During Design Week NYC there’s so much going on to marvel at. I took a stroll through Wanted Design to see what’s up and coming.
Out of all the shows going on during Design Week NYC, this one really tends to focus on up-and-coming talent, rather than established brands. The mood also tends to be more sedate, and eco-minded than other exhibits.
Here are the ten items that stood out in my mind touring the show. And if you are into green initiatives, see my post on Wanted Design’s Zero Waste champions, which features a restaurant from Finland and fashion designer that are going the extra mile in eliminating waste—in the most beautiful ways.
1 ALESSI
I think this happens to be one of the most clever and imaginative rooms dedicated to the launch of a home fragrance line. Conceived and designed by Marcel Wanders, it divided the scents into five categories, depicting the five seasons of life. The seasons hinted at the aromas with their titles: Brrr, Ahhh, Hmm, Grrr, and Shhh. Brrr offers up crisp, fresh scents of Winter. Ahhh represents Spring, with an herbaceous and floral mix. Hmm is all about summer’s fruits. Grrr alludes to Autumn, with notes of smokiness and cedar. Shhh, the fifth season, is an ethereal one with the spiritual inducing scents of patchouli and eucalyptus.
Choose from a room spray, candles, lava stone diffuser, or diffuser made of wood in the shape of abstract leaves. I loved how they created a wallpaper backdrop for each season, and included a woman in a matching dress. Very magical! alessi.com
2 STUDIO KNOB
Everyone got a kick out of this lighting system. Imagine a shelf with a magnetic bottom. Then attach ropes of lighting in different lengths, who magically turn on when attached. Here’s how the Click Light works: Low voltage electricity is running through the shelf. The ropes are studded with LED lights which connect magnetically to the metal surfaces with a resonating “click”. The ropes can be arranged in endless ways. Fun! studioknob.com
3 WILLOW & STUMP
This little baby was designed as a light therapy solution for those with Seasonal Affective Disorder. I love the addition of succulents at the base, which give it an even more natural look. The Perk Lamp is made of oak, Corian, and brass. willowandstump.com
4 ART & GUILE
These stunning lights were situated in the Launch Pad section at Wanted Design, which features up-and-coming products. Art & Guile was founded by designer Chris Boynton and artist Kate Hopkins who draw from their diverse backgrounds: painting, printmaking, product design, 3D modeling, and moving image arts. These two are obviously very industrious! The photo does not do the lights justice, they were very thin panels, with patterns on the front really gave them a presence. artandguile.com
5 BANDIDO
The Bo Table lamp delivers ambient lighting in cool peach, white, or black backdrops. The lights dim or brighten with a touch. From Mexican designer C.Núñez. bandidostudio.com
6 REPLICA
Another entry in the Mexico section at Wanted, this company makes fun tabletop items in addition to furniture. Onda is a concrete fruit holder with tilting center. Picture some lemons or limes and you’ve got a cool centerpiece. replica.left.mx
7 MOSES NADEL
This husband and wife design team has a way with leather. The Diamond Ottoman can be used for seating or in the same way you would use an exercise ball—to keep those abdominal muscles strong. It was comfortable to sit on, and I could also see this in an upscale kid’s room. They also design cool leather pockets that you can use to store files or magazines. mosesnadel.com
8 MICHIRU TANAKA
Kumiko is modular tile series that can be attached to a wall in any pattern you choose. The designer Michriru Tanaka takes inspiration from traditional Japanese screens but makes them come to life in a most brilliant way. michirutanaka.com
9 CORS
The Copo Lamp brings vibrant geometical plexiglass 3-D patterns to life. Also available in citrus-y tones and bright magenta. Mexican designer Rebeca Cors presents and artist’s sensibility in her designs. rebecacors.com
10 SUNBRELLA + LIGNE ROSET
Now here’s an outdoor collection you can really relax in. I was surprised to see these comfortable chairs and sofas that look so indoor, be able to withstand the elements of the outdoor. The Ottoman Outdoor collection was designed by Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance dressed in Sunbrella performance fabrics. Sunbrella’s Chartres fabric comes in four color options (Heather, Flanelle, Sooty, and Silver) and is fade-stain-mold resistant. I love that they included a opening at the base of the seat so that water can drain through and not pool in the seat. Nice work. ligne-roset.com
See the other posts from our wanderings during NYCxDesign. The Soho Design District roundup, the ICFF show report, Wanted Design’s Zero Waste trend, and DDC and Herman Miller parties.
