Michael Dreeben is a furniture designer and sculptor in Chicago, Illinois. The teak coffee table showcases his ability as a master woodworker. This piece strikes me in two ways that create a contrast and at the same time draw me in to the beauty of the table. The top of the coffee table has strong influences from nature. The boards on top look as though they came off of the tree in their natural state and have been place here as a testament to their inherit beauty. The rest of the coffee table creates the contrast. It is perfectly constructed, arranged, and aligned into a planned project. The boards on the bottom are meticulously arranged so that there is no margin of error between them. The remaining frame as well is put together very carefully creating a perfectly balanced object. So at the top you have nature, and beneath you have planned construction and arrangement of shapes. Michael Dreeben's website: here.
Shape defines Zephyr's existence as it protrudes from the ground at a 45 degree angle. Challenging common furniture design techniques, J. Wade Beam creates a new look for the decorative Zephyr tables. Zephyr is made of stainless steel that is seamless showing no "weak spots" or seams. These tables can also come in a satin finish, acid washed gray, or custom opaque colors. Zephyr is available at Brueton.
Stainless steel is such a great medium for objects of design. In home décor, stainless is featured throughout the home. Though we most often associate it within the kitchen area, there are elements of it throughout the home. Take for instance this stainless steel coffee table. Called the Selina K, it features one piece of steel that has been shaped into a table. For me the shape of Selina K creates a design stir since it is not the typical "rectangular shaped" coffee table. The designer, Louis Lara, has shaped the piece into a flowing object bordering between art and furniture. The top features a grid that can also come with glass, stone, or wood. More information: here.
The use of plexiglass intriques me in furniture design due to its hardness over glass and its see-through abilities. Ilaria Marelli designed Segretto to be a bedside table with something extra. There is a secret drawer to "hide our dreams" as the designer describes. Segretto is made of plexiglass and plexicore. Measurements: 42 cm x 42 cm x 43 cm. More information: here.
Duane Modern has created the Vestry Side Table for followers of modern furniture whose tastes span back to mid-century roots. The varying levels, shapes, and elements of Vestry hearken back to original mid-century design. When I look at this piece I see so many elements all wrapped up into one small table. There is the open end on one side. The table legs criss-cross forming an interesting design pattern. There is a cut-out where the table leaf should be squared off on its end. There is an open area in the mid-shelf where the drawer area is not completed across the width of the table. If there is a piece where many elements are rolled into one, than this is it. Measurements: 18" x 28" x 25". Price: $2,800. Available: here.
