Gaspard Live is an explorer. Physically, he moves from place to place looking for inspiration in new settings. Aesthetically, he explores new avenues for whimsical furniture design that are informed by his travels. His ethos is that design is a living culture, something that changes as we observe it, interact with it, and build on it. The above pictured patio set is typical of Live: it uses the delicacy of a butterfly’s wings to create form, and works with the light base to exude softness, fantasy, and an awakening imagination. Live has created an online place to share his observations with a community of designers and artists, in order to build a conversation and improve his work.
An independent designer, Marc Th. vander Voorn uses his prestigious Minerva Art Academy education to produce lighting fixtures that are playful and sophisticated at the same time. The Moon Light, top, and Starling Lamp, bottom, are examples of his approach to lighting: simple, but always incorporating a unique element. The Moon Light is particularly innovative, as it features translucent patterns that dance through the white circular shade. His pieces would look stunning in a living room, office space, or reception area that needs a little boost of modern fashion that is subtle, classy, and eye-catching.
Torsten Neeland has nearly 20 years experience in industrial and interior design, but don’t let that fool you – his designs are as fresh and innovative as if he were a recent graduate. Moving from Hamburg to London, he brings a European flair to all that he does. The simple, urban designs that permeate his furniture belie a complex process: Neeland believes that it takes planning, insight, and time to produce something that is deceptively simple on the outside. The above two pieces are a coffee table and a gallery light respectively, and both exhibit the signature minimalism and simplicity of Neeland’s finished products.
John Briscella has his eye on city life, and it’s clear that this is one of the major influences for all of the furniture he produces. Whether it is New York or Tokyo, the big cities are seen in the erratic, sporadic, and chaotic forms that make up his lounge chairs, clocks, and bins. The above pictured lounge chair is designed to be flexible, in that it can be clicked and clacked into a new position effortlessly. The urban elements in his design come through in the visual as well as the functional, and they are perfect for a cutting-edge loft, business, or home.
Modular, lightweight furniture is the name of the game – at least the one that Movisi is playing. This design company has created a line of furniture that is fun, playful, functional and modern. All of their pieces have the same carefree appeal: they can be reshaped, moved, tossed, and interacted with in a variety of ways. The above pictured MakeShift storage solution is a wedge shaped design that can fit into even the most awkward of spaces, and can expand or contract based on your needs. And the Q-Couch is a single-to-infinite seating arrangement that is cute, quirky, and supremely flexible to fit any situation, and any space.
Christian Lessing creates art-inspired furniture and lighting that speak to something deeper than just form and function. For instance, the above pictured Nachtflug lamp might appear to be a contemporary and minimalist piece of lighting, but upon closer inspection, you will notice that the light spots are mapped to areal images of the world’s largest cities. This mixture of urban chic and minimalism makes all of Lessing’s pieces stand out. His work would fit right in with industrial-themed decor, minimalist walls, and a wide open space. They are unique creations that will bring a room together and give you a sense of being part of something larger than yourself.
Specializing in commercial and residential furniture and lighting, Hudson Furniture has its finger on the pulse of what’s modern and chic in interior design. Their focus is on enhancing the natural beauty of wood, bringing out the grain and the deep earthy tones, and mixing this with a contemporary style. Their claim to fame is the fact that they are New York’s only place to get legally harvested petrified wood: meaning your home can incorporate a modern piece of furniture that’s thousands of years old. And being an eco-conscious company, all of the wood that Hudson uses is harvested from salvaged, storm-damaged or wind-damaged trees, rather than old-growth forests.
Ismail Ozalbayak is a student of design by trade and by choice. He uses simple lines and form to produce minimalist pieces that each have a unique element that sets them apart from their contemporaries. For instance, the above pictured Kubus Modular Furniture System uses the principles of interactive design and combines them with an innovative style – the black foam center, surrounded by the polyurethane casing – and innovative functionality – all six sides of the cubes have integrated velcro to ensure no sliding once you’ve created your personalized form. All of his work has these little touches, which are enough to make them, and the designer, stand out from the crowd.
Using a mashup of art influences, Federico Weber creates industrial pieces that would look stunning in a space that is highly interactive. His work uses the colors and depth of photography, design inspiration from the world of electronics and programming, and an eye that only someone with a passion for designing could bring to the table. His art-objects function in that space where emotions meet function, and his aim is to explore the relationship between pride, fun, and satisfaction that people feel when they own modern pieces of furniture.
Stephen Fitz-Gerald is an artist, and makes no excuses about it. He calls himself a “design machine”, which is apt – most of his pieces are sculpted works of art in metal and other industrial materials. He creates a wide range of pieces, including furniture, decorative art sculptures, jewelery, and outdoor installations. A self-described idealist, Fitz-Gerald strives for perfection in all of the pieces that he works on. The above images display how creativity and his versatility. The leaf wall sconce candelabras are a mixture of gothic and rustic charm, while the patterned, silhouette table features his purely modern side.
For nearly five years, Jason Ong/jeinshu has been creating furniture, sweeping up awards, and pushing the boundaries of modern design.  Having won several awards upon his debut out of design and architectural training, he now works to create designs that truly take advantage of our three dimensional world. Each piece is designed to reflect a part of the human self, the relationship between the human and the object, and to express something that moves beyond simply form and function. His above pictured Chair for Dreamers connects not only the function of seating and an innovative form, but also the abstract lofty thought process of a mid-afternoon daydream.
Using his early education in metalwork, Alvaro Uribe has combined industrial design with the modern demands of furniture production. He has been featured in permanent collections in New York, and has collaborated with companies and designers worldwide to produce bold, innovative furniture for their commercial and private needs. Using mostly solid colors, accented or highlighted by stainless steel, the fluid yet strong form of his furniture makes a statement. The industrial element in all of his work means that the focus is on functionality first, but the form has clearly been influential as well, and they work together in a forceful harmony.
