Check out this recycled wonder by Studio-aparte. What was once a pile of old nasty pallets has now been turned into a modern designer sofa. The pallet sofa, named ‘Woodstock’, can sit two people and has two smaller benches which sit discretely into the side. Very clever use of waste and an excellent example for recycling.
Today I went to John Lewis and had a wander around the furniture section and was very impressed. So impressed with one particular designer that I felt the need to tell all you guys / gals about her. Bethan Gray is a leading furniture and lighting designer who works for many leading manufacturers and retailers. The studio ethos is simple design with intriguing details to excite. They certainly deliver on this. Their love for high quality craftsmanship, solid honest materials, shapes and textures ensures all the final products have a unique flavour.
Slide, featured above, is a very cool shelving unit where functionality is not compromised. The interesting mix of white sliding doors and shelving allows you to hide those bits and bobs in your minimalist contemporary flat.
Noah is a family of pieces using high quality natural materials to create a luxurious range, with great durability and practicality. Not only does it look good but it has the ability to extend to suit any situation. The simple lines, clean joints and honest use of materials create a unique design. This restricted use of materials and finishes creates a unified modern design, suitable for any designer pad. The table set below made from solid oak, veneer and painted MDF tops with an A-frame base are a nice set of tables. The contrast between the different finishes and materials are simple but effective in uniting them with the rest of the Noah range.
I really admire Bethan Grays design philosophy. The idea of using honest materials, craftsmanship and simple solutions to create unique, new, fascinating and practical designs is something I believe gets lost in the techno society we live in today. Not only is her work visually great but functionality and everyday practicality is not reduced or restricted. Very glad I popped into John Lewis and great work Bethan!
I recently found this designer whilst browsing the net and took an instant interest in his work. Steuart specialises in furniture, lighting and overall product design, collecting many awards throughout his career. During September 2009 the Steuart Padwick brand was created and flourished throughout its first year. Look at the products and you can see why.
All of the products designed by Steuart Padwick have innocent and honest qualities. They retain the natural handcrafted element whilst also creating a retro esk vibe. The contrasting materials used throughout the products ensures a contemporary, fresh and elegant image is maintained for the brand. These innocent, well designed and honest pieces show product design / furniture design off to its best. For more information about Steuart Padwick and his products / designs head over to http://steuartpadwick.co.uk/index.html
Long time no post. Sorry for the long gap readers. I have had a busy few weeks starting a new job in bristol designing office furniture. Recently I found this site, www.made.com, and they sell some pretty cool things. Below are some images of my favourite designs.
This design by Bergman is one of my favourites. Very clean lines and simple use of material creates an almost Dieter Rams feel to the product. This would look great in any apartment.
Another piece from Made is the Stroller by Steuart Padwick. Super modern and high quality, this desk made from oak and walnut veneer will add a touch of class to any designer pad. The contrasting colours and honest use of materials creates a beautiful design.
These designs have really caught my eye and in the near future I will definitely be writing a full article about the designers. So keep checking back. Also if you wish to purchase these designs head over to www.made.com for an absolute bargain!
MSc design research featured here. http://designcherry.co.uk/2011/10/09/commu-urban-public-seating-by-nicholas-morris/ check it out and let me know what you think
West Elm has a new wooden perpetual calendar design. Although a nice clean design and environmentally sustainable I personally do not feel it addresses the problem or needs of current lifestyles. I know I would forget to change the blocks every day so it’s not personally for me! Nice design and concept though.
Via Design Milk
The Argonaut collection by Christina Skouloudi Design Studio and Athanasios Babalis, consists of six items for the table top. Manufactured from wood and steel these simple, clean, contemporary designs ooze current trends and lifestyles. Below are the six items from the collection.
From the collection my personal favourites are the laptop case, the tray and pepper / salt shakers. The simple use of materials, clean lines and contrasting textures create an honest aesthetic to the products.
Spotted on inspiration green this design is 100% recycled. Being made from manmade board, which would otherwise be sent to landfill, and old elastic bands it has a very honest quality surrounding it. Interesting idea and clever use of materials.
You will be kicking yourself when you read this and you are now thinking that’s so simple why didn’t I think of that. Well the truth is Damien Gires did and to be honest it’s a very good design. Bollards currently used for putting out cigarettes or pigeons to sit on can now be transformed into useful public seating and tables. No street construction is needed, just an existing metal bollard. The pressed metal unit looks great in the urban environment and would certainly grab people’s attention.
I saw this a few weeks ago and it instantly caught my attention, due to the clever use of materials and assembly. The video is an interesting watch as it shows a chair go from a wooden stick to a fully functional product. This design, although not ergonomic, is very interesting. It has a naturalistic element due to the limited use of materials and construction methods used. Overall I think this is a great design, very clever and simple, which means you can bet it took a long time to work out how it goes together. Great work Markus.
