Interior Design Sense

Muku Lanterns at first glance looks out of place in todays A&D scene which is dominated by sleek lines, bright hues and modern styles. However this is intentional by designers Tasuo Yamamoto and Jun Hashimoto and we applaud their move to ignore contemporary rhythm and experiment with traditional styles. The two lanterns have been inspired by traditional japanese lamps called ‘Ouchi Andon’ but the designer duo have given their own subtle modern twist to them. The lanterns have been made from different materials including aluminum, acrylic a, wood and will be exhibited during the Milan Design Week 2010.

Post from At Salone Internazionale Del Mobile: Japanese Muku Lanterns

I have a vested interest in soft electronics, particular mixing hardware with textiles. It’s nothing new but we are getting closer and closer to wearable clothes and that excites me. Take for example the Skôn which means nice in Dutch and Swedish. The rim of the hoodie has a knitted variable resistor and varies when you play with it. The changing resistance value changes the intensity of the light. There’s something ethereal about this. Even tho summer’s approaching, it makes me feel all warm and cozy inside. 

Wearable Senses, Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology
Credits to: Gordon Tiemstra (camera), Elien Vergeer (model) and Michel Peeters and Carl Meegens (teachers involved).

Designers: Paula Kassenaar and Paula Segura Meccia

skôn from Paula Kassenaar on Vimeo.

Sweltering in the Sun? Missing the damp cold winter days? Well, then maybe the Ice Chair by Baíta Design is perfect for you. No, it won’t cool down your body but thanks to the on board acrylic and stainless steel, it will definitely create an illusion. Brazilian designers Helena Bueno and Heinz Müller have managed to create quite a minimalistic wonder as the first think you notice about the Ice Chair is its sleek exterior and durable construction. I personally see the chair working more in a commercial set up like stores, offices or even airports but hey thats just me.

Post from Ice Chair By Baíta Design Is All Steel And Acrylic

Be ready to don your traveling shoes this spring as the famous IMM Cologne 2010 Design Fair kickstarts. So if you are giving Milan a skip, then do make a visit to Cologne to witness some cutting edge designs. We really liked what Singaporean design house Foundry has in store for the event. Their collection which consists of tables, chairs, shelves not only looks great but puts the spotlight on upcoming designers like Sebastian Herkner & Reinhard Dienes, Studio Hausen, Elisa Honkanen, and more.

Images Via Yanko Design

Post from At IMM Cologne 2010: OUTOFSTOCK Collection By FOUNDRY

Rocket Design is a recently launched brand from two young designers from Milan, Italy. Conveniently enough, they will also be a part of he Young Designer Book exhibit held simultaneously with the Furniture Fair. Their site is a fun and original web space where visitors can feast they eyes on the latest design tricks of the owners. We particularly like this music collection and we think it will have a major success. From the red guitar coffee table to unique speaker shelves, these rooms are like a fresh tiny audio museum.  Some of these products can be bought online here. If a funky room style is what you’re after, check out these amazing products!

As Freshome is constantly trying to improve its content, starting today we decided to add an extra category to our site. We will be taking several interviews a month, asking a series of questions regarding the design industry and the results will be posted for all our readers to see and comment. Our “targets” are designers and architects everywhere who feel they have something to say. If you are one of them, feel free to contact us at lavinia@freshome.com.

Without further ado, here is our first interview, from Vanessa DeLeon Associates.  Our thanks go out to Julissa Rivas (publicist for Vanessa DeLeon Associates) for her help. We also uploaded some of the company’s designs, for a more pleasant reading. Enjoy!

• Freshome: What determined your passion for design? Tell us about the moment when you decided this is the way to go.
• Vanessa : I  was lucky enough to grow up around my family’s furniture business; and I soon realized that the furniture business wasn’t enough; creativity took over and I started a new beginning. I worked in display design for Ralph Lauren, but didn’t feel fulfilled. I lusted over the field of interior design; and loved the idea of breathing new life into a room.  I realized this was my passion and continued my education at Berkeley College for Interior Design.  While pursuing my education, I created a small company called Vanessa De Leon Associates.

• Freshome: Can you remember your first design project? Describe it a bit, whether it is a gizmo you worked at as a little kid or something that was sold at a large scale.
• Vanessa : Yes.  When I was 9 years old I got a Barbie Town House with four floors.  I designed all of the rooms in all four floors with ease; and an Interior Designer was born.

• Freshome: What field of design are you most interested in? Do your works have anything to do with it? (We are asking this because not many designers do what they actually want)
• Vanessa : Thankfully, I am doing what I love which is Commercial and High End Residential Designs.

• Freshome:. Chronologically describe what you are going through (feeling and thoughts) on your way to work.
• Vanessa: From the moment I step in the shower in the morning I start planning my day.  From the morning meeting with a client to the afternoon meeting with the contractor.  I’m always thinking of my next step, project, meeting or phone call.  There is never a dull moment which keeps my day fresh and exciting.

• Freshome:. What is your favorite book/magazine on design? How about your favorite site?
• Vanessa: My favorite magazine is Interior Design Magazine, and my favorite site is VanessaDeLeon.com. lol

• Freshome:. What inspires you?
• Vanessa: I get inspired by many things including walking in New York City, people, museums, Architecture, my trip to Paris and Italy, new restaurants and new hotels.

• Freshome:. What is the most frustrating aspect of your job as a designer? And the most rewarding one?
• Vanessa: The most frustrating aspect of my job as a designer is people’s misconception about what my job entails.  Most people think I just put fabrics and colors together all day long.  What they don’t know is all of the work that goes on behind the scenes after the vision is created.  I am involved in the Project management aspect of the design which means I deal with clients, vendors, late deliveries, floor plans, elevations, drafting, and measurements of tiles, rugs, counter tops, wall paper etc.  My job doesn’t end after the design concept is created.

• Freshome:. From your point of view, is design an art or a science?
• Vanessa: I think it’s a combination of both art and science.  Coming up with a design concept is an art.  Determining the numbers, elevations, floor plans and calculations is the Science aspect of it.

• Freshome:. Tell us something unusual that happened in your carrier.
• Vanessa: I worked with a married couple that wanted me to create a design concept around their bed.  Turns out the bed doubled as some sort of Bondage contraption.  It was a little awkward but we had fun with it and came up with a design that they were really happy with, and that’s what really matters to me.

• Freshome:. Let’s say you entered a contest. You have to come up with a design for the first house on the Moon built for extra-terrestrial living. How would your project look like?
• Vanessa: In order for me to answer this question I would have to visit the job site to gain inspiration and determine a design concept.  Maybe my next trip will be to the moon.

• Freshome:. If you had no limits (money, resources), what would you create?
• Vanessa: I would create a Glamorous and Opulent Casino or Hotel.

• Freshome:. Share something you would like the world to know about you or your ideas.
• Vanessa: That I’m always a step ahead of the trends and consider myself to be design forward.

• Freshome:. What do you think of our site?
• Vanessa: It’s full of talented designers with inspiring and innovative designs.  I am happy to be part of it.

• Freshome:. What advice do you have for young designers or architects reading this interview?
• Vanessa: In order to be successful in this business you need to have DRIVE, DETERMINATION, and DISCIPLINE!

All you designers know you’re a messy bunch. Give you a table, a pencil, paper, eraser, sharpener and I’m willing to bet an artful pile of trash would build up all over the floors. No need to be a mess cat anymore. The La Gota Table has a hollow legs with a trash bin at the base. The opening is surrounded by ripples to prevent anything from mistakenly falling in. The timber parts are made from reclaimed lumber and a soy based polymer resin with bamboo fillers. HOT! I want one.

Designer: Timothy Emmott

The Molly Desk belongs to  Toby Howes and we can’t really make up our minds whether this is a writing desk, a coffee table or both. This is naturally a good thing in the world of design,where hidden functionality is sometimes a must. The British designer came up with this original concept for a client with a strong passion for 1950’s furniture. Toby says his client  “wanted a desk that combined a light, suspended-in-air feel with the utilitarianism of the time.”  He also stated that the Molly Desk “contrasts light and dark, straight lines and curves, intricate construction with simple style and luxurious materials with sparse design.” We sure enjoy seeing unconventional furniture like this and salute the designers who do their best in coming up with original works.

Looks like an ordinary t-shirt but look closer and you’ll see a peculiar zip front and seam in the bottom left. That friends is the novel and innovative pocket the shirt folds into for travel and when not in use, and it’s called the Pockit. The company was started by Christian Karlsson and Frankie Chan and presents a new way to produce and ship a t-shirt. No packaging required because it is its own packaging. Clever boys! I want one.

Designers: Christian Karlsson & Frankie Chan

I was following the links to our co-contributors on the Inside Out piece and found beautiful gardens designed by Spirit Level Designs, a Sydney based landscape firm of architects, designers, artists, horticulturists and stone masons. What wonderful lush spaces. I love the use of stone and the layering of textures and shapes. These are gardens you want to wander into, to become part of the landscape, to belong. I wish the images on their website were just a little larger so their lush green beauty would jump out of the screen a bit more. Still I have no trouble imagining myself brushing against the leaves by the path or hearing the soft tinkle of water features. Lovely.