The woollen cushion is held in place by a leather lace which has been simply tied around the seat

Born to a Swedish mother and Danish father, the Copenhagen-based designer Christina Liljenberg Halstrøm‘s designs are characterised by the quintessentially Scandinavian simplicity, lightness of form and effortlessly casual flair. Now, following her Gym the Luxe, Beddo and Norr projects, all of which feature a sombre, minimalist colour palette limited to charcoal grey and natural wood hues, she has created this equally reduced stool named after designer’s eldest son, Georg. The four-legged ash wood and wool stool was developed for Danish Crafts‘ MINDCRAFT12 exhibition which was organised on the occasion of Milan’s Salone del Mobile 2012 fair and showcased 16 new works by 12 contemporary Danish artists and designers. (more…)

'Branch' chair by Staffan Holm; photo by DDR GBG

To celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of Milan’s SaloneSatellite, this year its organisers invited fifteen international designers who presented their designs under the theme of ‘Design<->Technology’. Among the the exhibiting designers, all of whom were either former or current participants in the Satellite, was the award-winning Swedish designer Staffan Holm who showcased this delicate, bentwood chair. Inspired by nature, the aptly-named ‘Branch’ was created with the use of complex wood bending technology, Compwood. (more…)

Massproductions' 'Tio' chair along with objects which inspired the design; photo © Julia Hetta

During this year’s edition of Salone del Mobile fair, the young Swedish furniture brand Massproductions has presented its products in an exhibition setting where each of the designs was showcased along with an object, form or material which inspired it. Developed in collaboration with a sculptor and set designer Sahara Kleerup, ‘Odd Couples’ was on view between 17 – 22 April 2012 on Milan’s Via Varese 12 and the exhibition is now set to ‘tour the world’. (more…)

'Melt down' pendant light by Johan Lindstén

Inspired by his recent trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, a young Swedish designer Johan Lindstén has created this series of spherical, semi-translucent pendant lights called ‘Melt down’. Suspended from a simple, coloured lamp cord, the design features an oval shade whose form appears to have adapted to a protruding light bulb located within. ‘Melt down’ was showcased earlier in April at Salone del Mobile’s Salone Satellite. (more…)

'Surface Tension Lamp' by Front for Booo; photo courtesy of Front

Late afternoon on Sunday, just prior to our departure from the sun-drenched Milan, we have paid a visit to what without a doubt was one of the most inspiring and eclectic exhibitions to take place as part of Fuorisalone during this year’s Salone del Mobile fair. The place we have in mind is Spazio Rossana Orlandi. Tucked away behind a green courtyard, in a picturesque building in the Magenta Neighbourhood, the two-storey shop and an adjacent exhibition space were once again transformed into a kaleidoscope of beautiful, unique and frequently curious objects. Beautiful, unique and decisively curious also happens to fit perfectly when describing the latest light bulb devised by the Swedish design group Front for a new Dutch company, Booo. (more…)

Ricochet light, Daniel Rybakken 2012; photo by Kalle Sanner & Daniel Rybakken

On the occasion of the upcoming Salone Internazionale del Mobile fair (17 – 22 April), Norwegian designer Daniel Rybakken has developed two separate installations which will showcase his most recent designs. Featuring ‘Ricochet’ and ‘Coherence’ lights and ‘Single Flower Vase’, the first project will be on view during iSaloni at Spazio Rossana Orlandi - a former tile factory in Milan’s Magenta neighbourhood. The second installation, on show at Luceplan Temporary Design Gallery on via Procaccini 1 will focus on a wall-mounted ‘Counterbalance’ light which was presented in 2011 and will now be launched by Luceplan. (more…)

'Level' bookshelf by Lina Nordqvist for Karl Andersson & Söner

A Stockholm-based designer Lina Nordqvist has recently realised this series of geometric, scaffolding-inspired bookshelves for the Swedish furniture manufacturer Karl Andersson & Söner. Available in two heights and three widths as well as variety of finishes, the asymmetrically gridded ‘Level’ ‘is adapted to the different sizes of paperbacks, hardback books and magazines that can be placed between the rods.’ (more…)

Ilmari Tapiovaara's 'Kiki' range, reissued by Artek; photo by Tuomas Uusheimo

Ilmari Tapiovaara (1914 – 1999) was an acclaimed Finnish interior architect and furniture designer.

Now, exactly 52 years after ‘Kiki’ range has won him the gold prize at the Milan Triennale in 1960, the renowned furniture brand Artek is about to rerelease this beautifully reduced collection of upholstered, tubular steel furniture. The series, which Tapiovaara developed after having designed an initial, space-saving stackable chair intended for use in large spaces such as conference halls and auditorium, now also includes a two- and three-seater sofa and bench models; a side, sofa and standard-height table, as well as our favourite, a small but brilliantly vibrant tangerine stool.

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