Tag Archives: Furniture

A New Poetic Role Of Technology In Our Homes

Digital Domestic Dialogues 

Digital Domestic Dialogues” stages a near future in which technology has acquired an emotional and sensitive intelligence: it is capable of exciting itself and others through everyday gestures as an analog and primordial archive of human communication, culture and social dynamics. 

Robots and users interact with a range of seemingly familiar objects through simple and natural gestures, triggering scenarios of everyday wonder. The collection, born out of a design exploration within the Habits Design Studio team, is a reflection on the poetic role of technology in the digital evolution of the domestic scenario.  Technical Partners: Laminam, Giovanardi 

COSMO 

“Cosmo” is a lamp born from the desire to infuse new life into the act of lighting; the idea is to return to the primordial concept of fire, which through propagating from one body to another expands the quantity and at the same time transfers the luminous qualities of the flame. 

“Cosmo” is able to learn the characteristics of the light source placed below it, detecting its intensity, color, movement, returning the effect to the environment and creating dynamic light scenarios.  

The user is called upon to create the desired atmosphere himself by experimenting with direct sources, such as a candle flame or telephone flashlight; or by showing the lamp a video of a sunset, or another special moment he can evoke a light scenario. Turning it on thus becomes once again an exciting moment of awe and wonder. 

The design of the lamp draws inspiration from scientific representations of black holes, the only phenomenon found in nature able to absorb light radiation. The captured light, is then returned to the environment dynamically and three-dimensionally by the spherical diffuser, allowing the creation of a 360° light scene, similar to HDRI images used in digital rendering software. 

“Cosmo” redefines the boundaries of properties normally attributed to lighting fixtures with its ability to learn, imitate and stage emotions through light. Project by Selma Antonellini, Habits Design 

RITO 

The coat rack, a familiar but often overlooked object, is the subject of this project, which offers a contemporary reinterpretation of it with the product “Rito”; no longer just a support point, but an active companion that enriches the daily routine and transforms the experience of entering the home. 

Thanks to artificial intelligence, “Rito” reacts to the presence of inhabitants, and recognizes when clothes and objects are hung or removed, interpreting the situation and animating the entrance area with dynamic projections on the wall. 

The name “Rito” stems from a reflection on the fact that moments of entry and return home, though fleeting and temporary, are precious fragments of our lives, each with its own unique meaning and value. While some may be more ordinary and repetitive, such as returning after a day’s work or a morning walk with the dog, others can be more special and emotional, like returning after a long journey. 

Regardless of the nature of the return, “Rito” aims to transform every entry and departure from home into a moment of warmth and hospitality. Its projections bring the wall to life, animating it with contextual content.  

Before leaving the dwelling, “Rito” transforms the wall into a dynamic and inspiring space, offering motivational content, helpful tips, and personalized reminders. Upon return, it welcomes with tailor-made evocative scenarios, reigniting the surrounding environment and making the return even more pleasant and familiar.  Project by Ilaria Tarozzi and Ilaria Vitali, Habits Design 

VISIONARIA 

VISIONARIA is a digital device that combines literary tradition with artificial intelligence, offering an innovative reading experience. Digital integration enhances the potential of printed material and opens up new imaginative horizons, transforming reading into a visual and artistic experience. 

By swiping across the lines of a page in a book, similarly to how we would underline a beloved or noteworthy phrase, VISIONARIA recognizes the text. The selected phrase is then instantly input as a prompt into a dedicated AI generator, aiming to create an image of the book scene that can be viewed in real-time. 

This mode of consumption, aided by the product’s pencil-like shape, introduces a new dimension to the reading experience, encouraging increased engagement that can be intimate and profound or shared on larger devices such as smartphones, TVs, and more, ensuring flexibility depending on the context – be it at home for relaxation and entertainment, in education, enhancing the consumption of educational content, or in public settings, stimulating imagination in artistic installations. 

With VISIONARIA, literature evolves and broadens the spectrum of an age-old activity through an extremely accessible mode, towards unexplored scenarios in the world of culture and entertainment. Project by Alberto Milano, Michele Poggi, Marco Rissetto, Habits Design 

1g1lm 

1g1lm represents the unusual marriage of two seemingly incompatible units of measurement: “g” for weight in grams and “lm” for luminous flux in lumens. This lamp was born from a simple but fascinating question, “What would be the effect if light had a tangible weight?” 

To visualize the weight, the lamp uses an elastic fabric on top. By placing an object on top of it, the fabric deforms, generating a unique and unrepeatable aesthetic because it is shaped directly by the weight, not predetermined by the designer. In addition, as the deformation increases, so does the intensity of light. Due to the light diffusion of the fabric, the light seems to take shape and weight. In the act of placing and taking objects, an impossible interaction with the very essence of light is realized, made solid and tangible for a moment. 

1g1lm writes a new equation between light and matter, giving birth to a new ritual rich in poetry and at the same time exploring new alternative scenarios: proposing, in contrast to the digitization of the real, to make, through technology, concrete experiences that were once ephemeral and intangible

Habits Design 

Habits is a multidisciplinary industrial design studio, founded in 2004 by Innocenzo Rifino and Diego Rossi in Milan. 
The work of the studio is focused on technological and interactive projects of international relevance, partnering with companies to design timeless products and experiences. 


The team is composed of industrial designers, electronic and mechanical engineers, model makers, interaction and visual designers, and interior designers with a global point of view.  Recognizing the unique Asian technological know-how, Habits started a branch in Bangkok in 2021.  With over 20 years of experience in a wide range of industries, today Habits mainly covers digital products, home appliances, automation, lighting, UX/UI, and phygital interfaces. 

The team awarded more than 180 international design prizes such as Red Dot, IF, Compasso d’Oro, Design Plus, Good Design, and German Design Award. 
“We study science and art. We design new habits. Prototyping our ideas, embedding electronics, we reduce the gap between physical and digital.” 

Laminam 

Pioneers since the beginning. 

Laminam was born in the early 2000s, following the invention of production technologies to create ultra- thin ceramic surfaces of large dimensions. A pioneering company, it was the first to revolutionize the ceramics market, giving new impetus to a mature sector, betting on the intuition of creating large architectural surfaces and launching innovative sizes and thicknesses on the market. Over the years, the company has developed a production process characterized by innovative methods and highly automated technologies typical of Industry 4.0 such as digital decoration systems, dry cutting systems and internal logistics managed by automatic laser-guided vehicles. These are methods and technologies that increase energy efficiency while reducing environmental impact. 

Today Laminam produces and offers a range of eclectic and versatile large ceramic surfaces used in many applications – from traditional and advanced architecture to furniture and design – distributed in over 100 countries worldwide. Over the years, the series have been enriched with new textures and finishes to enhance the creativity of designers, architects and anyone who wants to give a new connotation to their spaces. 

Giovanardi 

Giovanardi designs, industrializes and manufactures supports for in-store communication (displays, merchandising, shop windows, shop in shop, technical packaging) and for art.  

Giovanardi’s history began in 1919 as a manufacturer of plaques and dials: today Giovanardi SpA is an advanced, certified company, structured to process projects of increasing complexity, according to up-to-date technologies, with a network of accredited partners and an attentive, flexible, punctual client-service.  For 100 years it has been shaping ideas.  For the Silo, Elena Assante.

Outdoor Luxury Brazilian Furniture For Spring

CaraivaInspired by Caraiva, a charming Bahian village by the Brazilian sea

 Simplicity and rusticity converge at the Caraiva line. This line is composed of a recliner, a lounger, a bench, and an armchair. Simplicity and rusticity converge with the Caraiva line using variations of woven wood. The pieces have a wooden and aluminum structure with a rope finish and are meant to capture the feeling of ‘feet in the sand’ and the pleasure of enjoying the best of outdoor life. 

The Caraiva Line

DropInspired by the most important natural resource on the planet, water

 The Drop Line consists of a swing chair; and has rounded shapes complemented by modern patterns of nautical rope on the sides, base, and top. Different from the Caraiva line, the Drop line uses an aluminum structure along with an upholstered seat and back. The Drop line emphasizes comfort by utilizing upholstered cushions, while giving a sense of peace with inspiration from the sea.

The Drop Line

RoundProjects gain new possibilities with the Round line

The Round line consists of two dining table models: square and rectangular in two sizes. The top is made out of stone or wood and the base is covered in nautical rope. 

The Round Line

SaharaInspired by the dunes’ movements in the Sahara desert.

The product pieces have an elegant design with rounded corners and a feature that adds lightness for both indoor and outdoor areas. The Sahara line includes a sofa, a chair with backrest and back support, four main modules, two side modules, and a corner module.

The Sahara Line

ShellInspired by the design of the seashells

 The delicate design of seashells was the starting point for creating the rounded chair designs in nautical rope for this line. The pieces include an armchair, a loveseat, and a chair – all have an upholstered seat, rope finish, wooden legs, and an aluminum structure.

The Shell Line

SplitVersatility is the strong point of the Split line

The Split line consists of seven sophisticated yet versatile modules that allow the building of different composition designs in multiple varieties of styles and sizes.

The Split 

For the Silo, Claudia Safavi.

Embrace Your Inner Geek In Style

This post is dedicated to geeks who want to let their passions shine through their decor.

The graphic below gives cool examples of accessories that you can introduce into your home to give people an idea of the geekier side of your life. Some are subtle, like the equation bookshelf, while others are more in your face, such as the giant rubrics cube coffee tables. What all of these share is how they have incorporated elements considered to be ‘geeky’ into stylish decor. A personal favourite is the wall that has apparently been repaired by Lego bricks. We assume that this isn’t actually the case, but if we were buying a property with that in we’d certainly want a thorough survey done.

Whatever style of decoration you prefer, if you’re looking to add something a little fun and a tad geeky to your home then this piece will help give you some great ideas. Friends of the Silo, Terry’s Fabrics.

geekness-in-style

Get Your Home Ready For Playoff Season With Solid Wood Furniture

Whether you’re a hockey fan or a basketball fan – or even both – the luxuries that every sports aficionado desires to have in their living room are all the same. You want comfortable furniture, a large, high-definition television, good friends, and great snacks – including a refreshing beverage or two!

C:\Users\Morty Bliss\Dropbox\Dan\Woodcraft\Content\Linkbuilding\Edit\flat-screen-television-1201996.jpg

If you’re like most sports fans that appreciate the luxury of owning a fancy home theatre system so you and your friends can watch every game in style – not to mention the accuracy of high-definition picture and sound – then you’ve probably already invested a significant amount into your electronics. All too often, the living room setup boasts phenomenal devices on which to enjoy the game with very little else left in the room that is even remotely appealing.

Coffee Table

One of the most important parts of your living room is the place where you’re going to set all of your snacks. During play-off season, it isn’t uncommon that the coffee table becomes overflowing with delicious items. When this is the case, you no longer have room for your laptop or your feet. If you’re a sports fan that’s looking for a new coffee table, why not buy an item that can equal the impressive size of your television? 

If you’re interested in getting a coffee table upgrade but aren’t sure where to look, you can check out these gorgeous natural wood coffee tables for a few impressive options. 

Entertainment Unit

A quality built entertainment cabinet made of solid wood can really separate the men from the boys. A thrilling sporting event may cause you and your crew to occasionally act as rowdy as you did in college, but that doesn’t mean that you should furnish your home like you’re living on student loans. Watch the game like a gentleman and bring some class to your living room with a handcrafted solid wood entertainment unit. 

Buffet Table

Even the most impressive coffee table will occasionally overflow. If you want to build the ultimate game-viewing experience, include a piece of furniture that is wholly devoted to presenting your feast. This way, your coffee table won’t be cluttered and can be used as it was meant to be used. 

Custom Made Furniture

If you’re really interested in getting stylish, one of the best options you can invest in is to order your living room furniture to be custom made. With a custom made piece of furniture, you get an item that is absolutely unique. You’ll also be able to choose specific design choices, such as: 

  • Type of Stain
  • Variety of Wood
  • Live Edge Features
  • Texturing

The end result will provide you with an option that is perfectly suited to your personality and perfectly suited to your home. 

Play-off season may be just around the corner but after that it will be time to start watching a whole other league. You make good use of your living room, so why not invest in one you can be proud of – upgrade your furniture to handcrafted solid wood before the end of the season.

Featured image- Dundas Coffee Table by woodcraft.ca

Ultimate Recycling And Ultimate Decorating From Curbside Shopping

Decorating with a mix of new and found/retrieved objects image: shelterpop.com

Forty-three years ago, a couple of kids with no money stood in front of a minister and said, “I do.” We needed household furnishings to set up for our first apartment together. We only had one part-time job, no credit card, no line of credit, and no Mommy and Daddy bank. This forced us to be very resourceful. Think…..curbside shopping for example.

My wife and I came from accounting backgrounds.

The mind and the ways of the accountants are very different from that of our friends’ parents. Going to the store to purchase a Popsicle at the age of seven was different than other families. When I got home from the store, my Dad would ask “Where’s the receipt?” This was my conditioning; my way of life. Money was not to be wasted. When added to our poor economic conditions, we had to become very resourceful. Being in debt when we got married was not an option. Luckily the woman I married was also schooled in the same mantra of no debt.

As a city dweller, I had advantages.

Every garbage day homeowners could put out furniture, boxes of used dishes, and other unwanted items they didn’t use or need. I thought it was wasteful and unnecessary that these items went to the dump; a nicer term for landfill site. Our engagement turned out to be a year and a half long, so this gave us plenty of time to collect items for our first apartment. I called this CURBSIDE SHOPPING. My fiancée and I at the time did not have a car so we walked, rode our bicycles or took the bus. As we walked up and down the streets, my fiancée and I discussed our future together, buying house wares, and setting up a home together. On the occasion that we were lucky to have a ride, I always had my eyes peeled for “free bargains.”

I recall on one occasion when we would be traveling around town with our friends that had a car, I suddenly yelled out, “STOP!” There at the curbside was a solid side chair with a bag of garbage on the seat. “Back up,” I demanded. “What for?” said the driver. “I saw a chair,” I quickly replied.

“I’m not stopping for a dirty old chair.” was the reply.

“Then let me out,” I demanded. The driver backed up about three or four houses away. I got out and examined my new find. The chair looked much neglected and had a small slanted back with right and left arms that curved around to the front. The horizontal spindle of the right arm had broken off. The upholstery on the seat was ripped and of the dark brown type of material that feels like a hairbrush if you sit on it. I saw potential. I loaded it into our friend’s car and we sped off. My future in-laws basement had became our storage area #1 for our new found treasures.

Another time my fiancée and I were out on garbage night browsing, when I spotted a large wooden spool. This was the kind of spool that the hydro company had left behind when they were replacing overhead wiring. It was made of rough, hardwood, loaded with knots, but very solid. After using some of my father’s left over stain, and then a liquid varathane, the spool was transformed into a spectacular coffee table. Soon, the curbside treasures brought back to our #1 storage area, was starting to fill up. This prompted us to expand to storage area #2 in my parent’s basement.

Curbside finds bring many unlikely but useful items into your household.

I found a box of material that had upholstery weight and light textile weight fabrics as well as sewing notions. I had acquired an old bundle buggy for a carrier to transport my finds.

(You guessed it; it was free at the curb) When I got home and went through the box of materials, on the bottom were several women’s long evening gowns from many years gone by. In our first apartment, my wife and I used this flowing gown material as drapes. We had stylish and elegant green taffeta window coverings for one set of windows. Another long gown, we used the material to reupholster four dining room chairs in gold velvet. The last gown material of blue velvet was used for the chair which I had taken both arms off and reconditioned as a beautiful, armless side chair. The cost was zero.

If you can wrap a gift, then you can upholster a chair!

You get all kinds of “great stuff” at the curbside. I found out that what people throw out can be very unique and sometimes bizarre. On one of my free shopping trips, I found a box of new, sealed, unopened jars of poultry seasoning. 144 jars to exact. I scooped these jars up so that they could be used as “traders” in the future. My traders brought me a new blender.
As the storage areas #1 and #2 filled up, my fiancées parents wanted us to start our new life with a “new couch” for our first apartment. They gave us $200 cash which at the time was a lot of money and could purchase a very plush stylish piece of furniture.

We walked downtown with money in hand to pick up our first piece of new furniture together. We thought we were rich! Fortunately for us, and unfortunately for the parents, we passed a second-hand shop at the first intersection. I spied two blocks before we went in the store an old chair that had been put outside the store on the curb. Inside the store window was a very old loveseat (Queen Anne style I was told) with all 35 of the springs almost touching the floor. The store wanted $25.00 for the item. It was a real hardship for me to part with the money that we had in our hands, but we knew the loveseat could be transformed. We bought the loveseat, and also took the old chair at the curb. From the $200.00 cash, we had $175.00 left which we used to buy a new bed and box spring. The rest of the items in our apartment including lamps, tables, carpets, pots and pans, kitchen accessories, pictures, bedroom furniture, kitchen table and chairs, were all found free at the curbside.

Hats off to my wonderful father-in-law who many a time was called to bring his car to transport a second-hand loveseat and chair, or other curbside shopping items to our storage areas in our parent’s homes. This “father” never asked me for a receipt. For the Silo, Blair R. Yager

Supplemental- Garbagefinds.com

Once Devastated By Hurricane Irma Now Giving Back

What do you do when you end up losing everything in a natural disaster? You pick yourself up and really haul the proverbial ass on getting your ducks in a row. One never knows just how blessed you are until it’s all gone.

Just the simple thing of buying towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes and utensils (after losing everything) adds up to hundreds of dollars. But where do you turn when absolutely everything is gone and you spent your last dollar on a house but you literally have nothing to put in it? There are wonderful charities out there to help you get back on your feet such as the Furniture bank of Metro Atlanta. They helped our family with furniture when we lost everything in August of 2017 due to Hurricane Irma and had nothing but our new floor to lay on.

I wanted to give back and so I got an old piece of furniture to ‘redo’ for their February 22nd furniture gala which raises money for their worthwhile foundation. The old furniture I worked on was a 1910 hat rack which at the time of purchase was falling apart. I created two sculptural cathedral agates in paint and resin to go on either side of the turn of the century mirror. I then stripped, sanded, studded, wood burned, wood carved and added leather and succulent gardens at the bottom. After that, I create handmade conchos and metal stars to add a bit of southwest flare. Now the old hat rack is transformed into a southwest jewelry doorless armoire.

Painting the cathedral agates.

For a final touch, I stashed it full of handmade- one of a kind jewelry! In many ways, I feel like I have responded positively to such a tragic event. Remember when tragedy strikes, you have a choice on how you will react and move forward. Art is one of the best ways of digging yourself out of a void.

Here are a few photo’s of my work and if you enjoy it, please consider voting for me, Josette Redwolf, for peoples choice award by liking the photo on the furniture bank facebook page.

Josette Redwolf.

Largest And Most Trusted Digital Marketplace For Shipping Estate Sales

We’re  EBTH-  Everything But The House- the largest and most trusted digital marketplace for shipping estate sales, but we started small, in front yards and tag sales. Our founders,-Brian Graves and Jacquie Denny, met while working in the Cincinnati auction and antiques world. While they loved uncovering the potential of pieces waiting inside their clients’ homes, they couldn’t help feeling like the traditional estate sale formats made it difficult for families to earn fair market value for their belongings. Not to mention the fact that design lovers and deal-hunters were limited to shopping for home furnishings and decor in their areas alone.

EBTH founders, Brian and Jacquie.

They also realized they liked helping people and they liked working together and so naturally, EBTH was born, and its online auctions let fans from Ohio to Anchorage in on a well-kept secret: that there were thousands of one-of-a-kind treasures waiting in the America’s best homes and now, at their fingertips.

Eight years later, EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE  ( CEO Andy Nielsen , CBO Mandana Dayani  ) sells furniture, jewelry, art coins, cars, collectibles, and more in over 27 US cities and counting. We’re bigger, but no less committed to giving buyers access to incredible homes around the country, fueled by the sellers who inspire us every day. We feel lucky to be at the center of a community that celebrates the rare, historical, weird, and wonderful.

Supplemental- EBTH backgrounder via Fortune.com