A cabinet knob has a front, an edge, a stem, and a shadow. Seen from across a room, those parts may merge into a small point of metal. Up close, they become a form that the hand can explore. Designers considering high-end cabinet knobs can approach the choice with that change in scale in mind. Hand-cast bronze gives the object a surface and weight worth seeing in person. The interest comes from how the shape fills its small space and serves the door it belongs to.
The Side View Reveals the Form
A front view can make two knobs look almost alike. Turn them to the side and the difference becomes clear. One may have a shallow face on a narrow stem; another may swell into a rounded body. Each casts its own shadow on the door. That space between the face and the wood gives the object depth. It also affects how a hand approaches the grip. Continue reading What Makes a Cabinet Knob Feel Like a Small Piece of Sculpture?→
Trade shows devoted to hospitality design tend to be full of practical pieces — durable chairs, sensible tables, and casegoods built to withstand the constant turnover of hotel guests. Every now and then, however, a manufacturer brings something that exists purely to make people stop in their tracks. At the 2019 edition of Boutique Design New York (BDNY), Kosta Furniture did exactly that. Continue reading Eye On Design: The Crystal Egg Chest That Sparkled at BDNY→
If your design dreams live somewhere between surrealism and sculpture — with a healthy dose of postmodern glam—then allow me to introduce your new obsession: the Jumbo Cabinet by Pucci de Rossi. First created in the early 1980s, this whimsical chest of drawers is both furniture and flamboyant manifesto. Designed by the late Italian provocateur Pucci de Rossi (1947–2013), this piece boldly declares that utility and art are not mutually exclusive. With its architectural lines and anthropomorphic curves, it’s an object that dares to make the everyday extraordinary. Continue reading Eye On Design: Pucci de Rossi’s Jumbo Cabinet→
Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne (known professional as Les Lalannes), were a French husband and wife duo of sculptors and designers known for whimsical and imaginative creations, often blurring the lines between art and functional design. One of François-Xavier’s iconic pieces is the Taureau II Bull cabinet, which showcases his unique fusion of sculpture and furniture. Continue reading Eye On Design: François-Xavier Lalanne’s Taureau II Bull Cabinet→
