We forecast 10 pieces across furniture, lighting and accessories you should know about this year.
Design is often two steps forward and one back, with some of the most coveted designs loosely referencing the past yet taking us forward to see things in a new light. From furniture through to lighting, these 10 products selected by the est living editorial team capture the essence of what’s on the horizon for 2022 and beyond.
Criteria selection is based on the product’s timelessness, the frequency of inclusion in projects, and the calibre of designer collaboration.
This piece originally appeared in est Magazine issue #43.
590H VOLA Mixer
Arne Jacobsen
The 590H one-handle VOLA mixer by Arne Jacobsen does so much with so little. Originally designed in 1969 for Danish brand VOLA, the mixer’s elegant form performs numerous functions and includes a swivel spout and water-saving aerator.
Acerbis Storet
Nanda Vigo
The Acerbis Storet was first designed by Nanda Vigo in 1984. Although the Memphis period has taken hold in the last couple of years, not all designers warmed to the garish colours used in furniture and objects from the early 1980s. So, it’s not surprising that Nanda Vigo won over an enormous following for her Acerbis Storet, featuring lacquered drawers in softer and calmer hues.
Molinari Living Bibendum Sofa
Lucy Kurrein
The Molinari Living Bibendum sofa references the late 1960s through both its stackability and adaptability, presenting as a series of stacked seats and backrests. Designed by Lucy Kurrein, the Bibendum Sofa takes on a contemporary edge with its distinctive circular pedestal base.
Baxter Barret
Draga & Aurel
Baxter Barret Armchair by Draga and Aurel takes the best from the 1970s and creates an armchair that’s perfect for today. With its curvaceous organic form and ruched leather armrests that almost disappear into the chair, the Baxter Barret moulds to the body – offering a sense of cocooning.
Chiara Floor Lamp
Mario Bellini
Chiara floor lamp by Mario Bellini, a re-release from 1969, was originally created as a flatpack design. Reinvented in 2020, the lightweight floor lamp, made of steel, still retains its distinctive hood-like canopy, but is infused with the latest technology. Produced by Flos, its lightweight, almost skeletal silhouette, has a sense of ‘otherness’ that goes well beyond the traditional floor lamp.
‘Groovy’ Chair
Pierre Paulin
Pierre Paulin’s Groovy chair for Artifort is enjoying a resurgence with designers who are seeking contemporary furniture from the 1970s. The Groovy chair, circa 1973, covered in boucle (the originals were often covered in stretch fabrics) adds a tactile quality that’s appreciated in a post-COVID-19 world.
Series 430 Chair
Verner Panton
Verner Panton’s Series 430 chair, designed in 1967, is part of the late 1960s returning to favour in recent years. Fully upholstered and also stackable, this multi-purpose chair looks as good around a kitchen table as it does in a more formal setting, such as in a dining room. The chair’s relatively small footprint also makes it highly attractive for the smaller spaces.
Signal Z Pendant
Gabriel Hendifar for Apparatus
Part of Apparatus Studio’s latest collection, the Signal Z pendant by Gabriel Hendifar draws on a glamorous 1960s aesthetic. A time of futuristic designs, Gabriel infused the Signal Z pendant with a space-age-like quality through the press glass and brass. Using vintage light components also focuses on our current and future concerns for sustainability.
Shallow Pot
Vincent Van Duysen for When Objects Work
The Shallow pot by Vincent Van Duysen for When Objects Work is like the Belgian architect’s residential design; beautifully resolved. The Shallow pot in a new chrome finish, combined with ceramic, sparks the imagination about different combinations of materials in Objet d’art.
HT313 Dining Table
Henrytimi
HT313 dining table by Henrytimi combines both function and art. The dining table appears to be carved from one material, in this case timber, while the pedestal base created as a circular form, frees up legroom. When designers are looking to say more with less, Henrytimi’s dining tables say it all.
