Discuss Designer Furniture of the Past and Present

Started to liberate The Google Sketchup Thread .

ever sat in a

http://www.bauhaus-furniture.net/pics/Zig_Zag_Rietveld.jpg

?

(That's the Zigzag chair by Gerrit Reitveld, perhaps obviously.)

Here I am in a jellybean (Eero Aarnio's Pastil Chair, 1967)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/3059491236_21a165e605.jpg

And here I am on some lips (Studio 65's Marilyn Sofa, 1972)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2364/2369943304_061c198d6a.jpg

Oddly, the lips are really hard to get comfortable on, while the hard plastic jellybean is a pleasant little rocking chair. It also works as a sled and a raft! The lips are stupidly heavy and would sink like a stone.

(zigzag xpost) yeah they are not so uncomfortable as they look! Although dining furniture has a lot more aesthetic flexibility than lounge furniture, of course.

uh I actually like the furniture discussion on this thread so non-design geeks don't hijack the discussion with "that stuff is all SO EXPENSIVE! I bought this thing at IKEA and it was really hard to put together!"

― I'M ACTUALLY FINE (I DIED), Sunday, December 14, 2008 11:46 PM Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^^ seconded! No beef with the IKEA putter-together-ers (and great IKEA designs would be welcome here) but there are other threads for that stuff, this is design geek gush/bash time.

I'd love to have a Pastil, but of course my dream chair of Aarnio's is the Bubble:

http://www.surachicago.com/images/g01.jpg

Oh, and I really love the Parabel dining table (also by Aarnio):

http://www.eero-aarnio.com/images/parabel_dining_gross.jpg

Yeah, god, how great is the bubble? I've never sat in one but it seems hard to believe it wouldn't make you happy.

Any generous furniture collectors are encouraged to hook up the Knowlton School of Architecture, Columbus OH, as you will inspire generations of students to start threads like this one.

http://www.madeindesign.com/imgzoom-Trioli-Magis-Collection-Me-Too-refmt15-1004c.jpg

Most underrated Aarnio design, I think - it's a kid's low chair! high chair! rocking saddle chair! All in relatively affordable rotomolded polypropylene!

^that's really great, never seen that before.

This is the Apollo chair by Patrick Norguet, another that looks to me like it would be uncomfortable but could be perfectly pleasant:

http://www.surrounding.com/uploads/Products/Artifort/asset_upload_file791_1516.jpg

Everybody needs a Greg Lynn Ravioli Chair!

http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/2/0/0/19/7/AAAAAhEwCJAAAAAAABl_Hw.jpg

I've sat in one of these but wasn't really paying attention to it (was part of an installation/experience). Lynn was a guest seminar lecturer person at school this year and was also - purely by coincidence - using my Flickr photos of the chair in his lectures. Like he seriously had no idea those were his students in the photos! Kind of hilarious.

xpost - I've seen those before! Like I have this really vague sense that I've sat in one and was pleasantly surprised to find it quite comfortable...but was it a dream? I have no idea when this would have taken place.

Can't argue with Jukka Setala's Fatboy even if it is a glorified beanbag chair:

http://hivemodern.com/products/sub_product_photos/exploded/1212_photo_3_193748.jpg

That reminds me (xpost). Pierre Paulin's Ribbon chair:

http://modculture.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/08/20/ribbon_chair.jpg

This may be hated here, but I think Phillipe Starck's WW stool is mesmerizingly beautiful:

http://www.luminaire.com/catalog/images/wwstool_3588.jpg

I highly doubt that it's a relaxing experience for the ass, though.

I'll sign up for "hated here" - ew! I would also be terrified of breaking it.

No go for the beanbag either...but that might be the color. I just can't imagine it looking GOOD.

I might be able to find a classier picture of it.

In the meantime, Verner Panton's Living Tower!

http://modculture.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/12/11/living_tower_1004941.jpg

http://www.spoon-tamago.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/living-tower.jpg

A+, would have in home.

LOVE vintage Panton - he went kind of shite in the 80s but almost everybody did. Best with funky lighting and lots and lots of the chairs:

http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/14/verner_panton_phantasy_view_3.jpg

Panton's easily one of my top 5 favorite designers ever.

Oh, that looks SO awesome.

What do you all think of this old chestnut?

http://www.stylepark.com/db-images/cms/vitra/img/p279377_488_336-1.jpg

i'd hit it

I'd hit it, sure, but I think out of its home context it looks like either kid furniture or some kind of snap-together garage work station or something.

i don't see what's wrong with either of those things

Oh, and I meant to mention this earlier when we were talking about the Bubble, etc. This is a recent chair kind of on that theme:

http://www.furniturestoreblog.com/images/globus%20artifort%20computer%20workstation.jpg

It's called the Globus, by Michiel van der Kley.

i don't see what's wrong with either of those things

I think just that it would be tough to work it into a room without outfitting the whole thing in other Eames furniture. Which as I mentioned before it looks great surrounded by.

(xpost) ugh, that thing is gross. Like faux-1968 geometric simplicity with all the functional problems but without the elegance.

I think the Eames storage units look and work much better than the desk.

I think just that it would be tough to work it into a room without outfitting the whole thing in other Eames furniture

i don't see anything wrong with that either. other than financially.

I kind of like it, but I do have a beef: Why does it fold up? To save space? To look cool? It's kinda silly.

Hey Casino, your Perriand chair is for sale for only $3,500.00 here:

http://hivemodern.com/products/?view=sub_product&sid=1132&cid=39&cid2=180

Any generous furniture collectors are encouraged to hook up the Knowlton School of Architecture, Columbus OH, as you will inspire generations of students to start threads like this one.

haha, knowlton's planning program was one of the places i was considering.

considering for a degree, not for generous furniture gifts.

KSA planning program is kind of...I mean it depends what you're into. We don't have much interaction with them, it's a small program and very, as far as I can tell very technical. Definitely a city planning program and not an urban design program if that makes sense. There are a few people interested in design issues up there but it's an awful lot of grading and traffic control as far as I can tell from the outside. I mean they bring in lecturers who are like "We did research to determine what features capital cities often have. 1) They tend to be home to a major seat of government of a state, or nation. 2) They are populous..." etc.

yeah, i ultimately wanted to do more policy-influencing stuff, less CAD-monkey/civil engineering stuff. i'm passionate about good urban design but i think some of the more social equity minded planners think design is just feel-good window dressing for yuppies.

"stuff white people like"

Most underrated Aarnio design, I think - it's a kid's low chair! high chair! rocking saddle chair! All in relatively affordable rotomolded polypropylene!

― I'M ACTUALLY FINE (I DIED), 15 December 2008 04:58

I love this!

The Panton are fantastic. I am going to be very boring:

http://www.net-antiquites.com/images/bureau%20de%20style%20Louis%20XV%20(6).JPG

I love the idea but would never welcome in my home! Ditto palisander sadly as I do love Art Deco. I have always wanted a good bureau such as this:

http://www.ronaldchambers.com/images/Library/Bookcases/C4636-1.jpg

Possibly less fussy around the doors and a bit more brass but I do love them. My grandmother had a couple though goodness knows where they are now.

It's called the Globus, by Michiel van der Kley.

Looks like some brainwashing pod chair!

love this thread. my girl wrote her thesis abt Swedish modern furniture & textiles I'll see if I can get her to post.

the main thing i get excited about is lighting.

although it's become near ubiquitous i don't think we can deny that Tord Boonje's Garland light is an acknowledged classic by this point. as often as i see it (and i have one in my hallway so i see it a lot!) i'm still bewitched by it. the way it cast shadows and highlights of flowers across the tiny space of my hallway walls and ceiling is quite lovely.

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/yhst-37542584897213/art-garland-br.jpg

the light became quite ubiquitous in the uk because it got picked up by habitat who produced it at a low price and, speaking of habitat, last season they picked up Nathalie Dewez's Prism light and are producing that for stores at a reasonable price too. i love it.

http://www.n-d.be/products/prism/prism.jpg

more Nathalie Dewez

the mobile light which can be hung at any angle by adjusting the counterweight:

http://www.n-d.be/products/mobile/mobile2.jpg

and the solair light which rocks on the weighted base

http://www.n-d.be/products/sol_air/sol_air.jpg

on a similar tip - Raphael Charles' Star light, designed and made to order (££££!) based on your favourite constellations.

http://www.raphaelcharles.com/images/star01.jpg

http://www.n-d.be/products/mobile/mobile2.jpg

Goes without saying: WANT

I love lights and lighting. I think one of the best parts of moving in to my place was the chance to buy lamps and really get down to the lighting. This is sad to admit in a public forum but there you go. Nice to be able to hammer in a few nails, chase new wires and generally get it up to spec to make it all mine.

If I could afford massive ching ching I would buy a Tiffany just to have in hall. I love the basic shape and the different colours would make leaving for work on a dull morning fantastic. Also what a thing to come home to.

Sadly there are not many affordable light shops here, would love to get one of these though if shipping wouldn't ruin me:

http://www.suck.uk.com/product.php?rangeID=33&catID=1

As you might have guessed, I was a bit of a fan of the Habitat Daft Punk table! One of the most useless (and high maintenance, you had to break the glass to get at the bulbs!) pieces of furniture ever.

Oh my. That was a twinkle lamp from Stuff.c0.uk

what was a twinkle lamp?

i love the severity of those Nathalie Dewez designs.

The image that didn't show up.

ah i see.

The image that didn't show up.

ah i see.

*mind blown*

I do like the severity. It reminds me of a family friend who would design rigs using brass wiring and halogen spots. It looked like the inside of a rather genteel factory. No clue how to get any pictures though.

higglety also googleproofed the address so well that it's impossible to find. unless you read the page source. anyway:

http://www.suck.uk.com/product.php?rangeID=33&catID=1

can't see how that'd produce enough light using standard LEDs. maybe it doesn't.

higglety also googleproofed the address so well that it's impossible to find. unless you read the page source.

Super-ninja sleuth skills are hard to leave at the login :(

I think it's more the "oooooh shiny" element of it all to be honest.

> maybe it doesn't.

i meant that maybe it doesn't use standard LEDs. all the new london buses use LED brake lights and those are plenty strong enough.

i know droog are kind of anti-design design but there new NYC store just looks like crap to me:

http://www.designboom.com/cms/images/-Z96/droog2.jpg
http://www.designboom.com/cms/images/-Z96/droog3.jpg
http://www.designboom.com/cms/images/-Z96/droog5.jpg

their*

I was in there yesterday - actually much better in person! Not the greatest thing ever, but the stair was nice and there was a sense of experimental fun to the place - kind of an anti-moss (but still with the $$$ furniture).

i dare say it does. those arent very good pics.

talking of designer furniture of the past did you read about this?

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gen/65522/thumbs/s-CHAIR-large.jpg

$28,000,000 & butt ugly. the world gone mad.

oops

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/24/chair-bought-for-28-milli_n_169600.html

http://www.dezeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/chubby2.jpg

ugly split line

OTM!

i really like the "lace" one.

crochet, rather.

http://www.designboom.com/snapshot/photo/full/51/04.jpg
http://www.designboom.com/snapshot/photo/full/51/05.jpg

absolutely incredible.

the split line doesn't bother me that much on the chubby. wonder why they didn't try harder to eliminate i though. maybe it's a design feature?

oh, the crochet one is cool though

how to pronounce GRCIC?

GRIC?
GRI-CHK?
GZIK?

"GRCIC is pronounced by repeating thrice any monosyllabic sound. Chk Chk Chk is the most common pronunciation, but they could just as easily be called Pow Pow Pow, Bam Bam Bam, Uh Uh Uh, etc."

The droog store is like a furniture playground! I quite want the rope swing/cage/Honeycomb Hideout thing.

I wanted this:

http://www.modernclassicsdirect.co.uk/imagesstatic/big/emeco/Navy%20Chair.gif

I got the CB2 version:(

I had a chance to get that red circular storage pictured above (I forget the name) on Craigslist for pretty cheap, but I passed it up.

Next I might like the Aalto stool in red:

http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/finnstyle_2045_108239353

the cb2 version is good! i wish i could find an equivalent cheapish one over here.

Do you Target? They have a blatant knock-off.

sorry virginia, i meant over here in the UK.

according to the longish interview (accompanied by truly fantastic photos) in the new issue of FANTASTIC MAN, it's pronounced GREE-CHEECH.

http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture7f.jpg

i haven't read the full interview yet.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/3561/picture7f.jpg

http://www.gosee.de/images/content2/erwin-wurm-fantastic-man-konstantin-grcic-0053-02.jpg

i'm totally stealing that look. i have the dinner jacket and the white badge too (funnily enough). mine's a margiela one and was the only thing i could afford in the margiela shop.

(the white badge, i mean)

that look being "resident of the Village?"

i don't know.

what village?

greenwich village?

: P

http://www.yatzer.com/2023_keil_stool_by_daniel_heer

nice, except for the one obvious flaw...

So I thought that Wonk had gone out of business, but it looks like they moved to Williamsburg (or perhaps they had that additional location all along and just closed the Dumbo store?)

I'm glad they still exist, because I really like their stuff and I want them to stay around long enough til I can actually hypothetically afford their furniture.

http://www.wonknyc.com/

are staircases furniture?

http://www.oddee.com/item_96905.aspx

yes and they can be deadly too.

No http://www.scottajones.com/assets/images/scott/SAJ_on_slide.jpg, no credibility.

Love the bookshelf one though.

(that scott a jones image is timing out)

It's still there for me, but if it's not working for you, here's a different one:

http://i.l.cnn.net/money/2007/10/08/smbusiness/Scott_Jones_2.fsb/intern.03.jpg

Wheeeee!

My mom is in a wheelchair, she would love that.

Interesting article about Design Within Reach, their early success in popularizing designer furniture, as well as recent controversies including creating knockoffs of designs they used to sell and their financial straits:

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/141/a-modern-mess.html?nav=inform-rl

another day, another link stolen retweeted from gizmodo...

http://gizmodo.com/5427585/the-ice-cream-sandwich-bench

okay this

http://208.106.250.72/_media/imgs/articles2/a96905_2-bookcase.jpg

this is not particularly relevant to this thread but i'm not sure where else to ask this. i tried googling to no avail.

i'm looking for a shop which had an online outlet - the set up was basically a store which sourced one individual item from countries around the world and sold it with a load of other random items. it could be anything - a broom, a pencil sharpener, a bird caller, a chair, a scarf - whatever.

i think the store was based in NYC and they had a pop up store in london for a while. it was kind of similar to labour and wait ( http://www.labourandwait.co.uk/products.asp?category=household ) but with a much broader ranger of random items.

anyone help?

Is it this place?

http://kioskkiosk.com/

yes! thank you. x

:) I just came across that this weekend! It was mentioned here:
http://www.itsnicethat.com/

why is this stuff so expensive!!

http://gizmodo.com/5725738/its-a-chair-its-made-from-wood-and-its-flexible

has anyone else seen "Objectified", the documentary on industrial & furniture design by the same people that made "Helvetica"(the movie!)?

Ronan Bouroullec: We wanted to make a robust chair so that australiand who have drunk a lot of beer can plonk themselves down on it.

Erwan Bouroullec: Are you talking about Marc Newson?

also a lot of these people are awful drains (not the Bouroulec's!) but Hani Rashid is the worst person ever.

http://mocoloco.com/upload/2011/11/gridlock_furnit/gridlock_furniture_philippe_malouin_2b-thumb-468x384-34758.jpg

oh my goddddd

My wife and I just scored a beautiful, vibrant blue Adrian Pearsall recliner for our new place!!! So excited.

This poll of the Top 25 Plastic Chairs is still open. Vote early and often!