Chair Chick

 

London Calling!

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I came across Helen Amy Murray’s products in a remarkable stand, Crafted UK, at Decorex while I was in London last week (Wow; was it just ten days ago? My how traveling and jet-lag morph timelines!) I featured her wallcovering on my International Design Examiner page and I thought her chair was perfect for a nod because it has a textural beauty that makes it a nice addition to a contemporary room while the style of the chair means it would also jazz up a traditional or transitional interior. I greatly admire design elements that “cross over” in this way. 

Murray is a participant in "Crafted," a mentoring program passionate about connecting the skills of those who have built successful businesses with those who have the potential to do so, thus her inclusion in the show. Every individual involved in this project has a fundamental belief in craftsmanship and an appreciation for objects beautifully made and it was obvious in the quality of the products in the booth. Crafted finds each participant the right mentor, offers a series of business workshops, connects them to a group of expert advisors, and creates dynamic platforms to help them promote and grow their businesses. Crafted has been developed by Arts & Business and Walpole, and is supported by the American Express Foundation. Congrats to all of you who are involved in this effort, as it will likely spawn many of our future great talents in the arena of design!

Since I'm jet-lagged and punchy, just having returned from Europe last night, I thought I'd leave you with a bit of London brash and dash with a bit of The Boss thrown in: happy end of the week everyone!

Filed under  //   American Express Foundation   Arts & Business   Bruce Springstein   Crafted   Crafted UK   Dave Grohl   Decorex   Helen Amy Murray   International Design Examiner   London   London Calling   Saxon Henry Examiner   The Clash   Walpole  
Posted October 7, 2010
 

Over the Moon

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To celebrate the Zaha Hadid retrospective in Padua, Italy, I'm featuring the Pritzker Prize winner's Moon for B&B Italia. (For more on the Padua exhibition, visit my Examiner page). Moon System is an expression of the coalescence of B&B’s passion for experimentation and Zaha Hadid’s research on the complexity of curvilinear geometry. The traditional idea of seating is radically re-examined to create a new, strongly dynamic angular shape: a “single block” sofa that looks like the back, seat and armrests were “carved out of a single material.” With a metallic sheen like an object from outer space, moon system is at its theatrical best when positioned in the middle of a room. Its flowing curves appear to change from different points of view. The ottoman fits within the sofa’s unique shape, completing the scene, following and filling in the design of the piece. The continuous shape, as is with most of Hadid's creations, is a blend of aesthetics and ergonomics.

Filed under  //   Moon by BB Italia   Saxon Henry Examiner   Zaha Hadid  
Posted October 23, 2009