Furniture from New York

Last week I went to the Architectural Digest Home Design Show.  Some of the products on display were rather insipid, as with any trade show, but there were quite a few interesting things to see, as well.

In no particular order, I'd like to talk about some of the products/ designs that I really liked.

First is a company called Shimna (they also have a blog, by the way), on Lafayette here in NYC, right above Houston.

What drew me to their booth, really, was this coffee table, called "Susquehanna" (click on the pictures for larger views):

It's a nice simple table with a seat carved out of the top of it, but then it also opens up to provide storage space:

Giving it three different functions, which I really like: table, seat, and storage.  The hydraulic hardware was very smooth and solid, evidence of quality craftsmanship.

Here's another little end table called "Tidy Table":

Toward the back of the shallow "V," if you look closely, there's a wooden disc between the two panels where you can rest a drinking glass or a vase.  I guess that's what they mean by "tidy."

But I was also really impressed by their seating.  It's very clean, sharp, and minimalist, in a delightfully 1950s sort of way.  "Three Seat Beam Sofa":

I can't tell you how many sofas I've seen that would be so wonderful if not for some stupid, rinky-dink legs they slapped onto the bottom, or some ridiculous plastic casters, for that matter.

But they've rested this sleek, clean, almost delicate geometric sofa on top of heavy, rough, rustic wooden beams, creating an incredible contrast in textures.  Here's the Sectional:

I really like those lines.

©2008, Ryan Witte