Product introductions
When do you know the work is finished? When do you step away? That was a problem Kristi always struggled with as a visual artist and one many creatives will find relatable. Something finally clicked during her recently completed project: a chic, feminine flat in Los Angeles that was, “all about the furniture.” When reflecting on what would become her favorite residential project, she recalled trying to put her client’s art collection on the walls. It was beautiful but it “never felt right.” That’s when she realized, that was because it was unnecessary. “There are sometimes when undone is done.”
This Summer at Las Vegas Market, artist and product designer Austin Allen James unveiled his new collection of art, case goods, lighting, and soft goods with Stylecraft. This week we caught up with Austin for a wide-ranging conversation about the intersection of art and functional product design, how you know when the work is finished, the pursuit of universal beauty, and why he is glad he didn’t know anything about the business of art and design before committing to it.
From New York City to Hangzhou, China, Alexa Hampton’s project portfolio encompasses luxe, beautifully layered urban apartments, expansive town and country residences, private airplanes, and yachts. Newly inaugurated into the Architectural Digest’s AD100 Hall of Fame and a member of the Elle Décor A List and House Beautiful’s Top Designer list, Hampton translates the classical principles of good design and decoration into some of today’s most elegant, enduring, and functional domestic landscapes.
With timeless track arms, durable upholstery, and legs available in either a wood or metal finish, The Fantasy Sleeper Sofa Bed comes in Full XL, Queen and King with one of Luonto’s best selling mechanisms.
For the S. Harris toile, Saghian features nods to LA like the Hollywood sign, the Frank Gehry designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, an Oscar, the Griffith Observatory, and what Saghian calls “a glam girl getting on her makeup.” After all, he notes, “I’m born and raised in Los Angeles, one of the world’s coolest cities, and had fun featuring all these iconic landmarks I grew up around.”
Tulipa is inspired by Tulips for their translucent and colorful petals. The Tulipa Collection makes a statement with curved pink and green glass shapes that alternate colors and adorn the center column. The column features a downlight with integrated LED lamping and a frosted glass diffuser.
Bouclé Stripe is a textured fabric in a natural shade, with a heavy bouclé yarn creating the illusion of stripes across the fabric. The bouclé yarn creates a playful and natural look.
In 2023, he launched an online store, Ryan Saghian Mode-De-Vie, which features a curated collection of furnishings, art, and accessories from his favorite trade vendors and artisans. He is one of the first interior designers to embrace the metaverse with his own virtual showroom, optimized for a fully interactive VR experience. Saghian received his Bachelor’s of Science in Interior Architecture and Design from the Art Institute of California.
All of these luxury lighting trends go hand-in-hand, both aesthetically and thematically: The lighting styles of the 1920s and 1960s and 1970s are connected by their shared use of geometric shapes and bold colors. In the 1920s, Art Deco lighting featured geometric shapes and bright colors. In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a revival of Art Deco style, and lighting designs once again featured geometric shapes and bold colors. This time, however, there was more of a focus on function, with lighting designs used to create specific moods or atmospheres. Pendant lights with spherical or cylindrical forms, often in vibrant hues like orange, yellow, and green, became emblematic of the era’s exuberant style. The 60s and 70s designs were also ahead of their time with a deliberate focus on sustainable materials and energy use, which aligns with the values of today’s environmentally conscious consumers.
Draga & Aurel rethink and reinvent the furniture, giving them a new contemporary flair. Combining their skills and past experience in fashion, textiles, art and design, they apply the best and most appropriate creative craftsmanship techniques – such as screen printing, resin covering and brass casting – to bring a second life to the object while preserving its heritage.
Following is a selection of the latest creations, some of which were exclusively unveiled during Milan Design Week at the Rossana Orlandi Gallery in Milan.