Category: Staff Picks

Designer Focus | Tom Dixon

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A self-taught designer-maker from London England, Tom Dixon has combined the creative with the commercial throughout his career.
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He fell into design by accident when he found himself with “time on his hands” while recovering from a motorcycle accident. As an art school drop-out with no technical training, he taught himself how to become a designer-maker in 1983 after discovering welding when trying to repair his motorbike.

Dixon’s D-I-Y approach to design matched the post-punk mood of the early 1980s. Having made his name – but little money – by making and selling limited editions of his welded furniture – chairs such as the S Chair and Pylon Chair(above) – he tried his hand at retailing, by opening a shop, Space, to sell his products.

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Yamagiwa Lighting

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www.yamagiwausa.com

The Yamagiwa brand has been bringing high end lighting to the masses of Japan for decades. Established in 1923 the received high acclaim for their 2007 Lighting Design exhibit in Milan for their works with well renowned designers and architects.

Working with a wide range of range of materials they focus on the beauty of the light itself and how it works with people and its environment. Many projects have focussed specifically on how lighting affects the way people work.

With products designed by Toyo Ito, Tokujin Yoshioka, Ross Lovegrove, Naoto Fukasawa, and Shiro Kuramata to name a few the collection is varied but well curated.

Purchase Yamagiwa lighting from informshop.com


Above the TEAR DROP table and pendant light by Tokujin Yoshioka is a beautiful glass orb hollowed out to encapsulate the light inside.

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Live Small? Live Smart!

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My recent visit to Japan has reminded me of how our ideas of living are constantly changing and that we often need to find smarter and more efficient ways of planning our homes.

In this post I will highlight a few tips on how the right furniture choices can maximize a living space. Check back in the following weeks for a few more posts on the topic.

Simplified Living Room Seating

The ultra minimal SLEEPER Sofa by Bensen offers the maximum seating area by removing arms while retaining a high level of comfort. The simple mechanism allows the sofa to turn instantly into a daybed for a quick nap or to accommodate  sudden guests. The lack of a large internal bed system keeps the sofa light on its feet.

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B&B Italia Outdoor

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As the weather starts to warm and summer draws nearer, we all start to spend more time outdoors. This includes barbeques with friends and family or just plain relaxing alone on our balconies, decks and patios.

B&B Italia has some of the most beautifully designed and exquisitely built outdoor furniture to make you feel like you’re at a top class resort while being at home.

Springtime Collection

If you’re into warm minimal design and spectacular craftsmanship than this is for you. Designed by Jean- Marie Massaud the line has soft organic tables made from Crystal Plant mixed with dramatic day beds and chaises and sofas. The frames are made from aluminum and are powder coated in a weather proof polyester for years of durability, there is even a weather proof Mahogany table top.

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Newly designed site www.flexform.it

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www.flexform.it

Flexform has done a much needed update to their website and has incorporated some interesting new features. Their product line has always been one of our best sellers and we have always relied on their complete and informative catalogues to communicate this to our clients.

Along with an entirely new graphical layout, a strong distinction has been made between the brands Standard and MOOD collections.

The traditional navigation is fluid and simple to use, with an emphasis on the lines beautiful product photography.

Unfortunately they seemed to have forgotten to add all the technical specifications.

All our clients are invited to use our www.informshop.com for all their specifying needs (click to view)

What really caught my eye on this new site is the new ‘Experience Navigation‘ system that they have developed.

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Junior Design Addicts

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At Inform we believe that design appreciation can start at any age. Many of our clients have been coming to our store for years and years, with this we’ve experienced their changes in style and taste as well as the changes in their family structure with the addition of some amazing children!

Above Verner Panton’s classic chair has be introduced in a children’s size. Durable, stackable, and colourful.

Not all products suitable for children are designed for their use. The CORK stools by Jasper Morrison and VITRA are a great small table for kids and with no hard sharp corners it’s safe too.
Vitra Corks on www.informshop.com

Collectors of Alexander Girards dolls can start their kids off with a single piece of their choice.
View and order each family member.

Knoll has started producing their iconic mid-century pieces in scaled down forms. Now people of all ages can enjoy the comfort of Eero Saarinen’s Womb Chair (suggested use shown above).

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When looking at design products for children it is hard to overlook the magnificent pieces by Charles and Ray Eames.

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The NAVY 111 Chair by Emeco & Coca-Cola

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Official Site

A collaboration between two legendary companies and their dedication to the environment, The new NAVY 111 Chair is the latest production by Pennsylvania based Emeco in cooperation with Coca-Cola (yes THE Coca-Cola).

Scheduled to be released during this years Milan Salone de Mobile, the chair consists of approximately 111 post consumer Coca-Cola bottles (hence the name). This makes up about 60% of the chairs volume while the remaining 40% is a secret formula developed by chemical company BASF.

Pre-order your own EMECO NAVY 111 CHAIRS at www.informshop.com*

*(availability and lead times to be determined)

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Shawn Place Works

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www.shawnplace.ca

Early last year Shawn Place came to us with a prototype of his rocking chair. With a several more of these prototypes (one currently at my family home) he came to the beautifully proportioned SP210 rocking chair.

The frame is made of rift cut white oak with a soap finish. The seat and back are hand caned by Shawn in his Prince George workshop.

A great piece of Canadian design and craftsmanship. Try it out in store today.

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