Photographed in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum
In the mid-to-late 20th century, an atmosphere of innovation and a desire to question the tenets of modernism led some designers to explore a variety of ways in which to shape space. American Architect and Designer Alexander Hayden Girard utilized color and pattern in textiles, particularly in this colorful abstract, or folk art-inspired work for Herman Miller.
Continue reading Eye On Design: Glass Armchair by Shiro Kuramata
All Photos By Gail
The undulating form of Mathias Bengtsson’s plywood Slice Armchair is inspired by cutting-edge technology and organic forms found in nature. Bengtsson initiated the design in 1999 and originally executed it in clay. He then used a computer to analyze the shape and precision-cut hundreds of plywood slices, each a unique shape and just a few millimeters thick, which he stacked and laminated to form the sculptural chair.
Continue reading Eye On Design: Slice Armchair By Mathias Bengtsson
Photo By Gail
Each time Geoffrey and I visit The Met, we end up in a section of the Museum that we’ve not only never seen before, but often have no idea that it even existed. On our last exhibit, we randomly wandered into the Art Furniture Galleries (or whatever they’re called), and that was fairly mind blowing. Check out this very ornate, and still quite comfy-looking, pink velvet armchair, which was once owned by William H. Vanderbilt, where it was part of a lavish drawing room. Designed and manufactured by Herter Brothers circa 1881-82, the chair features gilded wood, with beautiful mother-of-pearl inlay details (clearly visible in the photo above), still has its original patterned, pink velvet upholstery, and is simply stunning.
Photographed in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.
Photo By Gail
You can’t tell until you get right up on it that this fancy Armchair — which you’d swear to God is made of solid, rock hard Marble —  is in fact upholstered in a satin-like textile which has been digitally screen-printed to resemble marble. Oh, the cleverness.
Louis XV Goes to Sparta, as it is called, is designed by Maurizio Galante and Tal Lancman for Cerruti Baleri. We spotted it at Kasher / Potamkin Boutique in the Chelsea Gallery District. Get more information and see more photos of this fabulous chair from the company that made it and other custom upholstery in Orange County!
Designed by SIF Technology, I guess this chair would really go with any decor.
