Generally when I think of sectional seating a large, overly plush couch with too many throw pillows and a 90 degree angle comes to mind, the kind you sink into and can't get up out of without a helping hand. The "Pantonova" couch is something else altogether though, made of chrome steel it consists of 4 pieces that fit together to form a very cool looking (and also very uncomfortable looking) 74" sofa. Designed in 1971 it still looks modern and contemporary, and although cushions aren't included (you can ask about getting them though, for an additional charge) I think you would definitely need them (sitting on this couch without them brings to mind the infamous "waffle print thighs" that result from certain types of lawn furniture). $5,000
Bright vibrant hues are totally in this season on the fashion front and if you want to translate the look over to your home decor also then a few pieces from the Star System collection would do the trick. Featuring candy colors in solid shades of orange, blue, purple, fuchsia, and white the set includes 4 versions from the small one-seater Starlet to the full-fledged Superstar. The "stars" are created with removable steel buttons (why would you want to remove them?) and the whole look is, to me, a combination of relaxed and in-your-face. Very glamorous.
The Chubby armchair by Marcel Wanders is an interesting combination of cute, sleek, and modern all wrapped into one design. Looking like it was formed out of colorful Play Dough, the chair is smooth and round and looks outrageously comfortable -- although for real relaxing a higher back would probably be nice. It's available in 5 colors (white, black, green, red, and orange) and there's also a coordinating footstool called Chubby Low (see it in the gallery below) that looks like an overgrow piece of chewing gum. Good times.
The RD4 Chair ("roughly drawn") is a great example of form meets function. Originally created by Richard D. Liddle back in 2006, it's now been revamped for a special limited edition series. The RD4 LE* has all the open-weave airiness of the original design but with more defined legs and what looks to me to be a slightly tighter or thicker composition. Made of 100% recycled plastic waste this chair is just as good for the environment as it is for your decor. 100 LE* chairs are available total, 50 in green and 50 in black. $1,548
Suitable for either indoor or outdoor use, the Gownchair takes its inspiration from both the fashion are art worlds. It has a sweeping flowy shape that has it looking just as much a sculpture as a chair. Certain to be one of the boldest items in any room, the Gownchair is bright red with an eye catching glossy finish and it's made 100% of fiberglass that is painted using the same technology used in the automotive industry to paint cars. Available in limited edition (each is numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity) only 2 remain for $2,105 each.
Philippe Starck has gone a little silly with his new collection, although (no worries) he hasn't completely abandoned his usual sense of style in the process. Launched in collaboration with David Sutherland the collection is called RobinWood and is inspired by (you guessed it) the legend of Robin Hood.
With names like "The Lil' John" chair, "The Loxley" canopy bed, and "The King Richard" dining table, Starck is making good on his statement "humor is a sign of intelligence. It should be everywhere." The pieces represent Starck's first outdoor line of furniture and range in price from $1650 to $2350.
Bring the woodsy outdoors charm into your home with this limited edition unique find. It's called the Meteor Table, it's made by Christa and it's an actual teak tree root that's been coated with bronze. Definitely a conversation starter in any home! I guess you can't rush such a ginormous and heavy package (750 pounds) via mail so it takes 6 months to arrive. Tree tables don't come cheap, this purchase will set you back $55,000! Of course I'm trying to figure out how I can start making these things! It's available on vivre.com, a very cool decor site.
Most pet crates don't look so nice in the home, with their plastic casing, metal gates and colors that don't always match the decor. Unless you want to keep your pet and his or her crate in the basement, there's an alternative, if you have a woody decor. The Pet Crate End Table from Improvements Catalog is solid pine with a chestnut color, and doubles as an end table. It comes in two sizes and is priced a bit more than many of the basic plastic and metal models found at a conventional pet goods site, such as Doctors Foster and Smith, but certainly is nicer looking as well as multi-functional.
Because the crate looks more like furniture than, well, a crate, you can easily set it up in the living room, den or bedroom. The pivoting block "lock" keeps the door closed. The description states that the crate also is a good place for a kitty litter box. And I bet my 3-year-old nephew would enjoy hiding in there too.
Large Pet Crate End Table, 25" x 36" x 30" tall, $259.99; Medium Pet Crate End Table, 21" x 30" x 24" tall, $199.99. See the gallery below for some of the other attractive pet products available from Improvements Catalog.
This is one bright purple couch! The Misfits Modular Sofa both looks like something out of a cartoon and acts like something out of a cartoon with its many shapes and configurations. It consists of corner and central elements along with two footstools, all of which can be arranged pretty much however you want. According to Unica Home the sofa elements "look natural as if shaped by wind and sea," but in my opinion they look more as if shaped by a Muppet. Although I do like it I don't think I could ever take it seriously! It really looks like like something meant to play on, not to relax and have an adult conversation on. Designed by Ron Arad the pieces are sold separately for $3,489 - $7,235.
Table lamps are one of those decor accessories that can completely change the look of a room without necessarily making a bold or dramatic statement. Lorin Marsh has table lamp designs that can either fit in with whatever you've got now or maybe inspire you to go in a new direction. Hand-blown Murano glass, Italian alabaster, and sleek metal are the design materials, and they're put together into a wide variety of shapes and colors. Classic and understated but hardly plain, these lamps are gorgeous. I love several of them but my favorite is the Kyoto lamp.
At the start of Milan's Furniture Salon fair, Versace returned to home turf showing their new furniture collection at the the Italian designer's show apartment in a 15th century palazzo. Reuters reports that the apartment was divided into theme rooms devoted to cities such as Tokyo, Rome and Los Angeles. They've even stretched away from the classic Versace black and white with silver or gold accents by adding other colors to the collections. The Versace Medusa's head logo is still integrated into many of the designs. The new Versace Home boutique opened in Milan on Wednesday. The gallery below features a couple pictures from the Gianni Versace Cocktail and Boutique Opening including what just might be my favorite picture of Donatella Versace ever.
Forest Reflections gets their wood from a unique source, virgin timbers which were submerged in the Great Lakes and surrounding areas. The wood has a long history, hundreds of years ago, lumberjacks from France and England shipped timber eastward on log rafts many of which broke up on the journey sending up to one third of them to the waters' bottom. The wood was preserved underwater and salvage and recovery techniques make it possible to retrieve this beautiful wood. Georgian Bay Wetwood uses sonar, GPS and other techniques to find the vintage hardwood. The company believes they can find enough submerged logs in the Great Lakes region to supply their business for many years to come.
These woods, flamed birch and blackened oak are historic and environmentally friendly options. The flamed birch trees were cut hundreds of years ago almost to extinction along the U.S. and Canadian border of the great lakes. Such beauty isn't cheap, the line starts with the small end table at $1,230. They also do custom configurations.
This amazing desk made of Tasman Oak and Macassar Ebony was designed to resemble the wing of a Dakota DC-3 aircraft. The desk was created by Infinity Fine Furniture an Australian company that specializes in custom furniture design. The desk as fun details like runway and landing lights and an electronic keypad that opens the lid of the desk. The desk is priced at $23,000 Australian.
Eve Yun Designs has some truly beautiful and unique pieces of furniture in which the influence and inspiration of nature is clearly visible. Focused on organic materials and perfect for the high-end eco-conscious shopper, Eve Yun's furniture is made mainly of rattan, satin, and a climbing wood called liana and combines modern, classic, and natural influences with a touch of the Far East. Prices range from $1000-$40,000 depending on the size of the piece (end tables versus full-size sofa) and they're now established in a permanent Design Center showroom at L.A. Mart, or you can get more information here.
Following after the Biltmore estate, another grand American landmark, the Hearst Castle, will be the inspiration for a new licensed furniture collection from Habersham. The company will launch the Hearst Castle Collection from Habersham at the April High Point Market, a yearly furniture event. The collection inspired by William Randolph Hearst's lavish San Simeon getaway, will include more than 25 pieces including a bookcase and breakfront which has details that resemble the castle's frieze molding and a console table with a veneer inlay reminiscent of a table in the castle's Gothic study.
