Step Inside This House in Poland Where Playfulness Reigns

In Wroclaw, Poland is a lively terraced house that reflects the youthful energy of the couple who owns it. Designed by Znamy się for the owners, and their two dogs, who love to cook, entertain friends, and play board games. Drawing inspiration from the whimsical world of Playshapes (wooden blocks that can be moved, layered, or combined), this modern home now boasts a fusion of structures, forms, and vibrant colors that bolster creativity, socializing, and play.

The new interior holds many elements that allow the owners to play with form. Moveable furniture sets the stage with shelves on wheels that enable the couple to create flexible arrangements and new spaces. The kitchen island is not only the place for food prep and cooking, it stores board games and houses water dispensers for their beloved dogs. The dining table’s top lifts to play games and work puzzles.

Geometric shapes and a strong palette of colors intertwine forming layered spaces rich in textures and visual intrigue. The inclusion of lots of wooden elements gives nod to Playshapes, while adding organic charm.

Three shelves set within a blue painted alcove hold a large selection of plants and objects for a touch of biophilia.

The square dining table lives under one of the hanging grids that holds plants. Similar gridded structures live alongside the wooden staircase adding a pop of color while providing safety for those climbing the stairs.

The bathroom features similar wooden cabinets as the kitchen island with geometric patterns adorning the fronts. An inset cabinet is painted a playful pink on the inside, pairing nicely with the black and white floor tile.

Photography by Migdal Studio.

The Lightbone Floor Lamp Looks to a Japanese Bamboo Forest

It only takes a glance to see where the Lightbone floor lamp got its monicker – the connection point between the spherical glass globes and the wooden sections. Inspired by a bamboo forest on a trip to Japan and designed by FÄRG & BLANCHE for Oblure, Lightbone was originally exhibited during Milan Design Week 2017 as part of the “Armour Mon Amour” exhibition. At that point of the conceptual phase, the floor lamp was textile and measured up to three meters tall! In the following years it’s continued to evolve into the product you see here.

“We are really happy that we were able to develop this version of the Lightbone together with Oblure,” said the designers, Fredrik Färg and Emma Marga Blanche. “This time in solid Oak and all made in Sweden.”

The floor lamp can easily be used next to a sofa, but also looks amazing in a group or two or three. Multiples begin to resemble a small forest or act to divide spaces in hospitality projects.

Lighbone is available in natural Oak with a Black stain, Smoked Oak, and Cobalt Blue. It’s also available in custom colors on request.

To lean more about LIGHTBONE floor lamp, visit oblure.com.

The Refreshing Simplicity of Fractal Design’s Swedish Modern PCs

Scandinavian design is most often associated with a minimalist aesthetic, one emphasizing natural materials as a carefully considered employment of form following function. Wood often plays prominently, as does a subdued palette meant to evoke nature’s colors, with metal only used sparingly as accents. It’s all pretty much the antithesis of the PC gaming aesthetic and ethos, where gaming rigs tend to lean strongly into gaudy LED-illuminated showmanship.

Now imagine if Alvar Alto or Arne Jacobsen as an avid gamer today, and if they put their creative genius towards designing their very own gaming machine for their COD or Minecraft addiction. You might very well see something similar to Fractal Design’s North and Terra PC cases.

Fronted tastefully with a real oak or walnut paneled face, embellished with a faux leather tab, and sleek steel or brass detail buttons and ports, Fractal’s North PC case stood out enough from the crowded realm of audaciously outfitted PC gaming designs to earn the Gothenburg-based company a Red Dot Design Award 2023.

Fractal’s Terra is a similarly conceived approach to PC gaming, featuring a smaller case option made with anodized aluminum panels and a CNC-milled, FSC-certified solid walnut front face.

Three front USB ports, including one USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C with fast charging support and speeds up to 10Gbps, are available on the exterior; seven bridgeless expansion slots within maximize the customization and upgrade options down the line.

Noting hardware upgrades play prominently in the PC gaming experience, North has designed the Terra case to be easily accessible from the side and top using an integrated tab.

Founded in 2007 in Sweden, followed by Fractal Design outposts opened in Dallas and Taipei, Taiwan, the company has distinguished itself by designing gaming accessories aimed at PC customers seeking an understated presence on their desktop. The company’s North and Terra cases epitomize this understated aesthetic displaying an almost architectural attention to detailing.

Fractal Design’s North PC case retails for $140 here, while the Terra PC case is available for $180 here.

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Desktop Wallpaper: July 2023

Austin, Texas-based URBS Studio is joining us for July’s Designer Desktop with a background that’s cool-tempered but energizing. Through her interdisciplinary design studio, Alyson Beaton explores the urban culture that surrounds her. The details and detritus observed all contribute to the whole of the studio’s work: grids, grit, signs, symbols, rhythm, scribbles, weeds, chaos, order, and more. URBS translates these visual tales of urban renewal and environmental sustainability through spaces, textile collections, children’s products, and more. The man-made environments that are part of our everyday lives are constantly evolving in different ways, and most of it’s nothing you or I have control over. But we’ll never tire of seeing creativity rise from the most unexpected of places.

For this month’s Desktop, Beaton shares her Glimmer design inspired by “The glimmer of light that reflects off the glassy buildings when the sun hits just right.” The trippy design is paired with the quote, “While you are looking, you might as well listen, linger, and think about what you see,” from Jane Jacobs.

Download yours with the links below!

DESKTOP: 1024×768 \\\ 1280×1024 \\\ 1680×1050 \\\ 1900×1200 \\\ 2560×1440

MOBILE: iPhone XS \\\ iPhone XS Max \\\ iPad Pro

Learn more about URBS Studio here and follow along on IG here.

View and download past Designer Desktops here.

Swipe Right Into Tinder’s 7-Story West Hollywood Headquarters

Tinder’s new headquarters in West Hollywood, California designed by Rapt Studio could be imagined as a thoughtful response to the transformative changes that have affected the corporate workplace dynamics the last few years. The seven-story, 77,000-square-foot project, handled by the same creative consultancy responsible for developing other creative spaces for the likes of Google, Dropbox, and Vans, is imagined to reestablish the pandemic-frayed ties that bind individuals into creative collaborative teams – and by extension, between the app users they seek to support – designing a multi-level headquarters layered with a multitude of opportunities for collaboration and connection.

Rapt Studio began the project by researching existing public space typologies, from the town square to the speakeasy, that empower a progressive deepening of ties that bind workers with their work in an organic manner.

Modeled after a town square, The Commons is the largest and most expansive of the spaces, and also the entry point into Tinder’s new headquarters. The airy environment is intended to encourage casual interactions and large enough to accommodate for company-wide gatherings.

The café — or “Boost Bar” — sits on the second floor, giving employees access to the skills of an in-house barista, and in turn providing an informal space to work away from the desk.

The IT help desk is fashioned after the nostalgic memories of the neighborhood arcade.

Diffuse lighting, custom modular furniture on wheels, and walls clad in top-to-bottom whiteboards all inhabit La Galleria, a room drawing its atmosphere from the workshops and displays of an artist studio.

Floor six is dedicated to quieter activities and appropriately demarcated as The Stacks, a tranquil communal space fashioned after a library.

Deep blue hues across plush fabrics, with curvilinear walls and curtains framing windows overlooking the LA skyline give the pinnacle seventh floor a nightclub vibe. Seating arrangements are situated to encourage engagement within intimate groups – a “secret” employee getaway of sorts.

“Connection is at the heart of the Tinder brand,” says Rapt Studio CEO and Chief Creative Officer David Galullo. “To design a space that deepens connection within Tinder, we looked to the places where we typically build relationships and then mapped them onto a floor plan. The end project emphasizes how design itself can be a force of connection.”

Tinder’s new HQ shares some similarities to Rapt Studio’s previous project, The Schoolhouse, a creative office for The Google School for Leaders. Each share the goal to spur informal engagements between team members by carving out both shared and intimate spaces, and furnished to empower employees to adapt those spaces to their needs on an as-needed basis.

Mizetto’s Summer Collection Tests Design’s Boundaries

Creative and fun, Mizetto’s Summer 2023 Collection lives somewhere between work and play. The brand has pushed its own capabilities, exploring new materials, production methods, and functionality. Made in Sweden, the latest release includes a wood chair, a versatile table with attachments, a leaning piece, modular planters, and a trash/recycling bin. All share the qualities of clean lines and curves and leave you wanting to experience each for yourself. Known for its color combinations, Mizetto has also added five new “Nordic noir” hues: rusty burgundy, cloudy latte, forest green, latte, and dusty blue.

Perhaps the most curious addition is Lumber by Addi, a piece meant for leaning, lingering, and loitering. The soft beam’s release marks the first upholstered product introduced by the brand. It’s a great answer to adding seating to small spaces, and we can’t help but note its resemblance to a dynamic piece of gymnastics equipment. A quick place to stop on the go for a coffee or email check, Lumber’s small tray-like table adds further functionality to a piece with no obvious front or back. It can even be hung on a wall for maximum space saving. Lumber’s upholstery is flameproof wool, with a cover that’s fully removable, repairable, and exchangeable. The legs are powder coated metal.

A wooden chair is new territory for Mizetto, so they turned to an expert for help – Finish-Swedish furniture designer and woodworker Sami Kallio. The Embrace armchair was a result of the brand lacking seating in their own spaces, and shortly after, Kallio walked in with a fully functioning prototype.

“A few alterations later, Embrace was born; a chair that seemingly hugs its user. I love how it can be hung on a tabletop and stacked, but still provide us with all the beauty and comfort we seek in a piece of furniture,” said Rickard Muskala, founder, and chief of product development.

Kallio is also behind the multi-purpose table in the Embrace series.

Playful, fun, and modular, Addi’s Plant Here gives our green friends a pedestal fitting of their mood-enhancing ways. The planter pays attention to the various needs of different varietals through its accessible design, whether you’re a balcony or office gardener. Features include a generous depth, transparent inner pot for easy planting, different heights, shapes, sizes, and colors. Combine two or more to form endlessly possible installations.

Trash and recycling bins are a necessity, but that doesn’t mean they have to look like one. Pelican by Studio Nooi turns them into minimal decorative objects with touchless interaction. Their semicircular shape allows for modular design, creating an oval when placed back to back. Pelican’s design is suitable for residential as well as commercial spaces, and comes in two sizes and a variety of colors.

To learn more about Mizetto’s Summer 2023 collection, visit mizetto.se.

Oyster Tempo is Literally the Most Chill Outdoor Cooler Ever Designed

If names like Yeti, Tundra, and RTIC strike a chord, you’ve likely gone through the sticker shock associated with deliberating between very large rectangular blocks of insulated plastic. Ice coolers fall under the product category of “you wouldn’t believe how much these things cost,” at least when considering options amongst a top performing tier of coolers attached to price tags of hundreds of dollars. Oyster, a new Norwegian brand will still set you back $500, but it introduces a uniquely smaller and more efficient design aiming to suck out the air from its larger and bulkier competition.

Even the best hard cooler requires pouring large amounts of ice to retain a cold drink temperature for hours, making for a laborious haul, ironically heating the carrier while attempting to keep the contents cool. The Tempo proposes something a bit wild: subtracting ice out of the equation. That is, if you start off by throwing in cold drinks or food to begin with. The Tempo’s patented double-wall vacuum insulation technology is so efficient in preventing heat transfer from occurring – keeping cold temps within from escaping and warmer ambient air from intruding. The cooler can keep cold foods or drinks chill for hours without ice… or for much longer aided by two included ice packs.

The sleek extruded aluminum cooler essentially works just like those popular double-walled metal flasks you might already carry around everywhere to keep your coffee hot or water cold throughout the day, creating an insulated and vacuumed sealed interior large enough to fit 36 cans of beverages within. The only caveat of the design is if you dent it, it’s going to wear the signs of your mishaps forever (but that’s what strategically placed stickers are for).

The cooler’s rectangular shape is in itself an innovation; previous attempts to manufacture anything beyond a cylindrical vacuum-insulated shape would fail to retain their shape over an extended span of time. Oyster stands by their design so confidently, not only will they replace any broken parts, they claim their replacement policy even extends out to damage if your cooler is “mauled by a bear.”

Outward appearances may give off the impression the Tempo is designed only for modest loads. But because of the thin-walled design, the Tempo offers three times the capacity compared to other rotomolded coolers of similar size.

As the owner of an enormous and unwieldy rotomolded cooler, the Tempo’s manageable size is revelatory, and to be frank, suitable for more than 80% of our typical hiking, camping, or picnicking adventures. Pair that with the Tempo’s extraordinary ability to keep contents cold without bagfuls of ice, the quick-switch handle or strap carrying system, superior portability, and its subjectively standout industrial good looks, and the Tempo is arguably the coolest cooler on the market.

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

F5: Crystal Williams Is Far More Than RISD’s President

As Rhode Island School of Design’s (RISD) 18th president, Crystal Williams believes that education, art and design, and staying committed to equity and justice are essential to transforming our society. At RISD, the Detroit-born activist is working to drive meaningful change centered on expanding inclusion, equity, and access. To back that up, Crystal has more than two decades of higher education experience as a professor of English as well as serving in roles that oversaw diversity, equity, and inclusion at Boston University, Bates College, and Reed College. The ultimate goal behind Crystal’s role at RISD is to enhance the learning environment by making sure it includes diverse experiences, viewpoints, and talents.

However, Crystal’s talents go beyond the halls and classrooms of colleges and universities – she’s also an award-winning poet and essayist. So far, she’s published four collections of poems and is the recipient of several artistic fellowships, grants, and honors. Most recently Detroit as Barn, was named as a finalist for the National Poetry Series, Cleveland State Open Book Prize, and the Maine Book Award. Crystal’s third collection, Troubled Tongues, was awarded the 2009 Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Prize and was a finalist for the 2009 Oregon Book Award, the Idaho Poetry Prize, and the Crab Orchard Poetry Prize. Her first two books were Kin and Lunatic, published in 2000 and 2002. Crystal’s work regularly appears in leading journals and magazines nationwide.

Today, Crystal Williams is joining us for Friday Five!

1. Silence

Originally, I was going to write about a place that inspires me. But when I truly started to consider places I find inspiring, I realized that each of them elicits and enables silence and stillness, a refraction of silence (at least for me). So then, silence itself is the thing that inspires me. Silence inspires me to delve and investigate and allows me to situate myself in wonder and awe – in the amplitude and magnitude of who and what and how we are as a species, to sometimes take issue with personal fears or traumas or worse – the behaviors that ultimately impede personal and spiritual growth or insight.

For me, silence is a great gift. Perhaps the greatest. It is a balm. Through it, I connect to the world not as Crystal Williams of this particular body but as a congregation of embodied energy and spirit. In this way, it is the catalyst through which all good art, poetry, ideas, and leadership emerge. So it is among the most inspirational things in my life – and among the most rare, given my life.

2. Lucille Clifton Poem

I admire many poems. But Lucille Clifton’s “won’t you celebrate with me” (which is how it is commonly known although Clifton did not, in “Book of Light” originally title the poem), is the one that inspires me the most. It is a poem that speaks to resilience, fortitude, bravery, imagination, hope, and it names what being a Black woman in the United States can and often does elicit.

“won’t you celebrate with me
what I have shaped into
a kind of life? i had no model.
born in babylon
both nonwhite and woman
….
…come celebrate
with me that everyday
something has tried to kill me
and has failed.”

3. Nancy Wilson, “How Glad I Am,” Carnegie Hall, 1987

There are moments in art when an artist transforms one thing into another, utterly broadening, deepening, and transmuting the original meaning. In this live version of “How Glad I Am,” her encore performance at the 1987 “Live at Carnegie Hall” performance, Wilson – a vocalist I listened to obsessively as a younger person – transforms a simple song between lovers into a rousing tribute from an artist to her audience. This performance is the most profoundly loving example I have witnessed of an artist speaking directly and forcefully to the mutuality between artists and audiences. And it’s become a kind of personal soundtrack when I’m walking through my life, especially my life as a poet and now as president. Often, when I’m among creatives, I hear Wilson’s gorgeous, gravely voice imploring: “you don’t know how glad I am [for you].”

4. Young Creatives

Listen, these young people at RISD and young creatives everywhere are our best-case scenario. They are our visionaries, if only we can amplify them, listen to them, and then get out of their way. They have all the love (and strategy and insight and knowledge) we need if we can help them wield it successfully. They have all the intelligence and ingenuity we need to help solve our challenges and advance what is good, right, and just among our species. Added to those attributes are other facts: they are funny and curious and eager to learn and gloriously unusual.

I watch them here at RISD in their multi-colored outfits, hair-dos, and platform shoes, giggling with each other in front of the snack machine or intensely applying their best thinking to each others’ work during critiques. I listen to them grappling with big ideas, considering, reconsidering, and redesigning our world as if on slant, eschewing the boxes into which we have crammed stale ideas that continue to guide our actions. And I watch them in their magnitude – in the more quotidian actions of their lives trudging up and down the severe hill outside with their humongous portfolios and unwieldy art projects, and think through it all, “Wow” and think “to be so young and so powerful and necessary” and think “thank God” and think “Thank you, young people, for saying yes to the impulse that brought you here.” Not only do they inspire me, they humble me and they – each one of them – feel like a balm, like hope incarnate.

5. My Parents

My folks married in 1967 against all odds. They were of different ethnicities – he Black, she white. Different places – he from the Jim Crow South, she from Detroit, Michigan. Different eras – he born in 1907, she in 1936. Different careers – he a jazz musician and automotive foundry worker, she a public school teacher. And different educational backgrounds – he, we think, not a high school graduate, she a college graduate. And yet, they found each other over the keys of a piano and decided, against society’s cruel eye and hard palm, to love each other and to love me. I now understand the courage it took for all of that to be true, for them to make a way, for them to walk through the world in 1967 as a couple and with me as their child. That courage inspires me. Those decisions inspire me. They inspire me. Everyday. All day.

 

Work by Crystal Williams:

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Raw and Refined: Inside a Renovated Brutalist Apartment in Rome

A Brutalist-inspired apartment in the suburbs of Rome in Tor de’ Cenci recently received a complete renovation by STUDIOTAMAT. Designed for a lawyer couple, the project consisted of renovating the 120-square-meter apartment, along with a coveted 40-square-meter terrace. The Casa Rude residence overlooks the Castelporziano Nature Reserve offering both wooded and sea views, an ideal locale after years of living in small apartments in the heart of the city. Now, their space is filled with natural light, original character, and modern conveniences.

“What guided us in the design was the desire to enhance the distinctive features of the unique terraced building, dating back to the 1980s, which houses the apartment. We wanted to restore fluidity to the spaces, encourage the opening, and the discovery of pre-existing materials and details, on which to set a new vision,” says STUDIOTAMAT co-founder Tommaso Amato.

The main living area is designed much like a open plan loft with unfinished walls and the support structure’s exposed concrete visually connecting the spaces.

Paired with the original Brutalist details are a variety of tones, textures, and materials that add up to a visually enticing space. The roughness of the terracotta tiles on the oval island and concrete pillars are juxtaposed with the smooth Patagonia marble countertops that connect the two.

A custom dining table with a Shou sugi treated wood top rests on a black base and a glossy red ceramic leg for a sleek look.

A large, multifunctional birch wood cube is built to hide the pantry, hold coats, provide storage, and house a TV.

A wall of perforated bricks separates the living room and home office allowing natural light to pass through. A custom desk extends out from the built-in shelves and is held up by a circular red wheel, complementing the dining table’s leg a few feet away. The wheel allows the desk to roll along on a track to a new position.

A pivoting door visually separates the public areas from the sleeping area, which houses a main bedroom with ensuite bathroom, and a guest room.

In the primary bedroom, sliding ribbed glass doors offer privacy to those in the bathroom while allowing light in.

The large terrace features an outdoor kitchen, seating areas, dining space, and outdoor shower, all of which benefit from sunset views.

Photography by Serena Eller Vainicher.

The Lattice Day Bed Transforms Reverie into Reality

The Lattice Day Bed is a minimalist daybed made of grey quarry stone designed by Mexico-based designer Andrés Monnier. The original design features a stainless steel and marble base, while variations can also include white marble, travertine, volcanic rock, basalt, or granite rock.

“Is our human existence an interconnected reverie?” Such is the provocative question posed by the designer, an invitation to contemplate our roles within our perceived reality. The theory underscores the vast tapestry of human consciousness, where each individual weaves their unique interpretation of existence.

The daybed serves as both a physical representation of Monnier’s interpretation of dreams, while also functioning as the very conduit to actualize said dreams. He believes that the collective dream-state might not merely be an idle illusion, but a platform for transformative energy.

Artists Unite for Pride: Discover New Work + Support LGBTQIA+ Youth at Artsy Impact Auction

In celebration of Pride, Artsy happily presents the Artsy Impact Auction: Artists for Pride, benefiting the Ali Forney Center. New works by a diverse group of emerging and established artists will be bid on through June 29th at 12 pm EST. TM Davy, Didier William, Jo Messer, Kyle Meyer, Kate Pincus-Whitney, Erin M. Riley, Emma Kohlmann, Caitlin Cherry, Elizabeth Glaessner, Jordan Nassar, Haas Brothers, Vickie Vainionpää, Leilah Babirye, Darryl Westly, and Nedia Were have come together in allyship to support the cause by way of sharing their talents.

Ali Forney Center’s mission is to protect LGBTQIA+ youth from homelessness and to empower them with the tools needed to live independently. Through this partnership, the auction will directly support the critical care, direction, education, and career services that Ali Forney Center offers to these at-risk homeless youth.

We had the opportunity to speak with Simon Haas of the Haas Brothers, who have their Fairies Witherspoon piece featured in Artists for Pride (seen in the lead image). “This piece is from a body of work we call Fairy Berries. Each of these pieces is a little like a Faberge Egg, small and ornate,” said Simon. “These pieces are little meditations – they take a really, really long time and a steady hand, and the resulting piece is an opulent little world of its own.”

“A lot of the work we make is playful, but an equal amount of it is intensely process-based. When I am doing beadwork or making process-intensive projects like this I am very much in a meditative state of mind,” Simon shared. “This kind of work is almost necessary for me and my mental health.

Measuring 10 1/4 × 4 1/2 × 4 1/2-inches, Fairies Witherspoon is hand thrown and slip trailed porcelain detailed with gold lustre and brass plate. The underside is stamped with “HAAS BROTHERS 2020”, and it’s accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Nikolai and Simon Haas.

“Being gay myself, and having experienced first hand the challenges that come with that, it is really meaningful to me to be able to support my community. I can’t imagine the added difficulty of facing homelessness caused by or made more difficult by being LGBTQIA+. This is a truly important cause, particularly in this time of increasing intolerance.” Simon went on to add that he plans to “continue being a vocally out gay man and advocating for others in my community. It is so important that we make ourselves heard and support each other in our fight for equality. The LGBTQIA+ community is not a monolith, we are a collection of communities, but by coming together and advocating for each other we can accomplish so much more than we could on our own.”

To learn more about Artsy Impact Auction: Artists for Pride or place a bid, visit artsy.net.

Division Twelve’s Twigz Is Small in Stature, Big on Impact

High impact meets compact design in Division Twelve’s new Twigz café collection, created in collaboration with design duo Jones & de Leval. The furniture family’s throughline is a minimal frame with a small footprint, proving you don’t need visual heft to make a big impact. Twigz’s design details are ready to add plenty of interest to any small space, with both indoor and outdoor options available. Combine stackable chairs, benches, and tables to create a unique setup that’s all your own.

Twigz offers plenty of options to make it happen. Steel or upholstered chairs, round or rectangular table, and 20 powder coat colors are your creative playground. The one thing you won’t have deliberate is whether to play up form or function – Twigz does it all. Furthermore, the collection does so while being fully carbon neutral. Watch below to learn more about Twigz:

A 1970s California Ranch Is Reimagined for Modern Times

To reimagine a dated, 1970s ranch in Pleasanton, California, Destination Eichler partnered with Eyerly Architecture to bring this split-level house into today’s times. While the young family appreciated the 70s character of the home, they desired a fresh spin with added functionality seen in today’s builds. The updated abode now features modern details, mid-century furnishings, and a plethora of beautiful tile from Fireclay Tile.

A glass wall opens out from a multipurpose room offering views of Mount Diablo. The room’s other focal point is a double-sided fireplace that was updated with vertical wood slats and tile in a large, circular pattern.

The kitchen is renovated with light wood cabinets and a mosaic wall made with hexagonal tiles that complement the blue range.

The main living room features an angled wood ceiling and the other side of the double-sided fireplace. Clad in matte black tile, the fireplace has a minimalist aesthetic that is perfectly juxtaposed with the white walls and beams.

In the basement, which the original architect named “Rumpus Room,” a new kitchenette and bar is there to entertain guests.

Photos by John Shum.

Create an Array of Light + Atmosphere With the Kori Collection

The new Kori lighting collection, designed by Stockholm-based TAF Studio, is a welcome contemporary addition to Finnish design brand Artek. Its essence captures everyday beauty in a five product series that creates a diverse array of light and atmospheres. Three pendant light models, a table light, and a floor light feature modular design and pared-back aesthetics displaying the best of form and function. At the core of the design is a “basket” (kori in Finnish), a unique element that’s key to blending direct and indirect light – like sunlight filtered through trees.

Gabriella Lenke and Mattias Ståhlbom of TAF Studio shared, “With Kori, we wanted to achieve an atmospheric and glare-free light with different models adjusted to different spaces and contexts. The diffuser around the light source became very central, and through lots of experiments with shades and reflecting parts the different characters in the family appeared.”

Kori’s compact floor light provides great reading light in larger spaces, while the table light works well for bedside tables, sideboards, or shelves. The pendant light is arguably the most versatile, available in three models. When paired with a shade it provides a direct downlight and diffused uplight, ideal for smaller spaces. Add the Dune shade and illuminate the surface beneath while spreading glare-free light across a wide area. Or, choose the inverted Disc shade that reflects a soft cone of diffused light downward, good for smaller tables and sideboards.

The entirety of the energy efficient Kori collection occurs within a 200km radius in Italy, and the die-cast “light basket” is made from 100% recycled aluminum. A universal E27 socket ensures longevity, that bulbs are easy to replace, and the ability to choose from a full range of bulbs.

“Color-wise, we were inspired by the way light hits the matte white texture of an egg, and the thinness of an eggshell,” said TAF Studio. “Kori comes in extra matte white and a color that reminds us of egg yolk.” The Kori collection comes in a matte white powder coating, and the floor and table lamps are also available in a matte orange.

To learn more about the Kori collection, visit artek.fi.

Field System Gear Is Equipped for Futuristic Synth Scored Adventures

Imagine setting out to explore a distant barren alien landscape, or somewhere earth bound like the “tortuous” glacial-carved topography of Sarek, Sweden, all accompanied by an electronic score composed by the likes of Carbon Based Lifeforms. Your imagination might very well conjure adventuring accessories similar to the Teenage Engineering’s Field System, a collection of functional bags and accessories equipped for exploration, earthly or otherwise.

The monochromatic collection is characterized most notably but its all-white minimalist theme, one realized in nylon 66 shell fabric complemented by black detailing across closure and zipper lines. The nylon material is both fire retardant and backed with polyurethane leather offering the wearer a 3000mm water repellent rating, affording confidence the contents within remain safe regardless whether you’re climbing up to investigate volcanic activity, plumb the depths of a glacial carved stream… or simply make it back to your car in the rain in this extremely wet winter.

Numerous pieces of the Field Series collection, like the Field Medium OP–Z Bag and Field Large OP–1 Bag, are designed specifically to secure Teenage Engineering’s catalog of synths and other musical devices, but are also adaptable for carrying all shapes and sizes of gear.

Beyond bags and carrying cases, the Field Series full range also includes t-shirts and sweatshirts emblazoned with mission/music oriented graphics, water bottles, notebooks, and bottle openers starting from $9 with the entire collection available now at TeenageEngineering.com.

Matriarch Rounds Out the In Your Skin Upholstery Collection

Matriarch is the sixth and final addition to the In Your Skin upholstery collection, a collaboration between HBF Textiles and product and interiors designer Erin Ruby. Aptly named, Matriarch is a twill weave with strong color combinations that evoke wisdom and experience. Visually, the twill blends bold complementary colored yarns to create a subtle melange and moire effect.

The six sensorial textiles in the woven fabric collection celebrate being comfortable in your own skin, inspired by the human experience and the ephemeral nature of life. Tactile with a handmade quality, In Your Skin looks like a residential product, yet has the durability for contract and hospitality environments. Each of the fabrics are certified Indoor Advantage Gold (SCS), woven and manufactured in the United States with wool locally sourced from the Midwest, and most patterns are made using post-consumer and/or recycled materials.

In Your Skin marks Ruby’s third collaboration with HBF Textiles. “Sometimes contract textiles can tend toward being cold or lifeless for pragmatic reasons, but this collection is so warm and tactile even with its high performance functionality. It’s full of life – imbued with optimism and aspiration, which I think will resonate within a space,” she shared.

The collaboration continues HBF Textiles’ focus on supporting women-owned businesses. “I love promoting talented female designers. It gives me a sense of pride to utilize the HBF Textiles platform to share their story and creative vision to a wider audience,” says Mary Jo Miller, Vice President of Design and Creative Direction at HBF Textiles. With like-minded mills and collaborators locally and globally, the brand continually explores the possibilities materiality can offer and how it can further connect us with other people and our environment.

To learn more about Matriarch, visit hbftextiles.com.

F5: Interior Stylist Colin King on Favorites and Arranging Things

As a former dancer, interior stylist and product designer Colin King has an understanding of the power of stillness. It’s an awareness he brings to his practice since moving to the realm of interiors. By working with several design firms where he oversaw content creation and art direction, Colin became more and more curious about how to execute and capture visual storytelling through the arranging of objects. The experience led him to make an unspoken promise to the forgotten corners of the home, that he would transform them into something worthy of attention.

As a go-to stylist for many leading brands and publications, Colin is a regular contributor to Architectural Digest, T, Ark, and Rum magazines. He collaborates regularly with West Elm, Anthropologie, Zara Home, Crate & Barrel, and Roman and Williams Guild, and has his own product lines with Beni Rugs and MENU, with more in the works. Colin was recently named the Artistic Director-at-Large at Beni Rugs and continues to expand his practice to include product design, private client interiors, exhibition design, and creative direction, spreading his signature aesthetic across the industry.

This month Colin adds another title to the list: author. Arranging Things, published by Rizzoli, shares his intuitive, personal process of elevating spaces. It takes shape through a series of anecdotes and visual essays written with Architectural Digest’s Sam Cochran and a foreword by Robin Standefer of Roman and Williams. Organized by theme, Arranging Things offers insights into Colin’s approach to styling through showcasing his work for home brands and publications, installation design, and even his own home.

“Arranging Things is about looking at objects in an unexpected way, and encouraging others to view them beyond their everyday use,” Colin shared. “Whether a bowl, a single candle, a branch from your yard, I want readers to elevate these simple objects to create sophisticated vignettes that bring joy into their home.”

This week, Colin King joins us for Friday Five!

1. Florals + the Flower Market

Having elements of nature around me in my home is extremely important. Whether I am styling a shoot or just sourcing fresh flowers and branches for my own home, I always return to the flower market on 28th Street. My favorite spot is 28th Street Wholesale Flowers – Persaud and his team take great care of me there and they always have the best selection.

There is a large branch in my living room which usually stands 8-10ft tall. I enlisted my good friend Alex Crowder, founder of Field Studies Flora, and her foraging team to help me source unique branches of this scale. I decided to go with a branch instead of a tree so I could change it out every couple of months and watch the decay which provides me with so much inspiration. Florals and nature add texture, color, softness, life, and inspiration to every space.

2. Print

I am a lover of all things print. Whether it’s overspending at Casa Magazines, combing through the shelves at the Strand, writing notes on stationery, or reading the newest selection from my book club, there is nothing I love more than holding something tactile and tangible. I am always picking up the latest issues of AD, Arc Journal, World of Interiors, and Apartmento. I love to look at design and styling through the eyes of others, I learn so much that way. Whenever I travel, I am always on the hunt for out-of-print books or obscure finds with interesting covers for my own personal collection and to style with. A book is always a favorite prop. I have this beautiful stationery that I love using to send thank yous and spontaneous notes to clients and acquaintances. And right now I am deep in The Power Broker, the most recent select for my book club. There is just nothing like print.

3. Exercise + Dance

I danced almost every day from the age of eight. Moving my body helps me connect to myself and get in the present moment – I have so much gratitude for my facility and a healthy body. Five days a week I go to Barry’s Bootcamp classes and once a week I attend my friend Marisa Competello’s Moves dance class. It’s there where I find a sense of freedom and belonging. It’s all ages and all levels and it’s just pure joy. I have no attachment to the outcome and just really try to let go and lose myself in the music and movement.

4. Seeing Art in Person

I am a member at almost every museum in the city, from the Met to the Noguchi, the MoMA to the New Museum. I am also a member at the Joyce Theatre, which is a dance performance venue in Chelsea. I think it’s really important as a creative person to see what other artists are making across all mediums. Some recent standouts: Lea Michele in Funny Girl, my good friend Eva Alt’s choreography at the ABT Incubator performance, and the Lucio Fontana Sculpture show at Hauser and Wirth. I love doing studio visits with friends like ceramist Natalie Weinberger and Danny Kaplan to see their process and shop their newest creations straight from the kiln for shoots. I’ve even sat for artist Jack Ceglic as he drew my portrait in his East Hampton studio. I try to find the balance of looking at both dead and contemporary artists.

5. Being an Uncle + Godfather

Becoming an uncle (twice), and recently being asked to be Godfather for a friend’s son, has brought me more joy than I could have ever imagined and taught me a new kind of love.

 

Work by Colin King:

These 3D-Printed Pavilions Are Architecture for the Anthropocene

The effects of climate change paired with the mounting accumulation of global plastic waste will undoubtedly change the landscape and scope of architecture in the decades ahead. Structures, including housing, will need to be adaptive not only in their intended form, but also in the manufacturing and material sourcing process. Noting these challenges, a 3D-printed prototype pavilion designed by architecture studio Hassell, in partnership with 3D-printing studio Nagami and creative collective to.org, propose utilizing a material that isn’t dwindling, but mounting in availability with every passing day.

Inspired by Qarmaq, a type of inter-seasonal, single-room family dwelling long used by the Central Inuit of Northern Canada, this concept interprets the indigenous architecture into a 3D-printed pavilion constructed with recycled plastic. Engineered for inclement weather and harsh local climates around the globe – in heat or in extreme cold –  the small habitat combines traditional indigenous solutions with technological adaptations to permit modifications as required in response to the structure’s site.

The shell-like design utilizes plastic refuse as a resource for construction, an idea born from conversations between Hassell’s head of design, Xavier De Kestelier, and Manuel Jimenez Garcia, the founder of Nagami, a 3D-additive manufacturing studio.

“The implications of 3D printing at this scale are huge for architecture and we hope we can apply this aspect of adaptability across projects,” notes De Kestelier, “We wanted a pavilion that will be able to exist completely off the grid and adapt to local climatic challenges and conditions to create as low as possible embodied and operational carbon footprint.”

Additionally, Nachson Mimran, co-founder & creative executive officer of to.org notes the project’s aim to reuse already processed petroleum-based material as “an inexhaustible resource” is vital in the realization of a “circular economy [to] reduce pollution and reverse the effects of climate change.”

The Pavilion 1 in its varied imagined applications is currently only in a proof of concept state, with to.org currently seeking partners to invest in its future production and work toward reproducible scalability.

Manuel Jimenez Garcia, founder of Nagami hopes the project note only radicalizes the construction industry, but also inspires future generations of architects to invest and explore eco-innovation as a plausible element of designing the habitats of the future.

Kennedy Yanko’s Poetic Fusion of Metal and “Paint Skin”

Brooklyn-based artist Kennedy Yanko uses salvaged metal and blanket-like “paint skins” to create incredible artworks that challenge the definition of painting and perfectly balance a range of oppositions. Her current exhibition Humming on Life presents 10 new artworks on view at Jeffery Deitch in New York through April 22^nd.

Metal feels weightless, refuse becomes beautiful, and paint breaks free from canvas. The “paint skins” in Yanko’s work are literally just paint – first created flat and then draped over, between, and within the crushed metal. The fabric-like folds and crushed-metal dents echo each other while both feel organically matched – as if the two elements have somehow grown together.

These new 2023 works add a new layer to her process. On previous works, the color of the paint skins was inspired by an existing color on the found metal: perhaps a lime green from oxidized copper or a burgundy from a small patch of rust. But in these new works, Kennedy has introduced the act of painting onto the metal itself with more colors before pieces are fire-cut and additionally crushed. This process introduces more complex color interactions while maintaining a contrast of time and texture between the elements.

Besides the towering scale (some are over 7 feet wide or 8 feet tall), the play with gravity may be the most surprising element when viewing these in real life. Somehow the large metal chunks feel as if they’re levitating, even the sculptures on the floor feel like they’re about to lift off. Meanwhile the paint skins are fully engaged with gravity, finding their shape through their own weight and scaffolding of the metal. It all contributes a sense of wonder and curiosity.

Kennedy Yanko’s work is a beautiful dance of oppositions: a pairing of past and present, flexible and ridged, color and material, gravity and levitation.

If you want to hear Kennedy’s story in her own words and get a peak at her whole process in her studio, I highly recommend this 7-minute video segment from CBS Mornings. Then run to this current exhibition to be immersed in the magnetism of these works.

What: Kennedy Yanko: Humming on Life
Where: Jeffery Deitch, 18 Wooster Street, NYC
When: March 4 – April 22, 2023

Installation photographs by Genevieve Hanson. Courtesy of the artist and Jeffrey Deitch, New York.
Single artwork photographs by Martin Parsekian.
Detail photographs by author, David Behringer.

Welcome Home Must-Have’s for National Puppy Day

Today may possibly be the happiest (and cutest) national day in the world – it’s National Puppy Day! Being a new pet parent can be overwhelming, I’ve been there… So if you’re welcoming home a new puppy, or just looking to spoil your current one, here are 7 essential items to cover all your bases. After all, their happiness is your happiness! Plus, they’re all tested and approved by #dogintern, Koda, and trust me, she’s a picky one.

A warm and comfy bed

Did you know that puppies sleep for about 18 hours a day? All that rest is when their brain, body, and immune system are doing the most developing, so it’s no surprise that a comfy bed is the #1 thing they’ll be needing. Unlike most foam beds that trap heat, Koda especially loves Newton Baby’s Pet Bed, which features the same Wovenaire technology as their award-winning mattress. Koda’s an Aussie-mix with two fur coats, so she really appreciates a bed that keeps her comfy without getting her too warm! It’s designed to be 100% breathable, washable, and better sleep for your pup. (Extra emphasis on ‘washable’ because we all know accidents are prone to happen with new puppies.) For puppies that paw – not to worry because the bed cover is also scratch-resistant!

Aesthetic bowls that blend seamlessly into your home

Timeless, simple, and made of food-grade stainless steel that’s dishwasher safe, Wild One’s bowls are perfect for mealtimes. The nonslip silicone base keeps the bowls from moving around, but if you want to go one step further, they also have matching silicone placemats to catch any spillage! With a messy drinker like Koda, the placemat is a lifesaver. It keeps my floors clean and dry, and it’s so easy to wipe down. Available in 2 sizes, with the option of neutrals (Black or Tan) or a pop of color (Lilac or their seasonal addition, Spruce)!

Walk-essentials: leash, collar, and on-the-go pouch

With all that puppy energy, long walks are a great way to tire them out. Maxbone’s GO! With Ease Hands Free Leash is perfect for us hoomans because 1) the leash distance is adjustable and 2) it can be worn around the waist or shoulder, making it one less thing to worry about while you’re training your puppy to heel. It can still be used as a regular leash if you don’t want to go hands-free, but I love the fact that it’s versatile to however YOU want to use it! Pair it with the matching Signature Collar + the GO! With Ease Pouch, and you two will be the most stylish duo on the block. Call me extra, but the Pouch is such an easy way to elevate your walking game since it can be attached to the leash. (Step aside, Lululemon Fanny Pack!) Load it up with your phone, credit cards, keys, and poop bags, and you’re good to go!

Clean paws for a clean pup and a clean home

It’s hard to avoid your puppy tracking in dirt and germs from outside, but at least Dandylion makes it easy to clean! Their Clean Paws No-Rinse Foaming Cleanser has become my second best friend as it instantly washes Koda’s paws without the need to rinse. The foamy formulation and soft silicone bristles allow for a gentle deep cleanse with plant-based ingredients that soothe, nourish, and provide anti-microbial benefits! Just simply remove the cap, pump out some foam, and gently massage into those hard-to-reach areas. Wipe dry and your puppy’s ready to roam free again. I love that they have a refill bottle so that when you’re through with the bottle, you can reuse your pump to stay eco-friendly!

A healthy pup is a happy pup

A daily routine extended to your puppy – personalized supplements for dogs have become a thing. Vet-formulated and pet-approved, Dandy has supplements that you can customize from scratch or simply choose pre-made packs to eliminate any guesswork. They also have a short quiz you can take, which gives you a vet recommendation based on your pup’s unique needs! For me, it’s been an uphill battle with Koda’s allergies, so I appreciate that their vet-formulated packs are a quick and easy no-brainer for me. They’re even available at some retailers so we never have to worry about going a day without them. Depending on your pup, choose from Allergy, Anxiety, or Wellness Care to target their concerns. (They also have Joint Care for anyone with older dogs!)

Fun and games turned into mental enrichment

As mentioned before, this short puppy period is full of development. Physical fun and exercise help their little bodies develop, while mental challenges help grow their brains. Fable’s Enrichment Set includes The Game and 2 Falcon Toys, which allow for interactive or independent play. Their Twin Falcon Toy is also a great option if you’re looking for a two-in-one. Enrichment isn’t just limited to mealtime; the open cavities on the Falcons can be stuffed with spreads like peanut butter, but don’t worry about the mess – the toys are top rack dishwasher safe! (Just try to skip the heated dry cycle.) Koda’s a huge lover of peanut butter and non-fat Greek yogurt, so she always knows what time it is when I bring out her Twin Falcon!

Durable, non-toxic, and easy to clean, Fable’s Signature Balls are an upgrade from your typical tennis ball. They aren’t just for a good chase, they’re also great for mental stimulation! The two openings minimize choking risk, but you can also fill it up with spreads to keep your pup busy. Hand wash with soap and water, and they’re good as new.

Indulge them with their favorite word: treats

Winnie Lou – The Canine Co has all the things to satisfy your pup’s tastebuds! They started as a food truck and treat company for dogs, and they’ve easily become our favorite because of their locally and sustainably sourced ingredients. Since Koda has so many allergies, we love that their treats are made with single or minimal ingredients. With a variety of options, their treats will have your pup rolling over too! They also offer bone marrow bones, which are a much healthier alternative to rawhide (yuck!). Best for when they’re about 6 months old, or when they have their adult set of teeth, these long-lasting and tasty treats (so I’ve been told) will keep your pup occupied and happy for hours.
It’s also nice to mention that Winnie Lou gives back to the dog community by donating some of their proceeds to local rescues each quarter. Koda herself was a rescue, so brownie points there!

Maivy Tran is a California native and if she’s not brainstorming narratives or curating content, she’s probably at the dog park with her pup Koda. See the BTS of her life over on Instagram.

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