Patina: Cave x Inform

 

Good design lasts. It is utilized, sometimes for generations, and therefore can acquire an attractive Patina. Think of well-worn jeans, a beautifully crafted guitar, or leather-bound book — they get better with age.

This window display is a collaboration with Max King’s The Cave. Together we aim to showcase the beauty of Patina. We invite you to visit our showroom to view PATINA, on display until the end of March 2021.

Video by @maksee.

Re: Lighting

As we all settle into the cooler, darker days of Fall, there is a natural urge to nest and ‘cosy-up’ our homes. One of the most rewarding ways to make a huge impact in a space is to re-think your lighting. Changing a single source of light can have a huge impact on the overall look and feel of a space – without changing any of the furniture.

I personally am a huge fan of non-direct, bounced light.  Rather than strong overhead lights in a space, the atmosphere is softer and more controlled when using smaller lights around the periphery of a room.  Another really important element in controlling your atmosphere is to have lights at a variety of heights — floor level, reading height, and ceiling level all produce different effects.  

Bouncing light off a wall or ceiling produces a beautiful effect that illuminates without glaring. Staying away from bare, open bulbs softens the light, as well as making sure the light temperature of your bulbs is warm will also help make the space feel cosy.  

Luckily, there are so many options of beautiful lights out there to help create exactly the type of ambience that you are looking for.  Here are some solutions and suggestions for common issues.

 

Adding individual light sources to tables can be a romantic way of bringing attention to certain areas without illuminating the whole room. And with rechargeable LEDs becoming more and more prevalent, there are a number of wonderful options available. Davide Groppi Tetatete is one of our favourites. As well as Ingo Maurer’s digital take on candlelight with My New Flame. Menu’s Carrie light is also a transportable and rechargeable light that can go anywhere with you!

We often see spaces that don’t have adequate lighting for really seeing (which is, after all the whole point of lights!) and so sometimes you need fixtures that will flood the space with light. The Toio by Achille Castiglioni for FLOS is a wonderful light that is powerful enough to illuminate while remaining flexible and providing bounced light off the ceiling.

Another great option is the Parentesi which can adapt as necessary to fill a whole space with light, or come down to reading level.  This fixture is a nice one to play with Philips Hue bulbs to create different colours and feelings depending on the day!

Sometimes what a space is looking for is some texture. Lights can be clean and sterile, but they can also provide drama and depth to a space.  The team at Apparatus lighting are masters of creating fixtures with drama and je ne sais quoi.  The Horsehair sconce is a great example of a fixture that functions both as a lighting element and as a sculptural piece.

Lindsey Adelman produces pieces that are sculptural and delicate, lending a decorative, jewellery-like quality to a space.  Her Cherry Bomb series is especially evocative.

Bocci has always used glass in unique and exciting ways.  The 28 Table series remains one of my all-time favourites for its soft, diffused light, pops of colour, and ability to control.

A really fun and affordable light is the Mayday by Constantin Grcic for FLOS. With a long cord and a hook, it can be casually placed just about anywhere!

FLOS has also recently re-issued Mario Bellini’s Chiara light.  This sculptural piece reflects the environment around it while providing a soft bounced light from within.

I could go on and on as there are just so many exciting options out there (ANDLight, Louis Poulsen, RBW, Gubi, &Tradition, Tom Dixon, oh my!) that I haven’t even touched on.  If any of this has got you excited about changing things up, please get in touch to talk to one of our design consultants who would love to help you illuminate your space.

 

Maintenance = Forever

 
At Inform Interiors, we believe that the objects one invests in should be well designed and crafted to last for generations. These are objects that as time goes on are well-loved and well worn. To ensure that these special pieces endure the test of time regular maintenance is a must.
As always our team of design specialist are here to answer any questions regarding the care of specific materials and the sourcing replacement parts. Additionally, we have compiled a selection of videos to help guide you in ensuring your favourite pieces will become the heirlooms of tomorrow.

Oil Treated Wood

Black Oiled Timber

Soap Treated Wood

Repairing Wicker

 

Further care and maintenance tips from some of our favourite brands:

Furniture:
Arco | Wood, Laminate, Solid Surface, Concrete, Metal, Natural Stone, Textile, Leather
Artifort | Leather, Upholstery, Finishes, Metal, Cristalplant
• Bensen | Solid Wood, Veneer, Metal + Glass, Foam + Cushions, Fabrics, Leather
BuzziSpace | Felt, Upholstery, Leather, Wood, Laminate, Linoleum,  Ceramics, Metal
• Carl Hansen & Son | Wood Soap + Oil, Laquer, Glass, Laminate, Paper Cord, Leather, Metal
• De la Espada | Timber, Fabric, Fibreglass, Metal, Cork, Glass, Laminate, Rattan, Stone
De Sede | Leather
Emeco | Metal, Wood, Upholstery, Polypropylene, Product Specific
Erik Jøergensen | Leather, Laminate, Linoleum, Textile, Marble, Wood
• Fredericia | Soaped Wood, Lacquer & Paint, Oiled Wood, Leather, Limestone & Marble
• Fritz Hansen | Leather & Upholstery, Wood, Stone, Glass, Plastic, Linoleum,  Wicker, Metal
• Gerbruder Thonet Vienna | Wood, Woven Cane, Upholstery, Leather, Metal, Glass, Marble, Plastic
• Hästens | Mattresses
Herman Miller | Finishes, Leather, Textile, Veneer, Wool, Product Specific
J.L. Møller | Wood
• Knoll | Wood, Metal, Plastics, Textiles, Marble, Stone, Glass
Maruni | Wood, Upholstery, Leather
Montis | Leather, Upholstery
Muuto | Metal, Wood, Textile, Laminate, Leather, Linoleum
• Vitra | Wood, Leather, Vinyl, Metal, Textiles
Woodnotes | Rugs, Upholstery, Leather

Lighting:
Apparatus | Brass, Glass, Leather, Porcelain
Lindsey Adelman | Light Shades, Glass, Porcelain, Metal, Rope

Accessories:
Alicia Adams | Alpaca
E.R. Butler | Metal: Living Finishes
• Iittala | Glass, Porcelain, Stainless Steel, Enamelled Cast Iron, Wood, Ambient Light Items
Kinnasand | Wool Textile, Rugs, Curtains, Underlay
Longbarn | Rugs
NaniMarquina | Rugs
Skultuna | Brass

Outdoor: 
• Kettal | Teak + Balau Wood, Marble, Leather, Aluminum, Glass, Rope, Outdoor Textiles
Royal Botania | Teak, Metal, Stone, Upholstery, Glass, Laquer, Ceramic
Tuuci | Outdoor Umbrellas

Miscellaneous:
Asko | Appliance Cleaning
• WaterRower | Rowing Machine

 

Design & Architecture Inspiration: Films, Podcasts, Online Tours & Activities

Since we and everyone we know have had our regular work/life rhythms disrupted in recent weeks, we find that we are looking for new daily inspirations, so we have decided to compile a running list of things we come across online that we find interesting.

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Remembering Aalto

At the invitation of the Finnish design company Artek we recently left Vancouver behind and headed to Helsinki to experience the architecture and history of one of Artek’s founders — Alvar Aalto.

The visit began at the original 1935 Aalto House — the home and office designed by Alvar and his wife Aino. This is a humble and private structure that can easily be missed. Once inside, one can see that the main focal point of the home is its Southern facing side which opens itself up to the sunlight, a key theme in Aalto’s work.
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Natafelen — Table-ing

This season at Inform Interiors we have been taking time to consider community. What is community? Where does one find it? How are the spaces and objects around us designed to facilitate or encourage community?

We have taken inspiration from the Dutch concept of Natafelen — literally meaning, after table-ing — the act of lingering at the table after a finished meal to continue talking, drinking and enjoying the atmosphere and company.

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Japan Handmade

In mid-June of this year, we were honoured to welcome four Master Craftsmen from Kyoto, Japan. Each has honed their craft in very different disciplines. Intimate, hands-on workshops showcasing each craft were offered to lucky participants who gained insight into the intricacies, as well as, the greater principles centred around craft in Japan.
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Gair Williamson: Inspiration and Aspiration

On March 15th we welcomed Architect Gair Williamson into our showroom.

His firm was founded in 2003 and, over the past 15 years, has become one of the most prolific practices in the historic precincts, focusing on adaptive reuse and new infill construction. The practice began with the lofty intention to unite the often opposing interests of the community and developer and the conflicting priorities of the art of architecture and the economics of the marketplace.

It pursues the retention of cultural memory through a clear distinction between the existing urban fabric and their contemporary interventions.

In this talk Gair illustrated the buildings, paintings and writings that have inspired the work of the office and the aspirations of the firm’s completed works.

Ettore Sottsass

 

Born on September 14th, 1917 in Innsbruck, Austria and died on New Year’s eve 2007 in Milan. His father who shared his name and profession moved to Turin so that his junior could study Architecture at Politecnico di Torino. The elder Ettore was a traditionalist, his son wanted to be everything that he was not, drawn to bold shapes and colours, often bending and breaking the rules of Architecture and Design. After graduation, Ettore was drafted into the Italian military to fight in the Balkan Campaign, was captured and held in a POW camp in Yugoslavia.

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Kaikado

We were honoured to host master craftsman Taka from the legendary Japanese manufacturer Kaikado.

Kaikado was established in 1875, shortly after Japan opened its doors to the rest of the world. With welcoming outside civilizations came the import of tinplate from England. Tin was used for the plating of steel, and was considered a fashionable foreign-made item at that time.

In the Edo era, canisters made from tin became commonplace means of storage for tea, as were jars made from china or earthenware. It was the company’s founder, Kiyosuke, who first designed the tin tea caddy and made it into a commercially available item, the very same caddies that they still make today.

The following day after Taka’s talk, he held a workshop with a lucky few in the craft of fabricating one of their small plates.

Arigato Taka-san!