I just got back from the Brooklyn Designs 2005 show in DUMBO, and it was great. The show was relatively small, but there was some nice stuff to see – much of it will be on display at other venues throughout NYC Design week. For the limited amount of work on display I definitely noticed some over-arching trends that popped up throughout the different design collections on display:
1. RECLAIMED WOOD FURNITURE
I saw at least four different companies with furniture created from “reclaimed wood” (wood recycled from demolished buildings, lumber yards, etc). RG Furniture Design, Eric Manigian, SMC Furnishings and Scrapile all featured different variations on this theme. However, while it is clear that Scrapile and RG Furniture Design actually recycle wood which would otherwise be headed for the junk yard, it is not clear to me where SMC Furnishings and Eric Manigian get their wood. Nevertheless, their tables and benches are beautiful. I have a thing for this “wood-in-its-natural-state” stuff – I just can’t get enough of it. I wish / hope that this wood is reclaimed for environmental purposes, but I suspect not.
2. MODULAR STACKABLE STORAGE
Two different designers were showing blocky stackable storage collections. The first was Brave Space, with their ingenious Tetris Shelving system. Even without the Tetris reference, this is very clever. The Tetris thing only makes it so much better.
MMdesign also featured a modular stackable storage system made out of regular old square and rectangular blocks. Okay, so the blocks don’t look like Tetris pieces, but this is still a stylish, space-saving and efficient storage system, and the square blocks are probably actually better for storing stuff than Tetris-shaped blocks. Also, the designer has beautiful press material, which almost (but not quite) makes up for the non Tetrisness of his designs. The best thing about both of these designs are that they are completely modular and customizable, you can buy as many separate blocks as you want, and just re-arrange them whenever you feel like it.
3. INTRICATELY CUT CUSTOM MIRRORS
Two different designers featured mirrors that appeared to be laser-cut into intricate illustrative patterns. The mirrors were stunning, and unfortunately, I did not take pictures of them, because I erroneously assumed I could grab a photo from the designers website. Unfortunately not! However, I did mangage to find a photo of at least one of the designs on Core77′s website. Above is The Design Can’s self-portrait mirror.
Nice idea! Pity about the price though… us Nerds (Aka students) love tetris, but the price is slightly forbidding…
[...] One of our first and most enduring design loves at Inhabitat is Scrapile. In the year since we first discovered them at BKLYN Designs 2005, they’ve come to epitomize sexy, cutting-edge sustainable design. Carlos Salgado and Bart Bettencourt walk their talk with their designs, which are made entirely from reclaimed and recycled wood. [...]
[...] The Design Can is a Brooklyn based creative team focusing on design for exceptinal living. Founded by Pratt grads Steven Tomlinson and Jeannie Choe (one of the fabulous Core77 crew), The Design Can produces humorous and conceptually engaging furniture and interior design products such as the “Self-Portrait Mirror” that we covered in 2005. [...]