Bold, creative decisions and the workplace don’t often go hand in hand, but office furniture brand Haworth has launched DesignLab, a collective of talented designers and artists focused on looking beyond the industry for new ideas and experiences in the office space. Bradley Bowers, Chrissy Fehan, Eny Lee Parker, Maximiliano Rosiles, and Brian Wooden have created future-focused concepts, curated and mentored by Patricia Urquiola and her studio, that include their individual experiences in digital, graphic, art, sculpture, and product designs. The projects were developed throughout the early months of 2023 before launching at the brand’s Chicago showroom during NeoCon.

“The Haworth DesignLab is bringing new perspectives together with our existing design talent and partners,” said Matthew Haworth, Chairman. “It’s important for us to challenge expectations and set a new standard for where we live and work. We all play a pivotal role in the creation of beautiful spaces and are interdependent. Haworth doesn’t have all the answers, and we seek to be informed by others. There is a lot of excitement to celebrate our 75th [year] and have these talented designers and artists help us understand what’s next.”

With its start as a side hustle in a schoolteacher’s garage, Haworth understands the importance of having a unique entrepreneurial core, design-forward approach, and multicultural spirit. “It is important to have a conversation that opened a window in the company to the future,” said Patricia Urquiola. “To use this exploration as a tactic to explore design diversity, to understand what is possible and in a design language that is distinctly American.”

Haworth DesignLab at NeoCon 2023

Further design diversity and desirability was added to the brand by partnering with these five designers and artists to find spaces for potential innovation for the ever-changing office world. Bowers, Fehan, Parker, Rosiles, and Wooden are challenging current design expectations by helping to set new principles for the workplace. Haworth DesignLab includes shelving, an outdoor collection, a daybed, a lounge, and a rug installation – all designs that you might not connect with an office environment – and that’s exactly the point.

Polaris Outdoor Collection, Bradley Bowers, New Orleans, Louisiana

“I don’t think companies are ever going to really get it right because they’ll always be trying to satisfy some past concept as opposed to trying something new,” said artist Bradley Bowers about the office. “For example, people are going to try to find a way to maintain the cubicle. But why? Maybe it doesn’t work anymore. Maybe trying to make a cubicle exciting isn’t possible because you’re still trying to make a cubicle.” Speaking of his time at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design), Bowers observed, “I feel like if companies start looking at how universities structure – or maybe not structure – their workspaces, we could learn a lot.”

Polaris Outdoor Collection

The Polaris Outdoor Collection looks to everyday culture and technology advancing the possibilities of what things can become. Bowers’ goal is to use these advancements to create accessible, useful objects. Polaris began with his exploration of how complex geometry and the curvature of magnetic field lines can be manipulated into everyday objects. “As I was looking at field lines, I said, ‘Oh, that’s kind of like wires. It would be interesting if wire furniture, outdoor furniture, could stop looking so boring. Is there a way to make it more exciting?’,” Bowers shared. “I also was thinking of using new technologies, like computerized numerical control (CNC) pipe bending. I like to say that I want to create ideas and pieces today that we couldn’t do yesterday. CNC pipe bending is a relatively new process, and it means almost any profile, any curve that I can draw on the computer, I can feed it to this machine and it will squeeze it out almost like Play-Doh, and the pipe comes out looking just like the pipe in the computer. So I thought, ‘OK, outdoor furniture is dominantly these wires. We now have technology that can play with wires in a much more dynamic way, and I have this idea for a much more dynamic line work’.”

Polaris Outdoor Collection

Of the Haworth DesignLab initiative, he said, “The cool thing about Haworth is that I’ve been sitting on this idea for a while, but I didn’t have access to make it become a reality. I’ve got a lot of ideas that I can’t execute on my own, but somebody at Haworth knows the right person to call to get access to this machine to create this concept.”

Bowers’ design language is simple. “I can’t make you buy my stuff. I can’t make you live in houses or rooms I’ve designed. But I can put them in front of you so that you don’t go through life thinking that all you have to pick from is the same banal, dead, mundane stuff that’s been fed to you for decades.” Bowers’ philosophy is, “Is what I’m making worth changing someone’s mind? Is it going to push technology? Is it going to push culture? What’s it going to do that makes it stand out in a sea of vanilla?”

Phil Lounge, Chrissy Fehan, Detroit, Michigan

Chrissy Fehan, who works at Pophouse, has a different perspective of the workplace than others in DesignLab because she works in a commercial interior design firm that designs offices. “When I’m in the office, I like to focus on really collaborative work and stuff that you can’t necessarily do at home,” Fehan shared. “Over the course of the pandemic, things shifted from coming in 40 hours a week to coming in when it’s going to be super-collaborative work, and then anything heads-down we’re doing at home. That feels like all those social moments should happen together, so the culture continues to grow and manifest that way.”

Phil Lounge

Fehan’s Phil Lounge offers a playful place to sit and curl up, and petting it is encouraged. Her inspiration comes from time spent working at home, snuggled up next to her pup – Phil! The seating was designed to release stress by mimicking the soft feel of petting an animal, known to lower the stress hormone cortisol.

“I suffer from anxiety, and when I worked from home over the pandemic, it was really nice to be able to pet my dog while I was in meetings,” she divulged. “The chair was designed thinking about the work that we do at Pophouse and how we’re trying to make everyone feel really inclusive. And what would make me feel good returning to the office was a chair that I could pet – that I could hug, that I felt like I was being kind of tucked into. It’s over 7 feet wide… the material is really soft and you can kind of run your fingers through it. That was the overarching goal – to make people’s lives better in a charming, playful way.”

Phil Lounge + Chrissy Fehan

“I really like to start on a narrative-based foundation, so really thinking about the why of what needs to be solved and then going through different iterations of concepts. The Phil chair was an idea to solve the problem of how do you invite people back to the office who have become so comfortable at home,” Fehan said, speaking to the lounge’s inception. “Then I started modeling what would make me feel really comfy. Then I started playing with the visuals… And to be honest, with the Phil chair, I just watched my dog sleep. He curled up similar to the chair. Phil is a elderly goldendoodle, which is my favorite stage for him because he’s super vocal. He’s a very lazy, supportive dog.” It won’t surprise you to learn that Phil is the owner of custom designed bowls.

Cloud Daybed, Eny Lee Parker, New York, New York

“Because of the pandemic, many companies are playing with the idea of how much space is needed for offices and conference rooms. There are so many spaces that have multiple identities, like coffee shops that are a bar at night. You see retailers doing pop-ups and different types of events,” said ceramicist, artist, and designer Eny Lee Parker. “The idea of an office can be very exciting, but it is challenging because it is a space where you should be able to be really focused, as well as have people coming together to work. There are opportunities to evolve and make it a little more flexible, but a routine is really important.”

Cloud Daybed

Of the Cloud Daybed, Parker said, “The cloud series concept started two years ago… But it was purely plaster and fiberglass; it wasn’t upholstered. And then the next step was, OK, I want this to be bigger, more like an armchair… And then we did a series of just cloud-shaped stools. Probably the most exciting one to me is the daybed, because of the scale of it and being able to actually fully lay on it.”

The Cloud Daybed is playfully, yet carefully designed to provide the perfect position, slight head support, and raised feet for the ultimate comfort. “It begins with an idea of what it could look like. I’ll just sketch really quickly, and sometimes, if it’s not too organic, I’ll model it on the computer to look at proportions. If it is a little more organic, I’ll model it in clay. So for this one, I did a model in clay and then had someone do a 3D rendering,” she shared. “I made sure all the inspiration came from really old sources and was nothing like any new furniture – we wanted to make it look like we were creating something based on something that already exists, but in a contemporary sense. Just creating a mood and the story behind it. All of that builds a backbone.”

Cloud Daybed

We’re all guilty of daydreaming about escaping work, but the Cloud Daybed can take you to cloud nine. “Clouds are one of those shapes that we like to romanticize… the bed is very animated, but the fabric is really soft and kind of fuzzy. That translates to a strong statement in shape,” Parker explained. “What I really enjoy is the fabrication and the problem-solving that is involved. We focus on the fabrication – on how this fabric is not working, the structure inside, what kind of foam we’re going to use, and the stitching. I really like focusing on the journey of making a design into reality.”

Parker describes her design point of view as coming straight from her own personality. “And my personality is, at the end of the day, the Industry of design, of art, of luxury. My goals? They’re not centered around products, they’re centered around people. The coolest feeling is to see something on paper and then see it in person – that space between paper and reality.”

Split-1, Maximiliano Rosiles, Mexico City, Mexico

“I think of [the office] as a non-sited space,” textile artist Maximiliano Rosiles explains. “Teams have to be able to engage with each other, but I don’t think a physical location is necessary. I think technology is going to play a big part in that… It will be like we are meeting online, but more elaborate.”

Split-1

For Haworth DesignLab, Rosiles created Split-1 fragmented shelving, in collaboration with Tek-Knit/Duvaltex. The innovative solution deconstructs traditional shelving into something unconventional and personalized. The materials and shapes the designer chose to use contradict one another – metal and textile – to create a mix of soft and sharp forms.

With a history heavy in installations and sculpture, Rosiles began with his mind on floor-to-ceiling pieces. “I just thought about hanging stuff, so that put vertical lines in my head, and that naturally led me to think about how I was going to connect those lines, which then led me to a shell form. It’s blurring the lines between art and design, it’s totally different from what I’ve done before.” While working on the project he was surprised at how well the communication flowed between the participants and Haworth’s designers. “The Haworth designers have been so open to my ideas and have been encouraging me to even push the limit of that idea,” Rosiles shared. “I didn’t expect collaborating with a huge company that works in an industry where I’m a complete outsider would be so open to having me.”

Split-1

Rosiles’ process is intuitive, using whatever materials are on hand and working through trial and error. “It’s about never letting go of your intuition, because I think that’s where the soul of the work is. I’m self-taught, so I’m comfortable doing my own thing. I don’t like to overthink stuff. But my work is also a huge contradiction of rational versus irrational, or order versus disorder. Kind of like disordered chaos,” he describes it. “The big thing with me is I’ve never been afraid to fail. I think failures are the best thing that could ever happen to you, so I’ve never been scared to try things. I like following my instincts and just doing it, which has led me to other things which can be way better than the initial idea.”

Split-1 + Maximiliano Rosiles

The part of Rosiles’ inspiration that isn’t intuitive comes from an unexpected source: streetwear. “When I was younger, I was interested in streetwear, and the leader of streetwear was always Virgil Abloh. He inspired a whole generation to just do what you want with passion and don’t stop. Everything I’ve been talking about comes from that streetwear, do-it-yourself mentality, using the resources you have, being creative, just doing it.

Inter-Dimension rug installation, Brian Wooden, Nashville, Tennessee

“There’s the practicality versus fun, that Yin and Yang balance,” artist Brian Wooden said of today’s offices. “We can design this completely ergonomically and have it optimized for human productivity and paint the walls with a color that has been tested to improve cognitive function or whatever. That’s the Yin. Then the Yang would be this wild space where there’s all this room for creative expression, and there are instruments and toys to play with and games. Having a little bit of the Yang would get that balance in there. I would go for a little more Yang, which just makes spaces fun.”

Inter-Dimension rug installation

Wooden’s Inter-Dimension rug installation leans towards the yang as he translates his typical two-dimensional design language by pulling illustrative elements into the third dimension. It feels like two worlds are colliding in a cacophony of shape and color of the rug tapestry and ottoman duo. The various illusions Wooden has created leave the viewer wondering where one dimension ends and another begins, creating a “2.5 dimensional space.”

“I wanted to appeal to the inner child by taking a lot of these spaces and just treating them like a playground for grown-ups. Again, looking at a space and saying, what is the most exciting thing I could envision? That’s what all my work is about,” Wooden shared. “I want to connect with my audience. What do I really want to see? What do I want the world around me to look like, and how do I want to interact with my environment? If I really want that deep down from a genuine place, inevitably, there are people out there who want that too. It’s just trying to come from a genuine place, and hopefully, that’ll connect.”

Inter-Dimension rug installation

He explains his process as “very immediate.” Spending too much time on something runs the risk of Wooden getting bored and never finishing. “I want to still be excited about it. I want to get my process out of the way and still get enough time to experience it on my own – because that part is fun.”

With Wooden’s street art background, creating the illusion of 3D is a common theme. “You’re working completely in two dimensions, but you’re using illustrative techniques to try to convince your audience that these shapes have dimension,” he said. “The next step was to pull some of those out into the real world while still using these elements of illustration and animation and drawing. Now there is a little bit of three-dimensional space; you can interact with it a little bit. You can touch it. You can sit down on it. It creates a really fun environment, like when you’re a kid and you show up at some wild playground that you’ve never been to before. As you start to get in there and move around it and start to build out a map, it starts to make more and more sense the more you play with it. I definitely want the viewer to be curious and to go and interact and explore because it’s new to them… It’s a very different experience from every angle.”

Inter-Dimension rug installation

Wooden isn’t used to working with a company so far outside of his scope of work, but he’s been wanting to do it for a long time. “I was surprised by their willingness to just let me be me. In the beginning, I was trying to fit the mold, and as I got into it, I realized they are going to let me do what I want… The more I’ve allowed myself to believe that, the more fun I’ve had.”

Top Row, L to R: Maximiliano Rosiles, Bradley Bowers, Patricia Urquiola
Bottom Row, L to R: Brian Wooden, Eny Lee Parker, Chrissy Fehan

Haworth DesignLab and Patricia Urquiola have managed to show us a tiny fraction of what the future of workspace design might look like, proving that working outside the industry has its own advantages. Whatever the next phase of the office looks like, you can bet Haworth will be on top of it. Learn more about Haworth DesignLab at haworth.com.

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.

Only a few days ago, I moved most of my plants outdoors to enjoy the warmer weather, and I’m already wondering how to add more to the interior! Bujnie’s Floos Wall Plant Hanger has given me even more impetus to find a new climbing plant friend. Designed by Izabela Serej and Aleksandra Majdzik, Floos is inspired by nothing less than nature itself. Its modular design – consisting of a “stem” and “buds” – is based on the development of a flower and its lifecycle.

Each of Floos’ “flowers” is a metal shelf that your potted plant can sit upon, made by connecting individual stems and buds, providing each unique plant with its own growth system. The bud acts as the link between individual stems, as well as their endpoints. Add to each module to create more or less complex structures. Floos allows biophiles to create their own structure that suits the plant’s needs as well as their own aesthetic preferences.

Climbing plants, such as pothos, need conditions that allow for healthy expansion in all directions, which is usually based on some type of support. In nature there are lots of things to choose from – trees, pergolas, fences, etc. – but indoors we need to provide for them. The powder-coated steel Floos Wall Plant Hanger is available in four colors: terracotta, beige, cobalt, and green. In addition, it can be painted in any RAL color.

To learn more about the Floos Wall Plant Hanger, visit bujnie.pl.

Photography by Sebastian Saleta.

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.

Designer Andrew Ferrier spent his youth in Canada dedicated to guitars, bikes, and snowboards – all pursuits that would go onto inform and inspire his work as an industrial designer of human-centered products ranging from lighting, smoking accessories, to a modular seating system – all elegantly simple industrial forms shaped from milled aluminum. The material plays prominently across his portfolio, and appears again with his latest project: the Fuzz Pedal.

A fuzz pedal – or fuzzbox – is shaped to sit underfoot a guitarist, giving easy access to producing a heavy distort/alter sound with a characteristically “fuzzy” effect with just the tap of their foot. Ferrier’s Fuzz Pedal is a designer’s response, one seeking a more elegant form heightening the design’s function and durability of an effects pedal (something especially desirable for an object meant to be stepped upon regularly).

The Fuzz Pedal is finished with an aggressively textured surface to resist and hide chipping usually seen across painted FX pedals. Its flat bottom and indented section for dials and a foot switch are to prevent accidental activation.

Milled from solid aluminum, the Fuzz Pedal’s anodized and textured surface is reminiscent of another beautifully engineered and manufactured metal cylinder, the Apple iSight. But where the iSight was designed for capturing video, Ferrier’s aluminum can-sized audio accessory is ruggedly thought out to resist chipping, a common durability issue affecting typical FX pedals over countless hours of tapping the device in and out of action.

The pedal’s aggressively knurled pattern hides scratches and also affords the guitarist’s foot a confident, yet not too grippy, target for their toes to land upon. Equally important is the recessed section of the cylinder dedicated for the placement of dials and the foot switch itself, a detail there to prevent inadvertent activation during playing the guitar.

“Visually, the aggressive texture reflects the sonic output of the product,” says Ferrier. “The design also strives to use the shape and texture of the product to differentiate itself instead of relying on the painted graphics commonly seen in the market.”

Rubberized bottom keeps the Fuzz Pedal secure from slipping around.

Fuzz Pedal is currently in its prototype phase, but according to Ferrier’s Instagram, the designer hopes to offer the Fuzz Pedal over at a-okay.ca sometime soon.

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 the Managing Editor of 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.

Holly Hunt has spent her 50-year career in interior design inspiring change and innovation throughout the industry, particularly in reshaping its approach to showrooms. Texas-born and Chicago-based, she’s a triple-threat with a good business mind, great taste, and striking instincts. It might be surprising to learn that Holly didn’t set out to be a big brand – as she says, “I didn’t start with a business plan, I started with an escape plan.”

In fact, Holly’s career didn’t even begin in design. She graduated with a degree in English Literature and a minor in History, because they didn’t offer design courses unless you were studying architecture. So, she got a job working at Foley’s Department store and credits them with her start in the industry. “We learned everything from the bottom up: display, reordering, buying, merchandising, and client relations. It clicked for me there that creativity and business could go hand in hand,” she shared. “Of course, you have to have a good eye for design, but your business sense needs to be just as strong. You can have the talent to create the most beautiful designs the world has ever seen, but if you’re not also focusing on customer service, you’re not going to last.”

It was a divorce and three young sons that pushed Holly into action. In 1983, when an opportunity to buy the showroom in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart that would become HOLLY HUNT was presented, she took a chance. “It was a natural extension of my experience designing, refurbishing, and furnishing interiors for the many apartments and houses my husband and I owned in the ’70s and early ‘80s in Chicago and Boca Raton,” she explained. “I had visited and done business with designer showrooms frequently, therefore I knew I could offer something better than what was out there. At the time, showrooms had furniture piled everywhere; nothing went together. I wanted my showroom to have a clear point of view – that meant great presentation, a focus on customer service, and better quality design and furniture.”

With a plan in action, the brand took off during NeoCon, known for hosting large parties with live music, food, and drinks that thousands would attend. “Everyone wanted to be there. The showroom became an important place to see and to be seen, and suddenly, everyone was talking about the brand. I spent the next 40 years building HOLLY HUNT,” Holly said.

Even after revolutionizing the presentation of furniture, assembling an array of diverse makers and design perspectives in a gallery-like setting, Holly didn’t stop. She recognized gaps in the market, going on to create her own furniture, lighting, and textile lines while expanding her business.

“When I sold it to Knoll in 2014, I wasn’t sure what the next chapter of my career would look like. Starting House of Hunt, my interior design studio, has been a satisfying and inspiring way to apply everything I’ve learned over the years in a new way.” House of Hunt is a full-service interior architecture and design studio that combines Holly’s passion for design and artistry, uncompromising eye, and obsession with refinement and detail.

Holly Hunt joins us for this week’s Friday Five!

Image courtesy Lugano Diamonds

1. One-of-a-Kind Lugano Earrings

My one-of-a-kind Lugano black and yellow drop earrings with rose-cut yellow and white diamonds in a char-black setting. I get compliments every time I wear them, and they deserve every one. What’s not to love about these beautiful earrings? Lugano is a very philanthropic company, which appeals to me, and their designs are very much in line with my personal style: sophisticated and modern. One of their salons is in the shops at The Residences at The Little Nell in Aspen, my second hometown. I discovered it when I was designing The Residences, and I make an effort to stop in whenever I’m in Aspen to see their latest tempting baubles.

Photo: Mnuchin Gallery

2. Arch Brown Sculpture

When I spotted this metal sculpture (Arch Brown, 1962) by John Chamberlain, I knew it would be the perfect addition to the entrance of my new house in Aspen. Chamberlain is an American sculptor I’ve always admired for his three-dimensional metal work. His Expressionist pieces are distinctive, as they’re often made of crushed automobile steel. The texture, color, and size of this sculpture is a showstopper, though it’s been on loan to the Mnuchin Gallery for their exhibition “Chamberlain Five Decades.”

Photo: Emily Rhodes

3. Espresso Martini

I love a fabulous espresso martini, made with either a great vodka or tequila, which I prefer. I had my first one in Paris last January with some girlfriends, and now they’re a favorite. Sadly, I don’t even have the recipe to make them at home, but maybe that’s for the best, as I can only drink two at a time.

Photo: Holly Hunt

4. Time With Marco

Early mornings with my cat, Marco, are one of my favorite times of the day. He wakes me up very early every morning for my coffee and his Fancy Feast. I enjoy having quiet time, before or as the sun rises, to organize or exercise. I travel a lot for my job, but he always welcomes me home with total loyalty.

Photo courtesy Fritz Hansen

5. Fritz Hansen’s Oksen Lounge Chair

The Oksen Lounge Chair from Fritz Hansen, designed by Arne Jacobsen, is the most comfortable chair ever, even though it appears a bit stiff. I’ve always been a stickler about furniture not just looking good but being nice to sit in. No one wants a gorgeous sofa that everyone avoids because it’s so uncomfortable. This chair is not only beautiful, but I love its firmness and its mix of materials, which is also very indicative of my style and vision for House of Hunt. I like it so much that I’m ordering a second one so I can have one in both of my homes.

Work by Holly Hunt:

Aspen Little Photo: Jonathon Allen

Aspen Little Photo: Jonathon Allen

Chicago Row House Photo: Nathan Kirkman

Miami Surf Club Photo: Camera Department Inc. f/s/o Nathan Kirkman

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.

Nestled along the coast of Riviera de São Lourenço in São Paulo, Brazil, the Casa D31 project by Raiz Arquitetura offers a weekend escape for a young couple and their children. Designed to seamlessly connect with the natural surroundings while providing a comfortable and inviting interior, this beach house is a harmonious blend of glass elements and strategic design choices.

Breaking from conventional designs, Casa D31 features a dynamic and contemporary facade that invites second and third looks. A combination of volumes and natural elements creates a unique aesthetic while maintaining privacy for the homeowners.

One of the key elements of Casa D31 is its integration with the natural surroundings. Strategically placed openings in the main area’s volume allow the residents to immerse themselves in the tropical greenery. The landscaping brings natural textures and tones into the living room, creating a seamless blend of indoor and outdoor spaces.

The L-shaped design plan allows the main living space inside to be integrated into the covered patio in the outdoor area just steps away from the pool.

Extensive glass panels and well-placed openings create a sense of openness, flooding the interiors with natural light. This ensures an airy ambiance but also promotes cross ventilation, maintaining comfortable temperatures even on hot summer days. The integration of the kitchen with the backyard area further strengthens the connection between indoor and outdoor living.

The pillar-free structure of the house, combined with the fully-equipped balcony and pool in the outdoor area, invites residents to enjoy the space fully.

An open staircase installed alongside the front windows leads to the second floor. This level houses five bedrooms, including a primary suite that offers a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape.

The main bedroom features a “glazed box” for its ensuite bathroom, allowing for visual connection with the bedroom or complete privacy when desired.

Photography by Leonardo Giantomasi.

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.

Looking to add a bold statement piece that won’t soon be forgotten? You don’t need to look any further than these colorful standing mirrors from new Polish brand, Hogai. Hogai’s mirrors have clearly been created for those tired of neutral, monochromatic interiors who crave energy and expression in a big way. And they’ve delivered. With a modern style that leans on its Memphis Group and Bauhaus predecessors, the four designs of this first collection are available in 11 colors and feature deep frames that add depth to any space. The unique shapes are made using steel frames detailed with stripes in even more colors for visual depth.

“I got tired of the monotony of monochromatic interiors. At Hogai, we were searching for expression in simple yet bold forms. Our products are a representation of the personality, courage, and character of the creative and aesthetically conscious people for whom they were created, We want our products to delight, impress, and to give joy to people,” says Patrycja Bruź-Soniewicka, CEO & Creative Director of Hogai.

Arist Mirror

Cool designs and a rainbow of colors aside, Hogai also wanted to restore the mirror’s status as a piece of furniture, rather than that of a piece of home decor or an accessory. These standing mirrors have been born to take centerstage, wherever they’re placed. Hogai’s offerings also include shelves, graphic minimalist stools, coffee tables, hangers, and textiles – all focused on form and use of color. These products are more than functional, they’re works of art that enhance any living space.

Arist Mirror

Cellist Mirror

Cellist Mirror

Cellist Mirror

Cellist Mirror

Drummer Mirror

Drummer Mirror

Drummer Mirror

Player Mirror

Player Mirror

Player Mirror

Player Mirror

To learn more about Hogai’s colorful mirrors, visit hogai.store.

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.

The Renault Twingo is a model that may not ring a bell amongst drivers in the United States, but the triple-portmanteau compact with its named derived from “Twist,” “Swing,” and “Tango” is a European classic of sorts. With millions sold since its launch at the 1992 Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris, the French automaker is celebrating the city car’s mileage across three decades with the 2023 Elle Deco International Designer of the Year Award winning Sabine Marcelis giving the frog-eyed compact a transparently modern redesign.

Originally born from French automotive designer Patrick Le Quément’s aspiration to bring to market a car representing “instinctive design against extinctive marketing” back in the late 1980s, the compact aerodynamic wedge would prove popular enough to go onto see three redesigns in 1998, 2000, and 2004 before being put to rest in 2021. But none are so wildly distinctive as the treatment bestowed by Marcelis in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the original Twingo.

The Twingo as reimagined by the Dutch designer and artist is an all-electric vehicle retaining its compact people-mover spirit, elevated by a vibrantly red, futuristic interior.

The embossed Renault logo aligns with the exterior’s subtly sculpted framed design.

LED lighting is incorporated underneath the exterior surfacing, resulting in a softer glow; the effect is evocative of the matte translucent plastic designs once ubiquitous during the aughts (it’s also hard not to draw some comparison in form to another cute-eyed concept with a similar futuristic take on mobility, Marc Newson’s Ford 021C Concept Car).

Under the direction of the non-automotive designer/artist, the 30th anniversary edition Twingo is revived as a ghostly bodied translucent wedge, a design that reveals the vehicle’s underlining structure while also accentuating the vehicle’s richly burgundy and red interior. The treatment is most dramatically expressed by the Twingo’s transparent red button-shaped steering wheel.

The futuristic interior includes illuminated climate vents and center controls.

The candied interior design extends across the length of a red-tinted sunshade sight across a digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen, with a panoramic roof overhead.

The small flat protrusion of the Twingo’s rearview mirrors share a biomorphic semblance to that of the adorably finned, dumbo octopus.

The all-white flat plate wheels with stitched smooth tread tires are fashionable rather than functional.

A soft light spilling forth from the Twingo’s circular motif door handle.

2023 Elle Deco International Designer of the Year Award winner, Sabine Marcelis.

If its smooth all-white stitched tires are not a giveaway, the Marcelis-imagined Renault Twingo will only exist as a one-off celebratory concept, one intended to showcase a non-automotive designer’s interpretation of an alternative road toward the future of mobility.

Gregory Han is the Managing Editor of 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.

Korn Residence is a minimalist apartment located in Miami, Florida, designed by Bea Pernia. The layout offers a fluid transition from the welcoming vestibule, through to the lounge, and ultimately to the dining area. Each of these spaces exudes a distinct personality yet, when viewed as a whole, it becomes apparent that they are interdependent.

The home’s design takes full advantage of the abundant natural light, thereby facilitating the integration of nature within the home. The chosen color scheme reflects this, with a focus on various shades of white, delicately accented by darker hues. Additional warmth is achieved through the incorporation of wood paneling and carefully selected furniture that add texture to the space.

The living room was designed to accommodate a wide range of social scenarios. Organic-shaped furniture, such as the curved bouclé sofa and free-floating lounge chairs, imbue the space with an inviting atmosphere. Marble coffee tables of varying sizes were incorporated to add both depth and a touch of formality.

In a nod to the home’s history, many of the decorative and art pieces were sourced from vintage dealers. Elements such as a restored fireplace and handmade vases, some over four decades old, provide a tangible connection to the past. In the powder room, an antique mirror offers a complementary juxtaposition to the modern aesthetic.

Photography by Gabriel Volpi.

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.

Studio ANTIPOD created a new, vibrant world for the Tenderly Office, where tranquility and playfulness merge for an engaging workspace. Located in Belgrade’s newly opened GTC building, this inspiring interior spans three floors, covering over 3,000 square meters. Overall, Studio ANTIPOD designed a captivating office that seamlessly integrates Japanese aesthetics and the fun of building blocks.

Drawing inspiration from the art of simplicity and harmony, the space reflects the calm essence of Japanese culture. From the use of grids to the mix of calming tones, natural materials, and abundant greenery, every detail has been thoughtfully crafted to create a layout that guides visitors through the space. The infusion of Japanese design philosophy not only enhances functionality but also fosters a sense of tranquility and security.

In contrast of the Japanese zen, the Tenderly Office embraces the playful nature of building blocks. Drawing inspiration from the childhood toy, the interior is energized with vibrant colors, playful shapes, and dynamic spatial configurations. The infusion of these striking tones breathes life into each element, creating a captivating atmosphere that sparks creativity and cultivates a lively work environment. In total, the Tenderly Office is designed to feel like home, where security, comfort, and imagination thrive.

Lush green plants throughout add a biophilic touch, while helping to reduce sound, improve air quality, and boost productivity.

The ground floor serves as the central hub of the company, featuring a bar, canteen, and an auditorium. This multifunctional space acts as a focal point for socialization, idea exchange, and inspirational discussions. Its non-corporate aesthetics helps form a separation between the social zone and other areas dedicated to work.

The second floor is designed as a peaceful escape for solo work and group meetings. Both dedicated spaces for focused work and meeting rooms offer serene surroundings that support team work and individual needs. Thoughtful soundproofing ensures interactions remain undisturbed, allowing individuals to immerse themselves in work or engage in group discussions.

The third floor showcases a mix of open and closed offices, which support both teamwork and individual needs. This arrangement marks Tenderly’s approach to promoting collaborative work while also providing opportunities for personal growth. Spotted throughout the floor are quiet islands and pods for quick, spontaneous meetings for up to four people.

Moodboard

Photography by Relja Ivanić.

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.

Artist Fabian Oefner takes things apart on the grandest of scales: in his “Fragments” series, he dissected devices like landline telephones and encased pieces of them in resin, like a three-dimensional, barely-there puzzle that hinted at the object’s former use. In “Disintegrating,” a series of work Oefner has been working on since 2012, he takes high-performance cars apart, down to their screws, then photographs each of these elements before reuniting them in a finish composition that looks as if he’s captured an image of the car as it explodes. His latest work, “Escape Velocity,” sees everyday objects embedded within walls – a chainsaw seems stuck within a corner of a room, caught in some unlikely flight.

For Oefner, these and other projects use the process of disintegration to investigate the nature of time. It’s captivated Oefner since childhood: “I remember using the toy cars, mostly from my brother’s collection, and putting them into a vice and starting to slowly crush them to see how they came apart,” Oefner says. “I still do that, in a way. I’m playful about trying to understand how objects are made – what’s inside them. But moreso, I disassemble objects to have the pieces by themselves [and] to be able to use those to create a new composition. In a way, it’s almost a bit like I’m painting with those parts – from a car, for example, or from a camera – and I use those individual building blocks to then create something. Something that tells us a little bit about time, and how we interact with it, and how changing that dynamic of time a little bit also changes our perception of reality.”

A similarly minded project, created in alliance with Google Arts & Culture, used LED drone painting and long-exposure photography to visually trace the retreat of glaciers in the Swiss Alps.

The Trift Glacier, 2019 – 202, Inkjet Print

In this week’s Milkshake, Oefner also talks about this kind of technology in his work, and how “when you work with science, or scientific elements, you’re not always in control of what the outcome is. Rather, as you work through the project, you start to better and better understand where this is going and through that you adapt your ideas – and that’s also the beauty of it, because when you do that, you actually start to learn something.” Oefner continues, “The projects where I don’t have any surprises and I don’t have to adapt – those are usually not the ones that stand the test of time.” For that and more, tune in!

Escape Velocity III – Ma | tosh, 2023, Plastic, Resin

CutUp, 2019, Resin, Aluminum, Glass, Brass Plastic

Escape Velocity VII – Chai | aw, 2023, Metal, Resin

Disintegrating X – Lamborghini Miura SV, 2018, Inkjet Print behind Plexiglass

Diana Ostrom, who has written for Wallpaper, Interior Design, ID, The Wall Street Journal, and other outlets, is also the author of Faraway Places, a newsletter about travel.

Milkshake, DMTV (Design Milk TV)’s first regular series, shakes up the traditional interview format by asking designers, creatives, educators and industry professionals to select interview questions at random from their favorite bowl or vessel. During their candid discussions, you’ll not only gain a peek into their personal homeware collections, but also valuable insights into their work, life and passions.