For contemporary design to prevail in a crowded marketplace, it must enter into dialogue with history and art. But timeless design is rooted in something deeper, transcending earthly concerns to channel something elemental. Stone, metal, glass, leather—these core materials are deeply entwined in our collective consciousness; pure textures that spark our fundamental urge to bask, feel wonder, and seek comfort. Here, a selection of preeminent design houses present a piece that revels in the simplicity of pure materials.
STONE
Edra’s On The Rocks seating collection evokes an assemblage of primordial sediments. Hand molded by the house’s artisans, the design recalls an eons-old rock formation at rest.
METAL
The latest expression of an 85-year-long tradition in metal work, Vipp’s V3 kitchen system harnesses the levity of naturally anodized aluminum. This brighter, lighter design stands on the shoulders of V1—an inquiry into the possibilities of steel, one of the oldest man-made materials.
Bulthaup’s anodized aluminum island is a calm hub amid the bustle of a lively kitchen. With its hand-finished surfaces, the b3 island is a far cry from founder Martin Bulthaup’s earliest design in 1951—a wooden sideboard with hand-sewn curtains.
WOOD
Channeling the artisanal spirit of a sawhorse workbench, Henrybuilt’s Diplomat island is a place to gather and partake in the conjuring of a meal—an homage to the warmth of oak and walnut wood.
Scavolini’s Poetica collection channels the warmth and comfort of wood to recreate the timeless feeling of the hearth in the modern-day kitchen. The collection features meticulously crafted wood panels, evocative of American handicraft traditions, to draw us closer.
GLASS
Glass in its molten form is pure wonder—an undulating substance that takes shape through constant, patient tempering. The latest lighting collection from Saint Louis, Torsade, pushes the craft to the edge before pulling it back—creating twisted, rope-like pieces that glow from within like molten glass itself.
The Lens Table’s lucid depths are deceptive. Though McCollin Bryan’s iconic design for Holly Hunt appears to be glass, it’s actually constructed from a thick layer of polished resin backed with a tinted mirror and a metal base. The handmade piece—now available in new Khaki, Honey, and Teal, in addition to the original Blush, Dark Amber, and Bottle Green colorways—seems to glow. Its power is especially potent in groups.
LEATHER
Rooted in sturdy wooden legs and slung with smooth, earthy leather, the simple silhouette of Molteni & C’s Monk Chair evokes a sense of devout remove. Pioneered in 1973, the design, which fell out of production in 1990, returns to take its place in the brand’s Heritage collection.
FIBERS
Poliform’s Ernest sofa is a harmony of organic forms blanketed in soft natural fibers, each fabric-wrapped element resting gently against the next.
The Shibari Chair encapsulates the very act that elevates and translates simple fibers into works of art. Designed by Studiopepe for Visionnaire, the piece is an homage to the simple knot: a harmonizing of two elements into one.
Though the Pyrion Collection from Rupp Studio x Shawn Henderson is a study in the transformation of wood, it is the collection’s shades that captivate the imagination. Created in partnership with Bogota-based atelier Verdi, known for blending natural fibers into visionary new textiles, each shade weaves together yaré vine from the Amazon with metallic threads to create something that feels both ancient and visionary.
A unique first edition from the private collection of former French president Georges Pompidou in the Elysée Palace, Ligne Roset’s Pumpkin Armchair is deceptively unfussy. Coated in sumptuous wool, the sitter is coaxed deep into its core. Resistance is futile.
In the desert, organic hues and silhouettes reign. Enter Design Within Reach’s latest collection—a collaboration with design visionary Paul Smith that was staged in Palm Desert’s historic Wave House. Upholstered in a smooth, tightly-striped fabric, the collection offers a zippy complement to the monkish purity of any midcentury environs.
CERAMIC
Tightly-laid ceramic tiles glazed to refract rich crystalline hues are the sole material of Hannes Peer’s André Table for Minotti. The 70s-inspired design is elegant and luminous, a welcoming setting for dinner en plein air.
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