Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Donald M. Rattner.
In 1964 Andy Warhol made a huge splash in the art world with his Brillo sculptures. Blurring the boundaries between art and industrial production, Warhol asked whether these two previously distinct categories could remain separate in an age of mechanical reproduction and mass media.
Recently, the Andy Warhol Foundation teamed with the multi-disciplinary interior and product design firm Quinze & Milan to ask the question again today – only now it’s a piece of furniture that bears the famous logo. Made of plush and easy-to-clean QM foam, and measuring 15 3/4 inches in all directions, the Brillo pouf works as a seat, an ottoman, a pedestal or your own piece of post-Pop sculpture. Purchase here.
Leviathan Table has been created by German designer Michael Bernard. Minimalist and aesthetically pleasing, the piece features removable lightweight legs, made from wire-tubing. The table is easy to put together for a dinner party and take apart for storage. Clever.
Sgabo is a collapsible piece created by Italian designer Alessandro Di Prisco. This stool is both attractive and functional, and it’s ability to fold flat makes it a solid contender for a small urban apartment. It can provide an extra seating or serve as an impromptu side table. The folding is done with a single fluid motion. The seat features ergonomic holes for your fingers (nice!). Sgabo is available in four colors – white, yellow, light green, and light blue.
This upcoming furniture collection holds a lot of promise for an urban dweller. Envisioned by studio New York Functional Furniture (NYFU), the line consists of transformable, compact pieces, ideal for cramped city living. Each item is designed with the dual (sometimes triple and quadruple) purpose. I especially love the storage infused desk and imaginative transformable seating. Watch the video after the break to see these pieces in action.
If you have a tendency to pile up books near your bed or couch (I do) – you will love this bookcase. Designed by studio Reverso for furniture brand Cattelan Italia, the piece takes this piling habit and turns it into a visually pleasing object. DNA Bookcase lets you arrange your books into a double spiral, imitating a DNA cell diagram. Filled with books, the shelving itself becomes invisible, making the whole arrangement look like a book sculpture. Lovely idea, wishlisted.
Multifunctional Desk is a concept project, developed by Polish designer Agata Nowak. A comfortable workspace by day, the piece unfolds into a dining table big enough to accommodate six persons. “The multifunctional desk is designed to help solving the problem of living and working in small spaces, – designer says. – Users can easily adapt the desk to their needs, and transform it during the day.” In its folded state the piece is very compact, and by simply unfolding one side – you can easily create another workspace or extend the existing one. I also love the secluded feel the desk has with both sides lifted. A useful feature for working in a room, where other activities take place.
Milan based designers Enrico De Lotto, Georgios (koli) Kolliopoulos and Cristian Loddo of studio Mandalaki created this timely object, called Mandalaki table. The piece consists of two iron pipe legs, that are attached to the double faced light blue/white tabletop without any screws, just by virtue of their curve. The table is easy to assemble and disassemble. But the best feature of the piece is the control over pesky cordage. It features six main plugs and two USB ports, which allow to charge iPhone, iPod, iPad and other mobile devices. Here is how designers describe their idea: “Our relationship with electronic devices is changing fast, and the number of portable applications grows day by day. That’s why we developed a line of office / house instruments, that integrate the electricity outlet, easy to mount, and adapting to user’s new needs to simplify his actions.” Very clever.
Photography by Miro Zagnoli
Elegant futons are not easy to come by. I only featured one in the past. This one, called Figo, is another futon idea I quite like, mainly because it can look and function like a legitimate and attractive piece of furniture. A lounge chair by day, Figo transforms into an impromptu bed by night. Perfect for small apartments and unexpected guests. The frame is made in Denmark from sustainable nordic pine, the mattress and the headrest are produced from soft and durable polycotton (55% cotton and 45% polyester). Figo comes in nine colors. Available for purchase here.
This small and beautiful writing table has been created by Amsterdam based designer Roel Huisman. The piece is first in its kind, its tabletop is made from polyester resin. Added pigments informed the subtle aquamarine color and the opaque quality. Ash-wood accessories complete the workspace. The table features a lamp, a vase and a small storage compartment, concealed by a sliding ash writing surface.
This multifunctional shelf, aptly called Nomad, has been created by studio VE2 for the Danish furniture brand Skagerak. Elegant and understated, Nomad can be used in any room. You can easily move it around and change its function with supplementary shelves and hooks. The piece has won the The Formland Design Award in 2012. Available for purchase here.
