From Meriah: Salone


Hello and Happy Summer!

I recently returned from Inform’s first trip to Europe since the beginning of the pandemic and boy, was it exciting!

The Salone del Mobile, usually held in April, was pushed back two and a half years and re-emerged in full force this past June. I admit I was unsure what to expect after all this time; I was nervous it wouldn’t live up to two years of expectations. It turned out to be worth the wait.

Now that I have been home for a few weeks and have had time to reflect on what we saw, my biggest takeaway was how fundamental the human element is in design. Design is all about people; it is for people — this is, literally, why it exists. People make it for other people to sit on, look at, use, hold, and enjoy. (Perhaps I am way off. I’m not up to speed on my Philosophy of Beauty these days, but it feels right to me!) People.

And so, after two years of looking at everything through a digital lens, it was a joy to be able to see, touch, and try products IRL. And to mingle with colleagues, friends, and partners whom we had not seen in such a long time. Our favourite experiences had the most relatable stories and most approachable products. Here is Part One of our Milan highlights:

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2021 Gift Guide

Marquina Oil Cruet

This oil cruet solves the problem of dripping and spilling with so much ingenuity that it has found its way into almost every home. The Marquina oil cruet is an example that big problems require simple solutions.  A transparent, stable, and precise product, that offers the essence of true design.

View on our online shop.

 
 

Aalto Vase

Design pioneer Alvar Aalto combined simple design with a craftsman’s expertise to create iconic home design pieces that are functional and sculptural. Taking inspiration from the many lakes in his native Finland, Aalto’s asymmetrical, soft waves (“aalto” in Finnish) have become his creative signature from architecture to glass.

Each precious vase is at first mouth-blown, then hand cut and polished at the Iittala Glass Factory. The legendary Aalto glass vases make a striking addition to any interior. The wider size showcases fuller flower arrangements and the tall vase best displays long-stemmed bouquets.

View on our online shop.

 
 

Salt Cellar

Salt Cellar combines a container and a plateau. The container holds the salt and serves as a handle. Salt is poured onto the plateau so that it can be picked up from the black surface. Filling the container works the other way around: salt is put on the plateau and then poured into the handle.

View on our online shop.

 
 

Stoff Candle Holder

The chrome candle holder is the very first and original colour of the Stoff Nagel design. Today it is still considered a collectors item in homes around the world – a personal statement and a malleable sculpture ready to assume the shape of its owner’s unique creativity. Create and combine it with other Stoff Nagel designs and use it with taper candles, or leave it merely as a decorative sculpture.

View on our online shop.

 
 

Moka Espresso Maker

A coffee maker with a familiar and at the same time innovative form. Designed by architect David Chipperfield, Moka is an artist’s interpretation of a timeless icon of the Italian culture. Chipperfield introduces a series of details that make the Moka design new and even more functional, such as the flat lid on which to place the cups to be heated – allowing optimum enjoyment of the aroma and flavour of the drink. For those who don’t want to compromise on the unmistakable taste of coffee prepared with an espresso coffee maker..

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From Nancy

 

When choosing any large investment piece for your home, the normal rule is to keep it simple with a neutral palette. Think of your wardrobe choices: when purchasing a suit, probably we’d be conservative… Navy? Grey? Brown? And let crazy stockings or ties jazz it up.

The same thing with a sofa, pick a beautiful Neutral base and then let the toss cushions or that single comfy chair sing. A wonderful patterned fabric, texture and/or colour to add spark. Like a jewel. If it’s a Knoll Womb Chair in mohair velvet even better!  (By the way, Knoll and Herman Miller are on promotion at the moment; contact us for more details.) 

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Remembering Peter Cardew

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of one of our friends, and one of Vancouver’s great architects — Peter Cardew.

Peter worked in and around Vancouver since 1980 and was the recipient of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada’s Gold medal. Known for his deceivingly simple design, he worked on a wide range of projects from schools, galleries, libraries, residences, and commercial buildings.

His architecture blends form with place seamlessly and he always collaborated with skilled tradespeople to produce clean, pared-back buildings, interiors, and furniture which then allow the function of each space or object to be fully realized without interruption.

Peter’s friendly face and calm demeanour will be missed by all of us at Inform.

Image by Ian Lanterman ; courtesy of Neighbour.

Ingo Maurer (1932-2019)



 
Few people working in the rather serious industry of industrial design have the ability to weave magic through every one of their pieces the way Ingo did. According to his Wikipedia page, he was nicknamed the “poet of light” — a title he certainly lived up to.



 

Rather than working to conceal the light source as most traditional lighting designers do, Ingo’s work has always exposed and underscored the beauty of the basic architecture and technology of lighting itself. His first piece, called Bulb, is a large crystal globe encompassing a smaller one; created in 1966, Bulb is now included in the MoMA permanent collection.

 
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Holiday Gifts

We invite you to come to our 50 Water Street showroom in Vancouver to see the many beautiful items we have on display for the holiday season. Find the perfect gifts for those on your list and take advantage of our complimentary gift wrapping service which features this year’s limited edition Inform Interiors’ holiday sticker by the renown graphic designer Marian Bantjes.



 
 

E.R. Butler & Co. Candlestick Holders

Intrigued by the classic but delicate shape of a Biedermeier candlestick found at a flea market, and impressed by the precision of nineteenth-century lathe work, Ted Muehling tried to capture these qualities using traditional spinning and casting techniques. Daunted, however, by the cost and labour required to realize them, the pieces remained as prototypes.

Ten years after seeing Ted’s pieces, Rhett Butler of E.R. Butler & Co. suggested that Muehling try a technology which he used to produce his exquisite hardware. Butler’s computerized lathes have given life to the designs. This process allows for precise control of the beautiful curves that make these pieces so elegant.
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Recipe: Embrace Colour with Vancouver Eats

The saying goes, “we taste first with our eyes”, meaning we find certain colours and textures of food delicious even before actually taste them. Not only are colourful fruits and vegetables appetizing and pretty to look at, but they are full of the nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy and energetic, hence the other saying, “a colourful plate is a healthy plate”.

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A Bigger Splash. A Bigger Book.


 

My first introduction to David Hockney’s work was while attending a mid-century modernism course at the University of British Columbia. It was a typical wet autumn day and as I sat in a cold, dark auditorium, my professor threw Hockney’s A Bigger Splash onto the screen. There was something about this large scale colourful painting of a California backyard swimming pool, that prompted me to start planning a sunny vacation.

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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!