Pride of place
Design fairs may be on hold but there's no shortage of handsome furniture. We highlight eight elegant new and reissued pieces that will enhance any home long after lockdown is a memory.
Sibast No 9, Sibast
Denmark
The 1950s furniture of Danish modernist Helge Sibast has been resurrected by his grandson Ditlev, who’s brought the designs back into production. First released in 1953, Sibast No 9, with its solid oak frame and curved backrest, is the sort of fetching piece that hasn’t dated.
sibast-furniture.com
Citizen Lowback armchair, Vitra
Switzerland
We have a hunch that when design buffs make it out of temporary confinement, many of them will make for their nearest Vitra showroom to admire the Swiss brand’s 2020 collection, one of its best in years. Alongside new designs from Jasper Morrison and reissues from Jean Prouvé, eyes will be cast towards the swooshing lines of German designer Konstantin Grcic’s lounge-chair. We’ll give you a fair warning:
it’s the kind of furniture you’ll want to take home.
vitra.com
AJ Trolley, Fritz Hansen
Denmark
Though Danish architect Arne Jacobsen might have used this 1950s bar cart for his tea, we like the prospect of placing something stronger atop it. Arriving in time for summer, the reissue works just as well as a fine organiser for the home office as it does for serving apéro hour on the terrace.
fritzhansen.com
905 chair, Cassina
Italy
Vico Magistretti left his stamp on the Italian design landscape in the 1960s and 1970s by creating a series of characterful sitters, sofas and bookcases for Cassina. And now the Lombardy-based manufacturer has decided to reintroduce a number of Magistretti’s wonders into its current collection. The wood-and-saddle-leather workings of this chair would sit pretty under any sturdy home-office desk.
cassina.com
OVO bookcase, Benchmark
UK
As we reorganised our homes and rediscovered the joys of curling up with an old book that had been gathering dust, shelves took on a significant role in our daily lives. Thankfully, UK furniture-maker Benchmark has delivered a superb design for facilitating this pursuit in the form of this timeless timber creation by master architects Foster 1 Partners.
benchmarkfurniture.com
Kinuta N-ST01 side table, Karimoku Case Study
Japan
Japanese firm Karimoku Case Study has carved a niche with its timeless pieces. A refresh of its stylish collection includes the addition of this Norm Architects-designed side table. It balances dark timber with a light marble top and represents Japan-meets-Scandinavia in a refined manner.
karimoku-casestudy.com
Floyd-Hi 2, Living Divani
Italy
The cancellation of the Milan furniture fair means that Italy’s major design companies have had to rethink their launches – but many are still making it to market. The plush materials and comfy backrest of Piero Lissoni’s sofa typifies the elegance and quality of the nation’s design.
livingdivani.it
Rime Pendant Lamp, Muuto
Denmark
Stockholm’s taf Studio has updated the look of mouth-blown glass in this pendant for Copenhagen’s Muuto. An acorn-shaped lamp gracefully meets a more industrial, powder-coated aluminium support pipe.
muuto.com
Monocle comment:
Now is a good time to invest in your home. This doesn’t mean that you should buy lots of things but rather spend more on fewer items that will last and can age gracefully.
Images: DePasquale + Maffini
