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Pop-up garden along the Thames
Wednesday, 22nd May 2013 at 11:20am
The Design Museum has opened a pop-up garden in 'The Tank' outside the museum along the Thames. The garden is a joint venture with Swiss design company Vitra.The garden, with its overgrow grass, features designs from some of the biggest names such as Charles and Ray Eames, Jasper Morrison, Jay Osgerby and Verner Panton. It also provides a space for visitors to sit and enjoy the area and sights.
All the pieces featured are also on sale at the museum shop or online here.Tagged Design, furniture, pop up, Thames, Design Museum, Vitra
Target builds giant dolls house in station
Thursday, 9th May 2013 at 1:30pm
In an experiential stunt of the grandest of scales, American retailer Target built a life-size dolls house in the middle of Grand Central Station in New York.The installation, which was created by Deutsch Los Angeles, is a showcase of their Threshold home décor line and features between 3,500 and 4,000 products, with staff on hand for demonstrations and help.
The dolls house was built in just 54 hours by fitting together interlocking 4-by-8 panels creating a 1600-square-foot open-plan house, as well as a patio and lawn area. This space allows Target to show-off their latest lines in their entirety, which would not be possible to do in stores, and will give some great exposure with over 500,000 people visiting the station every day.
You can find out more about the installation at Ad Age here.Tagged Target, Grand Central, New York, Threshold, Deutsch, Marketing, experiential, stunt, interiors, furniture
The Chalk Room
Tuesday, 7th May 2013 at 11:52am
Design studio JamesPlumb has followed up their refit of East London based store Hostem's shop floor with a new showroom in the basement of the same building.
A dimly lit room, decorated with some unique furniture, The Chalk Room is currently dedicated to Hostem's bespoke service, made-to-measure clothing and accessories, but shoppers can also order furniture from JamesPlumb including a chandelier made from clusters of antique lampshades and a chest of drawers built from stacks of suitcases.
To create the downstairs room the studio opened up the space, painted it dark and dimmed the lighting, creating calmness by making the corners and edges of the walls disappear.
Some of the unique furniture they have provided for the space includes a Chesterfield sofa that has a table coming out of the centre and a wardrobe that appears to be falling over.
Find out more about their work with Hostem at dezeen.
Photographs by Thomas Giddings.
Milan Design Week 2013 Showcase
Thursday, 18th April 2013 at 1:24pm
Milan Design Week an event that showcases the latest designs from around the world with a focus upon furniture took place at the beginning of the month.
Many architects have worked in collaboration with manufacturers to design pieces to be shown here, and ArchDaily has compiled a list of what they feel are the Best Architect Designed Products from the week.
The list includes work by Jean Nouvel for Ruco Line, where he explored fashion, creating Pure - a high quality trainer that idolizes “purity of form”.
Also featured is Tools for Life, a new furniture range designed by OMA for Knoll and Ron Arad’s 3 Nuns Stool for Moroso’s American Collection.
Take look at the full list here.
A desk system for collaboration
Wednesday, 13th March 2013 at 1:05pm
Designer Seth Moczydlowski was thinking of educations establishments when designing the Synthesis Collaborative Desk, but we feel that there is serious potential for a wide range of applications. Each desk stands alone or fits snugly in a group of five for collaboration. The blend of wood and vibrant colors creates an interesting visual contrast that defines individual space when working together. Stackable, durable, and lightweight, they’re a great solution in any creative environment.
They were designed as part of an open-ended assignment that was themed around nature and the concepts of isolation vs. togetherness. Fulfilling this brief Seth states "In the classroom, students are required to work individually, as well as collaboratively at different times of the day. My desk design allows both functions, while providing an aesthetically pleasing environment for learning."
Let us know what you think of them; would you like to use them in your office?Tagged furniture, design, collaboration, office, creative, desks, interiors, education, students
Space saving seating
Thursday, 21st February 2013 at 10:05am
A system of stools that slot together to form a cube has been designed and built by Naho Matsuno.Cube 6 is a product made from birch plywood and maple and the cube is 350 x 350 x 350mm when slotted together, and creates 6 stools or tables when taken apart.
Perfect for those who love to entertain or are short of space. The clever use of rails allows the stools to easily slide together and come apart when needed.
The is also a 3 stool version.Tagged Design, furniture, space saving, innovation, morphing, Matsuno, interiors
Fancy a seat with some style?
Wednesday, 13th February 2013 at 9:33am
Creative furniture company Sixinch is giving away their amazing Hex Stool.It's very easy to enter; all you need to do is email them at pr@sixinch.eu with your name by the 28th February, and you will be entered into a draw to win one of five of these funky bits of furniture.
Sixinch specializes in the design and manufacturing of high concept foam coated furniture and architectural products.
Find out more here.
Tagged Competition, seating, design, innovation, furniture, promotion, Hexstool, Sixinch, funky
Talk to street furniture in Bristol
Tuesday, 29th January 2013 at 9:00am
The winning project of the first Playable City Awards will allow residents of Bristol to text lamp posts, post boxes and other street furniture."Hello Lamp Post" is an interactive art project, that allows users to text a number with the message hello, the objects name and the identifier code used on all street furniture. In turn they will receive a reply from this item, leading to either a conversation or possibly a game.
The project was conceived by London-based Pan Studios and locals will be able to start conversing with bus stops and more from June this year.
You can download the full proposal here.Tagged Playable City, Pan, creative, innovative, experiential, interactive, social, Bristol, furniture, engage
Iconic stool turns 80
Friday, 25th January 2013 at 12:57pm
One of the most iconic and yet simplistic pieces of furniture turns 80 this year. Artek’s Stool 60 is a familiar sight to many, and it is not really a surprise that this beautifully simple stool was designed by highly acclaimed architect Alvar Aalto.
The unique design of the stool relies on the fact that it was the first 3-legged stool made of wood, and not tubular steel, with the iconic L-shaped legs taking years to perfect, the result being a simple and stackable stool that has survived the test of time for the best part of a century.
To commemorate the 80th birthday, Artek is releasing a series of the stools in the same colours that Alvar used in his designs at the time of their creation. They are also working with well known architects and designers to produce a new series of stools, with the first ones being released designed by Mike Meiré.
There is a video showing the creation of his colourful stools below. Read the 80th Birthday press release here.Tagged Architecture, design, stool 60, artek, Alvar Aalto, Mike Meire, furniture, interiors, brand
Morphing business card
Sunday, 18th November 2012 at 6:26pm
Vintage furniture retailer Bentply has come up with a rather interesting business card. The card is made from kiss-cut plywood and can be made into a mini bent chair - a replica of an iconic 1934 armchair designed by Gerald Summers.
A very inventive and fun way to get people to remember your brand, whilst also pandering to their creative side.
Find out more about London retailer Bentply here.Tagged Furniture, Bentply, design, creative, business card, chair, Gerald Summers, Armchair
Boss launches innovation in privacy seating
Sunday, 18th November 2012 at 6:10pm
Boss Design has created a totally symmetrical personal seating unit that boasts advanced acoustic qualities.Cega is formed by a profile cut tubular construction and features advanced internal heat welded vertical fluted upholstery. It has a contoured design has been developed to reduce peripheral vision and external noise, whilst the open top structure allows for the correct level of ambient light to pass through the system.
Cega is available as a static unit or as a 360 degree swivel alternative for enhanced privacy.
A great piece of design and function - perfect for public spaces where privacy is required.
See more at Boss Design.Tagged Seating, Boss, innovation, acoustics, Cega, Design, Privacy, Furniture, Boss Design
Office sector outlook
Thursday, 11th October 2012 at 7:04pm
Our guest blogger Helen Parton takes a look at current office furniture trends.
Orgatec, the biennial exhibition championing all things workplace, is rapidly approaching. Before you all head to Cologne, let's consider how the office landscape has changed in the last few years.
Now that even those so staunchly resistant to the open plan working concept such as the legal profession have wholeheartedly embraced it, what office workers are now crying out for is somewhere to think and be contemplative. Private phone booths, high back sofas, noise absorbing panelling, you name it, it's all about finding a way for concentrated work to take place.
Collaborative working still remains at the heart of how we work today but the break out space has to aesthetically please and sustain a number of functions nowadays - a few mismatched pieces of furniture will simplify not cut the mustard. When myself and Kerstin Zumstein wrote our book, Total Office Design, (published by Thames and Hudson in 2011) offices such as Microsoft's Amsterdam headquarters by Sevil Peach introduced the idea of 'activity-based working': work wherever you like in the building or even at home as long as long as the job gets done.
Now in, increasing numbers of forward-thinking companies, you're just as likely to see the CEO perched on a bench in the cafe as the boardroom and hardly anyone, apart from finance departments who need designated desks to crunch those all important numbers and print confidential documents, working nine-to-five at the same workstation day-in, day out.
Another important trend in workplace design is a reaction to our continually wavering outlook to the economy. It seems that almost daily another report from another institution comes out saying we're either teetering on the brink of economic collapse or actually it's not so bad after all. Little wonder businesses are confused, which is why interior designers and facility managers are opting for furniture and fixtures that can adapt to a changing number of staff. Lots of the projects we featured in the book adopted this principle from the PostPanic production studios in Amsterdam to the Student Loans Company in Darlington.
Flexibility, whether that's in terms of where your staff are working or how many of them you employ at once is where it's at in workplace design in 2012. Let's see what solutions Orgatec presents to meet these demands.Tagged Orgatec, Office, Market, Sector, Outlook, Workplace, Furniture, design
Orgatec, the biennial exhibition championing all things workplace, is rapidly approaching. Before you all head to Cologne, let's consider how the office landscape has changed in the last few years. Now that even those so staunchly resistant to the open plan working concept such as the legal profession have wholeheartedly embraced it, what office workers are now crying out for is somewhere to think and be contemplative. Private phone booths, high back sofas, noise absorbing panelling, you name it, it's all about finding a way for concentrated work to take place.
Collaborative working still remains at the heart of how we work today but the break out space has to aesthetically please and sustain a number of functions nowadays - a few mismatched pieces of furniture will simplify not cut the mustard. When myself and Kerstin Zumstein wrote our book, Total Office Design, (published by Thames and Hudson in 2011) offices such as Microsoft's Amsterdam headquarters by Sevil Peach introduced the idea of 'activity-based working': work wherever you like in the building or even at home as long as long as the job gets done.
Now in, increasing numbers of forward-thinking companies, you're just as likely to see the CEO perched on a bench in the cafe as the boardroom and hardly anyone, apart from finance departments who need designated desks to crunch those all important numbers and print confidential documents, working nine-to-five at the same workstation day-in, day out.
Another important trend in workplace design is a reaction to our continually wavering outlook to the economy. It seems that almost daily another report from another institution comes out saying we're either teetering on the brink of economic collapse or actually it's not so bad after all. Little wonder businesses are confused, which is why interior designers and facility managers are opting for furniture and fixtures that can adapt to a changing number of staff. Lots of the projects we featured in the book adopted this principle from the PostPanic production studios in Amsterdam to the Student Loans Company in Darlington.
Flexibility, whether that's in terms of where your staff are working or how many of them you employ at once is where it's at in workplace design in 2012. Let's see what solutions Orgatec presents to meet these demands.Tagged Orgatec, Office, Market, Sector, Outlook, Workplace, Furniture, design
Celebrating design 'Before 1980'
Tuesday, 4th September 2012 at 6:46pm
Here's a new fair to add to you calendar for the London Design Festival, but this one is not for those seeking out cutting edge design; this is one for those looking for retro.The organisors say 'Before 1980 is a fair that favours style over age and has invited like-minded traders to exhibit – whose stock style is distinctive and special, and whose displays are always creative and inspirational.'
Amelia Forster, organiser, says “Interior style magazines continue to reference and feature past design periods – this only helps to reinforce the idea that vintage offers a great level of quality and style without a large investment. We have recognised the growing interest in vintage design and décor and its place in contemporary homes.”
“Before1980 will be a fair with an eclectic mix of antiques, mid-century and vintage – we hope people will be inspired by the looks on offer but feel they can really go home with something.”
The first fair features handpicked traders selling stylish pieces for the home and garden; it will be part of a series of seasonal events celebrating home style from Before1980. The fair is on Saturday 22nd September in the Central Library, Islington, London.
For more information click here.Tagged Furniture, fair, design, vintage, retro, London, Design Week, Design Festival, Before 1980
Downstairs, in The Shed at Clerkenwell Design Week
Sunday, 27th May 2012 at 6:43pm
A handbag?
Product design duo Maigrau’s tables were on display, all made exclusively in Germany - they’re just behind those large HANDBAGS which really grabbed us!
Corking
Meanwhile our good friends Deadgood were showing their Cork Coffee Table – the PR team like objects that are made of cork and are rounded in shape…Tagged Deadgood, Furniture, Clerkenwell Design Week, Maigrau, handbags, Design, Interiors
Product design duo Maigrau’s tables were on display, all made exclusively in Germany - they’re just behind those large HANDBAGS which really grabbed us! Corking
Meanwhile our good friends Deadgood were showing their Cork Coffee Table – the PR team like objects that are made of cork and are rounded in shape…Tagged Deadgood, Furniture, Clerkenwell Design Week, Maigrau, handbags, Design, Interiors'From Scandinavia with Love'
Friday, 13th April 2012 at 12:02pm
We recently came across this blog by Tiger who apparently also blogs for Swedish Elle Decor. 'From Scandinavia with Love' features a wide range of great designs from Northern Europe including furniture, lighting, textiles, tableware and accessories from designers large and small.
This is well worth a visit for some great design - click here
Concrete design that surprises
Sunday, 25th March 2012 at 8:37am
Gore Design, based in Tempe, Arizona, creates a wide range of items in concrete from sinks to fireplaces and furniture.
They say about themselves, 'A vanguard artisan studio specializing in custom concrete surfaces and interiors. Countertops, sinks, furniture, architectural elements – all handcrafted using pioneering eco-friendly techniques. Artistic innovations for a livable planet. Leading the concrete [r]evolution, at the forefront of environmentally responsible design.'
Their designs are very interesting, as is their website. Take a look at more of their designs here.
Design of the Year 2012 nominations announced
Friday, 13th January 2012 at 9:05am
All the nominations will be on show at the Designs of the Year exhibtion at the Design Museum, opening to the public on 8 February 2012 and category winners and the overall winner will be announced at the Awards Night at the Design Museum on 24 April.
The Design Museum will be issuing details of each nomination daily on their blog,
Work shown here: Comedy Carpet, Blackpool by Why Not Associates and Gordon Young
Life-Size Paper Monster Hearse by Paul Sahre
Category Winners for the Brit Insurance Design Awards 2011
Monday, 28th February 2011 at 2:20am
The votes are in and a winner for each category of the Brit Insurance Design Awards 2011 has been officially announced today.The winners for each category are:
Brit Insurance Architecture Award 2011: Open Air Library by KARO Architekten, Germany
Brit Insurance Fashion Award 2011: Uniqlo +J, Japan
Brit Insurance Furniture Award 2011: Branca, Industrial Facility, Italy
Brit Insurance Graphics Award 2011: Homemade is Best, Forsman & Bodenfors for Ikea
Brit Insurance Product Award 2011: Plumen 001, Hulger & Samuel Wilkinson, UK
Brit Insurance Transport Award 2011: Barclays Cycle Hire
Click here to learn more about each of these winners and for your chance to speculate who will eventually reign supreme.
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Soap Box
- How will the new EU Directive on Internet Privacy affect your web site?
- Dispelling the myths of Social Media
- Increased Return on Investment from Centralised Integrated Marketing
- Putting PR in the Communications Mix
- Making an Impact Face to Face
- Marketing Through Event and Exhibitions in a Recession
- Intelligent Marketing When Times are Tough