Inform Interiors Sample Sale
Tomorrow: get thee to Piccolo!
Hours: Tue.-Sat. 10-6 p.m. Mondays by appointment.
Add comment January 14th, 2010
Urbancase at ICFF
Last week we brought you the latest on international contemporary design with Inform Seattle’s Hillary and Stephen and their eye-witness accounts of New York’s ICFF, but we still have one more thing to show you—this time with a local flavor.
Urbancase, located just south of Georgetown, was founded in 2002 by metal worker and sculptor Darin Montgomery. Along with artists Catherine Grisez and Rachel Illingworth, Urbancase creates furniture and lighting from a range of materials including wood, metal, ink and resin.
"To create objects that contribute to a simpler, pared-back lifestyle focusing on basic aesthetic elements and functionality" is their design philosophy. "We make informed decisions about the materials and methods we use in an attempt to minimize the negative impact on the environment," Montgomery says.
In their second year exhibiting at ICFF, they unveiled four new pieces: the Petal Credenza, Thorn Side Table, Vine Wallpaper designed by Rachael Illingworth, and the Vine Lamp. We talked to founder Montgomery about the inspiration behind these team’s experience at the show, as well as the present and future of the company’s designs.
"The idea [for the Petal Credenza and Thorn Side Table] came when my partner and I started thinking about rose petals floating in liquid and about them randomly dispersed on a surface. We started working on the credenza and coffee table both dealing with the idea of a petal and rose theme, everything being soft and delicate. The thorn on the side table is a slightly contradictory image because a thorn is sharp, but the design on the table has very soft edges."
"For a lot of the small firms there was the use of different materials, or using common materials in new ways," Mongtomery says when asked about an overall theme at ICFF. "People also seem to be making better decisions about those materials, along the lines of using sustainable products."
Sustainability is one issue that is important to Urbancase. Montgomery explains that he sees a lot of companies ascribing to that claim, but thinks that many of them are doing it for the wrong reasons. "A lot of people use green or eco-friendly as advertising. We make a conscious effort to stay away from that terminology," he says. We look at it as something we all should have been doing all along, and we want to make an heirloom piece instead of something discarded. We want to build really good furniture that will be around for along time."
So what’s on the horizon for this innovative firm? They plan to exhibit again at ICFF next year, working with several different themes. "We want to expand on the organic theme, but go in a different direction, not necessarily with roses or vines. We are looking at a way of mixing organic ideas with modern, slick design."
You can find Urbancase furniture in the Seattle area at:
Urchin
1922 First Ave., (206) 448-5800
Click! Design that Fits
2210 California Ave. S.W., (206) 328-9252
The company is working on being represented at several more locations around the country, including one more in Seattle. In addition to retail locations, Urbancase has worked on commercial projects in the city such as All City Coffee and Moxie restaurant. Look for their work in the soon-to-open Belltown restaurant, Tillicum Place, located at Fourth and Cedar.
Add comment June 5th, 2008
Stephen at ICFF
The show may be over, but there’s still a lot to report about New York’s ICFF. Stephen Dooley, of Inform Interiors, is here to shed more light on the event.
[When I arrived] I took the A-train from JFK airport directly to Knoll Headquarters to see one of the world’s most respected names in home furnishings. Upon entering the beautifully retooled showroom, I was greeted by the foremost expert of color and fabrics trend forecasting, Dorothy Cosonas. She is head of the Knoll Luxe Line of fabrics, which are inspired by original Florence Knoll textiles but have an updated, modern luxurious feel. Knoll has reintroduced long-retired pieces by George Nakashima and Joseph Paul D’Urso, as well as a Mies van der Rohe barstool that hasn’t been seen since he designed it for the Four Seasons Restaurant of NYC in 1958.
One of this year’s trends is furniture for stylish kids, or rather furniture for stylish adults who have children. The Barcelona, Womb and Diamond Chair, all modern classics, now come in pint-sized portions so the little ones won’t be left out.
The next morning, I headed to breakfast at the Finnish company, Artek. Artek’s collection of bent wood chairs and tables by Finnish master Alvar Aalto have become icons, which attests to the power of simple designs to endure through the years.
Recently appointed CEO and creative director, British designer Tom Dixon has reimagined the history and the charm that the Artek line engenders by collecting hundreds of first edition bent wood stools that have been painted and altered through many generations of families around the world. These original stools show the beauty of buying a classically designed and constructed piece of furniture, and of allowing it to gain character over the years. The display of stools and chairs were shown in beautiful white lacquer next to art and new products from all over Finland, including home accessory giant Iittala, which is currently exploring the concept of non-disposable furnishings.
Against the blustery wind, we trekked back to The Javits Center to walk among the aisles with new energy. Fresh designers from Tokyo comingled with established big-timers such as Emeco and Carl Hansen.
Above, Fritz Hansen with a classic PK series chair on a recycled Persian Carpet made of scraps. Foscarini lamps in the background.
Eric Hansen walked me through some of the reintroduced pieces by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen and Son. This third generation family woodworking company has religiously studied Wegner’s original designs and decided to bring back the early 1970’s "100 series" sofa with a gorgeous stainless frame and the finest Danish leather.
Emeco has collaborated with Ettore Sottsass whose Nine-O chair was not only a hit at the show with it’s vibrant colors as Hillary mentioned, but was officially the last chair the 90-year-old designer completed upon his death last year. Speaking of color, I noticed that the edgy, somewhat gothic creations from Moooi contrasted the edgy bright colors of neighboring Missoni fabrics with bright stripes and patterns in bold relief.
I think one of the most exciting things that I saw this year was Herman Miller’s new line of affordable home office desk and storage systems (above).
At left, Porcia Miseria features pieces of porcelain exploding from the light source sending stacks of dishware, forks and even knives, in all directions with light bouncing off all the surfaces.
Tuesday was my SOHO standout day. SOHO is where furniture and lighting are door to door with some of the most amazing shopping in the world, from clothiers like Paul Smith and Marc Jacobs, to D&G and Prada.
This year I loved the newly renovated Ingo Maurer Showroom, which is always a fantastical treat. Last year there were imaginative uses of rubber mice in gold cages and toothpaste tins, while this year there were snakelike creations, twisted metal table lamps, innovative LED lighting and classic showstoppers like the Porcia Miseria, which features pieces of porcelain exploding from the light source sending stacks of dishware, forks and even knives, in all directions with light bouncing off all the surfaces.
Other notables in SOHO included design curator Murray Moss’ store appropriately named Moss. It had collections of one-of-a-kind editions by Studio Job and Hella Jongerious, as well as a much-hyped collection of taxidermy. Other fun stops on the SOHO road trip include a display at Design Within Reach, which featured Canadian designers such as Vancouver, BC’s Niels Bendtsenin the spotlight, as well as the Diesel showroom, which featured towering upholstered sculptures by Jaime Hayon in the center of the shop.
On the edge of SOHO, Matter displayed some very cool pieces by Established & Sons including one piece made of sliding drawers with false fronts the open from the side.
Allison Mills (Inform Interiors showroom owner) spied Stephen Burks dumpster diving outside the SOHO Cappellini showroom. Burks, known for incorporating the use of recycled products, is the first African-American designer to work with Cappellini, Estée Lauder, Herman Miller, Missoni , Moroso, Triple 5 Soul, Vitra and Zanotta. He was seen building this sculpture with representatives from Cappellini and Poltrona Frau. Maybe Allison witnessed a design we will see in 2009?
Add comment May 27th, 2008
Hillary’s Favorites from ICFF
The best part about attending ICFF and other market fairs is indulging in your own personal furniture fantasies. Here is Hillary’s "wish list" from the show. (Read carefully to find out which piece she will actually get to enjoy in her real home.)
Bocci lighting: Two different series. On the left is their existing lighting collection, the 14 series, made up of glass pendants. On the right is their new collection, the 21 series, made up of porcelain pendants. (Note from Stacy: Ever since seeing the 14 series in the windows at Inform, they have been on my wish list!)
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The Moooi booth: The Pig table (front design) unfortunately got a bit cut up in shipping and needed some serious first aid.
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The Vitra booth: This is the Alcove chair from the Bouroullec brothers, Ronan and Erwan. They did the Alcove sofa which we have the showroom but have just launched the chair version. It was so wonderful and cozy; finally [I found] peace and quiet at the show.
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The Steelwood chair from the Bouroullec brothers for Magis. It’s my new dining chair! I love it. The frame is steel and the legs and seat are beech wood.
Herman Miller came out with some great new pieces that were a fresh look for them which is nice to see but still fits within the Herman Miller branded look. This is one of the small desks that are available.
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Corallo by Fernando and Humberto Campana for Edra. This piece and most of their pieces are amazing and crazy and fun. I love their stuff and the brothers’ stories behind their pieces. Very hot right now.
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A student exhibition of using chairs to define words. Interesting and cool to see student works at the fair.
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Again, the Moooi booth. Their new (to the U.S.) pendant that I desperately want, the Cluster light. It is so cute!
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The new really cool fireplace from Ecosmart, Taco. It is made of leather and is really stunning. The Ecosmart fires burn off of Ethanol, denatured alcohol so you don’t need a flu or chimney or gas hookup. Anyone can have the luxury of a fireplace now. Beautiful.
Add comment May 22nd, 2008
Party Time at ICFF
When you gather creative people together for one purpose, as at ICFF, fabulous parties are sure to be close behind. Hillary dazzles us with tales from "the inside," as she winds her way through furniture and fetes.
On Friday, Conran (a great, huge showroom in midtown on the East Side) hosted their annual party during ICFF, featuring lots of exciting products and people to see. This year, products by various Spanish Designers were on display and the name on everyone’s lips was Jamie Hayon, the multi-talented artist who’s clients range from Bisazza to Coca-Cola.
The look of the party was stunning, and all the Spanish pieces were done in a vibrant poppy red. From there it was off to Chelsea for the Surface magazine party. Held in an old warehouse, we ascended to the ninth floor via a huge freight elevator. Inside, the view was amazing. Gandia Blasco provided the lounge furnishings while a DJ spun some tunes.
The next day, I was lucky enough to hear Konstanin Grcic speak (photo above) about his new chair for the manufacturer, Plank. The chair, MYTO, is a beautiful new cantilevered chair made from a superlight and strong plastic. He went into quite a bit of detail regarding his design, as well as a history lesson on the cantilevered chair.
"Its high flowability, coupled with the strength of this plastic, allows an elegant transition from thick to thin cross sections," he said. "The construction of the chair is based on a supporting frame which dissolves seamlessly into the net-like perforations of the seat and backrest."
I decided to test it out for myself, and I have to say it’s really comfortable!
After the fair, I headed to the ICFF opening party at MOMA. The building took my breath away, and so began the evening that changed my life! As I sipped my drink and marveled at the terrace garden and reflecting pool, none other than Marcel Wanders sidles next to me. I thought quickly and offered him a glass of wine before he could even order, and next thing I knew we were talking for a half an hour! It was unbelievable. I was speaking to one of the most influential designers in the industry. It just goes to show that anything can happen in New York!
SOHO beckoned us for another round of parties, so we went to Moss, a wonderful retail showroom and gallery space with special one-off pieces by many great designers. Here is where I saw Hella Jongerius, a wonderful, beautiful woman with great pieces (I love her Bovist Pouf from Vitra) and Studio Job the design team that did the Paper Mache series for Moooi. From there we moved onto B&B Italia, and Cappellini across the street. Here my party circuit ended, as well as my time exploring ICFF.
Hillary’s celebrity sightings:
- Giampaolo Benedini (head designer/ owner of Agape)
- Dirk Wynants (head designer/ owner of Extremis)
- Hella Jongurius (ceramics and furniture designer for Droog, Vitra)
- Marcel Wanders (head designer/ creative director for Moooi)
- Naoto Fukasawa (head designer/ owner of Plus Minus Zero, designed for Vitra, Muji)
- Jasper Morrison (furniture/ products designer for Magis, Vitra)
- Studio Job (designers from the Netherlands, Paper series from Moooi)
- Konstantin Grcic (furniture designer for Magis, Plank, etc.)
- Brent Comber (head designer/ owner of Brent Comber Originals)
- Omer Arbel (head designer/ owner of Bocci)
Stephen Dooley, also from Inform Seattle, takes over for Hillary tomorrow!
Add comment May 21st, 2008
Spotted at ICFF: Color Trend
Hillary saw many emerging trends at ICFF, one of which was…
Color! There was lots and lots of color out there—strong, bright bold colors were used throughout the show. It was terrific to see this after the popularity of neutrals and blacks in the past few years. The whole show felt really bright and vibrant to me.
Designer Ettore Sottsass gives the enduring style of Emeco’s Navy Chair a modern update with bright, contemporary colors. Orange and chartreuse have had a recent renaissance in fashion and it was only a matter of time before they were translated into furniture.
Candy-colored plastic molded furniture have become icons for Kartell, but the deep green in the foremost chair in this photo is a color we haven’t seen in home decor in a while. Revealed this year in Milan, the Papyrus Chair was designed by the French duo Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. It’s a modern interpretation of vintage seating—in technicolor.
The manufacturer Orange22 did a series of bright tables upon which several top designers did their own designs, and part of their royalties went to charities of their choice.
This table was designed by Massimo Vignelli, noted designer of the iconic New York subway signs in the late 1960s.
Wallpaper continues to be be presented in fresh new designs, and one of the leaders in this movement is New Orleans-based company, Flavor Paper. Their work can be seen in hotels, restaurants and retail spaces.
You heard it here first: look for colorful pieces to update any space.
1 comment May 21st, 2008
ICFF: The Beginning
Despite rainy weather and the prospect of being on foot from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Hillary began her journey into the heart of the design scene in New York:
On Saturday, the first day of the show, the Jacob Javit’s center was buzzing; more people attended and more booths showed than in past years. The products on display ranged from craft collections to kitchen and bath lines.
The space impressed me right away.
Exhibit Space: 145,000 net square feet
Exhibitors: 642
Countries Represented: 38
We’d recognize those copper pendants anywhere—proof that designer Tom Dixon’s pieces are still going strong.
The power of black and white is on display at the Moooi booth.
That day, I also headed to SOHO to check out various showrooms to get some ideas for display for Inform. For anyone that is a design or fashion buff, SOHO is the place to be! I made my way through B&B Italia, Fritz Hansen, Ingo Maurer, Cappellini, De la Espada and Moss.
Lucky you Hillary—and tomorrow we’ll see her get even luckier as she bumps elbows with celebrity designers. Is that you, Marcel Wanders?
1 comment May 20th, 2008
International Contemporary Furniture Fair
Members of the contemporary design world descended upon New York last weekend—and are still swarming about the city—in order to attend one of the most anticipated market shows of the year: the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, or ICFF.
We are pleased to inform you, dear readers, that we have exclusive coverage from the fair, including the best booths, the hottest designs and news from the manufacturers and designers themselves. Let us introduce our informants: Hillary Reilly and Stephen Dooley of Seattle’s Inform Interiors. The duo has travelled across the country to attend the fair, and it is through their unique perspective that we will report all the details.
Stay tuned for the first installment tomorrow, and see for yourself the present and future of contemporary design.
Add comment May 19th, 2008
