The Shape of the Future
January 1, 2003
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc(); "Jane Worthington's DS-152 lounger for de Sede")
As with many contemporary pieces, the form of Kagan’s undulating Serpentine sofa was largely influenced by function. “My clients were major art collectors who had Jackson Pollocks on their walls,” he says. “They were moving furniture away from the walls.” The constant refrain of “lifestyle” keeps cropping up in conversations with designers. “People want to stay at home,” says Kagan. “They are looking for comfort. The big changes coming are not so much in style as in comfort.” Comfort is also an important factor for Christian Biecher, who has just designed a new collection for Bernhardt that includes gently rounded lounge chairs and a sofa that floats on splayed aluminum legs. “It suits the way we live,” the French designer says. Fayrod agrees: “There is a trend toward warmer, inviting contemporary furniture.” (Click image to enlarge)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc(); "Vladimir Kagan's Sepentine sofa")
Also look for innovative uses of materials and technology that allow designers to push the stylistic envelope. Kartell, for instance, is developing a proprietary plastic compound that is pliant yet can withstand extreme temperatures. “It’s like rubber,” says Muller, “but it is plastic.” Montis’ Dandy chair is formed by injecting foam onto steel frames. “Otherwise,” Bob van Kampen says, “we couldn’t achieve that shape.” (Click image to enlarge)
“A classic piece transcends time,” says Fayrod. “The discerning buyer with a traditional home might have a few modern or contemporary pieces. I can easily see Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair from the 1920s in a house furnished with Empire antiques.”
Retailers and designers all agree that the answer to the Europe versus U.S. style debate is to mix and match. That way consumers can blend good design of all ages and deftly sidestep getting trapped in any one trend—or country.
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