Iconic design.

Iconic design and its role in new design.

How many people are obsessed with home improvement, interior design or architectural TV shows and articles? (It can’t be just us!)

Watching these shows provides a little bit of escapism during these lockdown times, but the main thing that we get excited about is what iconic piece of furniture or design the architect or interior designer is going to choose to feature. And they never disappoint. Why? Because there are always key items and certain designers that withstand the test of time.

We have pulled out three of our favourite pieces and designers to share with you this month:

1. The Barcelona Chair: We absolutely love this chair, so much so that we have a couple in our head office reception. Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich in 1929, it is modernist in style and exudes simple elegance. It proves that less is certainly more.
2. Arco Lamp: Designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1962, this iconic arching floor lamp has been used as a key furniture piece within interior design ever since. With its marble base at over 50kg (the total weight is a whopping 65kg) and its main arch being designed by three main bent steel sections, it provided a revolutionary solution to repositioning furniture without being restricted by the ceiling chandelier. The lamp is two metres away from the table, ensuring it does not encroach on the family sitting down to dinner.
3. William Morris: A key figure in the arts and crafts movement, William Morris was born in 1834 in Walthamstow, London and championed the principle of handmade production. This was radical at the time, because industrial production prevailed in the Victorian era. He is known as the 19^th Century’s most celebrated designer with his beautiful, intricate patterns, now seen in textiles, carpets, prints, wallpapers, and many other household items all over the world. The V&A museum in London holds a sizeable collection of his work and also celebrates the designer through their own interiors.

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
– William Morris.