Posts Tagged ‘residential furniture’

Commercial Furniture Designers Do Residential – Part 4

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

For the final post in our series on furniture that can be used in office or home settings, let’s explore what Knoll has to offer. The company has quite an extensive collection – including pint sized furnishings designed for kids.

Maya Lin Stones

These colorful indoor/outdoor “stones” are made of molded polyethylene. Every surface is fully finished and enclosed for weather resistance. They come in adult and child sized seating versions with a cupped surface and table models with a slightly concave top to prevent moisture accumulation. You can add weight to the bottom of the stone to prevent tipping or anchor it to the ground with an optional kit. These stones would look cozy on a patio or add spice to an outdoor break area at a business.

Barstools

The Jamaica barstool would fit in with the trend for having lightning fast “standup” meetings at the office. They are lightweight enough for easy relocation throughout the facility as needed. They would also work great in a black and white themed kitchen or by a wet bar. The sculpted aluminum seat is easy to clean and comfortable enough to use without a cushion.

Side Table

This occasional table is one of Frank Gehry’s signature pieces – literally. The designer’s signature and the production date are embossed on the underside of each unit. The wooden slat structure is supposed to remind you of apple crates. This rustic table would work in a casual meeting area at an eco-friendly company or in a home conservatory as a place to set pots of African violets.

Commercial Furniture Designers Do Residential – Part 3

Friday, August 26th, 2011

Teknion is yet another manufacturer well known for its office furniture that also crafts items that can shine in a home setting. Here are a few of the designs you might see in the commercial or residential arena:

Occasional Tables

Dakar is just one of several models created for use as corner tables or coffee tables. This walnut, cherry, or maple veneered built up top with self-edge detail works in a lobby or an entryway. The darker finishes would look particularly nice in an executive office. Choose from diameters from a slim 18” to a generous 36” to fit your available space.

Side Chairs

The Abington armchair is from Teknion’s classic Philly series. The model shown here has a diamond tufted upholstery that makes it suitable for a corner office guest chair or an old-fashioned parlor. If that style strikes you as too “stuffy”, you can also pick a plain seat and back to retain the cushioning effect without being quite so showy. This is definitely a chair that looks like it would encourage good posture (at least over the short term)!

Lighting

No compendium of Teknion’s products would be complete without a mention of the innovative Conflux design. This LED lamp comes in many sizes, but the freestanding floor lamp is the most imposing. This sculpture like piece would be fantastic for a living room or a collaborative workspace. Its low-glare optic prism will gives you a bright, smooth glow for reading or for working on your laptop.

Commercial Furniture Designers Do Residential – Part 2

Friday, August 19th, 2011

Last week, we explored some of the crossover furniture from Haworth that could work in either a business or residential space. Today, let’s take a look at what Herman Miller has to offer. Of course, HM is well known in design circles for famous pieces like the Eames chairs. You’ll see this home furniture in modern art and design museums all across the country. Here are some other items you might find of interest in the online store:

Capelli Stool

This occasional stool would be a lovely addition to a collaborative workspace or a sunroom with a reading nook. The design is both intricate and elegantly simple with interlaced wooden fingers that resemble an open book. The pale wood can figure into a very broad range of design motifs.

Cognita Storage Bench

This piece doubles as a storage unit with seating. Tuck this away in a conference meeting area for supplemental seating and a place to keep audio visual accessories, extra pens, and more. It would also fit in a living room near the entertainment center or in a home office.

Folding Screen

This Eames plywood folding screen can be incorporated into a freestanding panel system to build a temporary brainstorming space or to increase privacy for high-concentration work. It’s also a great option for dividing living areas. Give the kids a place to play out of the way or create additional conversational mingling areas during a family event.

Commercial Furniture Designers Do Residential – Part 1

Monday, August 8th, 2011

One of the fun things you learn when you frequent the websites of major office furniture companies is that they like to blur the lines between business and leisure. Most of the big players made their name in the contract furniture industry. But they just can’t resist showing off their design capabilities on the home front too. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be looking at what these companies have to offer in the way of pieces that blur the line between commercial and residential. Let’s start with a few of Haworth’s crossover pieces:

The Haworth Collection features offerings by premier designers and engineers from places like Italy, France, and Germany. This LC6 table from Cassina would look at home in a conference room or an ultra-modern living room. The enameled steel base can be provisioned in matte black or light blue. The floating top is available in crystal, textured glass, or ash (stained or natural).

In Autumn of 2011, you’ll be able to give your business guests a brand new seating experience with Ginger. This swivel chair would also be ideal for a home library while the fixed version can be used as part of a dining suite. Its foam cushioned seat is covered with topstitched leather for comfort and sophistication. An ash and steel frame offers durable and attractive support for this finely crafted seating option.

A little less glamorous but imminently practical, the Cuba sofa is like a fine cigar – you can enjoy it for the whole evening. The covers on the cushions are removable, making it ideal for areas where you expect heavy traffic to take a toll. This item can blend in with the décor in a reception area or in a living room.

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