Design Calendar: Where to Go and What to See in May

Walk among giant sculptures, rediscover icons of design and explore cutting-edge furniture

Bryan Anthony April 30, 2016

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April showers bring May flowers — and the design world also is in full bloom. Whether you want to stroll among 30-foot-tall Pop Art sculptures in England, read the private letters of design’s wonder couple Charles and Ray Eames or take in the latest avant-garde furniture design in New York, there are plenty of events around the globe in May 2016 to pique your interest.

Kaws at Yorkshire Sculptural Park
What: Outdoor sculpture exhibit
Where: West Yorkshire, England
When: Through June 12
Cost: Free

There’s just about a month left to view the U.K.’s first exhibition of the Brooklyn, New York, artist Kaws. Walk through lush gardens as you encounter a series of 20 monumental and imposing sculptures in Kaws’ trademark style — nostalgic characters in the process of growing up. The sculptures are constructed of wood and fiberglass, and some are more than 30 feet tall. More info

The Bauhaus: It’s All Design
What: Architecture and design exhibit
Where: Bundeskunsthalle Museum in Bonn, Germany
When: Through Aug. 14
Cost: 10 euros (about $11.30)

The Bauhaus, a German art school that combined crafts and fine arts, operated only 14 years (1919-1933), but its impact is still felt in modern architecture and furniture design. The exhibit features many works created by students of the school and designers inspired by it, such as this desk made completely out of Legos. More info

Charles and Ray Eames
What: Furniture design exhibit
Where: Buildmuseet in Umeå, Sweden
When: Through Sept. 4
Cost: Free

Charles and Ray Eames are among the most influential designers of the 20th century. Together they moved fluidly among the fields of photography, film, architecture and furniture design. The exhibition includes furniture, products, models, multimedia installations and personal letters. Here is a picture of the pair lying under metal chair frames.

Charles Eames reads a newspaper while seated in an Eames lounge chair, one of the couple’s iconic designs. More info

Chihuly in the Garden
What: Garden art exhibit
Where: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta
When: April 30-Oct. 30
Cost: $21.95

Internationally acclaimed glass artist Dale Chihuly’s latest exhibition includes 20 installations set amid the garden’s natural beauty. Here, his Sapphire Star in a reflecting pond evokes a dandelion just waiting to be blown away. More info

Take a photo tour of this installation

BKLYN Designs
What: Furniture show
Where: Brooklyn, New York
When: May 6-8
Cost: Two-day pass $25 online, $30 at the door

BKLYN Designs — the younger, edgier sibling of New York’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair — happens a week before the city’s most famous furniture show. Now in its 16th year, the exhibit features original designs from Brooklyn artisans, such as this Fuzzy Captain chair by Evan Z. Crane. More info

International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF)
What: International furniture show
Where: New York City
When: May 14-17
Cost: $60

For its 28th annual gathering, ICFF continues to be the gold standard of furniture shows. With more than 750 exhibitors from all over the globe, it displays new ideas for furniture design around every corner. Among the examples is this killer collaboration between fabric artist Maki Yamamoto and furniture designer Megan Dougherty of Five Finger Furnishings, who teamed to create the Gendo collection, a line of furniture upholstered in couture fabrics. The Saidai sofa, above, features custom fabric treatments applied by hand. More info

Frank Lloyd Wright Trust

Wright Plus Housewalk
What: Architectural house walk
Where: Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois
When: May 21
Cost: $95 Frank Lloyd Wright Trust members, $110 nonmembers

This annual walking tour organized by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust gives participants a chance to go inside some of the great houses of the Prairie style, such as the Winslow House, above, completed in 1894. This home was one of Wright’s first independent commissions and was controversial at the time for its deviation from standard suburban home architecture. More info

More Design Events in May

Decorators’ Show House and Gardens
What: Showcase house
Where: Indianapolis
When: Through May 8
Cost: $20

Kips Bay Decorator Show House
What: Showcase house
Where: New York City
When: May 12 to June 9
Cost: $35

Modern House Day Tour and Symposium
What: Tours of 5 modern and contemporary homes, talks by architects, van transportation and a cocktail party.
Where: New Canaan, Connecticut
When: Saturday, May 14, 2016
Cost: $500 ($300 of which is a charitable donation to the New Canaan Historical Society).

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
What: After three years of expansion, SFMOMA is reopening its doors. With more than 145,000 square feet of gallery space, it’s now the largest museum dedicated to modern art in the United States.
Where: San Francisco
When: Opens May 14
Cost: Varies

2016 San Francisco Decorator Showcase
What: Showcase house
Where: San Francisco
When: Through May 30
Cost: $35