The annual convergence of design and commerce descended upon Manhattan and Brooklyn this month. Highlights of New York Design Week included the city-wide NYCxDesign, sprinkled around Soho, Madison Avenue, Tribeca, and a few other neighborhoods, coinciding with the more concentrated ICFF trade show at the Javitz Center.
I had the privilege of being a judge at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) as a part of New York Design Week, helping (with 17 other journalists, a record number) to come up with a set of Editor Awards. We combed the show in pairs and picked winners and runners-up in categories such as Furniture, Lighting, Booth Design, Flooring, Materials & Surfaces, and Emerging Design. You can see all of the various awards given out on their website.
I also moderated a panel on Norwegian Sustainable Design, chatting with representatives from the companies Lunnheim and Minus Furniture. The former runs an old-school blacksmith shop and makes high-quality, long-lasting pieces from sustainable materials. The latter also produces conscientiously made furniture, but plans to offer it on a subscription model, guaranteeing the “next steps” when people get tired of it (i.e., recycling it and keeping it out of landfill).
Highlights from the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at New York Design Week
Molo
Molo’s booth featured soaring, pleated paper room dividers and seating topped with wool felt. The new colors included a brownish-orange and pink.
James Burleigh
The Eyot Bench from UK-based James Burleigh featured one of the show’s most talked-about items—fallen wood. (Some people call it found wood, and the definition varies a bit depending on who’s doing the finding.) The upholstery uses coconut husk, spun British wool, and natural latex instead of convention foam—and it’s supremely comfortable.
Bernhardt Design
Bernhardt Design had some exceptional sofas, called Friends, in gorgeous fabrics. On the left is a gently shimmering leather in a sort of champagne color, while the one on the right is a dark gray wool with contrasting piping. The pieces are a collaborative effort between designers Noe Duchaufour Lawrance and Luca Nichetto (the eponymous friends).
Stickbulb
Pillar collection from Stickbulb. Modular elements that can combine in any number of ways. Spotlights and rich wood grain come together for their newest system. Components come in a variety of lengths and can join with others to create a nearly limitless number of configurations—sconces, pendants, ceiling-mounted lights, and chandeliers. Everything is hand made in their studio in Long Island City.
Heller x Jumbo Design
The Fortune chair fun collaboration between Heller and Jumbo Design, available through DWR. Sophisticated, food-oriented colors in rotational molded, recycled (and recyclable) plastic in a shape that’s large and very cozy.
Oš Estudio
Tloque furniture from Mexico-based Oš Estudio included one of the most comfortable wood chairs in which I’ve ever sat. It’s made from found wood and is finished in the traditional Japanese shou sugi ban (also known as yakisugi) burning technique.
Katie Kilanowski
The Helena hanging light by Katie Kilanowski is curvy and sensual, appearing like a giant vase or a dress form, with slats of bent wood with a diffusion inside.
Jason Wu Bergeron
The Lotus hanging light from Jason Wu Bergeron is an interactive pendant light that changes form to control the vibe of the room. It can morph from ambient to direct lighting at the pull of a chain.
Reggyyy
Tom seat by Canadian designer Reggyyy mixes simple shapes to form a sculpture that is creature-like and exceptionally comfortable. Handmade in Montreal from a wooden frame covered in foam and upholstered in colorful wool.
Story by Stephen Treffinger
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