Modenus At Large – Event Coverage
You are currently browsing the Modenus At Large – Event Coverage category
You know how it is. You spend a few hours at a furniture show and sooner or later all those chairs start to look more than a little inviting. So for part four of our round up of the Stockholm Furniture Fair, that’s where we are focusing. The modern variation of a wing back chair on the left was on the stand of the Danish company Roomstore. They distribute a number of brands one of which will doubtless produce this chair which, I am told, was inspired by an elephant’s ears. The pink creation on the right is from Bruhl. Is it just me or is this somewhat unexpected from a German company?’ Filigree’, designed by Kati Meyer-Brühl apparently ‘ defines the golden age of romance between green living and floral elegance’. Well both Barbie and I think it is rather splendid.
There is a chaise in the same style. Available in a range of colors including gold this must be the very thing to recline on while opening a four pack of beer, eating hot dogs and watching sport on the telly. Have I got that wrong?
Favourite chair at the show? Possibly. This is party of the ‘Lady’ range from Swedish firm Homeline. They manage that rare trick of producing something which is both classic but modern.
Now, there are photos of me relaxing in the chair on the left, holding court while the good people from Homeline pretend to be interested in my theories of design and international markets. The trouble is I rather obscure the chair – and that would be a shame.
This fluffy little number form Munna is called ‘Cutie’, which seems appropriate enough. Munna are yet another Portuguese company producing interesting modern furniture. Another one to look out for. I thought Munna was one of the Pokemon. No?
Posted by Modenus on February 16th, 2012 at 11:46 am.
I came across this while in Paris for Maison et Object. The Pont des Arts is one of a number of love bridges in Europe where couples inscribe their names on a padlock, attach it to the bridge and throw the key into the river below.
There is so much to tell about this bridge. The City of Paris occasionally removes the locks overnight only for them to be replaced almost as swiftly. There is an on-line service which will engrave and place your lock for you. This is the bridge where Amelie discovers her surge and love for mankind in the classic film which, I suspect, is widely viewed by the Modenus community. It also appears in the first, less awful, Sex and the City film and the end of The Bourne Identity. But all of these are distractions.
Really, alone in Paris, what I found occupying my thoughts, was this – ‘Is love a padlock or a key’?
There is something delicious about that moment of commitment, the abandonment of all else, but is that really love? Or does true love lie in the liberation of knowing and exploring. Is it about having the confidence to trust your true love, unlocked, to be themselves?
Is love a freedom?
Sorry to go a bit Carry Bradshaw on you all. And happy Valentines day!
Posted by Modenus on February 14th, 2012 at 7:13 am.
Part two of Tim’s picks from the Stockholm Furniture fair focuses on fun. We like fun and firmly believe serious is vastly overrated.
So lets start with wonderfully Swedish designer Anna Kraitz who I may just have fallen in love with. ‘So Anna, with all that braided blond hair, what was the inspiration for the handles on your ‘Mama Look’ bureau / chest of drawers for equally Swedish Kallemo?’ We will return to write more about Anna, we promise. When someone designs a table and a sofa with a belt, plates with buttons, a stool inspired by baking bread, a light called ‘Girl’ and a teapot called ‘Lust’, well you need to know more. Kallemo also deserve greater attention .
These are Anna’s Beatrix easy chairs, also from Kallemo. Named after her daughter Anna says that the buttons on the back ‘move the observer from traditional order toward a wonderful chaos.’
Also from Kallemo, this is Spectra. I can testify that once you are sitting in it the motivation to stand up again leaves you completely. The biggest surprise is that I ever left.
This chair is Proust, designed by Alessandro Mendini for the Italian firm Magis. Its hard to know what to tell you that you can’t see for yourself. It is big, it is red and it is as camp as a row of tents. What a great chair to make the Jehovah’s Witness people sit in when they call round!
Also from Magis, the red dog is Puppy by iconic Finnish designer Eero Aarnio. Penguin is a little further down the line. Eero is also responsible for the classic Ball Chair and Bubble Chair, but you already knew that, didn’t you?
So would we expect Shyeon Cho of Studio Amuna to have a spectacular mustache? Sadly, we know nothing about the designer of this piece other than their name and that they were showing in the new designers and student section of the show. We suspect, however, that they will be picked up by a major manufacturer and fame and fortune will follow. In which case, remember where you saw them first!
Finally for today, a couple of pillows from LUS, a Swedish firm based just Northwest of Stockholm. We are going to feature their lights later in the week but thought you would enjoy these pillows. I said I would focus on fun but now feel bad for not including Vitra in this post. Their stand was serious, major fun and could probably fill a post all on its own. We will see…
Posted by Modenus on February 9th, 2012 at 8:52 am.
With snow on his boots and a renewed love for Scandinavian design in his heart Modenus Tim has returned from the Stockholm Furniture Fair with endless pictures of his top picks from the show. This is part one – more to come.
And we start our tour of this Scandinavian Furniture show with a chair from a Spanish Designer for a Spanish manufacturer. Sorry, but there is some great Scandinavian design to come. In fact there was great design from across Europe and we never hesitate to show the work of Patrica Urquiola, on this occasion a chair from her Hub collection for Andreu World. Apparently, the range is inspired by the designers infancy, and the bobbins that her grandmother used when she was making lace. For us, one of the important features of Urquiola’a work is the way in which it works both as beautiful objects and very practical furniture.
Designed by Louise Campbell, LC Shutters are the latest in a range of lights from Denmark based but internationally available
Louis Poulson, a firm which traces its history all the way back to the opening of Denmark’s second electricity generating power station in 1892. LC Shutters was launched in Stockholm and is the latest addition to a range of lights which include one or design classics you may well be familiar with.
A couple of chairs from
Branca Lisboa. How often do we find ourselves showing you interesting new design from Portugal? Is there something in the water? Or maybe something in the Port. Modenus Tim confesses a weakness for Portuguese brandy. And Portuguese cakes. And… (enough of Tim’s weaknesses, it could be a very long list – Ed.) These chairs are made out of plywood and the company tells us that they are working to ‘reignite the bygone era when products were developed with patience, expertise, knowledge and integrity’. All very laudable and certainly work deserving greater attention.
These are Camouflage Coat Hangers by Frost Design of Denmark – a company whose’ web site includes the intriguing claim that ‘It takes 10 years to make an overnight success’ In fact that reflects the thoughtful approach that is evident throughout their work and original designs. There is also a playfulness here which was evident in many of the designs in Stockholm. And more of those tomorrow.
Posted by Modenus on February 9th, 2012 at 8:35 am.
Sadly, we have come to the end of our five part tour of Carmen Natschke’s 25 top design finds from Maison et Objet. Our thanks to the ever enegetic and inspiring Decorating Diva.
Kelly Hoppen’s green upholstered pouf with chain fringe gives one of my fave styles, Hollywood Regency, a fun, fashionable and updated look. I’ve noticed the chain motif is a strong trend that I’ve seen over the last 12 months. Especially in lighting, and it’s definitely refreshing to see Kelly bring that touch of glamour to several of her furniture pieces. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on February 8th, 2012 at 2:53 am.
Welcome to part three of Carmen Natschke’s 25 top design finds from Maison et Objet. More from The Decorating Diva in gay Paris very soon.
Lighting fixture as art. Usually, interesting sculptural lighting is found at the very, very high end of design (think Design Miami/ – the exclusive one-offs offered by NYC gallerist Cristina Grajales) so it was very refreshing to see Swiss lighting design company, Neweba offer up artistic lighting in the vein of high design at more affordable price points than can be found at Design Miami/ or via high design galleries. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on February 2nd, 2012 at 6:33 pm.
Welcome to part four of Carmen Natschke’s 25 top design finds from Maison et Objet. More from The Decorating Diva in gay Paris very soon.
More Missoni Home. Who can resist their playful patterns? This chair is as comfortable as it is pretty. But I may be biased, I have a soft spot for that colorful zig-zag motif. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on February 2nd, 2012 at 6:10 pm.
Welcome to part two of Carmen Natschke’s 25 top finds from Maison et Objet in Paris. And if you missed the first five finds from The Decorating Diva you had best get hunting for part one!
Interesting use of materials was another trend on show at Maison. This Now’s Home coffee table sports a tiled look of leather strips combined with diamond shaped metal inlays. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on February 2nd, 2012 at 5:53 pm.
The very wonderful Carmen Natschke, founder and editor of The Decorating Diva generously offered to share her 25 top finds from Maison et Objet 2012. While we tend to agree with Mae West that too much of a good thing is wonderful, we are opting to prolong the pleasure. So here are Carmen’s top Parisian picks – part one of five. And part one starts with shades of saturated pinks which had a strong showing at Maison et Objet. Paolo Murani Design highlights this color trend in multiple hues of fuchsia.
Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on February 2nd, 2012 at 5:52 pm.
Twice a year, Maison & Objet, the vast interior design and furniture show, held in the vast purpose built centre on the outskirts of Paris, attracts design professionals, journalists and enthusiasts from Europe and beyond. It is, make no mistake, an essential destination. It would be easier to list the European manufacturers who don’t participate than to even list the old friends and favorites we bumped into. And, of course, there is no place like Paris. But be warned, bumping into old favorites probably isn’t the best strategy for this show. Just as in Milan, you need to focus. The show is organized into eight halls – seasoned and returning visitors all counseled those visiting for one or two days to restrict their adventures to two or three halls. So let me declare myself now, if you were somewhere other than halls 5, 7 and 8 – sorry, maybe some other time. Continue Reading…
Posted by Modenus on January 31st, 2012 at 7:57 am.
