The Top 5 chairs from the smow design spring. In no particular order.

Foldable cardboard chair by Stuart Miller at deignersblock, Milan

We lie: there is a slight order. First up is our favourite chair from the smow design spring: Stuart Miller’s unnamed foldable cardboard chair from the designersblock showcase in Milan. Over the course of the smow design spring we didn’t see any thing that even came to close to capturing Stuart’s simple, practical and comfortable chair. We’ve sadly lost sight of the project a little, and lack the requisite degree in Information Technology to navigate Glasgow Caledonian University Website, If any one knows anything please let us know!! Unnamed foldable carboard chair. Quality seating instrument!

And as of now … In no particular order.

Duct Tape Chair by Jason Miller

Duct Tape Chair by Jason Miller. In our original post from the floor of the ICFF press room we mentioned the similarity between Jason Miller’s Duct chair and Easy by Klausner and Carpenter for Established and Sons. After long and careful consideration, however, we decide to include Duct chair in our  tip five. A form sicher and wonderfully comfortable chair, Duct Chair is also not only aesthetically pleasing but intrigues the viewer so shifts from passive chair to active element of a room. Duct Tape Chair. Quality seating instrument!

404 H by Stefan Dietz for Thonet

404 H by Stefan Dietz for Thonet. In our world bar stools count as chairs, mainly because we spend a lot of time on bar stools - having as we do a raised breakfast bar in the kitchen of the (smow)flat. For Thonet Stefan Dietz has created in 404 H a wonderful addition to one of the most tradition-conscious German design houses. In comparison to some other long established design houses, for Thonet tradition if more than just marketing rights tio the name of a long since deceased designer; rather for Thonet tradition means continuing the tradition that made that designer successful and famous - and in the case of Michael Thonet that means innovation.404 H. Quality seating instrument!

And uncomplicated, high quality wooden furniture.

Such as the 404 H.

Vegetal by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra in Milan

Vegetal by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra.  Even before the start of the Milan design week Vegetal had already established itself as one of the stars. And it didn’t let us down. Yes it looks like a cheap garden chair, yes it reminds one of Chair One by Konstantin Grcic, but no it is neither of these things. The fruit of four years labour by our favourite porcupine and fox, Vegetal is a wonderful, stable, comfortable and versatile chair perfect for indoor and out. And we’re fairly certain unbreakable. Vegetal. Quality seating instrument!

Bansko Bo lounger chair and Ottoman by Design Apparat

Bansko Bo by Design Apparat. Without question one of the finest proper loungers we saw this spring, and that from one of the best new design studios from the smow design spring. We live in Leipzig, we don’t like nOSTalgia, we do like many elements of the design style that developed in Eastern Europe  during the decades of iron curtains, Warsaw pacts and ICBMs. Bansko Bo is a wonderful new design, but one that has its roots unmistakably in the Bulgaria of the 1970s. Looks good, works and will probably last longer than the regime of Todor Zhivkov. Bansko Bo. Quality seating instrument!

Kete by David Turnbridge

The Top 5 Lamps from the smow design spring. In no particular order.

Kete by David Turnbridge. One of the first lamps we saw in Milan, and probably that which left the greatest impression on us. And not merely on account of its size. For us the principle beauty of Kete is the atmosphere it can create in a room with it 7W LED element. And despite their overproprtionality Kete doesn’t domiante the room. Honest.  Kete. Anything but dull.

moooi.

Beachballs by TOBYhouse at designersblock, Milan

Beach Ball Lamps by TOBYhouse. When we first saw Beach Ball Lamps we thought they were made from shaped aluminium. So stable and rigid are they. Only after entering into converstaion with designer Toby Sanders did we discover that they are real beach balls. And that was when the product became magic. That was the moment when we realised and appreciated just what a product we had before us. And that was the moment when we started to investiagte more carefully. Through a specialy developed process TOBYhouse coat the inside of the balls with a thin polyeurethene coat, before cutting the bottom open and rounding the edges. And with it’s brillant white interior Beach Ball Lamps offers an excellent illumination. Beach Balls Lamps. Anything but dull.

moooi.

Flatline by Jason Brugges for Established and Sons

Flatliner by Jason Bruge for Established and Sons. We don’t own an iPod which is probably why we took a  couple of minutes to get the hang of the control system. Had it been based on an MD player we would have got the hang of it much quicker. However, once up and running we were in awe of Jason Bruge’s genial dimming system. And the quality of the illumination generated is every bit as convincing. If you don’t know what were talking about, check out our (smow)tube video. Flatliner. Anything but dull.

moooi.

Fiss Family by My Own Super Studio

Fiss Family by myownsuperstudio. DMY in Berlin was full of lamps. We’re not exactly sure why but we’re fairly certain it had something to do with students being set lamp design as part of their final year project. A sort of conspiracy among product and industrial design lecturers to make earth shine more brightly than the sun. Fiss Family by Portugese outfit myownsuperstudio wouldn’t have been much help in such a plot, but was without doubt one of the finest lamp ranges we saw this spring. For us the beauty lies in the fact that the light flows downwards; consequently, they don’t produce the brightest illumination, but that which they do produce is amongst the softest we saw this spring and certainly the best intended for a living room or office when you want a gentle background light or constant, atmospheric illumination. Fiss Family. Anything but dull.

moooi.

Spin by Tom Dixon

Spin by Tom Dixon. Not a lamp in the popular, modern electrified sense. But then were not sticklers for convention. Correctly used candles can offer a better, more positive illuminaton than their modern cousins. The trick is the “correctly used” part. With Spin Tom Dixon offers a wonderfully stylish opportunity not only to illuminate a space as we want it, but also to change the illumination as and when required. Spin. Anything but dull.

And a special mention goes to moooi for their Horse Lamp.

Good news for all of you in Copenhagen, or who are planning visiting the Danish capital.

Perpetual smow favourites Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec were recently commissioned to design the new Kvadrat showroom in Copenhagen, and the result of the work has now been unveiled.

It may not look like they have done very much for their opulent fee; but ain’t that the secret in good design

But what they undoubtedly have created, is a space that allows the wonderful Kvadrat fabrics to shine and take centre stage. As a customer you simply enjoy the comfort around you, without even thinking about it.

The Kvadrat showroom can be found at Pakhus 48 Klubiensvej 22, Frihavnen DK - 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.

And the designer furniture from Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec at smow.com

Kvadrat showroom in Copenhagen featuring Clouds for Kvadrat, Quilt Sofa for Established and Sons and Steelwood Chair for Magis: All by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

Industrial minimalist purity: Kvadrat showroom in Copenhagen including the new Steelwood Shelves for Magis

As already written, every year the London based producer Established & Sons take over a former municipal sports hall in the Via Palermo for their Salone “installation”. The theme this year appeared to be Robinson Crusoe.

Quilt Sofa by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Established & Sons.

We’d been really looking forward to the Established and Sons show since seeing the pre-show releases; and while the show was well worth the trip, we couldn’t help coming away with the feeling that in many of the pieces the design had been taken priority over practicality. The Quilt Sofa from Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec being a good example. The smaller sofa was wonderfully comfortable and we could well imagine slouching in it in front of the telly, or with a laptop. However, you just know that money and bits of food are going to vanish for ever between the bulges. At least if you have trousers and seating/eating habits like us.

Another attractive new product is the lamp family “Flatliner” by Jason Bruge - a sort of lighting for generation iPod. As can be seen in our small video the illumination is controlled by touching the side, similar to the menu function on an iPod. In the table version that is genius and with a little practice is very simple to use; however, in the hanging version the lamp swings through the contact, and if you try to stop it swinging you turn the lamp off.  Less genius.

But there were some products on display where even we could find no fault. A notable mention in this category goes to “Easy” by Klauser and Carpenter - a solid, comfortable armchair that would be ideal in any waiting area, conference room or as an guest chair in a living room.

Despite the, for us, possible usability problems of some of the new products we remain firm fans of Established & Sons and are certain that despite the impression conveyed decoration in the sports, there is little chance the Established & Sons will crash against the rocks and become hopelessly stranded.

Having re-read the first two “off-Salone” entries, we fear that it could be interpreted that we are not doing very much here.

To correct that view, we must point out that you are only getting the pick of the crop; by the time a text reaches the (smow)blog we have already sorted out the rotten, misformed and unripe fruits.

After leaving the after-hours-acid-jazz-cafe ambiance of the Zona Tortona press room, we headed of north towards the Piazza Moscova.

Easy by Klaus and Carpenter for Established & Sons

First port of call was Established & Sons. Every year the London based producer take over a former municipal sports hall in the Via Palermo for their installation. The theme this year appeared to be Robinson Crusoe. We’ll say a little more about the Established & Sons show later, but at this stage a notable mention must go to “Easy” by Klauser and Carpenter - solid, comfortable chair that would be ideal in any waiting area, conference room or as an guest chair in a living room. And it looks good.

Kantbank by Andreas Grindler at kkaarrllss

Shortly after leaving Established we, literally, stumbled over kkaarrlls - the showcase from students at the Karlsruhe Design College. We’d seen a few photos in advance, and if we’re honest weren’t that taken. However the show itself changed our opinion. Aside from the rattan versions of four classics from Panton, Eames, Gehry and Thonet and the wire frame “ashtray” the Kantbank particularly caught our attention. Not only can one sit on it - and that in comfort and safety - but you can also use it as an ad-hoc surface for writing short notes or using a small laptop. And in that sense it is perfect for press areas at, for example, sports events or design shows, but can also be used be employed in an office setting as an informal meeting area/brainstorming corner.

We then took in a couple of significantly less impressive shows, before, finally, arriving at “Les Belges” -16 young Belgian designers, where our “off-Salone” day came to an end. More on that later.

The day was long, the day was busy, but the day was worth it and we can strongly recommend such a tour to all with an interest in design, designers and the processes that link one with the other.

smow in Milan - the (smow)bike after our "off-Salone" tour

We at (smow)blog make no secret of our admiration for the work of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and so were especially delighted to receive confirmation of the “new” projects they will be displaying at the Salone Mobile in Milan.

In addition to their Vegetal Chair for Vitra and Clouds for Kvadrat, both of which we have already mentioned, les frères Bouroullec will also be premiering their Quilt sofa for Established & Sons and Steelwood coat hanger for Magis.

For us the real charm of the four projects is that they wonderfully demonstrate the versatility and capabilities of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec without being mutually exclusive. The clear, minimalistic Steelwood coat hanger, for example, contrasting with the playful absurdity of the Quilt Sofa.

For a designer there is nothing worse than being pigeon-holed or “typecast”and nothing more fatal than falling into the trap of always repeating the one successful design.

At the end of the day Barbra Cartland is not the perfect role model for a young designer.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, however, have once again demonstrated that there is little danger that there work will become predictable and tiresome.
And we can’t wait to take a closer look at the Quilt Sofa.

Vegetal by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra

Quilt Sofa by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Established & Sons.

Clouds by Ronanan and Erwan Bouroullec for Kvadrat

Steelwood Coat Hanger and Chair by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Magis