If you’re looking for the widest range of furniture projects to check out when exploring the city during NYCxDesign, ICFF is typically your best bet. The independent design world has crept its way into the traditionally larger-scale air of ICFF at Javitz Center, so in addition to your expected larger brands, we’re beginning to see of the young, upcoming design crowd trickle in with an upscale, and sometimes downright quirky, vibe.
The student shows also continue to delight us year after year, with 2019 as no exception: highlights include University of Cincinnati’s “Section_001” class who partnered with industrial manufacturing to create some inventive designed objects using non-traditional processes and RISD’s collaboration with Botswana-based studio and furniture manufacturer Mabeo. It’s safe to say there’s something for every furniture lover at ICFF nowadays.
Hollands Licht
Hollands Licht presented new lighting designs from award winning Dutch Designers as part of Ventura New York.
Hollands Licht
This transforming light called Rhythm of Light by Susanne de Graef can either hang naturally or transform into a chandelier by lifting the bottom ring and attaching it at the top.
Hollands Licht
The light can be hung vertically or horizontally, and its outer layer can be adjusted by hand.
Creative Chef
Creative Chef combines product design and food to create meaningful dining experiences. Keeping with their mission to bring everyone together over food in unexpected ways, the designers decided to transform one of the most common dining accessories: table linens.
Creative Chef
The pattern on the linens is actually made up of scannable sound waves, which when scanned create a musical composition to listen to over a meal. A phone with the scanning app can be passed around the table, and each time a guest scans their placemat or section of the tablecloth, a new sound is added to the piece.
Each divider is inspired by nature, crafted by hand and made from natural wool felt.
Aleksandra Gaca
Aleksandra Gaca’s 3D woven textiles, aptly called Architextiles, have already been seen in the fashion and automotive worlds as cozy, sound dampening pieces. Gaca has been working to develop this technique for around 20 years—working to refine both the design and manufacturing process (now she is able to produce them by machine instead of by hand).
Aleksandra Gaca
At ICFF, the designer exhibited a step into the home decor world with a series of cushions using her sound absorbent fabrics. The cushions provide a visual, tactile and auditory experience with a surprising gradient color effect as you move them around in your hands.
Ruben van Megen
As a new take on the Dutch tradition of using rugs as tablecloths, Ruben van Megen exhibited a table that features a tabletop made from a real Persian rug covered in resin, thus preserving both the beauty and the scars of the carpet.
