Seating

1: Idzila by Lauren Perlman. The brief was to design a unique chair which could either be a standalone feature piece or part of a set designed to be used at a table. The conceptual direction was undefined, however, the design needed to be fit for purpose, take into account design trends, and demonstrate an understanding of working with metal. It would be constructed out of mild steel with accent metals such as brass, copper and bronze. Combinations of materials could be used such as upholstery, glass and leather. The chair would need to be for internal use. The design could not currently exist in any form.

The design was inspired by the ceremonial dress of Ndebele women. The main feature being the distinctive coppercoiled leg and neck pieces called Idzila. The coils wrap around the seat cushion. The back of the chair comprises a long sinewy piece of hammered metal. This elongates elegantly towards the backplate like the Ndebele women’s necks. The chair is an artwork in itself, a conversation piece and focal point of any interior setting. Each chair is numbered and signed, and is handmade allowing for customisation of fabrics and finishes.

www.lsp-design.com www.matthewnunn.com www.alexander-rose.co.uk

Rooted in pure mathematics, the Hedron Lounge Chair is not only built with the correct ergonomic measurements and angles for a seating piece, but it also sits as a functional sculpture in the home. The paired lounge chair and footstool is customisable in its specifications and features the high level of quality and craftsmanship that is at the heart of every piece by Matthew Nunn Studio.

The piece is based on the Dodecahedron; the fourth platonic solid which has been studied for thousands of years. Matthew Nunn Studio thrives on technical challenges and so each dihedral mitre on every side of each pentagon is cut by hand to a degree of accuracy of 0.1 degrees and 0.5mm, as it is then jointed by hand with mortise joints along each edge to ensure its longevity. The result is a piece that is beautifully simple in its complexity.

Elevating the Hedron Lounge Chair from being ‘just’ furniture is its ability to evoke emotion from the user when in use as well as when viewed upon. With its curated range of material choices as well as its ability to be customised to a client’s requirements, the chair is capable of accenting the interior, whilst simultaneously incorporating a statement piece. The adaptable aesthetics of the chair then sets the tone for what environment it will work best in.

The Dana Collection was a collaboration between the Alexander Rose in-house design team and American designer, Seth Alguire.

This hardwood Teak collection consists of a lounge set and two dining sets paying homage to the beautiful Mid Century Danish designs of the 20th Century. The Dana lounge set creates a stylish seating area for up to four people, combining the Dana sofa and two lounge chairs. The design team spent many months on intricate construction details, to make this traditionally handcrafted furniture using modern machining methods. This range uses FSC Teak from sustainable forests and the shaping of every single component has been carefully considered for its structural integrity to create this lightweight slender design. The tapered legs have round tenons taken through the top of the arms and finished with dark wood wedges as a traditional feature. The seat cushions are made from Kvadrat fabric - an excellent quality fabric which has deep roots in Scandinavia’s world-famous design tradition. As well as the lounge set, Alexander Rose is launching Dana Dining, with a generous 2.7m 8/10-seater dining set and for smaller spaces, a 1m square 4-seater set. The armchair compliments the lounge chair with its sweeping arm to back curvaceous form. The seat pad is woven in a traditional basket style, using 4mm round twisted Olefin cord, in a natural colour and suitable for outdoor use.

Mid Century Danish Design has made a revival over the last few years and the timeless Scandinavian designs are appreciated for their simplicity and beauty as much now as when they were introduced last century.

4: Allingham Armchair by Christian Watson Limited Photographer: Simon Bevan www.christian-watson.com

Christian Watson designed the Allingham Armchair as a reinterpretation of the classic director’s chair. “I wanted to bring my own strikingly minimal style with a pared-back palette of materials, bold lines, and a juxtaposition of manmade and natural materials, and create something both comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.” Designed to suit any environment to either blend in with its surroundings or to be a statement piece for any home. With each chair handmade to order, the Allingham can be personalised to suit any interior scheme, and Christian Watson Limited are able to manufacture the frame size to fit any designated space. This means that their clients can create a unique item that is personal to them whilst maintaining the integrity of the original design.