Outdoors Classics

Posted on 7th July 2016 by Andrew

So it’s summer and you’re hooked on classics? Why not extend your taste to the outside? Here’s a few classic designs suitable for outdoor use. Add some style to your office roof terrace, alfresco dining area, garden, patio, balcony or even your shed!

Knoll Studio Bertoia Diamond & Side Chair

Italian designer Harry Bertoia patented the Bertoia Collection for Knoll in 1952. The classic design features welded steel rods, for the outdoor version coated in Rilsan durable nylon in black or white. The collection features a side chair (below), the classic “Diamond” armchair (above) and the Asymmetric Chaise. Optional leather seat pads are available for the side chair and “Diamond“. For the more budget conscious there is the Bertoia Plastic Side Chair, a new version of the side chair is now available featuring a plastic shell and the “Diamond” chair has recently been price revised. Both represent excellent value for money.

Vitra Eames DKR Wire Chair

Designed by Charles & Ray Eames in 1951, Vitra’s classic Eames DKR Wire chair is now available in cream, black or grey powder coated finishes ideally suited for outdoors use. In addition the Bistro Table designed in 2009 by Rowan and Erwan Bouroullec in a solid core laminate version completes the set for the garden environment.

Vitra Panton

Conceived by Verner Panton in 1960, the Panton chair was developed for serial production in collaboration with Vitra. It was the first chair to be manufactured completely out of plastic in one single piece, advancing through several production phases before finally being produced as originally conceived – out of durable, dyed-through plastic with a lustrous matte finish since 1999.

Arper Leaf

Designed by Lievore Altherr Molina in 2005, the Leaf chair & table range has quickly become a classic. The design is inspired by nature, the chair’s welded rods reminiscent of branches of a tree or leaf veins and the table invoking a pebble. Leaf is available as a sled side chair, lounge chair and chaise in matte powder-coated steel in white, green or moka. A detachable polyurethane cushion is available for indoor and outdoor use. The range of circular and square tables are available in a water-repellent HPL top in grey.

Vitra Tom Vac

Designed in 1999 by Ron Arad the elegant plastic shell of Tom Vac offers comfortable seating not only in interior spaces but also in outdoor settings: special additives in the moulded polypropylene shell retard the fading of colours, and the powder-coated finish of the base makes the chair suited for use on the terrace or in the garden. Since the chair can be stacked, it is especially useful in places where large numbers of chairs are required.

Vitra Boroullec Vegetal

With Vegetal, the Boroullec’s goal was to create a chair that aspired to look like natural vegetation while simultaneously incorporating the necessary strength, stability and comfort. The flat, branch-like ribs are asymmetrically intertwined on three levels to form the seat shell, which is shaped as an irregular circle and supported by four legs that appear to sprout from the ground.

Vegetal is available in six colours and is suitable for indoor or outdoor applications and can be stacked up to three chairs high, which permits flexible use in a variety of settings and in large numbers.

Vitra HAL

With HAL, Jasper Morrison has reinterpreted the multi-functional shell chair and created a versatile family of chairs with a clean contemporary look. The shape of the seat shell provides great freedom of movement in a variety of sitting positions – even sideways or astride the chair. The HAL Tube is suitable for outdoor use and combines a polypropylene shell in a choice of 8 colours and powder-coated base in ivory or basic dark.

Verner Panton Panto Pop & Illumesa

The Panto Pop is a stacking lounge chair with a UV-filter for outdoor use available in white or red. Designed by Verner Panton in 1969 the Panto Pop is now exclusively marketed by Verpan. Accompanying Panto Pop is the Illumesa table. Made in white acrylic for outdoor use the table is self-illuminated by a 23W internal light source.

Classics for Children

The tiny tots needn’t miss out on the outdoor fun either as Panto Pop and Illumesa (above) are equally at home with tiny hands and Vitra offer a variety of classics for children. As well as the Panton Junior, there is the Eames Elephant (1945) and Sori Yanagi’s Elephant Stool (1954) which also makes for a handy side table to go with your other classics.

Biophilic Benches

Posted on 5th May 2016 by Andrew

Whilst biophilic design is encroaching rapidly into many aspects of office interiors, desking and benching has hitherto remained pretty much untouched. Sure, we’ve had wooden desks for as long as civilization but for most of that time wood was the easiest or most cost effective way of doing it. Most modern desking uses metal understructures with an MFC top; an evolution of the traditional. Truly biophilic design is of course really about using natural products and materials for no other reason than to make us feel better in the environment in which we work.

Following this philosophy is KI with their new EC4 bench and table range. Combining the elegance and robustness of solid oak and steel, KI’s EC4 collection adds a touch of nature to the modern office landscape. EC4 provides all the capabilities of a workstation system but introduces solid oak into the understructure and a matching laminate edge detail. The splayed, angular legs are somewhat reminiscent of Jean Prouvé designs and directly connect to the main metal understructure that features an integral cable trough. Optional cable riser angled infills sit between the intermediate legs.

As well as benching, the range extends to touchdown spaces, meeting tables and an executive desk. Oversailing end options create space for informal meetings. The refreshing mixed material aesthetic can also be extended to EC4’s complementary storage collection through the use of accents, colours and solid oak feet.

Functionality & Aesthetics

Matching solid oak inset intermediate legs with optional shroud maintain a consistent look without creating obstructions
Integrated horizontal and vertical cable management
Sliding tops available at no extra cost
UK design and manufacture
Cantilevered, uncluttered understructure
Worksurfaces available in multiple shapes, edge details and finishes
Soft sewn C-Series screens can be added in a range of colours
Oversailing ends can be added to create meeting & collaboration space

Nomadic Working

Posted on 27th April 2016 by Andrew

Here’s an innovative and funky product from icon screens. Nomad provides a quick solution for those who desire a little extra privacy in the form of a side screen. Nomad is a wedge of polystyrene with a nicely weighted base that provides stability and prevents toppling (somewhat in the style of a Weeble Wobble if you’re old enough to remember them!). The wedge is upholstered in Camira Blazer Lite fabric with an attractive perimeter stitch detail and the powder coated base is available in white, black or silver.

Available in 570mm deep and 350mm high or 770mm deep and 400mm high, the lightweight Nomad replaces fixed screens or more cumbersome slide on screens and simply sits on the desk wherever you decide to place it. This is particularly useful for the truly agile bench working solution where space can be delineated by desk add-ons such as this rather than by worktop joints.

A 1500mm high floor-standing version is also in development.

Turkish Delight – A Rediscovery by Walter Knoll

Posted on 20th April 2016 by Andrew

Sadi Ozis designed the first modern furniture in Turkey in the 1950s. Sculptural and modern, organic and functional and elegant and sophisticated, the designs were ahead of their time. In post-war Turkey materials were scarce and Sadi was forced to utilise unusual materials, such as wire, tin and fishnet. For example, the original 1953 Burgaz Chair featured cable whilst the 1959 Fishnet Chair design featured woven fishnet between the bent tubular steel framework. The third design, Rumi, is an armchair reminiscent of a dancing dervish, given its name because of its curves and flowing lines. The expanses of the side chair spread out, smiling and lightweight like the floating garments of the oriental dancers.

Walter Knoll is issuing the upholstered versions of the Fishnet Chair, Burgaz Chair and Rumi – further developed at the time by Sadi Ozis together with his son, Neptun Ozis – shaping common values and with the experience of excellent upholstery craftsmanship.

Today, more than 50 years later, the products are as modern as they were then: timeless icons of design.

How do you eat yours?

Posted on 24th March 2016 by Andrew

It’s Easter weekend so we’re being obvious and celebrating the famous Fritz Hansen Egg Chair. The iconic Egg Chair was designed by Arne Jacobsen who died on this day in 1971. Now in it’s 58th year, it’s a classic design that doesn’t get tired.

Jacobsen originally designed the chair for the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. Over the years it’s been produced in many fabrics and leathers including some special editions. Here’s a few we like but, to borrow from the famous chocolate egg advertising campaign, how do you eat yours?

Block gets the rustic look

Posted on 15th March 2016 by Andrew

If you’ve been looking for home furniture recently you may have noticed the current trend for the reclaimed rustic or industrial style where curved aluminium, rivets, cast iron and aged wood is the order of the day. Whilst this trend is certainly breaking into the commercial sector in terms of bespoke joinery items will it find its way into mass produced furniture? Frövi certainly think so and have expanded their Block bench table range to include the Steel Rustic and Classic_Raw.

Block Steel Rustic features the same size options and steel loop frames as Block Steel but here in raw steel. Weathered tops complete the look with a choice of Drift Wood, Vintage Oak or Rust effects.

The Block Classic is a variation on the Block range, here featuring inset panel supports with over-sailing tops. Classic_Raw utilises OSB board as a structure finished with contrasting ply-effect edges and white laminate top surfaces.

Drop back to Fritz Hansen

Posted on 7th March 2016 by Andrew

You may remember our feature on the continuing appeal of Danish designer Arne Jacobsen last year. Of course Jacobsen had a long association with Fritz Hansen producing a series of classic chairs. The Drop chair was designed by Arne Jacobsen back in 1958 as part of his masterpiece, the legendary Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. The Drop was originally produced along with the Swan and the Egg but only in a very limited number exclusively for the hotel. After more than 50 years in hibernation, the Drop is now relaunched. It is a small chair with a big personality and it is as fresh and vibrant as a new design but with a rare heritage. Available as a plastic shell or fully upholstered, the water droplet design of the back combines a warm embrace with freedom of movement, resulting in a surprising level of comfort.

Time for Brunch

Posted on 22nd February 2016 by Andrew

Brunch by lapalma is a system of tables composed of a curved honeycomb board in several heights and two sizes. Based around a system of versatile asymmetrical modular table components, Brunch modules can be arranged together and combined into a variety of shape and height combinations.

Nest – Formed With Love

Posted on 16th February 2016 by Andrew

New from +Halle is the Nest Collection. Nest introduces a fresh interpretation to traditional seating arrangements by taking the furniture to new heights.

Designed by Form Us With Love, the same design house that brought us Baux acoustic products, Nest simply adds a second tier to the the seating and table range. The two optional heights offer an opportunity to create dynamic settings in any environment, without compromising the level of comfort.

Fascinated by the typologies of pedestals, such as the Umpire’s chair on a tennis court and driving an SUV, the FUWL studio experimented with a lofty landscape, adding the element of dignity and softness – to a seat with a view. “We believe that a comfortable high seat is a natural part of any lounge and bar environment, providing the opportunity to sit longer at a tall table”, says John Löfgren, Creative Director at Form Us With Love.

The different levels create a range of new possibilities with Nest’s variation in heights, space can be divided subtly, keeping the space open and inviting without compromising visual or functional elements.

The Nest range initially comprises a sofa and armchair and a round and oval table. All elements are available in high and low versions.

INFINITY tables

Posted on 15th February 2016 by Andrew

Boardroom suites are often the flagship area in a modern corporate environment; requiring easy access to IT and supporting services while catering for a large number of demanding users. INFINITY tables by HANDS of Wycombe have been specifically designed to cater for these requirements.

INFINITY has been specifically designed to be a complete and fully integrated meeting, conference and boardroom table system. The purposeful design features considered proportions, clearly defined linear forms and refined signature details.

INFINITY prism base

The INFINITY range comprises six styles of table base (we like Prism and Solo) each with easy cable access and a choice of three standard table top shapes. INFINITY signature details include 23 veneer top finishes and 6 solid lacquer colour finishes for the bases and inlays. A wide selection of additional features include flush fitting inlays in glass, leather, granite or corian. Mitre veneer feature wraps can be added around a central feature and flush-fitting leather inlay stands to accept tablets and smartphones can be included. Access flaps with soft close mechanisms are also available.

INFINITY Solo base and tablet holder detail

INFINITY tables can also be tailored by size or finished to meet the needs of the client’s exact aesthetic requirements.

An extensive range of complimentary products completes the range including storage units, credenzas and media units.

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