At NYCxDesign and ICFF, the emphasis may be on furniture, lighting and wall coverings, but these smaller pieces – by Alessi, Finell, Umbra and more – pack a punch.
1 Sod by Finell
This new company out of Texas is run by Rebecca Finell, who designs all of its striking table top accessories, including geometric placemats and elastic-matrix dish trays. Sod, a dish drying rack making its ICFF debut, feels as fresh as dew-covered grass.
2 Pleated Planter and Spoon Clock by Umbra Shift
A definite highlight at ICFF, the Umbra Shift line brings together small items by a number of young designers. The Pleated Planter, part of a collection that includes a vase and dish, is designed by Toronto’s MSDS to support a plant through its stages of growth. Incorporating a self-watering wick, it’s made in earthenware. Spoon Clock, by Albert Lee, is a desktop accessory that merges a clock and a mirror, and sits playfully in a cup.
3 CC41 Jug and Fly Press by Tools for Everyday Life
These pieces, by Danny Duquemin-Sheil and Trevor Duncan, respectively, reimagine everyday tools in clever new ways. They are presented by the design department of Northumbria University, in the U.K., which helps post graduate designers in residence bring their ideas to fruition.
4 Concrete bowls for Alessi
Luca Galbusera’s beautiful vessels, a competition winner presented by Alessi Research Lab at WantedDesign, look like brightly woven baskets from afar. In fact, they are made of concrete, and were created in collaboration with Italcementi. The name of the bowl prototype – Homage to the Artisan – is very apt.
