Simple pleasures
Innovative design needn’t be complex. Here we round up seven smart items that deliver easy solutions.
Tatu lamp
André Ricard for Santa & Cole, Spain
The Tatu lamp, introduced in 1972, consists of three sections that rotate, making it easy to direct the light as needed. The nifty design, which makes bedside reading a breeze, is also adorably cute. Its name is taken from a Latin-American term for the shell-backed armadillo. Updated by Santa & Cole, it’s now possible to adjust the brightness and width of the lamp’s beam.
santacole.com
Middleweight sofa
Michael Anastassiades for Karakter, Denmark
The first upholstered furniture collection by industrial designer Michael Anastassiades, the Middleweight is an elegant sofa series that includes this two-seater, which is light in form and sturdy on its feet. Set on a slender steel frame, its plump, luxurious cushions call out for long hours of lounging. There is also an armchair, three-seater and pouf to complete the collection.
karakter-copenhagen.com
Aalto tea trolley 901 anniversary edition
Artek, Finland
To mark its 25th anniversary, London design shop Twentytwentyone asked Finnish furniture firm Artek to revive an early version of Alvar Aalto’s 1936 tea trolley, which was originally inspired by British tea culture. This graceful reissue is made from natural birch and finished with a honey-hued lacquer. Its lightweight wheels allow for ease of movement.
artek.fi
Alter mirror
Industrial Facility for Vaarnii, Finland
Vaarnii celebrates natural materials and craftsmanship. Designed by Industrial Facility’s Sam Hecht and Kim Colin, the Alter mirror has an angled frame made from Finnish pinewood and copper-tinted glass.
vaarnii.com
10 Years Later collection
SCP for Ishinomaki Laboratory, UK
London furniture-maker and retailer SCP collaborated with Japan’s Ishinomaki Laboratory last year to mark a decade since the Tohoku earthquake. They commissioned British designers to create various pieces for the home using a limited material palette of timber, cut to standard sizes; outstanding examples include this pair of sculptural side tables, I and O, made from western red cedar by Livia Lauber, and a classic bench designed by Matthew Hilton.
scp.co.UK
Loop table
Barber Osgerby for Isokon Plus, UK
The beauty of the birch-veneer Loop table, one of the first designs by London duo Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, is in its simplicity: storage space is formed by a loop and split by two panels that double as legs. Produced in London by Isokon Plus, this special edition, which marks the table’s 25th anniversary, comes in a shade of blue that references the designers’ original drawings.
barberosgerby.com
T1 stackable chair
Maruni, Japan
The stackable chair is a new addition to Jasper Morrison’s T1 line for Japanese manufacturer Maruni. Featuring an elegant seat and curved backrest that contrasts with thin metal legs, the chair, which comes in solid maple, oak or ash, smartly marries utility with deft design.
maruni.com
