Superlife, a community of creators, craftspeople, and retailers who believe the power of design can make a difference, has added the Flow Family to their lineup. The collection of three organic, abstractly shaped tables pull from nature in their design – particularly natural bodies of water. Add a sense of fluidity to your space with the trio that’s designed to nest together in multiple configurations.

Flow is conveniently flexible – use all three tables together to create a visual statement or as separate occasional tables where needed. Each of Flow’s sculptural tables is unique in size and height, “much like cells merging to form a larger organism,” Superlife says. Choose from a mix of six muted and saturated colors, mix and match or create a monochrome masterpiece.

Large, Sage Green

Large, Silk

Medium, Peach

Medium, Black

Small, White

Small, Blue

To learn more about Superlife’s Flow Family of tables, visit superlife.ch.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

We got to meet the boldly buff 2024 Kia EV9 up close just before driving off in the ludicrously fun Kia EV6, alongside the Korean brand’s full stable of electric vehicles during a recent KIA event. Sadly, we never got the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the confidently creased three-row electric SUV behemoth, as the SUV was primarily there to show off the brand’s new design language. Nevertheless, we suspected the EV9’s presence hinted of even more spirited designs coming down the pipeline. Lo and behold, Kia just announced the impending arrival of the production model Kia EV5 to kick off the brand’s self-promoted first annual Kia EV Day, flanked by two additional concept vehicles assigned the Kia Concept EV3 and Kia Concept EV4 nameplates.

The EV5 is a bit of a known quantity already, a crossover previewed earlier this spring, and now nearing production intended for the Chinese market. It’s the two new concepts that warrant notice, together solidifying the notion Kia is moving away from its budget brand respectability toward a fully-electrified future nibbling on the heels of the premium segment.

Take the Kia Concept EV4 for example: the EV4’s raked profile and more softly sculpted waistline communicate a greater degree of speed than its chunkier EV9 cohort, aligning it closer to the sporty EV6. In fact, the EV4 concept appears to be the outcome of a reductive exercise deemphasizing the EV6’s more sinewy styling and reducing its front bumper to pugnacious prominence, resulting in a more sophisticated and futuristic silhouette.

And check out the Kia Concept EV4’s futuristic three-spoke triangular wheels.

But the real exciting details are to be found inside the EV4 and EV3 cabins, each operating as the showcase of the brand’s trajectory toward integrating bio-sourced and sustainable materials in their efforts to reduce environmental impact (and in the long run, save costs). Earthly aspirations drove Kia’s Color, Materials, Finish (CMF) team toward applying natural dyes derived from madder roots and walnut shells and used 100% recycled cotton to render a serene organically-themed interior that brings cars ever closer to a living room vibe.

Inside, that organic atmosphere is taken to an explorative extreme, with mushrooms at the heart of the Concept EV3’s console table’s soft surface. Grown, rather than molded out of plastic using the dense network of fungal threads of the mushroom known as mycelium, the molded material offers an “extremely soft surface” touchpoint to a part requiring durability and comfort.

“Using mycelium enables us to mimic the processes we see in nature and leverage it to design more sustainable solutions,” explains Marília Biill, Head of CMF Design at Kia. “The material can be grown in any shape you want using a mold. The use of mycelium is still at a very early stage, and, as part of Kia’s Sustainability Strategy, we are working with partners to accelerate development of the material. One day, by growing our own materials, we’ll be able to simplify processes, adapt forms and most importantly, be closer to nature in its essence.”

As mentioned, while mycelium-sourced materials hold a great deal of promise, scaling its growth and integrating into automotive manufacturing on a global scale has proven challenging.

More readily attainable is the Concept EV4’s console table woven from hemp fibers, a highly sustainable and versatile material already grown and processed at scale. To Kia’s credit, the brand has already integrated Bio Polyurethane (PU) as a leather replacement, with car carpets partially made with 100% recycled PET sourced from recycled fishing lines an option.

The Kia Concept EV3’s boxy-futuristic exterior belies its organically-themed interior.

The electrification of auto has been welcome in that it has allowed brands like Kia to reimagine themselves once stymied by their past. In sum all three new designs reveal the EV9 was only an amuse-bouche ahead of a multi-course meal of EV design, mapping the evolution of Kia from a once budget brand toward a fully-electrified future nibbling on the heels of the premium segment.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Marik Lechner’s first exhibition stateside promises one thing: Mild Pain Guaranteed. Running from October 25 to December 16, 2023 at L’SPACE, the artist strays away from the paintings he’s known for in favor of large-scale, brightly colored tapestries, drawings, and embroideries made within the past five years. Born in Chernovitz, Ukraine and living in Israel since the age of 6, Lechner’s Mild Pain Guaranteed creates a world of war and bestiality. The thought reflecting the artist’s conviction that “we are basically animals. We have one hand in the sublime and one hand in the garbage.”

Mild Pain Guaranteed, 2020, Wool and Polyester, 114 x 106 inches

The exhibition’s works pull from a range of inspirational sources that include myth, religion, nature, and pop culture. The textile works even feature reoccurring characters and symbols from the latter. Using thread and wool, along with spray paint, glue, and found objects, each piece is part painting and part sculpture that feels like it’s bursting at the seams with energy.

Night Fruit Picking, 2022, Wool and Polyester, 114 X 118 inches

Sleepwalker, 2022, Wool and Polyester, 114 x 118 inches

As for the show’s name, “We passed a cosmetics store. It was advertising all the usual things – hair removal, eyebrow shaping, manicures – that women have to suffer to be seen beautiful, as objects of seduction. A large neon sign outside the shop promised Mild Pain Guaranteed. It was funny because they were trying to reassure women that the pain would be only mild, but it came out as an assurance of mild pain. This is life for you: at the very least, there will be mild pain.”

Paradise Reversed, 2020, Wool and Polyester, 106 x 114 inches

Underground, 2019, Wool and Polyester, 114 x106 inches

Swimming Pool, 2019, Wool and Polyester, 114 x 118 inches

Demon Trapped in Heaven, 2023, Needlework

Refugees, 2016

Untitled, 2018

Yoga Teacher, 2019, Needlework

Drawing

Drawing

Drawing

Drawing

To learn more about Lechner’s Mild Pain Guaranteed on exhibition at L’SPACE, visit lspacegallery.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

There’s a bit of history etched into the walls of the the Woodlark Hotel, one we’ve always wanted to retrace in person since previewing the hotel a few years back. One half originally operated as the Woodlark Building pharmacy; the other began as the Cornelius Hotel, a 1908 Baroque Revival design credited to Portland architect John Virginius Bennes – a sumptuously appointed interior that once welcomed the local gentry and visiting guests into its coffered ceiling lobby for nearly two decades before adopting its current namesake in 1920. The buildings and establishment would go onto merge into the Woodlark, earning the nickname as the “House of Welcome,” a hospitable spirit still palpable walking through its modernized incarnation styled to appeal to yet another generation.

In person, the 150-room hotel’s charms are defined by the Woodlark’s combination of stylish modernized historic detailing and staff’s intimate-friendliness. A doorman greets all who enter and exit, equally apt to offer an umbrella in regularly rain-prone Portland as they are to recommend a favorite spot to eat or shop. The front desk is patient even at the height of the day’s influx of arriving and departing guests; handwritten notes welcoming your stay await within your room’s desk.

The hotel’s sophisticated public space design is credited to Smith Hanes, with R&A Architecture & Design, Inc. appointing the guest rooms and hallways with green textiles, marbled surfaces, dark leather, black lacquer, gleaming brass.

And those rooms within the Woodlark are as handsomely appointed as hoped, decorated with an eye for historic detailing reinterpreted by a modern lens: graphical fern wallpaper, queen channel headboards, globe sconces and lamps, and firmly modern Chesterfield sofas. Much of Portland may remain proudly bizarre, but the Woodlark is more tastefully welcoming than weird.

There was no bath tub or dedicated closet in the corner room I stayed within (the most luxuriously appointed one bedroom Woodlark Suite offers a separate living space and a soaking tub), but the bathroom’s walk-in shower was spacious and hand shower head flowed with a satisfying cascade (especially welcome after a long day walking in the gentle rain). The only real criticism one could volley at the hotel is for their infirm wifi signal, one that made working from either the room or even within the lobby a test in patience. But hopefully any stay at the Woodlark is dedicated to leisurely pursuits where wifi is purely dedicated to mapping the day’s destinations.

Abigail Hall’s booths are prime spots for a drink, nosh, and people watching. Photo: Gregory Han

Upon entering, guests can veer left into the Bullard Tavern for a bite and drink, or venture past the lobby toward the back into what was once known as the “Ladies Reception Hall” back in the building’s Cornelius Hotel heydays. Today that back room has been reimagined into a picturesque space where guests can nosh on breakfast, sip high-tea in the afternoon, and enjoy cocktails all within the same space known as Abigail Hall (named after the suffrage leader Abigail Scott Duniway, “the pioneer Woman Suffragist of the great Northwest”). Get there early in morning for the most snug booths and interesting vantage point to observe your fellow guests arising for their first sips of Good Coffee roast served by the hotel.

A stay here is not complete without trying what this guest might consider the best – and largest – avocado toast he’s ever tasted. Photo: Gregory Han

The Woodlark Hotel’s somehow navigates feeling contemporary and comfortably cozy at once, embellished with modern flora+modern revivalist interior decor that says “cool” with staff and rooms that emote welcoming warmth (and some days in Portland, you really do want as much warmth as possible). The hotel’s central proximity to Portland’s many cultural landmarks, public institutions, eateries, and a long walk/short car ride to Washington Park make it the first place we’ll now think of staying when returning to Portland, noting this house is indeed welcoming as its repute.

What: Woodlark Hotel
Where: 813 SW Alder Street, Portland, Oregon 97205
How much: Standard rooms for 2 guests start at $219, Studio Suites sleeping 3 at $359, and Premium suites starting at $519.
Highlights: Wake up early and be one of the first to slip past the curtains and velvet rope into Abigail Hall’s penny tiled floor and elegantly appointed trad-modern decorated room for a very satisfying breakfast. By late afternoon the lobby and its adjoining coffee bar is a bustling nexus of guests and locals vying for a table or seat. Take care to note of the photography gracing the guest room walls, as they’re the work of Portland photographer Imogen Cunningham.
Design draw: It only requires the briefest of walks from hotel door over to the city block sized bibliophile mecca, Powell’s City of Books, where design lovers can spend hours immersed in the bookshop’s collection of design, art, and architecture titles. The Portland Art Museum is also a short walk away, with engaging exhibitions of local contemporary artists. A more significant distance, yet still doable jaunt by foot takes you to the stunningly poetic Portland Japanese Garden, eight lush gardens further elevated by the the architectural presence of Kengo Kuma’s Cultural Village expansion, just a short distance from the city’s popular Pearl District where shopping and dining options are many.
Book it: Woodlark Hotel

Go virtually on vacation with more design destinations right here.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

The newly introduced Loon lighting collection is Coil + Drift’s first collection designed and built entirely in-house from conception to production. The concept and inspiration of the fixtures is rooted in the Catskill Mountains. It’s there that the brand opened their 3,000-square-foot studio in 2022, and where all of Coil + Drift’s lighting is now produced. What Loon represents is a new place-driven design language for the brand’s founder, John Sorensen-Jolink.

Early sketches of the collection were inspired by owl wings, leaves, and dry seeds. These initial ideas were then turned into sand-cast forms made by a local metal forge. Sorensen-Jolink describes the resulting lighting as an exploration of what it’s been like to live close to nature in a community that still values and honors craft.

Loon’s eight fixtures are split into two families: Foundry and Ridge. Foundry relies on sand-casting to create its weighty, textured forms that resemble Trumpet flowers dangling from the ceiling. Meanwhile, Ridge looks to the study of a curved, symmetrical, leaf-like form inspired by the outstretched wingspan of a bird for the opposite – lightness.

The collection expands upon a range of metals and living patina finishes, a multi-colored verdigris on brass that includes hues of green, yellow, and pink. Corten covers cast iron to create intentional rust. Sorensen-Jolink’s exploration of hand-applied metal finishes is now available across all Coil + Drift’s fixtures.

Foundry Medium Pendant

Foundry Medium Pendant

Foundry Large Pendant

Foundry Small Pendant

Foundry Small Pendant

Foundry Sconce

Foundry Sconce

Ridge Chandelier

Ridge Chandelier

Ridge Pendant

Ridge Sconce

Ridge Sconce

Ridge Sconce

To learn more about Coil + Drift’s Loon lighting collection, visit coilanddrift.com.

Photography by Zach Hyman.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

If the axiom “third time is the charm” rings true, the third rug collection between Ruggable and Jonathan Adler should prove to be the partnership’s best one yet. The newly released Ruggable x Jonathan Adler collection consists of 18 different designs that arrive as a slight departure from Adler’s previous bold, mid-century modern patterns and palettes, adopting a more sophisticated and modernized Art Deco-inspired aesthetic, one we imagine adaptable for contemporary, transitional, or even more traditional spaces.

The brand’s rug options span 12 different sizes ranging from a small bath mat, runners, various area rugs, and circular shapes with all offered in two different pile heights (2mm and 7mm). Styles include patterns in Modern, Traditional, Scandinavian, Midcentury Modern, Bohemian, and everything in-between, including various collaborations with designers such as The Home Edit, Iris Apfel, and Nina Takesh.

Ruggable’s lightweight and washable cover and pad floor cover system has proven popular in many households, especially those with children and pets where spills and messes may prove the rule rather than the exception.

But it’s arguably Jonathan Adler’s designs most associated with the rug brand over the years. Adler’s previous efforts have reflected the designer’s natural penchant for glamorous mid-century motifs embellished with playful detailing, but this third collection embraces classical motifs in both patterns and names (e.g. Athens, Thebes, Santorini, and Gatsby).

Unsurprisingly Adler kept a touch of his signature mid-century style in this collection primarily dominated by a modernized Art Deco catalog.

The collection’s modern pastel checkered designs shown below are perhaps the most contemporary options, likely aimed toward millennial households embracing color with more liberal application. Either checkered design (but especially in chartreuse) should enliven spaces where ample natural light can further enhance their color in their large area rug, runner, or round iterations.

Ruggable x Jonathan Adler’s latest rug collection is available in various sizes on Ruggable.com, with prices starting from $119.

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

From an early age, co-owner and principal of Studio Heimat, Alicia Cheung Lichtenstein, has used clothing as an outlet to express creativity and style. “I was lucky enough to go to Italy with my high school when I was 15. I loved fashion, and I recall being so mesmerized by all the chic Italian women I would see. During our downtime from tours, I would sketch the outfits they wore and make notes to make the look complete – color references and fabric styles. My drawing abilities weren’t great, so I needed descriptive notes. Those women, those outfits – were art to me,” she said.

A love of designing her room each time her family moved, then dorms and apartments in college, brought a creativity of 3D space into the picture. Alicia shared, “I made a diorama in an arts elective class in 10th grade. I loved utilizing all the walls, playing with color blocking, and fitting in unexpected little easter eggs throughout. Looking back, this may have been a telltale sign that I loved creating moments of delight.”

Alicia’s passions led her to study Textiles and Clothing at UC Davis, and have been helping inform the aesthetics of her work ever since. In 2009, she met her current business partner and co-owner of Studio Heimat, Eva Bradley, while working for tastemaker and influential designer Ken Fulk Inc. The two bonded over a mutual desire to create beauty through design and curation, then in 2015 made the big leap and opened their own firm.

Studio Heimat’s culture is driven by a bottomless curiosity, working towards excellence, and collaboration. Alicia’s goal at the female- and minority-owned firm is to create soulful spaces that tell a story through clean lines while elevating the status quo, and adding a bit of edge to every project. Studio Heimat continues to grow, thriving at its highest level when collaborating with clients, architects, and builders to create thoughtful, comfortable, and beautiful spaces that cultivate a sense of well-being – that feeling of “Heimat.”

Today, we’re happy to have Alicia Cheung Lichtenstein join us for Friday Five!

1. Rotating Le Labo Scents

I have a collection of Le Labo perfume, and each scent is unique and kind of colors the day ahead. They’re running their City Exclusives right now, and my favorite is Gaiac10 – quiet luxury in a bottle. Plus, I always get complimented when I wear Le Labo, no matter the scent.

We’re having bouts of nice weather in San Francisco, and when it’s nice out I love to have a bubbly rosé to drink. It makes the days feel lighter, and makes whatever I’m doing that much more enjoyable.

Photo courtesy TimeOut

I go to Chrissy Field and walk towards Fort Point. It’s a beautiful walk, it grounds me. I often listen to the waves or a gratitude meditation to get my mind right before heading into the studio.

Photo: Henrik Kam

Mixing in a bit of science and art, I love taking my kids to these museums. Seeing the world anew from their perspective keeps me present and smiling, most of the time. (wink)

I’ve recently stepped up my coffee game at home and I love this machine. I’ve been making my own version of Blue Bottle’s Orange Blossom NOLA. It’s really refreshing and a perfect treat.

Work by Alicia Cheung Lichtenstein + Studio Heimat:

This project is also the home of Studio Heimat co-founder Eva Bradley. Eva and her husband, artist Cory Bradley, purchased the historic Victorian in San Francisco with plans to transform it into a family home. Studio Heimat added curvilinear furnishings to soften the hard lines of the original interior architecture. The artwork, vintage pieces and portraits painted by Cory, line the walls. The Mario Bellini sofa fits perfectly into the sunken living room and fulfilled Eva’s vision for the family’s favorite spot of the home. Photo: Frank Frances

A longtime client of Studio Heimat was a newlywed looking for a new home. The couple found this property a few blocks from their current location and wished to renovate it with a family in mind. This contemporary space has stunning views of the city and the Bay, and features a growing art collection. Like most designers, Studio Heimat worked to marry two different design aesthetics – especially under a time crunch of a new baby arriving – during the pandemic. The result is an understated, warm, functional interior with custom millwork and unique design details. Photo: John Merkl

Studio Heimat brought both the Urban Tasting Room and Lyon & Swan to life with a design inspired by the Eco Terreno Winery & Farm, the landscape, and the brand’s regenerative farming practices. They chose color palettes, materials, and works of art reminiscent of the Cloverdale property, but elevated for the San Francisco audience. Each level is its own design adventure with moments of discovery throughout. The Urban Tasting Room is reflective of the Eco Terreno winery with hand-painted murals of the vineyards, bee motifs, and a lion’s head plaque as a nod to Mark Lyon. The color palette includes the deep red of a Burgundy wine and sage green found throughout the Eco Terreno farm. Photo: Frank Frances

Studio Heimat invested in a triplex on a quiet block in Nob Hill, San Francisco a few years back. The team took their time renovating two of the three units for rentals, and Alicia and her family occupy the top unit. The historic home, originally built in 1906, was very outdated, and they worked to keep as much of the original detail as possible – such as original floors, moldings, and ceiling height. The interiors were a study of mixing and layering cultures and time periods, creating an eclectic space for contemplation. With a young, growing family in mind, Alicia needed space for play and snuggles, and she wanted functionality without compromising style. Bold choices in wallpaper, prints that transcend trends, and an extra-large custom built-in sectional maximize the space. Cozy velvet fabric and unique pendant lights in the living room and principal bedroom bring in some flare. Photo: John Merkl

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

The latest project from lamatilde, Casa MRGT, is a 4-story loft apartment inside an industrial building in the Barriera di Milano district of Turin, Italy. The apartment brings together an urban and minimalist aesthetic throughout its 350 square meters (over 3,767 square feet) of inside space, in addition to a 250-square-meter rooftop terrace. Designed for a Canadian-born car designer, the loft captures the essence of the neighborhood, exuding an industrial and contemporary vibe that aligns with lamatilde’s signature style.

What sets this project apart is its commitment to an open floor plan that’s highlighted by voids thanks to the addition of geometric volumes incorporated to define the spaces. Dark metal finishes starkly contrast with the expansive light surfaces, celebrating the interplay of light and shadow that streams through the apartment.

Stacked metallic volumes offer additional enclosed spaces, including a burnished carbon steel sheet metal room dedicated to a home theater on the bottom, and a cozy guest room paneled in micro-perforated sheet metal above.

Casa MRGT’s ground floor is a garage that doubles as a gallery for the owner’s classic car collection. With vibrant yellow accents and exposed structural elements, the space is an eclectic backdrop to the cars it houses. A private freight elevator and a steel staircase connect the garage to the rest of the home, transforming from raw industrial materials into more welcoming domestic finishes.

The second floor boasts an open-concept living area with a custom designed kitchen island by lamatilde. Charles couches by B&B Italia and vintage Wassily Chair armchairs by Knoll create a blend of modern and classic design. The dining area features a large Tavolo 25 table by Desalto with Calligaris chairs, illuminated by an Algorithm chandelier from Vibia.

Tucked away behind the kitchen, two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms offer cozy accommodations.

The third floor is home to the primary bedroom, which is built off of a central walk-in closet. The open space includes a walk-in shower and floating black bathtub in the middle of the bedroom. The space leans towards a contemporary minimalist aesthetic complemented by iconic design pieces, such as the LC4 chaise lounge by Cassina.

A wooden slat structure can be opened and closed allowing for personalized light and privacy while overlooking the open living space below.

Finally, the pièce de résistance is the fourth floor, a rooftop terrace that offers panoramic views of the city. It features a pergola, outdoor kitchen, seating spaces, sauna, and a swimming pool (!!), all encircled by lush greenery and small fruit trees.

Photography by Alessandro Saletta – DSL Studio.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

Whether they seem to melt down a wall or create a gateway to a nonexistent room, Bower Studios’ iconic contemporary mirrors have always turned heads and gathered a crowd. Now, the design studio is expanding to get its mirrors into more hands and homes with the launch of its sister brand, Ready To Hang. Starting today, Bower Studios’ cult followers can check out monthly drops of mirror designs at a price point that’s a little friendlier on the wallet, but you’ll have to act fast. Each monthly drop is limited in quantity and once it’s gone, it’s gone.

If Bower Studios’ original mirrors are like the the elegant older first born, consider Ready To Hang as the hipper, cooler younger sibling. For the brand’s inaugural drop today, there are a series of four designs: a rectangular Bezel mirror in Lavender and Cherry, a round Puffer mirror in Chocolate, a Squeeze mirror in Milano, and a zippy Zip mirror in Chocolate and Sky.

Learn more about Ready To Hang and shop its first ever drop here!

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

CONTRIBUTIONS, an avant-garde design festival making its debut in Paris from October 16th-22nd, was created in collaboration between Anna Caradeuc and Bildung. What started merely as a conceptual brainstorm, the fair has evolved to support nine pop-ups in various locations throughout Paris – coinciding with the inaugural launch of Design Miami/ Paris.

Drawing inspiration from her roots in the independent music scene, Caradeuc cites a shared commitment amongst the organizers to uplift independent artists and designers, with a motivation around amplifying these talents to broader audiences. Challenging the traditional structure of design fairs, CONTRIBUTIONS prioritizes a more inclusive, collaborative methodology, blurring the boundaries between artists, designers, galleries, and the public.

The decision to debut this event in Paris coincides with the city’s burgeoning stature in the global collectible design panorama, presenting nine site-specific installations accessible to all. These displays, conceived by both emerging and established designers from various corners of the world, seek to present a cohesive narrative reflecting the many facets of the design universe.

A distinctive aspect of CONTRIBUTIONS is its meticulous pairing of exhibits with unique venues, mostly situated in Paris’s 6th arrondissement. These venues range from a historic artist’s studio and the South Chapel at the Saint-Sulpice Church, to room 19 of the iconic La Louisiane hotel and a transformed 1950s cabaret, ensuring each exhibit offers an unparalleled experience.

Ferréol Babin, Nature Morte au Pain Photo: Sinople

Participating talents include renowned galleries and names that include Christopher Cawley (NYC), Conie Vallese (Lisbon), Demisch Danant (NYC), Galerie Desprez-Bréhéret (Paris), Katerina Jebb (Paris), Made in Situ (Lisbon), MANIERA (Brussels), Mariana Chkonia (Tbilisi), Omer Arbel (Vancouver), Rich Aybar (NYC), Salem Charabi (Copenhagen), SINOPLE (Paris), SIZED (LA), Sophie Lou Jacobsen (NYC), Studio Ford (LA), Studio HAOS (Lisbon), Thomas Hutton (Rome), and Zain Ali/ZN ALI (London).

Joris Verstrepen, Rest Daybed Photo: Sinople

Elias van Orshaegen, Statera Mirror Photo: Rimasùu Studio

Thomas Hutton, Canopic Lamps Photo: Courtesy of Thomas Hutton

Conie Vallese, Bronze Bloom Photo: Gianluca Bellomo

René-Jean Caillette, Armchair Prototype Photo: Courtesy of Demisch Danant

For more information on CONTRIBUTIONS, visit contributions.design.

Leo Lei translates his passion for minimalism into his daily-updated blog Leibal. In addition, you can find uniquely designed minimalist objects and furniture at the Leibal Store.