re-Function Blog

Slot Furniture

Keith Bretzius — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 11:32:22 +0000

I tend to think good design is minimal. I love the idea behind “Slot Furniture“. This company and its 3-in-1 design was recently featured on the “Contemporist” – one of the better resources out there for contemporary furniture design. This design is functional and attractive. However, I would like to bounce on it and see how durable and stable it is!

Sage in Design – Company Innovation

Keith Bretzius — Tue, 18 May 2010 11:39:05 +0000

In previous posts we discussed the use of environmentally friendly products. Whether it relates to products that consume less energy or using recycled material, we need to change the way we look at our resources and reduce the strain on the environment. In theory, this is a great concept and as a furniture designer, I have always kept an eye out for companies that promote this same ideal. Truth is, being environmentally sound is great to talk about, but you see so little being done commercially to get recycled materials onto the mainstream market. Thanks to David Lasher, President of “Sage in Design,” that gap has been made a lot smaller.

Sage in Design is located in Vista, California and is committed to identifying, developing and providing the contract furniture and commercial retail industries with environmentally-sound alternatives to traditional site furnishings. Each of the products they represent is selected for its unique contribution to the environment, whether through design, fabrication or energy saving capabilities. Product attributes include fabrication from 100% recycled paper, recycled plastic or glass, reclaimed or FSC-certified woods, paints and finishes with low or no VOCs, natural fabrics, and environmentally-sound production or packaging processes.

Check out some of these quotes from the Sage in Design site:

“As I watch my family grow, I have become interested in giving back to the world that my kids will inherit one day. Having been in the contract furniture industry for more than 25 years, I know that there is an incredible void in the industry for ‘green’ alternatives,” explains Lasher.

“Businesses are finally starting to realize the benefits of green products, both in terms of a moral business philosophy that gives back to the environment, and also from a fiscal and PR perspective. We are determined to make it easy for our customers to go green.”

I strongly encourage you to visit the Sage in Design website (http://www.sageindesign.com/index.php) to see more about their philosophy, mission, and product offerings.If you know of other companies out there that are doing the same thing, drop us a comment or email to keith@re-function.com!

Storage Options for Modern Home Design

Keith Bretzius — Wed, 05 May 2010 11:32:03 +0000

If your decor is Modern I can appreciate the delimna. How to organize your worldly possessions and while at the same time maintaining your ideal of a clean, no frills, no extras, life. Check out the Sistema Concept by Italian manufacturere Doimo Design. Not only are these designs modern they are very flexible offering a ton of options. {Via: Furnishism }

See more: http://www.digsdigs.com/15-inspiration-photos-of-living-room-storage-organizing-sistema-concept-by-doimodesign/#ixzz0n3MUgcch

Sustainability? Look to Ecolect

Keith Bretzius — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:50:48 +0000

Are you looking to gain an environmental advantage but never know where to look for guidance and material? Ecolect is a great site with a simple mission: “To provide the tools and resources that make it easier for you to design responsibly.”

They have created a Material NutritionLabel™ which is based on proven facts that can determine the environmental impact of a product or material. I strongly believe sustainability is no longer an ideal but needs to become a reality. The objective of this company will help that to be realized. The site also mentions their service provides:

An easy-to-use website featuring only materials with sustainable attributes, a place that stimulates discussion about defining sustainability and is a source of accurate information
A place for you to contribute user reviews and images of materials you use
Helpful case studies on successful sustainable design
An informative blog that discusses how design and ecology affect the world

This is a great concept and I am eager to monitor this site and the future of how we rate and use sustainable materials.

An quick look at Ecolect's "Material NutritionLabel"

Cardboard Houses

Keith Bretzius — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:11:56 +0000

In an earlier post we discussed the use of cardboard in furniture making or building and touted it as a great green material. In fact, cardboard will be a larger player in years to come in a lot of what we build. Check out the following examples of how it is used.

Cardboard House

A cardboard house would be not only sustainable but also exceedingly affordable. This house is designed with exterior waterproofing and water storage under the floor to protect it from the water and from blowing over in the wind. Of course, cardboard is also a highly collapsible building material, making the shipment of the house also more environmentally friendly, efficient and inexpensive.

Cardboard School – Westborough School

An intensive year-long study into the viability of cardboard as a construction material by the Buro Happold RDI team led to a project to design a building from the material for Westborough School.

Being made from post-consumer waste paper, cardboard has the potential to be a very ‘green’ building material. In this project, cardboard was used in structural tubes to support the roof, structural panels principally to stiffen the timber frame, as insulation for the walls and roof and also as surface layers. Oddly enough, this was developed in 2001!

Consider Cardboard?

Keith Bretzius — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:27:06 +0000

As designers of furniture, we often get caught up in the beauty of the material. Wood. Simple, strong, organic and plain wood is classic and a brilliant material to work with. Given that, ever think of using cardboard? Yeap. So much emphasis is being put on green and recyclable material, why not? It is inexpensive, light-weight but durable and somewhat dense. Others are using it successfully now. Check out some of these uses:

Foldschool Cardboard Furniture

FlexibleLove

Cardboard Bookshelf and Sideboard by Reinhard Dienes

Cardboard will play a larger role in our materials. Consider it as a replacement for the core material of wood. Why not? It is lighter and its density is fair. Considering it is readily available and very green I think it deserves a closer look.

This week in beautiful design – OOOMS

Keith Bretzius — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 11:13:05 +0000

OOOMS is a design shop located in the Netherlands. This company brings designs full of inspiration and with a high degree of originality. Some designs are very functional while others just playful. Three projects highlighted below really caught my eye.

Expect

I really like how this design looks conventional but is full of surprises in its hidden spaces.

Expect

Lo-Res Chair

Even though it is not practical, it is an interesting concept and good conceptual design.

Stamp Table

I really do have the urge to tear or smash this in two. However, the clean lines an use of tight-grained maple gives me second thoughts.

Stamp Table

Rural Modern?

Keith Bretzius — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:25:26 +0000

Interesting concept. Upon first thought, a city dweller like myself, would not agree with such a statement. There is nothing modern about rural but these designs and colors from furniturea work. More importantly, I like the idea that a company with rustic roots can identify and adapt a modern concept. It just goes to show you that being open minded can spark innovation.

Furniturea (fur-ni-chur-ah) is located in Portland, Maine and designs and manufactures contemporary hardwood furniture in a rural modern style. The pride they take in their work is evident as each piece is made one at a time and they take pride in their responsibility to the environment.

Rustic modern and bold colors define this furniture

From their site:

Furniturea’s adventurous designs and bold colors make a strong visual statement in Portland, Maine’s Old Port, a restored historic commercial district that hosts thousands of visitors every year. This vibrant, upscale, waterfront shopping district features a refreshing mix of commercial and recreational marine activities, diverse restaurants and bakeries, theaters, lodging, art galleries, historic architecture and unique locally-owned shops and boutiques.

This Week In Beautiful Design – Chairs

Keith Bretzius — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:57:01 +0000

In our most recent post we talked about chair design. There is a lot of it going on…more than you can imagine…so I felt it necessary to devote this weeks, “In Beautiful Design” segment to it. Even though we poked a little fun at the constraints of chair design I find designers are constantly experimenting with form and material. We found a few more that look attractive and are a little more unique. Unfortunately, a lot of this design is coming from Europe. If you can share some local innovation that would be great because I am looking for it!

SA

Designed by Silka Barrio this chair “decomposes itself in infinite doors creating, in its seat a mazed path – http://www.touchby.com/

Kolorz

http://www.ludovicrenson.fr/kolors.html

Peebles

Chair Designs with a Twist

Keith Bretzius — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:28:32 +0000

Designing chairs must be difficult. Lots of companies and designers try and there seems to be a standard set of rules:

Chair must have a bottom, for, well, your bottom…
Chir must have a back to support your back…
Chair must have a solid base so it is stable…

What you will normally find is a combination of the above in some sort of fashion to create a forms that are beautiful and just as important…comfortable.

Tonon offers a large range of chair designs and does a good job with designing chairs with visual interest. Herman Miller is also an industry standard and must show when it comes to chair design. Herman Miller chairs run from retro to modern and are always easy on the eyes. How about new designers offering creative options like Mats Theselius? Below are a few designs that serve as creative inspiration for chair design that is somewhat restricting:

Interior Design Upholstered Swivel Chairs For Room Décor

Beautiful And Creative Upholstered Swivel Chairs For Room Décor

Upholstered Swivel Chairs For Room Decor By Tonon

Nelson Swag Leg Chair – Herman Miller

Aeron Chairs – Herman Miller

Mats Theselius