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The latest addition to HAY’s offerings is the relaunched Crate Collection, designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1934. Today, along with Rietveld Originals, the brand has released their take on the original. Based on Rietveld’s Crate Chair, the whole of the collection is distinguished by wide planks and a low silhouette.
“The Crate Chair is a wonderful example of a product designed by an architect who was seeking harmony between architecture and interior,” said Rolf Hay, co-founder of HAY. “It’s hard to imagine something which is closer to our core design values, because it was really Rietveld’s mission to create a super cool, affordable, open-source furniture range for everybody – taking an incredibly democratic approach to design, which of course fits HAY extremely well.”
The Crate Collection includes a lounge chair, dining chair, coffee table, and a side table that feature a strong yet simple aesthetic that’s appealing to many styles. Each piece of furniture stays true to Rietveld’s vision of embodying the idea of affordable, comfortable furniture that’s both beautiful and accommodating.
Made of solid pine wood and treated with a durable, water-based lacquer, the Crate Collection works well indoors and outdoors. Easy to assemble, it’s also made to last, and is offered in a select range of colors including Black, White, Iron Red, and London Fog. Both chairs can be fitted with seat and back cushions in different colors and textiles for enhanced comfort.
Titus Darley, Director of Rietveld Originals, shared: “Rietveld’s conscious use of material forms and his aim to design furniture for the masses is very suitable for today’s generation. With the relaunch of the Crate series we actually are able to fulfill Rietveld’s dream almost 90 years after it was designed.”
To learn more about the Crate Collection, visit hay.com.
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Two of the biggest Nordic brands have united to bring us the BASTUA collection, launching globally in March 2023. The limited-edition series of 26 products, created by home furnishings giant IKEA and iconic printmaker Marimekko, brings together Nordic design and self-care rituals. From furniture to glassware to textiles, vibrant patterns reflect nature back at you.
“Collaborating with Marimekko was a natural choice for IKEA as we are both committed to enabling a better everyday life at home, and with the BASTUA collection, it begins with focusing on wellness first,” says Henrik Most, Creative Leader at IKEA. “The collaboration encapsulates the sensations of endless summers and the simple and aesthetic beauty of Nordic nature in furniture and accessories for the home.”
“BASTUA” describes a sauna in Småland, the region in southern Sweden where IKEA was founded. Self-care and Nordic sauna were the starting points of the collection that’s meant to be used when relaxing outdoors in warm weather or simply winding down at the end of a long day.
The launch of BASTUA marks the first time that Marimekko has designed prints exclusively for a brand collaboration. “Capturing the essence of Marimekko’s Finnish roots and its connection to the historic origins of sauna culture was a fundamental part of the design journey and the creation of the BASTUA prints,” says Rebekka Bay, Creative Director at Marimekko. When gathering inspiration from nature, the brand gravitated towards the large, decorative rhubarb leaves that are often found growing near saunas in Finland. You’ll find it throughout the collection, including on the ever-popular FRAKTA bag.
Within the BASTUA collection lies furniture, glassware, and textiles that include robes and towels – and even the first-ever sauna bucket – among other items. These are all things one might traditionally use when enjoying a sauna, or right before or after the ritual. You’ll find elements that can be used during a meal, a place to sit and feel grounded, and even a candle infused with the scents of elderflower, rhubarb, and sweet vanilla.
BASTUA’s furniture pieces are inspired by classic Nordic design. A side table offers a clever feature: the collection’s patterned trays fit perfectly on the top. You may even want to pull up the coordinating bench to enjoy a relaxing moment of Zen.
“Nordic furniture design has always been characterized by clean lines and simple constructions that focus on function” says Mikael Axelsson, Designer at IKEA. “The BASTUA side table is my take on this heritage, as it is made of birch veneer and with a high edge that keeps things in place.”
The BASTUA collection feels like a perfect partnership, neither pattern nor design overshadows the other. It’s a wonderful marriage between two brands that complement one another in harmony.
To learn more about BASTUA, visit ikea.com.
Each of MENU’s latest releases has their own individual personality, but also feel as though they could band together as a capsule collection. A clever, space-saving coffee table, a well-crafted dining chair with or without armrests, and a triangular side table meant to nest with more of its own all have their place. With rounded legs, wood tones, and attention to small details, they have our attention.
Originally designed by Danish designer Mogens Lassen in 1941, the Jäger Lounge Table has quite the backstory. Lassen was commissioned by a merchant – named Jäger – to make a coffee table. He shared several design options, but this one that was inspired by the folding furniture found in Tutankhamen’s tomb was never produced. It was rediscovered in 2020, and MENU has spent the past two years making sure the Jäger Lounge Table is true to the original designs while also meeting modern standards.
It’s also a small space dweller’s dream come true. When not in use the Jäger Lounge Table is easy to fold up and tuck away. A solid wood frame, seamless joints, warp-free veneer tabletop, and brass fittings make it a sturdy coffee table that’s ready to go the distance. Each oiled oak or oiled walnut piece comes with a brass plaque engraved with its serial number for an extra unique touch.
The Merkur Dining Chair has its own tale to bring to the table (pun slightly intended). It was first designed for the Oslo Stock Exchange, and named after the Roman god of trade – Merkur. The updated remake of the archetypal dining chair brings together traditional craftsmanship techniques, a timeless form, and modern function. You can customize the chair by choosing armrests or no armrests, natural oak or black oak, and a variety of fabrics offered through MENU’s upholstery program.
Stackable, space-saving, and the ultimate example of mid-century modern design, the Umanoff Nesting Side Table was created by Arthur Umanoff in the 1950s. Traditional yet somehow unexpected, each table features colored laminate panels in geometric shapes for that little something extra. The solid walnut design is lightweight and easy to move about, a smart addition to any space.
To learn more about the latest additions to MENU’s offerings, visit menudesignshop.com.
Istanbul-based design studio SANAYI313’s solid wood Oblong Collection is defined by bulky forms and rounded corners. Stools, consoles, low coffee tables, side tables, and a dining table – all made in Istanbul – take on the studio’s “maximalist expressions in minimalist details” approach. The rich woodworking history of the city was put on display for the collection’s launch, with the high-end furniture photographed at a local dyehouse for an industrial background. This, too, is a nod to Istanbul and one of the city’s best-known monikers: The City of Contrasts.
Fashion industry transplants, SANAYI313 has translated their minimalist-maximalist aesthetic to residential design. Tastemakers with their finger on the pulse of the city, the brand publishes its own yearly style magazine – PAPER – highlighting cultural hotspots and emerging personalities. SANAYI313 also operates a canteen that serves up “nouveau Turkish” fare and a design store adjacent to its studio.
To learn more about the Oblong Collection, visit shop.sanayi313.com. It is available for purchase through LOVE HOUSE and 1stDibs.
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