on a wall or a ceiling, the lamp creates projection of light on the surface. This effect really comes to life when you position several 25DEGREES fixtures side by side. 360˚ rotatable, they can create multiple patterns of light on your wall or ceiling. 25DEGREES lamp is available in white, black and grey paint or brushed aluminum.
One great man once said that it is the useless things that make life worth living. This inspired design object does not add a lot of functional goodness to the interior, but I want it anyway. Traffic Jam coat hanger, created by serbian designer Vukašin Vukobratović was one of 11 winning projects of the 2011 ‘Young Balkan Designers’ competition. And you can clearly see why. The beauty and humor of this thing are irresistible. To be fair, the signage is interchangeable and can provide an actual direction to human masses in schools, hotels, offices and other public places. And for us, shoebox dwelling creatures, it can become a much needed eye candy.
Source: Designboom
Twist is a stackable bookcase created by Giuseppe Bavuso for Alivar. The idea was to create a versatile and visually stimulating storage unit, suitable for any room. The final product fills the bill brilliantly, and then some. Twist can be used as a bookcase, a display unit, a night stand, even a pouf, if used with a cushion. Stackable components are made out of the Hi MACS acrylic stone. The units are divided by the glass shelves, which makes them even more light and airy. The illusion of irregular cubic shapes is a nice touch, it creates beautiful dynamic.
