5 Unique Brands To Include In Your Next Interior Project
The ability to surprise and delight is something every interior designer dreams of. But in the fast-moving world of contemporary design, how does one go about it? While the client will have an idea of how they want their space to look, being able to source a missing piece that personalizes the project is a real differential. To help out, we’ve compiled a list of five unique brands that promise to add a little sparkle to your next project.
Cattelani & Smith
A desire to create the world’s most objectively beautiful luminaires means that all Cattelani & Smith’s products are brought to life by the human hand —artisanal craft being antithetical to the process of mass production. What emerges from such a manifesto of light is a collection of impossibly intricate luminaires, each utterly unique and imperfect.
The passion behind this project is visible in the Fil de Fer Floor Lamp. Metres of woven aluminium are hand twisted together around tiny glass bulbs to create an enchanting floor lamp that rejects archetypal forms. Available in a variety of sizes, it can also be custom made to illuminate the garden.
The PK Family is equally worthy of attention. Its rich, fibreglass shell has an almost Faberge quality, the gold opening revealing a warm, irresistible light source. For our design team, it was love at first sight and we’re confident it will be for you as well. Pop by our Hatch End showroom to take a look for yourself.
The DAW armchairs are a ubiquitous feature of Scandinavian design. And while this doesn’t make them any less stylish, it does mean that you’ll need a little something extra if you want to wow your clients. Enter Cattelani & Smith’s Lederam Pendant Light. Its flowing silhouette gifts an almost aquatic grace to this otherwise pared-back dining room. Another option is to pair it with Gubi’s Beetle Chairs and 2.0 Dining Table as per the display in our showroom.
Lighting is often referred to as the jewellery of the home, the final flourish in a well-designed space. When styling a property, it’s important to take into account the entire periphery, including any outdoor spaces. Cattelani & Smith’s stunning bauble-esque Medousê Collection are an excellent option that can be used indoor or out. When lit, the dappled blown glass lends an ethereal, other-worldly glow to the garden, either as a wall or floor lamp.
Edra
Edra courts eccentricity, pushing ideas of form and function to the very extreme. No constraints are placed upon the designers, the more ornate or complex a project, the better. All of which sounds rather abstract, until you realise that comfort is the constant that keeps all of the projects anchored. Regular designers include Jacopo Foggini, the Campana Brothers and Francesco Binfaré, each of which has contributed significantly to make Edra the home of uncompromising design.
No product exemplifies these ideas better than the Pack Sofa. It is both an island of tranquillity and a call to action, inspired by the changing landscapes in the Arctic as well as our tech-driven society. There is no right way to sit on the Pack Sofa. The giant polar bear is covered in ecological fur and ballasted inside with a non-slip leather button so you can roll, snuggle or curl up against it as desired.
Getsuen is another nature-inspired lounger created by Japanese designer, Masanori Umeda. Crafted in the shape of a lily, its plush velvet upholstery conceals an elaborate moulded steel frame, a slice of mini micro-architecture for the modern home. Pictured here in bottle green, the Getsuen Armchair takes on particular resonance in light-filled conservatories.
Two decades may have passed since the launch of the Vermelha Armchair, but the Campana Brothers have still got plenty of eccentric designs left in the tank. Their latest release, the Blu Velvet Dining Chair, features a cloud of scrunched velvet perched on a commanding wooden frame. The generous cushions scoop up the user in a welcoming embrace, encouraging diners to stay seated at the table a little while longer.
Jacopo Foggini is renowned for naming his furniture after the women of substance in his life. Of all the daring designs, from Ella to Alice, Margherita is arguably the most beautiful. Decorative but at the same time visually light, the body is crafted entirely by hand using polycarbonate fibres. The ultimate statement chair for classic or contemporary residences alike, Margherita is available in four colourways: amber, gold, aquamarine and kermes red.
Emmemobili
Emmemobili’s founding statement is that art can be design. Form and function are important, but great design can and should thrill. Ferruccio Laviani is responsible for most of their creations. Having designed extensively for the likes of Molteni&C and Kartell, he’s a big name in the industry, but it’s at Emmemobili that he really gets to experiment. Their collection encompasses everything from bespoke bookshelves through to luxury lighting, but it’s the dining tables and storage systems that steal the show.
Arlequin-T is one such daring design. Stunning triangular cutaways engineer a breathtaking play of balance and angles, their geometries echoed in the wood inlays that establish this contemporary dining table’s distinct personality. Viewed from above, the tabletop takes the shape of a double opposing trapezium, crafted from various layers of solid wood. Meanwhile, the triangular brass sheets infuse the table with a glamorous, modern allure.
For centuries, master saddlers and upholsters have extolled studs as a functional yet decorative detail. The Dolly Sideboard is no different. Hewn entirely from solid stained oak, the body of the cabinet is contained within a brass cage before being entirely decorated with polished studs. It’s new, highly textured skin is cleaved by cupboards and drawers that open in new and intriguing ways.
Evolution is a modern day fairy tale, ideal for clients with a quirky streak. The classical side of this statement sideboard is carved entirely by hand, as was the tradition in 15th century Gothic homes. This contrasts dramatically with the contemporary side, a play of various wood veneers with handles in and inserts in burnished brass. A beautiful storage unit, Evolution represents the past and future married together in a striking piece of Italian design.
Painstakingly hewn from natural oak, the Baldo Dining Table combines the tradition of Italian rationalist furniture with the intrigue of a metaphysical painting. Each of its four stylish legs are designed as unique frames comprising mini sculptures, which contrast curiously with the smooth marble top. Baldo is a gentle reminder to make art of the every day and promises to delight for generations to come.
Aqua Creations
For the last 25 years, a quiet revolution has been taking place in downtown Tel-Aviv. Amid the palm trees and sea views, sits Aqua Creations’ gallery-cum-workshop. A lighting atelier like no other, walking inside feels like stepping into the set of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Nights Dream. Ethereal silk luminaires, sensual and organic, bloom from every wall, crevice and ceiling in a fantastical display of illumination. Each light is lovingly hand-made by their team of local artisans and can be tailored or scaled to your exacting specifications.
The Morning Glory Collection is Aqua Creations’ most iconic lighting family. It features the same trumpet-shaped petals and vibrant colours as its floral namesake, its sensual silk shades casting a soft, dream-like glow. Its distinguished silhouette is crafted using their signature Tusser Silk, harvested by silkworms native to a traditional weaving village in South India.
The Jewel Family is a playful collection of mobile hanging lamps inspired by the kinetic artworks of Alexander Calder. Pictured above is the Grace 7 Pendant, a delicate silk light that sways in accordance to the air currents in your home. A magical, constantly changing luminaire, Grace offers a tranquil source of illumination for commercial and residential spaces alike.
Light and all of its composite hues has fascinated the artist since the dawn of time. The Simon Says Collection is born from the same attraction and translates wall lights into stunning spectacles art. Its simple rectangular shapes allow for innumerable arrangements while drawing attention to the delicate lines of its silk surface. Get creative with your clients with one of these custom-made installations.
Moooi
Moooi is perhaps the best known of all of the brands on this list. Revered for their quirky aesthetic, their catalogue is jam-packed full of distinctive designs that promise to infuse the home with a sense of fun. Under the auspices of Art Director, Marcel Wanders, and with a little help from big names like Studio Job and Front they are your go-to for kooky Dutch design.
No project is complete without a statement designer rug. Moooi specialises in enormous underfoot couture, each rug a flourishing canvas of dramatic blooms, kaleidoscopic prints or striking optical illusions. The Eden Queen Rug is a firm favourite among interior designers, its classical floral print conferring just the right dose of glamour.
Serve your guests in true down-the-rabbit-hole style with the quirky Pig Side Table from Moooi. Designed by Front, it’s part of a slightly bonkers collection that includes a Horse Floor and Rabbit Table Lamp. All of the designs reject abstraction by remaining faithful to the true dimensions of their life-sized counterparts, creating a playful yet stylish indoor menagerie.
Orthonological designs have been the buzzword in design ever since the launch of Moooi’s Perch Collection. The adjustable LED birds can be found swinging poetically on a brass bar in a manner so captivating, we simply had to bring them home with us to our showroom.
Channel a little Gothic glam with the Smoke Armchair by Moooi. In a truly innovative process, the elegantly carved wooden edges are set alight then treated and sealed with epoxy. The result is a curiously tactile and darkly mysterious modern armchair, ideal for speak-easy style lounges or private clubs.
At Chaplins, we live and breath contemporary design, which is why you’ll find thousands of unique brands and statement furnishings in our 25,000 sq ft showroom.
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