Monday 16 January 2012

Stuff I Like ~~~ Chairs

Time for another post in the 'Stuff I Like' series, this one dedicated to chairs which I find Weird enough and wonderful enough to pique my interest and hopefully yours. :)

I just have to start with these amazing storytelling chairs from Free Range Designs. I have admired this company for a long time for their sustainable approach to woodworking, like myself, working 'off grid' and using reclaimed materials.

freerangedesigns.co.uk

This eco-friendly yet modern lounger from Istanbul based Gursan Ergil Design Studio I love for the ergonomic design I would love to try it out for comfort. I'm not so sure about the contemporary looking legs though !



Here's a good use of recycled cardboard, would work with plywood as well of course and very novel, I'm just wondering how many other letters of the alphabet this would work with !
The a-chair was realised at the Royal College of Art. Inspired by a Alvar Aalto’s ply-wood furniture experiments, Frank Gehry’s cardboard furniture, typographic forms and sustainable materials. The a-chair was hand crafted from over 250 sheets of recycled cardboard and a lot of love.


I couldn't finish this post without including a plywood chair, a material I am particularly fond of working with. The chunkiness and curving lines of this stack laminated chair makes it look as though it has been carved from one solid block. Created by Brazil based designer Julia Krantz.


Just a small selection of the many wacky bottom holders out there, I would have loved to list them all  :)



Wednesday 4 January 2012

Tapio Wirkkala Creation

These bowls by Tapio Wirkkala makes you think about the whole issue of what an item is worth ! Valued at  $17,000 each !!!

I suppose being a famous designer in the first place helps and they are nice bowls, but hey, they are not even particularly large pieces !!!

If you have ever visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, or the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, or if you plan to in the near future, look out for Tapio Wirkkala's creations. The Finnish artist was revered for some of the most well crafted wooden bowls created between 1951 and 1954. One such experiment with birch plywood resulted in these beautiful tailor made bowls. What makes this bowl unique is the crafting technique. Just like handloom woven fabrics, these bowls are made by setting dark and light strips of the plywood to give out a dramatic effect.

The overall effect reminds you of a wooden leaf with its veins intact. Sporting a hole at one end, this beautiful bowl was a personal gift presented by the designer Tapio Wirkkala to Edward Wormley. The bowl is 13.75inches long and 7.5inches wide. Each piece is priced at $17,000.