The LG CineBeam HU915QE Projector is an ultra-short throw 4K projection system, a premium “laser TV” capable of transforming the living room wall into an immersive 120-inch screen experience, eclipsing all but the most exclusively priced – yet still smaller – televisions available today. By all standards, it’s the finest projector we’ve ever tested, producing a bright, detailed, and colorful picture delivering the promise of the “theater” in “home theater.” The LG CineBeam is also a game changer when it comes to home decor, a convincing option for anyone who has always wanted a huge picture minus the dominating presence of a large television set within their living room.

Unlike a traditional projector, an ultra short throw projector (UST) is engineered to produce sizable images from very short distances, making it much easier to position within living rooms rather than a dedicated home theater room. Set atop a surface, we’re talking about mere inches. In the case of the LG CineBeam only 2.2-inches from a wall is required to enjoy a 90-inch 3840 x 2160 resolution picture. Nudge the projector back 3.0-inches and now you’re staring back at a 100-inch screen. And if you’ve got 7.6-inches distance to spare, the grandeur of a 120-inch filmic experience can be conjured by its triple laser technology. Across its range of output, the CineBeam produces natural, incredibly sharp and detailed images. Setup is simple and dialing in a sharp image is accomplished literally with a physical dial on top of the unit.

Out of the box, the CineBeam hosts Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video, and Apple TV apps powered by LG’s WebOS platform. We connected our review unit to an Apple TV 4K, which we used to watch everything from MUBI-hosted arthouse films, to HBO’s grisly The Last of Us and the conniving comedy of Succession, a plethora of sporting events, and a daily dose of YouTube content on the LG CineBeam nearly nightly. Despite our imperfectly bumpy and sub-optimal white painted walls, the LG CineBeam was able to project Logan Roy’s disdain in all his growling glory, captured the fine pink angora sweater worn by Nastassja Kinski in Paris, Texas with such cinematic textural detail, we felt like we could reach out and feel its softened sorrow.

In our own testing we quickly discovered the biggest picture isn’t necessarily the best. “First row movie theater” syndrome can become an issue if seating distances are not taken into account. So while we demoed the upper limits, we eventually settled into a picture a little northward of 90-inches, a picture size more than sufficient for films, television series, and sports.

The LG CineBeam shines brightly, rated for 3,700 lumens output and a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio (for comparison, a 100-watt bulb produces 1,600 lumens of light). This combination deals well with indirect ambient light seeping in through windows, something that’s always a concern with projectors which operate by reflecting light off a surface rather than delivering light directly to the viewer as a television.

Our living room comprises a series of sliding glass doors, and we were still able to enjoy an acceptable picture despite the absence of window coverings or the use of an Ambient Light Rejecting screen (an addition that would admittedly boost contrast and vibrancy). We found the LG CineBeam well suited to our typical viewing habits, one heavily weighted toward the evening rather than the day. Even so, in instances we wanted to catch an episode or sporting event during the weekend, those 3,700 lumens proved up to the task to outshine afternoon light.

From a design perspective, LG has veered a bit from the competition. While most ultra short throw projectors are encased in white or black housing (a matte black finish being the most optimal when desiring a projector to disappear from view when the lights go off), the Korean brand has given the HU915QE a fashionable “bisque” hued fabric front redolent of Kvadrat fabric. The sum of the CineBeam’s rectangular simplicity, warmly tinted chassis, and organic textured fabric front equal a minimalist modern device that does well to blend into a space without drawing too much attention – certainly less attention than a typical LCD or OLED television of any size northward of 65 inches.

Speaking of minimalist, the projector houses a built-in 2.2 Channel, 40W speaker system behind its fabric front. That means you could possibly forgo the addition of a soundbar speaker for a clean and simple home theater setup. We still prefer the immersion and more articulate output a dedicated home theater speaker system produces, nonetheless it’s a welcome clutter-free option.

Set atop of a low height media cabinet, the LG CineBeam HU915QE looks more like a storage box than a piece of tech in the day, blending in with the rest of the room while turned off.

Priced at $4,700 the LG CineBeam HU915QE is not a budget pick by any means. But considering a 100-inch LED television today can still set you back $12,000, it’s not a completely unreasonable splurge for the home cinephile or sports devotee, especially when factoring the extra efforts LG put into the Cinebeam’s minimalist details – a design capable of liberating the living room from the occupancy of the television while also impressively pushing the viewing experience into movie theater territory.

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.

The Marimekko Artist Series was conceived to allow the heritage Finnish design brand to invite emerging and celebrated artists to interpret their catalog of goods in their own unique fashion. Previous collaborators include artists Virginie Hucher and Landon Metz. Marimekko’s latest artist collaboration announced in time for Milan Design Week 2023 is with Sabine Finkenauer, a Barcelona-based German artist known for her textural abstractions of landscapes composed of rhythmic colors and geometric line work – a perfect pairing for Marimekko’s own textile prints and home goods.

The 16-piece capsule collection is described as a celebration of the “pursuit for timelessness and the expression of art in the everyday objects,” with Finkenauer creating seven exclusive pieces of art to embellish the capsule collection across both ceramics and home textile products. There’s a little bit of Klee and Calder in spirit across the collection; whether printed across textiles or ceramics, Finkenauer’s work melds well to add dimensionality onto hard and plush surfaces alike.

“My artistic method can be defined as a game whose rules I establish by playing,” explains Finkenauer. “And, above all, an aspiration for simplicity in which I believe the greatest beauty resides.” The artist’s vocabulary of simple and bold shapes are in service of both ornament and geometry, which of course makes Finkenauer’s work easily adaptable for objects intended for domestic use.

“[It’s] something very natural and opportune since the dialogue with the crafts and the theming of the ornament are part of my artistic interest,”
says Finkenauer. “For me it has been an extraordinary experience working with Marimekko and knowing that my drawings will shine in many homes accompanying their resident in their daily lives fills me with pride and joy.”

Marimekko partnered with Durat, a Finnish company manufacturing three-dimensional surfaces out of recycled plastic for the week-long conceptual and abstract installation at Milan Design Week, one displaying Sabine Finkenauer’s entire creative process from artwork sketches to final products, alongside the premiere of Marimekko’s new glassware series designed by Matti Klenell [shown below] through April 23rd.

For those looking for a more easily and accessible Marimekko collaboration, there’s always the IKEA x Marimekko BASTUA collection (we nabbed a bench ourselves).

The Marimekko exhibition is open to the public through April 23, 2023 at Galleria II Milione in the Brera Design District.

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.

Mexico City’s Zona Maco was the setting for the launch of Monolith’s inaugural collection, Sanctuary. Shown against the backdrop of Campos Polanco, the series includes nine home decor designs crafted from stone and wood. Three of the pieces are exclusives for the brand designed by London-based architect Benni Allan and Paris-based design duo Studio Le Cann. Sculptural forms and soft curves abound, lending both function and form to Sanctuary. The limited edition pieces are made from locally-sourced Jalapa Travertine, Recinto Negro, White Oak, and Walnut.

Monolith, founded in 2022 by Marc Personick, leans on solid lines and heavy proportions to put the focus of each piece on the natural beauty of its materials. The New York City-based studio collaborates with international architects and designers, hand-producing work with local artisans in Mexico City and New York.

Chair, Walnut

Side Table, Jalapa Travertine

Lamp, Onyx

Bench, Oak

Console, Lava Stone

Console, Oak

Lounge, Jalapa Travertine

Nightstand, Lava Stone

To learn more about Sanctuary, visit monolithnyc.notion.site.

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.

It wasn’t long after interior designer Kevin Dumais started working on his own that he knew the profession was his true calling. “It was the end of a project installation, the construction was over, and our clients walked in and saw their new apartment completely furnished for the first time. There were tears of joy and gratitude for finally making their New York apartment feel like home. That’s why I do what I do,” the 16-year veteran of the industry shared.

Based out of both New York and Connecticut, Kevin’s style is a casually sophisticated aesthetic that brings together metropolitan elegance and a relaxed vibe. His inspiration comes in the forms of mid-century style and a love for antiques, rich textures, and cool hues.

Alongside his husband Charlie, Kevin is also co-founder of Dumais Made. The brand features a complete line of unique handmade ceramics, including lamps, candlesticks, vases, and more. All of the work is created by the duo out of their Bantam, Connecticut studio.

With two businesses, ideas come at Kevin from all directions – so he can always be found carrying trace paper and a flair tip felt pen. “I always have a roll of trace paper between my office and home,” he shared. “Thoughts come and go so frequently, and sometimes a quick sketch can help me capture on paper what might be fumbling around in my head and helps me and my team brainstorm during a project’s charette.”

After studying interior design at the New England School of Art and Design, he led projects for a number of top Manhattan designers, including Russell Groves, before opening his own firm in 2009. Kevin’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Elle Decor, NY Mag, Luxe, and more.

Today, Kevin Dumais is joining us for this week’s Friday Five!

Photo courtesy of Church’s

1. Church’s Pembrey Studded Loafers

These loafers were a spontaneous purchase during my first visit to London, so they already hold some nostalgia and have managed to be the one shoe I keep in rotation year-round. They are classic black leather penny loafers with a modern edge of studded details.

Photo: Kevin Dumais

2. Sunday Mornings With Cookbooks

My favorite part of the week is Sunday morning, with two cups of coffee and a handful of cookbooks to peruse for that night’s dinner. A new book that found its way into my collection is the cookbook from Barbuto restaurant in New York City. The restaurant is one of my favorite go-to places in the city. I generally order their roast JW chicken and pasta carbonara.

Photo: Kevin Dumais (Do you spy Kevin’s dog, Friday?)

3. Dansk Kobenstyle Cookware

I inherited two, a green Dutch oven and a yellow casserole pot; both were wedding gifts my parents received in 1963. My mom never used them when we were kids except for hiding my Halloween candy, which was a clever play by her as she could hear the clank of the enameled lid when I was sneaking it. They are frequently used at our house in Litchfield, and I have since added pieces to the collection.

Photo courtesy Audio Technica

4. My Turntable

My turntable was a Christmas gift from my husband, Charlie, which he bought for me after finding records I purchased but never got around to buying the device to play them on. Some of our favorite nights at home end up with us rifling through our record collection, dancing to our favorite albums at the highest volume. Aretha: Lady Soul, Live & More Donna Summer, Madonna’s Madonna Album, and Fleetwood Mac Rumours.

Photo: Kevin Dumais

5. Cashmere Sweaters

My uniform consists of navy blue cashmere crewneck sweaters. My favorite sweater is from Margarette Howell, but I also stockpile these from J.Crew in all the classic colors.

Work by Kevin Dumais:

Upper West Side, Primary Bedroom. The challenge was a modest, linear room with very high ceilings designated as the apartment’s primary bedroom. To bring things back to scale, the ceiling was painted one-third of the way down (the walls) in a deep shade of tan and a modern four-poster bed was installed. Tactile textures such as the ink colored wool rug and gauze linen drapery complete the look. Photo: Joshua McHugh Photography

Grand Army Plaza, Living room. A neutral palette emphasizes soaring views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan skylines, while dark stained accents provide an anchoring sense of balance. We utilized pieces from the client’s Japanese and Scandinavian furniture collection and reupholstered to synch comfortably with the light, bright living space. Photo: Joshua McHugh Photography

Franklin Street, Great Room. The goal of this project was to reorganize space, as well as lighten and soften the loft’s roughhewn architectural features. We designed on a partition of blacken steel and reeded glass doors to divide the primary bedroom suite from the open loft plan. An eclectic mix of mid-century furniture suit the couple’s laid-back nature. Photo: Joshua McHugh Photography

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.

To mark the launch of her new LaLAB venture, Lindsey Adelman just introduced new works in an installation at Alcova during Milan Design Week 2023. LaLAB is platform where Adelman can explore and share her experimental work outside the parameters of her regular studio practice. With zero boundaries, she’s free to play outside the box making pieces that are one-off, limited edition, or privately commissioned. The first round of LaLAB pieces includes three new series of illuminated works – Cages, Mobiles, and Rock Lights – all on display in Soft Opening from April 17 – 23, 2023.

Lindsey Adelman says: “LaLAB is a chance for me to push myself – to let the fantasy work come out. It is about raw development without attachment to outcome. I’ve long been interested in ‘the space between’ – the space between words, between people, between thoughts; the space between things, which is for me as important as the things themselves. LaLAB allows for the physical realization of these ideas; within the tension between what is there and what is not there, is an energetic realm full of opportunity and experimentation.”

The Mobiles come about through process with each of the seven designs comprising three to four precious components, all of which are crafted, sculpted, or hand-blown ahead of time. The components include raw minerals, slumped glass, ceramic spheres, and chains. Working as she goes, Adelman arranges the various objects into an assemblage that balances. The group of Mobiles reach almost 12 feet in height with elements dangling from the ceiling to almost the floor giving viewers an evolving composition depending on their perspective.

Adelman on mobiles: “I’m fascinated by the simultaneous stillness and kinetic energy of mobiles. They’re at once physically settled but also perpetually moving, embodying constant transformation. It’s a great reminder that everything moves. I’m also very interested in how mobiles create and hold space, allowing us to see what we’re unable to see, but somehow know. For me, the negative space is not a void – it is full of mystery, full of meaning.”

While the Mobiles have an organic flow, the Cages features angular frames that are precise and fixed. Each cage benefits from two frame profiles that double the visual interest. While similar in concept, the four Cages on display are quite different with a variety of frame styles and glass globes shapes.

Adelman on Cages: “I like to think of the Cages as a combination of the analytical and the emotional. They feel at once meticulously planned yet also not rational. The wildness and emotion of the glass form balances the rigidity of the structures.”

Displaying at a much smaller scale, six Rock Lights give nod to beauty found in nature. The organically shaped pieces feature hand-blown glass slumped over various minerals ranging in size from five to nine inches. The fixtures glow and work as functioning lamps while feeling like sculptures.

Adelman on Rock Lights: “I love that they are anthropomorphic in quality; as if the glass is the underbelly of a crustacean I’ve turned inside out, exposing the gooey innards which are meant to be protected. In exposing this essence, I’m exposing the most fragile parts we work so hard to protect – our fears, hopes, and desires – the very parts that connect us all inextricably.”

Lindsey Adelman at Soft Opening exhibition

Soft Opening will be on view at Room L1 at Alcova, Viale Molise 62, Milan from April 17 – 23, 2023 from 11am – 7pm daily.

Photography by Matteo Imbriani.

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.

This colorful borosilicate glass piece gives off the impression it could be a design object found within the likes of the MoMA gift shop or Design Within Reach. And that’s why we’re fond of this graphical glass design: a purposeful object with the bonus of being worthy of a space on your shelf for display. Available in five different colors.

A follow-up to the three “smoking design objects” Weed’d collection revealed last year for World Cannabis Day, the Milanese brand returns just ahead of 2023’s celebrations with three new water pipes fashioned in tasteful objects for smoke ‘n display duties by Gabriele Chiave, Cara/Davide, and Attila Veress in grey and sky blue. The first drop by Simone Bonanni, Valerio Sommella, and Maddalena Casadei is also getting a refresh with new red and gray options, joined by new candle pots designed by all three second wave of designers, along with a compact pipe and round ashtray combination designed by Weed’d’s own Design Director, Simone Bonanni.

We love this playful smoking tool crafted to resemble a “shimmery Texas sky…that mimics the sky just before a rainstorm.” The clear iridescent finish imparts the borosilicate glass a color-shifting effect, a mesmerizing sheen that will definitely spark up some conversations and perhaps a social session, with its dreamy effect becoming even more pronounced with every hit.

Not everyone wants to overindulge when it comes to enjoying herb. Sometimes a micro-dose session with precise and measured doses delivering a relaxed state without the heavy head later is the preferred destination. This dry herb and concentrate-compatible vaporizer is perfect for those planned or impromptu sessions where a little can go a long way. The Miqro C’s sleek pocketable design and affordable $99 price tag makes this model an accommodating entry level electronic vaporizer with four pre-sets, requiring only 39 seconds to heat up, and engineered to last 30 minutes before requiring recharging via USB-C.

The pun-loving side of us would like to say this smoking tool’s design is piping hot, but that would be a misnomer. It’s more sublime and sophisticated, especially in its Rose Gold iteration (also available in Maritime and Onyx). With a capacity to hold up to 1g of flower in its bowl, the Vessel Pipe’s real magic is hidden within: a double-helix interior spiral shaped to cool down smoke before it hits the lungs for a more enjoyable cough-free experience.

Imagine Isamu Noguchi’s iconic steel cube public sculpture or the spinning Astor Place Cube miniaturized down to handheld size into an aluminum grinder. One of Laundry Day’s material-driven Cube, Chrome, and Aluminum Grinder collection designs, the aluminum grinder hides four detachable compartments – two dedicated for grinding flower, one for collecting grounds, and the last “floor” for gathering any excess kief. A sliced corner allows displaying your very good taste prominently and openly like a sculpture.

Too many edibles either taste too dank or hit with immeasurable consequences regardless of their listed dosage. Which is why we like Rose Delights, Turkish Delights candy cubes available in both THC or CBD-only formulations. Half or one cube hits the sweet spot between taste and intended (and predictable) efficacy, formulated with just the right amount of plant material and paired with a culinary-exquisite menu of flavors ranging from Apple Ume Ginger, Rose Hibiscus, or our favorites made in collaboration with confectionary specialists Eat Nunchi, Jasmine Boba, and Oolong Boba. The graphic design across their range of packaging is a bonus for those who take such details into consideration [raises hand].

In what has to be one of the most unexpected, but in hindsight, perfect 4/20 themed collaborations, edibles brand Kiva has cozied up with Los Angeles burger institution Fatburger to elevate the “would you like fries with that?” experience to new highs. The condiment’s graphic design does a commendable job of keeping its contents clearly labeled, but without bringing too much attention to its 10 mg-enhanced “special sauce” that may compel another case of the munchies.

A “cheeky” design that we’d be very hesitant to use, only because we’d want to save these matchbooks for only the most special occasions deserving of sacrificing a strike. But in hindsight, we’d likely associate any missing matches with good times shared, so it’s all good.

Phases use of color and typography isn’t merely aesthetic (though appreciated nonetheless), but a means for the brand to make social cannabis more approachable for new users or the experienced alike. The California brand’s range is each assigned an ideal situation/application associated with their pre-roll offerings, with their 5-roll tin our favorite for its variety pack selection.

As someone who has sampled numerous brands of cannabis-infused beverages over the years, I’ve found the vast majority of these drinks as one-and-done affairs. The overpowering herbal taste and bouquet of the mood-altering extract can negate even the most appetizing of flavors into a skunky unappetizing sip. But Cann seems to have nailed it, with flavors like Grapefruit Rosemary, Ginger Lemongrass, and Blood Orange Cardamom all tasting like quenching, delicious adult sodas, down to their perfect not too sweetness. A low 2mg THC, 4mg CBD content means you can enjoy one or even two servings with hardly a worry about hazy daze the next morning, making a strong case Cann could become a new brunch time cocktail fave in lieu of boozy beverages.

We’ve been enthusiastic fans of this established California grower and their smooth smoking selection of flowers grown across their 57-acre, off-grid farm in Nevada City, including their tastefully designed packaging incorporating the flora and fauna of the Golden State into a whole vibe. These two hats take the nature-first aesthetic to new highs.

The name says it all. The limited edition Gloopy Ashtray is inspired by Seth Rogan’s experimentation with trypophobic-inducing globular textures reminiscent of slime molds. These cup-style ash receptacles are handcrafted, with only 375 limited editions made in Westminster, Colorado by Hammerly Ceramics. The studio is well acquainted with the principle of creating useful objects that beg to be picked up, and nobody will deny this ashtray begs to be picked up, if not simply touched.

These interior scent sprays and incense aren’t marketed for cannabis, but we find they offer an effective post-smoke accompaniment. Sandoval’s impressive ability to overpower the sometimes disagreeable stink of skunk is unmatched (alongside wildlife skunk odors in our experience). These natural ingredient sourced, synthetic-free fragrances can pack a wallop, especially the cones, but quickly dissipate into a mildly pleasant herbaceous aroma comparative to the olfactory effects of lighting up a stick of Palo Santo or a few leaves of white sage instead of pure perfume.

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 Tech 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.

East Village Apartment is a minimal apartment located in New York, New York, designed by GRT Architects. The renovation focused on reimagining the apartment’s layout while maintaining its early 20th-century character. The redesigned space features a new arrangement of rooms, organized by a central corridor and tailored to the clients’ lifestyle. To enhance the sense of openness, the entrance corridor was straightened, offering a view through an east-facing window from the front door.

The corridor’s design emphasizes the building’s irregularities through asymmetrical niches and rounded openings in thick plaster walls. The journey down the corridor leads to the relocated kitchen, which now sits diagonally across the apartment. The previous kitchen was confined to less desirable windows and did not communicate well with other spaces, a common feature of 20th-century design. The new layout includes distinct kitchen, living, and dining areas, each with its own unique atmosphere.

Functional elements were used to create a semi-open kitchen, with a low cabinet on brass legs and a suspended storage system separating the kitchen from the dining room. The design team utilized a mix of simple materials in various textures and colors to establish a playful yet functional kitchen space. Custom white oak cabinetry, a satin white countertop, and two-inch mosaic tiles – a nod to the original tile work in the building’s public spaces – form the basis of the design.

The living room is defined by a herringbone threshold in a framed opening and features a full wall of built-in shelves, including a sliding panel to conceal a television. The oak pulls on the cabinetry connect the living room design to that of the kitchen. Additionally, a textured glass panel allows east light to reach a small office without sacrificing privacy. The architects also created a principal suite in the former kitchen area, revising the corridor to establish privacy between the sleeping area and the bathroom. Custom built-in closets were installed throughout the space, with one even occupying the footprint of a defunct dumbwaiter.

Photography by Nicole Franzen.

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.

With the excitement of Milan Design Week comes the release of anticipated new collections. This April, Swedish manufacturer Kasthall will launch a brand new rug series bearing the design signature of renowned architect David Chipperfield. The winner of the 2023 Pritzker Architecture Prize united efforts with the brand to create this collaborative collection, founded on principles of quality, passion, innovation, and creativity. The Tegel family of hand-tufted rugs was inspired by the overall color palette and facades of the historic brick buildings that comprise the Kasthall HQ and factory. And now, it’s ready for the world’s stage.

The Tegel collaboration was a perfect match of talent. Kasthall is known for its expertise in creating high-quality rugs that blend traditional Swedish craftsmanship with modern design aesthetics, while David Chipperfield is a well-known architectural firm with a portfolio of iconic designs that are both functional and visually stunning. As Sir David Chipperfield once said, “As an architect, I’m in a way the guardian of meaning, memory, and heritage… we choose ourselves, and the concept of only protecting the best is not enough. It is also protecting character and qualities that reflect the richness and the evolution.” Those very words reflect the design of Tegel – a marriage between past, present, and future – paying homage to the knowledge and culture at Kasthall while incorporating beautifully aged colors and naturally weathered variations of brick.

With context and function as design starting points, material and spatial configuration followed. What evolved is a series of arrangements where different-sized carpets were layered, following with a variety of alignments. The wool of the rugs gives depth, warmth, and volume, while linen adds a discrete yet vibrant note to the overall texture and earthy tones compose a palette of intuitive harmony. The three design variants – Corner, Side, and Centre – each display three color areas in separate, but related, compositions. Each design variant is available in seven different colorways.

Lena Jiseborn, Design and Range Director at Kasthall, shared, “Together we’ve achieved an artistic and creative feat rooted in Kasthall, a versatile and exciting design that appeals to a multitude of tastes and uses. I am truly happy for this project to have taken place. We have created a rug that is not only beautiful, but also functional and sustainable. We are confident that this rug will be a hit with design enthusiasts and homeowners alike.”

The Tegel rug collection will make its entrance into the design world April 18-23, 2023 at Kasthall’s Flagship Store & Showroom, located at Piazza Paolo VI, Milan. To learn more, visit kasthall.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.

During Salone del Mobile 2023 at Fuorisalone, COR is providing a glimpse into its specific vision of the future of furniture design. The new Nook sofa, along with updates to the Shrimp chair and the addition of the Jalis Club chair, are all on display through April 23rd. Looking to put the focus on the appeal of a retreat, COR’s furniture is reduced to only the essentials to create a safe, secure place to feel comfortable and relax.

With the inclusion of the Nook sofa, the brand adds a welcome cozy, nest-like seating option. Designed by Jehs + Laub, the compact design is set low with a high back, a unique form with an unexpected air of lightness about it. Nook’s exterior features clean lines, while the interior is soft and delicate, creating an almost sculptural appearance.

Nook sofa

Piping, in either a contrasting color or tone-on-tone, adds a playful separation to the interior and exterior of the sofa. And while its narrow joints may be mistaken for modularity, they perform the function of making the sofa’s large format stand out. In fact, they’re responsible for providing the distinctive appearance of the organically shaped body.

Shrimp 23

Shrimp 23 is a revamped edition of the iconic easy chair designed by Jehs + Laub that was first released in 2011. “When we review older designs we always ask ourselves if we’d do it the same way today,” explained the designer duo. “We wouldn’t change anything about the Shrimp seat shell, because the fact that it’s made from a single piece of wood makes it iconic and special. However, we don’t think the seat core reflects contemporary tastes.”

Shrimp 23

Their contemplations led to the design of a new seat cushion with additional volume that provides a higher contrast to the chair’s shell. Slightly larger in size than its predecessor, the soft cushion sits loose in the shell, forming an armrest  and supportive back. What hasn’t changed is Shrimp’s flexible bentwood shell responsible for its iconic silhouette and name. Reinforced bentwood, veneered in oak or walnut or lacquered, pair well with the fabric or leather cushion for a contrast that lets Shrimp’s character shine.

Shrimp 23

Shrimp 23

Jalis Club

COR’s Jalis Lounge has been joined by a new family member: the Jalis Club chair. Smaller and also designed by Jehs + Laub, the new arrival speaks the same design language with its folded cushion. A low back provides comfortable support in a more upright position as the Lounge. The Jalis Club is available in two bases: a wire frame or rotating plate base with optional release mechanism. The standard version of the frame is powder coated in black, but can be requested in other colors subject to an additional fee.

Jalis Club

Jalis Club

Jalis Club

Jalis Club

To learn more about COR’s new releases, visit cor.de.

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.

Let’s face what we’ve known for a long time: plastic products, like food and drink packaging and plastic bags, typically have a very short lifespan before inevitably ending up in the closest landfill. Studio Karyn Lim, a multidisciplinary design studio based in Singapore, set out to give them another chance. So Plast!c small tables and vessels gather the potential that plastic waste holds to create permanent pieces as an alternative, which can then be recycled again and again.

So Plast!c is currently on display at SaloneSatellite at Salone del Mobile 2023. The event, founded by Marva Griffin in 1998, is dedicated to designers under 35, with the aim of creating relationships between businesses and young designers as they prepare to enter the industry.

The overall design of the So Plast!c small tables follows the principles of geometry, asymmetry, and positive and negative elements of design, though the use of horizontal and vertical lines. Each table is made using HDPE (high-density polyethylene) from bottle caps and PP (polypropylene) from food and drink packaging. (Each one uses approximately 6kg of plastic waste, or 1200 bottle caps!) These recyclable plastics are collected, sorted, cleaned, and processed into a raw material used to produce eco-polymer sheets for new products.

Plastic bags have been banned in 99 countries, while others implement a per bag charge. There are also restrictions on state and city levels. Lim said, “It made me wonder why education about the urgency of reducing waste could not change user behavior, but adding a perceivable value on the product could.” So Plast!c sculptural vessels are handwoven using plastic bags in an effort to change the perception of these disposable items by making them more precious.

Used plastic bags are collected, cleaned, and converted into balls of ‘plarn’ – plastic yarn – which are crocheted in geometrical patterns to form the vessels. The finished form looks almost fragile in its skeletal-like shape, each unique from the others. Some carry color from commercial branding, while others are multicolor from the use of bags from more than one store.

Lim poses the question: “Should these vessels be considered disposable since they were made from disposable bags? Or are they precious since they have been manually made by a human into a sculpture – a supposed object of value?”

Karyn Lim Photo: Sayher Heffernan

So Plast!c will be on display at SaloneSatellite, April 18-23, 2023 9:30am-6:30pm at the Milan Fairgrounds, Rho. Entrance gates are Porta Est, Porta Sud, and Porta Ovest. To learn more about So Plast!c, visit karynlim.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.