7 Quirky Chairs to Hail in the New Year

Irwin Weiner ASID - It's more than just sitting pretty. A good chair is functional, combining comfort and good design with a sculptural significance that makes it stand out in a crowd. I've selected seven chair favorites for their quirkiness, like the Grillage chair by François Azambourg for Ligne Roset (above) to tout as we ring in 2013. Here's hoping you and yours have a happy and healthy home in the new year!

David Lynch's Wire Chair for Silencio

FRAChair armchair (as in "fracture" - inspired by shattered glass) by Paul Sandip

Maximo Riera's Elephant Chair from his Animal Chair collection

Maria Westerberg designed this award-winning Rag Edition chair made of T-shirts for Green Furniture

Christophe Pillet's Video Lounge Inox lounge chair and ottoman

When Jim Relaxes arm chair and ottoman by Matali Crasset for Domeau and Peres 

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6 Favorites from Mondo Collection

 

Irwin Weiner ASID - There are so many wonderful online furniture resources that I have a tendency to be jaded. It takes some real VERVE to shake me out of my online doldrums - "Not another iconic piece of furniture from another design icon!" So it was a small delight to run into the Mondo Collection in a recent issue of Dwell magazine (in itself, also a small delight), and here are five beauties like the fab-fabric-wrapped Opium Bench (above)  that really stood out for me. Click on each photo for more product information.

Conical Desk by Nada Debs

Graphics Ceramics by Kaiser SuidanZero Bed

Beetley Bridge Chair by Jaime Hayon

Tobi Side Tables by Terry Dwan

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Celebrities Are Coming Out ... As Interior Designers

Irwin Weiner ASID - It's exciting to see celebrities come out. For rock star Lenny Kravitz to say that he enjoyed decorating his room when he was a young child and he needs a well designed space in order to make his music, his "coming out" as an furniture designer and interior designer (back in 2003) injected much-needed verve into our sometimes too sedate industry. Look at his energetic, dynamic Mademoiselle chair designs in the photo below for Kartell (click on the photo for more information) or his impressive accomplishments on his Kravitz Design website.

Likewise, international tennis sensation Venus Williams has embraced the expansion of her personal brand by opening up her own design firm - and V*Starr Design is an impressive company (see website screenshot below), complete with an extremely accomplished design team.

Kudos to Lenny and Venus for confirming what I've always believed: interior design is always evolving, and personal vision and energetic drive and a strong sense of style is what it takes to be a success in our field. Enjoy today's featured videos that follow, with interviews that confirm that these two superstars are in love with the design world.

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5 Favorites from Modern Outdoor Furniture

Irwin Weiner ASID - Here's an outdoor furniture manufacturer, Modern Outdoor Furniture, that has inserted clean lines and stylish colors into the outdoor decor scene. There's a confidence to Modern's various collections that I admire, and their lime green and pale powder blue upholstery colors are chic statements. Visit Modern Outdoor Furniture to explore their various collections.

Bonus

Click here to read Kettal Brings High Fashion to Outdoor Furniture.

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