We may be in the middle of the summer slowdown, but the design world is still moving along – and I have plenty of exciting finds to share with you this month. As well as new pieces from some of my favourite designers, there are debut collections from just-launched start-ups that already look as if they’re going to make big waves. Just read on for details…
Timeless stone furniture from By Rebecca Goddard
First up is the newly unveiled brand of American designer Rebecca Goddard, whose beautiful Berlin apartment I featured last year. Now living in Munich, she decided to launch her own venture after struggling to find stone furniture she liked for a price she could afford. She therefore set about creating her own, combining honest materials and simple shapes to produce timeless, soulful items that you’ll want to keep for decades to come. Her launch piece is ‘Ever’ – a circular dining table that’s made to order by a skilled stonemason in Turkey. The ‘Classic’ version (€2,800) has a diameter of 120cm and comes in light or grey travertine, but you can also opt for a partially or fully customised table in your choice of size, base shape, marble and finish. It’s a very elegant and versatile design, and I can’t wait to see what else Rebecca has in store over the coming months as she extends her range to include additional furniture and smaller, ready-made products.
Flat-packed beds from ReFramed
Another new brand making its debut this month is ReFramed. The brainchild of Danish entrepreneur Kasper Simonsen, whose past experience includes work with HAY and Menu, it aims to ‘challenge the role of good design in people’s homes’ by rethinking key items. Its first product is a minimalist bed, created by London-based designer Tim Rundle and made from recycled aluminium. It was conceived with city dwellers and compact spaces in mind, and comes flat-packed in a lightweight, easy-to-move box that can be delivered straight to your door – even if you live in an apartment several floors up, or have narrow halls and staircases to contend with. What’s more, it can be assembled in minutes with a single tool and customised with a range of add-ons, including headboards, storage drawers and bedside tables that slot onto the sides. It’s available in brushed aluminium, white, blue and red, and prices start at €905. At the moment ReFramed is only delivering to the EU and the UK, but Kasper hopes to introduce shipping to North America later this year.
A versatile wooden table from TAKT
Sticking with flat-pack furniture, Copenhagen-based TAKT has released a rectangular version of its existing ‘Cross’ table and it instantly caught my eye. Created by London studio PearsonLloyd, it features the same cross-shaped frame, pared-back expression and gently rounded legs as the original square edition but seats four-six people; it also works brilliantly as a desk. Like all TAKT pieces, it’s designed to be as sustainable as possible, and you can see a full breakdown of its carbon footprint in the online product description – something I haven’t seen made readily available by any other furniture maker as yet. It costs €699 / £549 and comes with a choice of natural or black-lacquered oak legs, and an oak-veneer top or a ply-edged laminate top in black, red or grey. Free shipping is available to most European countries (including non-EU) and delivery can be arranged further afield on request.
Minimalist pieces from Design Of
Next up is Swedish brand Design Of – always one of my favourites. The latest additions to its collection of minimalist steel furniture are a coat rack / clothes rail and a full-length mirror, both the work of designer, photographer and stylist Sara Medina Lind. She wanted to create items that combine sturdy metal construction with a soft expression, and the resulting designs have gently rounded bars that offset the sleek lines beautifully. I particularly love the way the mirror wall fixing doubles as hanging space for clothes, and both pieces would make great solutions for compact spaces. They’ll be available from 1st September in a choice of black, white or beige powder-coated steel, with the coat rack priced at €380 and the mirror at €660.
The ‘Everyday Collection’ from Fred Rigby Studio
Finally, British designer Fred Rigby, whose previous work includes pieces for the likes of Menu and interiors for the renowned Francis Gallery in Bath, has launched his first in-house furniture range. Called the ‘Everyday Collection’, it features functional yet gently playful designs with organic forms and earthy colours, all inspired by the rolling landscapes and stunning coastal scenery of Dorset, where Rigby grew up. It consists of three key series: the ‘Cove’ modular seating range, which offsets chunky oak frames with soft bouclé cushions; the ‘Tide’ dining table and matching ‘Timber’ chairs, whose column-like legs resemble clusters of trees in a forest; and the ‘Raindrop’ coffee and side tables, which can be used on their own or grouped together to evoke the pattern of raindrops falling on a pool of water. Everything is made to order in the UK using locally sourced FSC-certified materials, and prices start at £450.
All photography via the brands above
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