Minimalist

A 1955 Classic Reissued by Carl Hansen & Son.

Having spent the last 3 and a half hours working standing up, looking at a well-designed desk that you sit at is a refreshing break. Don’t get me wrong, I choose to work standing up, my desk can raise and lower, and I really do try to work standing for at least 4 to 5 hours a day. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a piece of quality design, and a desk you sit at.

Starting this October you will be able to pick up one of Poul Kjærholm’s tables originally designed for the Royal Danish Academy of Arts in 1955. Poul Kjærholm was a master at blending steel and wood together to create a minimalist yet functional form. His design aesthetic is expressed perfectly in these two tables. Both are characterized by clear forms and light grace, the tables made a significant contribution to the designer’s reputation as a pioneer of Danish functionalism.

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Produced by Carl Hansen & Son, the tables will be available with tops made of Oregon pine or oak veneer, and with oiled, varnished or black-lacquered surfaces. The steel frame comes lacquered in black or grey. Each table can be fitted with a drawer of either oiled, varnished or black lacquered oak. The Professor Desk (PK52) is 28 inches high, by 72.4 inches long and 33.4 inches deep; the Student Desk (PK52A) is 28 inches high, 55.7 inches long and 33.4 inches deep. Both tables will be available for purchase in October.

Desk 2

desk 3

desk 4

desk 5

NY NOW + Pablo = Contour.

At the end of the month the NY Now show takes place at Jacob Javits center. To gear up for it a ton of manufacturers are starting to send out emails asking to stop by their booths and check out new products, and designs for 2016. Pablo design is no exception to this. this morning I found an email waiting for me introducing 4 new products that I wish I would be in New York to see in person. Unfortunately I won’t. One of those products is the new UMA Sound Lantern. A portable lamp with a bluetooth speaker that actually looks pretty intriguing. Another product that is not a new release, yet still stunning is the “Contour Table”.

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Contour Table is really a lamp, don’t let the name fool you. It is a minimalist lamp that is designed in many ways to showcase objects framing them, and a case of extruded aluminum, and wood. Contour’s elegant open frame is enhanced by warm LED illumination from the top of the slender extruded aluminum structure. The minimalist design has been refined to the bare essentials, creating a rich interior space for your personal belongings while providing an unobstructed view of its surroundings. The interior space provides an inviting resting place for your books, precious objects, or for charging your mobile devices with its integrated USB port.

Modern interior | living room

This is another object I’d love to see in person at Pablo’s booth at the end of the month. I just need to figure out a way to get there in 2 weeks.

Modern interior | Living room

Illuminated lamps and bed in modern bedroom

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Live-Work Space from John Dwyer.

For the last 3 and a half years I have lived in a fairly small house by most American standards. Modular 4 was just over 1500 square feet. About three weeks ago we moved and downsized even more to a loft that is right at 1000 square feet in size. Moving into a small space puts a lot of things in perspective, and makes you rethink what you actually need, and what is important in your life.

The first floor of our building is designated for commercial space, promoting a work/live environment for the building. This is something that I can totally get behind. The space is zoned for commercial use, but regulated by the HOA so no restaurant, bar, or other late night business can go in.

This morning while looking for similar buildings online I came across Minneapolis architect John Dwyer’s Live/Work space. This small building houses a living environment upstairs, and office space below. Judging from the photos I would be willing to bet that each space is around 1000 to 1200 square feet in size. I can relate to the aesthetic shown here. Minimal amounts of objects and artifacts are seen in the rooms. Furniture is clean and space-saving like the Eames compact sofa that divides the living room from the dining room. The fundamental shape of the 1920’s era structure has been reduced to a minimal form modernizing it. Large windows flood the space with light making it feel more open and spacious. I think could get used to living and working in a space like this.

Stefan Trifan’s Minimal Weather.

I spent my Black Friday shopping on the Internet, and avoiding crowds. While bouncing around the cyber malls of the world, I came across this wonderful little screen saver for OSX. It’s free, it’s minimal, it provides information I can use, and it relates to where I am.

You can download it for your city free here.