To meld a hefty hunk of steel, brass or iron into anything at all requires heat, brawny machines and dangerous tools. To turn it into a beautiful piece of furniture requires a real craftsman.
One of metal's advantages is its longevity, so sourcing recycled materials is something many of these designers do. The appeal of their modern pieces is the link they forge between a sweaty, gritty, centuries-old craft skill and sophisticated contemporary design.
Furniture designer Florian Roeper is one of a group of design crafters who work out of the decommissioned Alameda, Calif., Naval Station, where World War II airmen once tested and repaired jet engines.
"The Naval Station's been a wonderful place for artisans like me. It gives me a lot of actual and mental space," Roeper says. "It's peaceful and inspiring to look out over San Francisco Bay, and we don't have any of the city hustle and bustle. I've always had a physical and cultural interest in landscapes, especially because of my background."
Roeper's parents are German and Italian, and he spent his childhood crisscrossing the continents. "Many of my pieces hint at the cultural divide in my life," he says.
Roeper has a studio full of cast-iron machines from decades past, and some of the latest high-tech equipment. With a graphic design background and an apprenticeship with a door maker, he learned to etch patterns on and give patina to metalwork, which led him to furniture making. His tables of brass and bamboo, etched zinc and charred wood have a heft and character that drew visitors at the latest Architectural Digest Home Design show in New York.
Rafael Avramovich of Brooklyn, N.Y., uses geometric motifs to craft mirrors and cage-like lights.
"What fascinates me about metals is the endless possibility in terms of creating a shape, getting the texture I want, the finish color," he says. His Living in Harmony collection uses blackened iron, bronze and rusted steel to create sculptural lighting fixtures and edgy furniture. He plays with dimension in a Mondrian-esque mirror and a side table perched on staggered metal shapes.
London-based furniture designer Jonathan Krawczuk experiments with the molecular composition of steel through a bowl that represents carbon and iron atoms in a 3D visual that's especially striking in bright primary colors. His Tarantula collection of powder-coated-steel, spidey-legged tea lights is startling, and his op-art-inspired Cubic Bowl is functional sculpture.
Sourcebook
• www.studioroeper.com: side tables made of etched metals and wood
• www.workanddesign.com: Rafael Avramovich's Living in Harmony lights
• www.designedmade.co.uk: Jonathan Krawczuk's work
Source: www.freep.com
TELUS International Philippines welcomes University of Antique students - gmanetwork.com
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
Premiere Adirondack Chairs Promotes Lloyd Flanders Wicker Furniture as Patio Furniture for All Seasons - YAHOO!
Premiere Adirondack Chairs is offering more Lloyd Flanders Patio Furniture than ever, given customer demand for the highly-durable wicker outdoor furniture.
Natick, MA (PRWEB) June 21, 2012
Premiere Adirondack Chairs, a leading online patio furniture retailer, is promoting its collection of Lloyd Flanders Wicker Patio Furniture as a brand committed to superior durability in harsh weather.Knowing that the Michigan-based manufacturer creates all-weather wicker outdoor furniture products that resist effects of moisture, heat and sun, Premiere Adirondack Chairs CEO Doug Hopeman greatly increased the company’s Lloyd Flanders inventory this spring in order to give customers longer –lasting patio furniture options.
“We’ve had great success offering the Lloyd Flanders brand in the past, because customers appreciate their approach to constructing wicker furniture,” Hopeman said.
Lloyd Flanders, which was founded in the early 20th century, uses the same wicker loom it’s used since the 1920s to construct its furniture. The woven wicker frames are reinforced with metal and coated with a melamine mixture to ensure stability and a durable finish.
Not only are Lloyd Flanders wicker chairs, tables, sofas, and loveseats sturdy: They also offer shoppers huge color variety. Many seating options come with thick patio cushions, which customers can order in their favorite among a large swatch of patterns and colors. Throw pillows in assorted fabrics can also be added to any set.
In addition to standard patio lounge and dining sets, Lloyd Flanders offers luxury pieces, like wicker chaise lounges and large ottomans, and accent pieces, like patio end tables. Collections include Grand Traverse, Contempo, Reflections, and Hamptons, to name just a few.
The Lloyd Flanders expansion is part of a site-wide strategy to increase patio furniture options for shoppers, for the most complete shopping experience on the Internet. The company continues to focus on its signature product, Adirondack furniture, while also offering wood, metal, resin, wrought iron and wicker patio furniture.
Premiere Adirondack Chairs is a leading online patio furniture retailer based in Natick, Mass. The company, founded in 2008, offers all types of patio furniture and accessories, with Adirondack furniture as its signature product.
Doug Hopeman
PremiereAdirondackChairs.com
888-815-3538
Email Information
Source: news.yahoo.com
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