Utilitarianism at Milan’s Furniture Fair
The dominant style of this year's Milan Furniture Fair seems to be utilitarianism, with many designers showing spartan, minimalist objects. The show opens Wednesday, and has expanded from a showcase for northern Italy's furniture makers to a global design extravaganza. These Vegetal chairs, designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, are made from molded plastic for Vitra.
The Build Up corrugated cardboard table and chair, designed by Philippe Nigro for the debut collection of the new Italian furniture maker and retailer, Skitsch. Skitsch is a $16 million start-up that plans to open a flagship store in Milan.
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Nacho Carbonell with his design, Beasts. Inspired by punk culture, Mr. Carbonell used recycled leather and staples to create his pieces.
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After designers spent years creating outdoor interpretations of indoor furniture, more appear to be moving in the opposite direction, creating interior pieces that feel inspired by backyard living. Although designer Paola Navone's Sweet dining chairs can be finished with a brown leather seat, Gervasoni exhibited the walnut frames with white PVC cord.
German manufacturer Zeitraum's Apu side tables were grouped to form a sort of topographic coffee tables. The white ceramic tops lift off. The wide piece at left, for example, could be brought to the kitchen and used as a platter for entertaining, while the deep piece in the rear could be used as a planter. The oak bases are hollow, providing a bit of hidden storage.
The Life 0 1 light was designed by the young British lighting designer Paul Cocksedge for production by the Italian manufacturer Flos. The light is illuminated when a fresh flower is placed in the water inside the glass vessel. If the flower is removed from the vessel, or if it dies, the light goes off.
Matali Crasset's Open room for Established & Sons is reminiscent of the Reitveld Schröeder House in Utrecht and Piet Mondrian's paintings.
Casamania showed Loop by Sophie de Vocht, a design student awaiting graduation this spring. De Vocht said she wanted to create a piece with the same kind of tufting technique used in making carpets. Special equipment allowed her to loop material through a lattice-like structure, the knitted stocking-like material gradually becoming looser as it flows toward the feet. The designer said she wanted the piece to sit close to the ground — a nod to the carpet-making technique used to create the chair.
The standout at the Moroso booth was Biknit, the "big knit" chair from designer Patricia Urquiola. The exaggerated weave is made of a UV-resistant fabric called Plastitex, set atop a wooden frame.
Many companies showed off refinements to furniture that premiered last year. At the Morosobooth, the Paper Planes chairs that were shown in busy, highly graphic upholstery adorned with miniature crystals in 2010 were back on display, this time in solid colors minus the bling. The lack of decoration left the emphasis purely on the modern high-back silhouette, which is ultimately what makes the chair noteworthy anyway.
The ecstatic palettes that punctuated 2010 collections have been subdued for 2011. Patricia Urquiola's Klara chair, shown last year in the Moroso booth with vibrant red armrests and a bright blue seat, was shown this year in a subdued, cranberry-colored backrest and putty seat -- both with comfy, quilted finish.
A Joe Colombo piece -- the only all-wood chair that Kartell ever produced – is being brought back in polycarbonate.
