Since making their debut at the 60th Salone del Mobile during Milan Design Week 2023, Magis’ Officina bookcase and Riace sofa have recently gone into production. Both contemporary pieces of furniture were realized by renowned designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, and are at home in residential and commercial spaces.

The Officina wall-mounted bookcase system is the latest addition to the collection of the same name. Wall-mounted and characterized by clean lines and high functionality, the bookcase is an elegant solution for storing books and favorite objects. Perhaps unexpectedly, it features rough, artisanal wrought iron uprights painted in polyester powder (grey anthracite) to hold the shelves in place. The Officina bookcase’s shelves come in one or two meters lengths, with the smaller also being available with a writing desk. Choose between MDF walnut veneer or painted black shelves.

Looks are deceiving when it comes to the 4-seat Riace sofa – it measures in at nearly 11.5 feet wide. Riace borrows its name from two bronze sculptures that were discovered in southern Italy, both dating back to the 5th century BC. Tumbled white-bronze armrests and legs are balanced by the soft, curved structure of the sofa’s body. The cushions are made from expanded polyurethane (class 1IM) before being covered in removable fabric in dark green, black, or grey.

To learn more about the Officina bookcase or Riace sofa, visit magisdesign.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.

Milan Design Week 2023 was absolutely packed with incredible design, and we still have more to share! Apacheta, a project by Argentinian designer and artist Cristián Mohaded, was introduced by Loro Piana Interiors via an installation inside the Cortile della Seta, at the brand’s Milanese headquarters.

“Apacheta is a message to our Pachamama, it is history, it is culture, it is honesty and respect,” explained Mohaded. Traditionally, apachetas are piles of stones found along paths and passes in the Andes Mountains. They’ve been created throughout centuries by travelers who would carry a stone from the base to the top. There, they’d be left as a tribute and thank you to the spirit of the Pachamama, otherwise known as Mother Earth. Apachetas grew into huge towers that are beautiful and sacred, yet unstable in their age.

The collaboration between Mahaded and Loro Piana began with their shared values: a passion for materials and craftsmanship, and the idea that beauty and harmony can exist in direct contrast. There’s also a shared love of an Argentinian province, Catamarca, where Mohaded was born and Loro Piana sources the rarest of natural animal fibers: vicuña. Apachetas and the landscape found in Catamarca were Mahaded’s starting point in creating a tribute to nature in a sustainable way.

“We approached Cristián knowing his passion for craftsmanship, his research in materials, his extreme love for them, for their textures and contrasts. Everything he creates starts from this and we thought it was the right artist to entrust with our own materials,” explained Francesco Pergamo, Director of Loro Piana Interiors Division. “When we saw the project, we had the immediate certainty that it was beyond expectations. Cristián has not only put all his magic into the materials, but has infused the design with all the values we share.”

The site-specific installation in Milan was transformed into a space where twelve towers – measuring up to eight meters in height – rise up from the ground. The irregularly-shaped, perhaps unstable, “stones” were covered in fabrics from previous Loro Piana Interiors collections, now experiencing a second life. In this way, the man-made landscape invites an open conversation about sustainability and the reuse of discarded materials.

Standing in the center of the handmade apachetas are Mohaded’s furniture designs – sofas, stools, a bench, and side tables. They too resemble stones, with each piece featuring hand-carved elements that create contrast with their upholstery materials. A third material, ceramic in the colors of Argentina’s lagoons, transforms the tops of the tables into serene surfaces between the furniture.

Cristián Mohaded

The Apacheta collection is only available by order. To learn more, visit
loropiana.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.

Spanish brand Gandia Blasco Group’s Diabla has added a new chair to its modern outdoor offerings. During Milan Design Week 2023 at Salone del Mobile, they introduced TUBA, a lightweight aluminum stacking chair designed by London-based designer Samuel Wilkinson. The first collaboration between the two, TUBA’s name alludes to its 19 tubular elements, a repetitive arrangement made of infinitely recyclable aluminum.

“In essential chairs like TUBA, I like to find uniqueness through aesthetics, materials, or processes. TUBA’s design conforms to this methodology, and manages to be legible from a single material, that of the repetitive components that build its structure,” said Wilkinson.

TUBA’s construction includes two support tubes, 15 oversized curved cross bars, and two leg tubes, all with rounded ends. For an ultra clean aesthetic, the design shied away from visible welds for the most part, with only those on the leg junctions apparent. Meant to help convey calmness and relaxation, the multiple curves of the chair allude to its comfort.

The mono-material chair features a textured, powder-coated aluminum that’s available in Diabla’s seven color spectrum. It not only adds strength and durability in the face of the elements and wear and tear, but aids in keeping TUBA light and easy to store. If you’re searching to furnish a small terrace or large commercial project, this chair is the perfect choice.

To learn more about TUBA, visit diablaoutdoor.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.

Away launched in 2015 and has been at the top of the luggage game ever since. Still today, the brand remains one of the most popular options thanks to their modern, minimalist design, supreme functionality, and major durability. They’re lightweight and dependable, and this comes from someone (me) who owns two and has carried them around the world. The brand has dropped a number or collections over the years but none so bold as their latest which launches today, May 2nd. The Neon Collection goes where few, if any, luggage brands have gone before with two delightfully bold and bright neon colors that will ensure you’ll never miss your suitcase at baggage claim again. Landing just in time for summer, the Paradise Pink and Kiwi colors will make your upcoming travel that much brighter.

The Neon Collection includes Away’s classic The Bigger Carry-on and The Large suitcases, The Insider Packing Cubes (set of 4), The Cosmetics Bag, and The Everywhere Sling Bag, all designed to mix and match with each other. The suitcases come with glossy finishes which make the colors pop even more, as well as dyed-to-match exterior details, including trim, zippers, and handles. As with all Away luggage, the suitcases are outfitted with 360-degree spinner wheels,TSA-approved combination locks, and an interior organization system featuring a compression pad and water-resistant laundry bag in contrasting colors.

Next is everyone’s favorite travel accessories: packing cubes. The Insider Packing Cubes come in four sizes, each in a different color combination that complements The Neon Collection. The four zippered bags are designed to work with the suitcase’s compression system, which makes packing even easier.

The Cosmetics Bag comes in matching Paradise Pink with a water-resistant nylon body and a coated, wipeable interior in case spills happen. Inside, a detachable makeup brush organizer and transparent pockets will keep all of your makeup and toiletries in place and organized for your trip. And lastly, The Everywhere Sling Bag in Paradise Pink and contrasting orange details will keep all your important stuff together close to your body. An adjustable strap lets you wear it around the waist, across the body, or over the shoulder.

The Large in Paradise Pink

The Bigger Carry-On in Paradise Pink

Paradise Pink

The Large in Paradise Pink open

The Large in Kiwi

The Bigger Carry-On in Kiwi

Top of The Bigger Carry-On in Kiwi

The Bigger Carry-On in Kiwi open

The Insider Packing Cubes

The Insider Packing Cubes

The Cosmetics Bag in Paradise Pink open

The Everywhere Sling Bag in Paradise Pink

The Neon Collection launches today at awaytravel.com or in-store at any of the brand’s 14 retail spots in the US, UK, and Canada.

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.

Sculptor Misha Kahn is endlessly inventive, currently appearing in the television show, “The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist” by the Smithsonian and MTV, while simultaneously exhibiting a new show – Staged – at Friedman Benda Los Angeles. Running through June 2nd, the show is set in the gallery’s new 2,800+ sq. ft home, adding an interesting domestic dynamic to the pieces on display. Themes of personal acceptance and loving your own chaos run throughout, including pieces such as the Ammonoid Delta chair, Pig of the Earth sofa, and Hold the Line lamp.

Kahn explained: “Friedman Benda’s new LA space provided the opportunity to show in a more domestic space, loosely suggesting how these disparate suspects might temporarily live together before something goes awry. The works’ internal tensions come to light on their surfaces.”

“These past few years have been about accepting the way I work, learning to love my chaos rather than trying to escape it… and instead welcoming you into my vortex,” shared Kahn. “Some pieces in the show are such an invitation; however, by limiting the result to a particular material, such as in the handwoven mohair of Stephens Tapestry, the resulting piece Swatching Space Time creates a complete bacchanal of media and imaginary digital weaving. Bits of string and crumpled paper mix with VR brushstrokes. A scanned piece of gum clings to a loose thread. This swatch – an expansive carpet by human standards – is but a tiny sample of infinite possibility.”

Aura Stool

“After a decade with Friedman Benda, and a few previous outings in LA (at Dries van Noten’s The Little House in 2021 and M+B in 2019), I’ve murdered quite a few things. It felt like it was now time to take a string and carefully tie together all these creative explorations I’d left behind with the goal of hopefully arriving at some kind of closure – which is taking place, a little ‘too conveniently,’ in a house.”

Azimuth Mirror

Ammonoid Delta

Cloud Flavor

Dusk’s Raveled Whisps

Extremophile Folly

Filler Queen

Bois Brule

Hold the Line

Larvae Chalice

Limax Cinereoniger’s House Not Yours

Hellenistic Vector

Miss Fishy

Oneiromantic Tendencies

Shell Lamp

Raspberry

Swatching Space Time

Time Tracers

To learn more about Misha Kahn’s Staged, visit friedmanbenda.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.

Italian brand Contardi Lighting recently collaborated with designer Adam Tihany to tackle the question of “What is green lighting?” From this exploration of design and ecological values, they designed Air, a new suspension lamp that’s as decorative as it is functional and, even better, 100% recyclable. Featuring a dual lampshade design, Air creates a warm, enveloping ambience while casting plays of light and shadow through its engraved laser cuts.

From production to packaging, all considerations were made to reduce Air’s impact on the planet. The body of the light is made from Green Cast, an acrylic material that not only recycles industrial waste and end-of-life products, but can be 100% recycled rather than tossed into a landfill. Even after an infinite number of cycles, Green Cast retains its aesthetic, mechanical, and thermal qualities. To further reduce Air’s footprint, Contardi Lighting applies the cream-colored finish during the creation of the light, skipping the lacquering phase and lessening the environment impact.

Beyond Air’s sustainability appeal, the light’s laser-cut design beckons a closer look. The double lampshades evoke the perception that the lamp is floating both upwards and downwards. Upper and lower LED lights cast a full glow around the room, creating a warm and cozy ambience.

To learn more about Air, visit contardi-usa.com.

As the Lifestyle 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.

In 2021, we announced a conceptual collection – SEYUN – designed and manufactured by Zaha Hadid Design and Karimoku Furniture. Today, we’re happy to share that it’s left the proverbial nest behind and exists as a chair, an armchair, and a table in different dimensions. Introduced at Milan Design Week 2023, the SEYUN collection echoes Hadid’s design language and is crafted in oak using a combination of machine-made and hand-finished processes.

A story of the hardness of the wood meeting the lightness of the design makes these furniture pieces unique, as does the series of conjoined asymmetrical surfaces that reference Hadid’s aesthetic. Natural elegance is conveyed through the blending of traditional Japanese woodworking techniques with contemporary design. SEYUN is available in a selection of finishes: Pure Oak, Smoked Oak, Grain Matte Black, Metallic Blue, Metallic Black, and Silver.

“We are delighted to see our collaboration with Karimoku Furniture continuing so fruitfully, each piece of the SEYUN collection is the result of the truly osmotic process between designers and manufacturers. Our teams worked together at every stage of the project, mutually exchanging skills and expertise, discussing ideas and finding solutions, both formally and technically,” says Woody Yao, director of Zaha Hadid Design.

SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

The planar asymmetrical surfaces that make up the SEYUN Chair are unmistakably a hallmark of Hadid. Oak wood lays out the chair’s smooth curves, highlighting the natural wood grain and construction.

SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Chair + SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

Meanwhile, the SEYUN Armchair follows form, a balanced example of beauty and comfort coexisting with one another. From the sculptural armrests to the curved seat and backrest, every design aspect has been considered with ergonomics and aesthetics in mind.

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Collection Photo: Masaaki Inoue

The versatile SEYUN Table ties the collection together with a bow. Designed to allow endless configurations and available in different sizes, it makes a great addition to any living space. Visually striking and functional, you might call it unostentatiously elegant.

SEYUN Table Photo: Masaaki Inoue

Hiroshi Kato, Vice President of Karimoku Furniture Inc. commented: “Collaborating with Zaha Hadid Design, a world leader in architecture and design and a brand with a pioneering and innovative philosophy, is truly inspiring. We are particularly proud to translate Zaha Hadid’s visionary design language into a complex and tactile piece of wooden furniture, proving our knowledge and skills acquired throughout Karimoku Furniture’s history in craftsmanship.”

SEYUN Table Photo: Masaaki Inoue

SEYUM Table + SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaaki Inoue

To learn more about the SEYUN Collection, visit karimoku.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.

A collaboration between nendo and American artist and designer Daniel Arsham recently made its debut during Milan Design Week 2023. They partnered on a project called Break to Make, working with the concept of “nendo makes. Daniel breaks,” which saw the Japanese design house create several objects of no use that Arsham then broke to form something functional. A bathtub-like object became a loveseat, while a long, narrow block turned into a bench or stool, for example. The final pieces were displayed in pastel shades often seen in Arsham’s work.

“An artist who creates by breaking, and a designer who creates things to be broken. An artist who expresses present objects as past artifacts, and a designer who makes present objects that anticipate the future. The collaboration may be seen as an overlay of these two contrary perspectives.”

Photo: Masahiro Ohgami + Katsuaki Kobayashi

Photo: Masahiro Ohgami + Katsuaki Kobayashi

Arsham is well-known for his “fictional archeology” work where he breaks everyday objects, big (cars) and small (figurines), to give them an eroded-like appearance as if they’d been excavated after being buried for a period of time. He isn’t the only one following the concept of “reverse-engineering from breaking” – nendo has been known to explore it as well. Their like minds spent four years dreaming up possibilities before landing on the idea of nendo making random forms so Arsham could chip away at them until they became something new and useful.

Photo: Masahiro Ohgami + Katsuaki Kobayashi

Photo: Masahiro Ohgami + Katsuaki Kobayashi

Photo: Masahiro Ohgami + Katsuaki Kobayashi

Photo: Masahiro Ohgami + Katsuaki Kobayashi

Photo: Masahiro Ohgami + Katsuaki Kobayashi

Photo: Masahiro Ohgami + Katsuaki Kobayashi

Photo: Masahiro Ohgami + Katsuaki Kobayashi

Photos: Akihiro Yoshida

Photos: Akihiro Yoshida

Photos: Akihiro Yoshida

Photos: Akihiro Yoshida

Photos: Akihiro Yoshida

Photo: Akihiro Yoshida

Photo: Takumi Ota

Photo: Takumi Ota

Photo: Takumi Ota

Photo: Takumi Ota

For more information on Break to Make, visit friedmanbenda.com.

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.

The latest of several collaborations between textile design company nanimarquina and French designer Ronan Bouroullec, Doblecara is a rug series that combines the hands-on craftsmanship of ancient kilim techniques with the modernity of Bouroullec’s designs. The collection is inspired by the spirit of geometry, characterized by linear and interment strokes that end in a blurred point. The seemingly random strokes convey movement and rhythm, as opposed to evenly spaced lines. Lastly, a delightful surprise lies on the backside of each rug. Because of the collection’s reversibility, the four colorways actually become eight, with one side being more subtle while the other side expresses more movement and definition.

Doblecara is available in four sizes and four positive-negative colorways: black-ivory, ivory-black, ivory-red, and ivory-ivory.

For more information the Doblecara rug collection, visit nanimarquina.com.

Photography by Albert Font.

As the Lifestyle 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.

Electronic music gear tends to lean heavily toward form defined by function, with only a few outliers exhibiting high notes of design. Teenage Engineering, the Swedish consumer electronics company founded in 2005 by Jesper Kouthoofd, David Eriksson, Jens Rudberg and David Möllerstedt and based in Stockholm belongs to the exception(al) rather than the rule when it comes to design. The elegantly modern CM-15 portable microphone represents the brand’s supreme attention to detail serving needs well beyond function alone.

With a case approximately the size and shape of a pack of cards, the CM-15 lives up to its portable moniker, characterized by its simple controls and intentionally sparse controls. The sum of its machined minimalism is oh-so-Dieter Rams, a wholly intentional modernist affect. From a use case perspective, the little microphone’s utility is aimed toward field production, filming footage, interviews and podcasts, vocal recordings, and instrumentals recordings – the world’s “first all-in-1 mic offering.”



Don’t let the CM-15’s pocketable size fool you. Inside can be found a 1-inch large diaphragm condenser capsule, a rarity portable recording gear, and an addition resulting in a higher depth of sound sans any noise.

CM–15 has multiple outputs that can be used simultaneously: mini xlr, 3.5 mm jack and USB-C. it can also be powered three ways, through phantom power, battery, or USB-C, instantly detecting the right power source for your connected device.

While there is a built-in table stand, Teenage Engineering’s own mini tripod is not included. A 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch tiltable adapter does allow the CM-15 to work with any compatible mic stand or tripod.

Like the majority of Teenage Engineering’s catalog, the CM-15 microphone adds a sizable design premium to its price tag – $1,200. That may seem stratospheric, but we would not be surprised if the Swedish company sells out of this mighty mite of a microphone planned for a June release.

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.