Furniture Guaranteed for 300 Years!

That is what the debuted last month at the International Furniture Fair in Milan brand-new Swedish company Brikolör aims: to manufacture furniture "with a guaranteed emotional and technical durability of 300 years."

It appears that recession and ecological problems may have brought a considerable change in thinking: we again start to value longevity, good quality practical and well designed products that we like to have and keep as long as possible.
source: Springwise



















A very positive trend. For more highlights and other interesting trends from Milan Furniture Fair 2009 read my earlier posts.

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MINI Space - Another View to Milan Design Week

MINI and Airstream designed by Republic of Fritz Hansen have been at the Design Week and made a video diary. Have a look:

I have found my favorite desk at Salone del Mobile 2009 !

I just found my favorite working desn on Flickr Photo Download: Salone del Mobile 2009 Milano Gallery 2_8775 - this is SOCIALisBETTER's photostream, but could not identify the supplier or the designer. I will be happy to learn who are they? If you have idea, please write it down here below in the comments.
Isn't it the best of both worlds - to work on your PC and at the same time make your daily work out?

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More African Inspiration from Milan

An inspiring addition to the African influence trend from Milan Design Week:
with a fantastic installation designed by Stephen Burks and commissioned by Patrizia Moroso a culture that has been somehow ignored brought in Milan with its striking colours, patterns and weaves the sun of Africa. Moroso's M'Afrique installation in the Italian Superbrand's showroom on Via Pontaccio showed alongside work by African artists Fathi Hassan and Soly Cissé also iconic pieces of furniture from Moroso's archive covered in African fabrics. I like my favourite designer's Patricia Urquiola works Fjord and Bohemian much more in their African clothes!

source spotd.it

Another Favourite from Milan - Evolution or Rococo and Minimalism Together

How do you like the evolution of furniture design for the last centuries? I am curious to see your answers - this exquisite piece of furniture is an example of where we have been and where we are now just in one elegant product!

Evolution - "Unique precious masterpiece, characterized by the combunation of the hand-carved solid oak with the essentiality of contemporary style. Enriched by handles in burnished brass. Available in natural or tinted oak." is the description on the site of Emmemobili. Design Ferruccio Laviani.

So - which part do you like more? I like it as it is - both complement each other!

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African Influence at Salone Internazionale del Mobile, not only on the Runways

This year with the 'M'afrique' exhibition Moroso shows the creativity of a few of the great artists
and exponents of contemporary african culture, but I am impressed with another African influence - the ERMANNO SCERVINO launch of the company’s first furniture and linens collection inspired by the designer’s African vacations. Sofas, chairs and a canopy bed covered with crocheted raffia in black or natural. And especially interesting raffia armchair with legs aand arms made of horns of zebu cow. The furniture is produced under license by Nicoletti.
source: The Selvedge Yard



It appears that African influence is a fashion trend, too - have a look at NewYork Times Fashion and Style.
Again fashion and interior design trends share a common source of inspiration.

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Crafts are in Fashion at Milan Furniture Fair 2009

I have posted several examples already about the crafts trend at this year's Milan Design Week, but this one seems to be my favourite:

GAN, Gandia Blasco’s carpet and textile brand, presents at the Salone in Milan the second collection designed by Patricia Urquiola - MANGAS.
MANGAS (engl. SLEEVES) is based on a patchwork of different wool knits, to create a collection of various typologies with different shapes, going from Manga corta (short sleeve) to Manga de campana (bell-shaped sleeve).
The result is a series of eight very special carpets, full of nuances, due to their variety of textures and colours
Another one: KAIRO, a chair in solid fragrant cedar-wood.
Reflecting on the experience of designing KAIRO, Karim Rashid says: “When I designed the KAIRO chair for RIVA 1920 I was guided by the woodworking process itself used to produce a piece of furniture from a simple block of wood, with the ’objective of removing the least quantity of wood possible from the trunk.
The unusual double-arc form cut into the chair draws its inspiration from my recent trip to Egypt where I was particularly struck by these lines that seem to conjure up an eye. A line that I found again and again in furniture, in the shape of certain boats carved by hand into the wood and in the symbolism of hieroglyphic writing of the ancient Egyptians”. (source Architonic)

But probably one of the most popular events during thie design week is the Craft Punk event organized by Fendi and Design Miami "In response to new currents in design practice and the present state of the world, Craft Punk is a celebration of tenacious creative expression, unruly experimentation, and brilliantly low-tech design processes."A selection of young designers working onsite with traditional handcraft methods to create nonconformist, cutting-edge objects, installations, and encounters.

The meaning of the word punk here (according to designboom) "the drive and inspiration to make something from nothing; finding beauty in things that are imperfect and asserting one’s voice despite restricted opportunities."


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My Pecha Kucha Presentation

Pecha Kucha Sofia
My theme: Design in RECESSION and
many other re-wordsWith examples from the latest in Milan Furniture Fair 2009.

Във времето на многото Rе-та

View more from trendoffice.

See more posts forMilan Design Week 09

A Dancing Table at Milan Design Week

Have you seen another dancing table?
Milan based designer Emmanuel Babled presents at the officially starting today Milan Design Week a marble table with the most suitable name 'Paso Doble', produced by Tor Art.

What would you say - can marble look lighter and more mobile than this?

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Kilt and norwegian pullover for the terrace

That is the Stylepark's original title of the story behind the new special edition D.D.C. (Dedon Dress Code):
"the Dedon Dress Code takes its inspiration from specific ideas and styles in the fashion business. Here, traditional Scottish tartan "Edinburgh" not only stands for the culture of the highlands but also for the type of genre-crossing elevated to a principle in the London of the punk era by such icons as the Sex Pistols and Vivienne Westwood. "Cambon", on the other hand, transfers the 1950s New Look with its characteristic hound's tooth checks to large-format furniture decors. In fashion and interior design (in the Vorwerk collection "Inspiration") and even in automobile design (for example, in the Kia Soul) ironically enlarged hound's tooth patterns are currently in evidence relatively often. "Marseille" - a textile with brilliant blue stripes references the sailor look so often in vogue on the French Riviera and thus, simultaneously, articulates the kind of landscapes of longing where the idea of an "outdoor living room" seems particularly plausible. "Oslo", a somewhat smaller-scale design, is meant, so the press release would have us believe, to personify "the untamed wilderness and harshness" of the Scandinavian landscape. The idea for this came from the Norwegian pullover."

- you see, another evidence of the connection between interior design and fashion! These new outdoor collections are going to be launched next week at the Milan Furniture Fair.
Previews and more news for iSaloni are available here.

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PREVIEW iSaloni: Luceplan

The suspension lamp Hope is one of Luceplan key products that are to be launched next week at iSaloni.
It refers to Bohemian crystal chandeliers interpreting them with sophisticated technologies and contemporary materials.

Designed by Francisco Gomez Paz and Paolo Rizzatto as “a plastic chandelier, light, unbreakable, with low environmental impact, not very cumbersome, easy to assemble and disassemble, with a lower cost than its more illustrious forebears, but still capable of lighting, furnishing and astonishing” it "reveals that it is possible to update the typology of the traditional chandelier, adding something to its aura".
More about this interesting design project on the site of INTERNI magazine.


source: design-italia

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New at Milan Salone: Mosaic Shoe Bathtub

This is not only the most unusual idea of a bath tub, but it also seems to be very comfortable! And probably the first one intended for women - or not?
This new bathtub model will be unveiled at the Milan showroom of SICIS, April 22 to 27, 2009.
The mosaic detail on this shoe is made from very tiny glass tiles, less than a tenth of an inch each.







source
More news for Milan Furniture Fair 2009

ZOO - Marc Sadler's New Table at Milan

Designer Marc Sadler has created an elegant table for the Italian company Caimi that will be launched at the coming Milan Design Week this month. The new rectangular table ZOO has toughened glass top with rounded edges and is distinguished by its unique sculptural legs. Made in a composite of steel and carbon, they are characterized by their innovative and three-dimensional textural finish. The fixings at the top and the feet are in satined stainless steel.

Source: Products | DOMUS

More about Milan Furniture Fair 2009

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Milan Design Week 2009 Preview

Milan's Salone Internazionale del Mobile event is considered by many to be the most important international design event of the year. Why? - the answer is in my article published in the latest issue of PLiNTH & CHiNTZ.
I have many posts here about what is coming in the 2009 Milan Furniture Fair this month. The article has collected most of these previews. But we still are going to see more exciting news from Milan this month. Visit regularly for updates.
And comments are welcome, too.

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My Favourate Designs from Milan Design Week 2009 Previews

I have published already a lot of previews

of the much expected Milan Furniture Fair that will open next month. And many new are coming every day, especially on the site of designboom.

But my favoritepiece of furniture is the pure white cabinet designed for Bd Barcelona by the French graphic designers Antoine & Manuel. It tells stories through its carved doors and unusual legs. I expected it to be a great success. It was exhibited for the first time in Paris Maison et Objet this January, with a great success of attendance.




I also acclaim the "More" furniture system by Giorgio Caporaso idea for modular unit that can easily
be joined without the use of specific tools, to make a bookshelf, a table, a chair or a separating unit. It can be made of cardboard, too. It is an example of good Recession-Friendly Design. Which, to my regret, not always means high aesthetic value.






But Regenesi's mandate is to use only post-consumer materials treated with original processing techniques that allow for the same quality standards associated with virgin raw materials. With Regenesi's products are connected the names of designers such as Denis Santachiara, Matali Crasset, Setsu and Shinobu Ito, Giulio Iacchetti and Marco Ferreri, and products include this basket made from regenerated leather and the Fruit Bag by Setsu and Shinobu Ito. Regenesi will be exhibiting at FuoriSalone in Milan next month.

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More New Furniture for Milan Furniture Fair 2009

Designer- artist Ayala Serfaty is famous for her Aqua Creations, but her new range of inspired designs that will be on display at the upcoming Milan Furniture Fair will include a combination of lighting and furniture designs made of naturally soft and pliable materials such as hand-made felt, clay, and angora:
Apaya Floor Lamp is made from hand-crafted mohair and angora felt mixed with pure silk, dressed over a clear cylinder.
Gladis Lounge chair is hand-made from a variety of high-end fabrics upholstered over ergonomically shaped polyurethane foam and set on a swiveling ten-wheeled base allowing natural movement and positioning.

Shasta Table is hand-sculpted out of clay.





Right and below is the new Roche Bobois collection of 2009 spring-summer furnishings that will be shown at the Milan Design Week this April.











































Source: CONTEMPORIST

All posts for Milan 2009

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Milan 2009: Patricia Urquiola for Moroso

MoCo Loco have published the new designs of Patricia Urquiola for Moroso that will be launched at Milan Design Week this April. I have been expecting her new products - she is the designer who records the best achievements there each year. She is also my favourite designer and I have been following every product she has created.







As always Urquiola has the most clever practical approach - in hard times we do return to classics and established values. And what better values than the century old folk art? A revival of interest in eastern European folk art began last year and I expect that her Fergana collection will be a great success.
The other her new projects - Aden Sofa & Rift Armchair, at least in the way they look as color drawings at the moment - do not impress me.

From all these the Fergana sofa - top - is the one that best combines the beauty of folklore elements with modern design. For those that are not aware - even though it is said that she has been using Antique Uzbek techniques, wooden base accessorized with a series of richly coloured cushions has been old traditional seating for centuries also here, in Bulgaria - similar example can be seen below.






















More preveiews for Milan Furniture Fair 2009

"Recession-Friendly" Design

Good design does not always have to equate high price tags. In hard times like these even the Oscars are taking a recession-friendly approach with absence of the over-the-top, couture designs that usually shine on the carpet. Design can also change the pathway of spendings by introducing "recession-friendly" alternatives. A lot of interesting designs appear when we change our attitude.

Have a look at the 'More' cardboard elements by Giorgio Caporaso that are going to be launched at the Milan Design Week this April - aren't they useful and elegant and Recession-Friendly Design?




Or this tubesqueezer at right? I am curious to see what other interesting design products and solutions provoked by the economic crisis will appear. And can a recession actually spark innovation? What about you?

Milk stool - a Sign of New Trend?

David Report blog shows another new product that is going to be part of the Milan Furniture Fair 2009 - the Milk stool by Swedish designer Staffan Holm. What impressed me most is his interest in making design that focuses on emotional sustainability rather than practical function - i.e. the possibilities of making design that becomes precious for people and makes us want to keep it for future generations. I think that this could be a new trend in design - to empower people to improve their quality of living not only via physical, economic and environmental sustainability, but also through emotional sustainability.




Or - time has come again when we are beginning to value good craftsmanship, exquisite details implementation and natural materials. Or both?

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News for Milan Design Week 2009

In addition to the already posted new products that are going to be launched at this year's i Saloni I have received news also about several more interesting designs:

Prometeo lamp from carbon fibers for I Tre will be presented at Euroluce 2009









'sof' chairs by akihisa hirata






















Memory lamp from recycled paper by Yu Jordy Fu














‘dodo’ and ‘paradise tree’ by oiva toikka for Maggies

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All posts Milan 2009


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