Fantastic Furniture - Design Academy Eindhoven Graduation Show Roundup
From Functional to Fantastical
Design Academy Eindhoven is one of our favourite hunting grounds for new design talent and their graduation show this year proves to be no exception. We saw an outstanding crop of furniture design ideas, here are a few which tickled our fancy.
Mark Gombault - Slide to Adapt
We love modular shelving systems, so we have to thank young Dutch designer Mark Gombault for feeding our addiction. His Slide to Adapt system comprises six wooden open shelves with slatted sides which cleverly clamp into each other, thus enabling the modules to be rearranged endlessly to suit changing needs. When not in use the modules nest inside of each other, making it a real breeze to transport them around. Perfect for people with awkward spaces and / or commitment issues.
Inspired by Mark Gombault's clever modular shelves? Try the Assemblage bookshelf from Seletti.
See more: Mark Gombault
Lauren Leerdam - Paperthin
The humble tin can must be one of the great unsung heroes of industrial design. In a clever celebration of this timeless classic, designer Lauren Leerdam created a stool based on the same manufacturing principles as the tin can, from the thin metal sheet construction to the typical crimped ridges. The design is brought up to date with a slick rounded shape and contemporary industrial colours. Works well as an occasional stool, no can opener needed.
If you like the Paperthin stool check out the Tablefields coffee table from Frederik Roije.
See more: Lauren Leerdam
Seoyoon Kwon - Layers of Mind
The human mind is a complicated affair. We often choose to hide our feelings, revealing them only as and when we feel comfortable to do so. Inspired by this state of mind, Korean designer Seoyoon Kwon created a series of highly refined cabinets with sliding panels made of semi-translucent Korean silk. These panels can be opened and closed to reveal or hide the contents, just as we do with our feelings or emotions. They also create a beautiful effect when the silk panels overlap in different combinations, as well as taking the prize for the most Freudian piece of furniture ever created.
For an shelf just as beautifully translucent try the Florence shelf from New Works.
See more: Seoyoon Kwon
Marija Dondovic - Leaning Shelf
It is not common for furniture to star in a disappearing act but Marija Dondovic manages to pull off this trick with the Leaning Shelf: a sleek, minimalist corner shelf which appears to disappear into the walls. The Leaning shelf is also a meditation on symbiosis (or perhaps codependence), as it can only function by relying on the support of the two walls. A perfect shelf to store all your magic tricks.
For a similarly sleek wall leaning shelf try the Valet Display Shelves and Magazine Rack from Stellar Works.
See more: Marija Dondovic
Friso Wiersma - By Hands and My Hands
In this age of advanced robotics and digital printing we often forget that the most beautiful objects are the ones we create with our own bare hands. Dutch designer Friso Wiersma, who is a trained carpenter, certainly hasn't forgotten this. His By Hands series of flat-packed furniture are beautifully designed and precision-cut by the designer, which enables even those with non-existent DIY skills to enjoy the fruits of his carpentry mastery. Friso's My Hands cabinet, on the other hand, is a glorious celebration of his craft. The circular enclosing cabinet is built to fit his proportions and features sophisticated design details and exquisite craftsmanship. A great reminder that carpentry is definitely alive and thriving.
Looking for craftsmanship? Try the stunning Matilda chair from Moroso.
See more: Friso Wiersma
Igor Daemen - Recast
It is not uncommon to see antique furniture being reconditioned or upcycled. Igor Daemen goes a step further by sawing old oak table legs into four and turning them inwards to create a much more contemporary look. The legs are connected to the table top with brackets made of aluminium recast from used cans, which adds an industrial edge to the quirky design. The end result is a table utterly transformed from its origins which would sit comfortably in any contemporary design scheme.
If you like the aluminium detail of the Recast table check out the Keel coffee table from New Works.
See more: Igor Daemen
Agnieszka Mazur - Body of Construction
In a bid to highlight the role of joints in design (and we are not talking about marijuana here), Agnieszka Mazur went to town with a truckload of metal rods and a hot glue gun to create a series of otherworldly chairs with support structures which look surprisingly organic. The chairs are also an experiment in ergonomics, with the supports and panels designed to reflect natural postures.
For an equally quirky chair which showcases its support structure check out the Bold chair from Moustache.
See more: Agnieszka Mazur
Kostas Lambridis - Elemental Cabinet
Inspired by the sublime but rather overblown aesthetics of the Badminton cabinet (which set the world record for the most expensive piece of furniture ever sold at an auction), designer Kostas Lambridis created a multi-layered "cabinet" which reflects the angst and creative tensions of the contemporary furniture designer. Thus we see the wealth of material choices reflected in the different materials used in each layer, from metal to wood and textiles, as well as the tension between the refined man-made and rough natural states.
For a similarly quirky and overblown shelf check out the Robox from Casamania.
See more: Kostas Lambridis
Julica Morlok - Virtual Materiality
Ever wondered whether the human body would make a good piece of furniture? Julica Morlok thought it might and created a series of floor cushions with human characteristics such as transparent skins, bone-like structures and organic shapes, all made out of latex sheets stretched round foam parts. An attempt to literally bring design to life.
For another delightfully quirky piece of furniture inspired by animals try the Quetzal armchair from Missana.
See more: Julica Morlok
Paulo Michael De Vries - Billy Barock
In a quirkily subversive design, designer Paulo Michael De Vries created a mock Louis XIV style cabinet using quite possibly one of the most democratic pieces of contemporary furniture, the bestselling Billy bookcase from Ikea. We love it.
If you are looking for a fun, faux-elaborate storage cabinet then look no further than the Palafitt cabinet from Seletti.
See more: Paulo Michael De Vries