Tastemakers

Tastemakers

Top Ideabooks

Appears in

Decorating Guides

See also

Books Designer Showcases

Accessories

Accessories

Top Ideabooks

Appears in

Decorating Guides

See also

Antiques Collections Rugs Window Treatments

Events

Events

Top Ideabooks

Appears in

Life → Travel by Design

Sneak Peek: 10 Visionary Designs That Could Be Coming Your Way

Trust the next generation of designers to think ahead — these promising products from the imm Cologne trade fair take innovation to heart

Holly Marder January 17, 2013

Click "Embed" to display an article on your own website or blog.

This year marks Koelnmesse's and the German Design Council's 10th [D³] Contest, one of the world’s most renowned competitions showcasing up-and-coming designers and their innovative products. Of more than 600 products submitted to the contest, just 21 prototypes were selected to be presented by their designers at imm Cologne, one of the biggest furniture, lighting and interior design trade shows in the world. Three of these innovative products won the prestigious Interior Innovation Award, and many others will be taken into production by well-known manufacturers. Meet a handful of the talented young designers at the fair, including this year's first-place winner.

by Holly Marder

L´Étagère en Bois, by Lucien Gumy, first-place winner

With a background in carpentry, designer Lucien Gumy says, “I always try to find not only simplicity in design, but also a new way of thinking.” Gumy designed this interlocking solid wood shelving unit so that it can be assembled without nails, bolts or screws. The prototype was created for the designer’s diploma project at Switzerland’s University of Art and Design, Lausanne.

by Holly Marder

“I played with horizontal and vertical assembly methods until I achieved a method that requires no screws or glue, and can be dismantled," says Gumy. "I took this process and repeated it at all the intersections.” The size of the unit can be adjusted by mixing elements of different lengths.

by tina-schmid.de

tina-schmid.de

Tilt, by Tina Schmid, second-place winner

Tina Schmid's prototype is about visual illusion, as the simple graphic becomes a three-dimensional object. What looks like a cube is multipurpose and can be folded out to become a clothing rack. The product is made up of a solid system of rods with jointed nodes that can be rotated as required. Schmid is a recent graduate of the industrial design program at the University of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt, Germany.

by dennisparren.nl

dennisparren.nl

CMYK Lamp, by Dennis Parren, third-place winner

Dennis Parren’s colorful lamp explores the mysteries of light and color. The lamp is made up of LED lights that cast an array of lines and shadows in cyan, magenta and yellow onto its surroundings.

by Holly Marder

Dear Disaster, by Jenny Ekdahl

Jenny Ekdahl’s Dear Disaster cabinet is inspired by the contradictory love-hate relationship that humans often have with Mother Nature and its sometimes terrifying yet wonderful events.

“My greatest source of inspiration has always been contradicting relations between technology and nature,” says Ekdahl, who graduated with a master's degree in fine arts from the School of Industrial Design at Sweden’s Lund University. “I’m intrigued by their transformations — natural behaviors transforming into mechanical functions or dreams transforming into reality,” she says.

The cabinet design represents water and earth, contrasting elements symbolic of nature itself.

by Holly Marder

Ekdahl wanted to translate natural attributes through pattern and structure into a piece of furniture that touches humans on an emotional level. Small, curved wooden chips all over the surface of the cabinet can be moved, creating a soothing and intriguing wave of motion.

“My interpretations of natural disasters are used as a metaphor to describe the importance of emotional and poetic experiences in design for today and for the future," says Ekdahl.

by Holly Marder

Beames Chair, by Eric Chang and Johnny Hu

Taiwanese design duo Eric Chang and Johnny Hu are the masterminds behind the innovative Beams Chair. Inspired by the H-beam structure of San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge, the pair crafted this lightweight structure using two types of wood (plywood and multiplex) to ensure a stable design. Weighing just 3 kilograms, it's a stylish, modern seating option.

by Holly Marder

Chang and Hu have known each other for 10 years and both graduated from the Weissensee School of Art in Berlin this summer. Together they plan to develop their E & J Design Studio in Berlin.

by Holly Marder

Pilu, by Leoni Werle

This contemporary desk and floor lamp is by Leoni Werle, a graduate of the University of Applied Sciences in Aachen, Germany. This prototype is made up of a solid oak base with an aluminum shade. The sturdy design of the base and the use of a one-directional hinge allow a seesaw-like, smooth movement between two positions.

by Holly Marder

The starting point for the Pilu was Werle's own search for the perfect adjustable desk lamp. “I found that the designs I had seen looked rather unattractive, with visible wires and joints," she says. "I wanted to create a lamp that was adjustable, but a practical and attractive lamp that will provide an indirect light source."

by Holly Marder

Fanions, by Linn Kandel, Dimitri Bahler and Ismael Studer

Developed by design trio BKS, this striking collection of three rugs is fuss free and plays with the optical illusion of the traditional rug fringe. They're made of pure wool felt, a comfortable and durable material that lends itself well to their graphic aesthetic.

by Holly Marder

BKS comprises three independent industrial and product designers: Dimitri Bähler (shown), Linn Kandel and Ismaël Studer. The trio graduated from ECAL, the University of Art and Design in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2010. As a collective design firm, they work in Neuchâtel, Switzerland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Paris.

by Holly Marder

Invader, by Maria Bruun

Danish designer Maria Bruun, a graduate of the Danish School of Design, created this long-legged storage unit with a clean and simple aesthetic. The stackable storage modules vary in size and function to enable the user to customize the display and storage.

The idea for Invader developed out of Bruun's interest in individual ways that bring about the feeling of home. “I realized that 'home' is made up of the things that people own: their pictures, books and souvenirs,” Bruun says. “I discovered that through these collected items, people tell stories about their past, their present and their dreams for the future.”

The modular system is composed of flexible elements of maple and steel. “People's needs are continually changing, so the unit was designed to be flexible enough to grow with the individual, with stackable elements that fit into one another and can be added upon as needed,” says Bruun.

by Holly Marder

Shingle Shelves, by Hanna Krüger

Inspired by the shingles of a roof, Hanna Krüger’s wooden unit is composed of layered shelves with raw leather shingle-shaped sliding doors. By opening one, you close another. “I wanted to design a shelf with sliding doors that can layer above each other like the shingles of a roof," says Krüger. "[I wanted it] to have open and closed spaces at the same time.” The doors are crafted from leather that will darken with exposure to light over time; the rest of the structure is made of crude maple.

The young designer trained as a cabinetmaker and studied product design at the Kunsthochschule Kassel in Germany.

by Holly Marder

The Royal Family, by Ellen Heilmann

Ellen Heilmann’s design is a collection of three American nutwood stools, each topped with a cushion upholstered in emerald-green cotton. Together they form a modular system; each part can be used separately as seating or as a table. The collection has a uniform aesthetic, while each piece has its own individuality, much like a family.

Heilmann is graduated from the product design program at Germany’s Offenbach Academy of Art and Design.

Did you attend IMM Cologne this year? Please share your photos below.

Sponsored

Dream Baths by Kitchen Kraft

Your Custom Bath Designers & Remodelers in Columbus I 10X Best Houzz

Dream Baths is a complete design-build-remodel firm located in the Historical German Village area of downtown... Read More

Sponsored

Katharina, Machine Made Area Rug, Blue, 5

Katharina, Machine Made Area Rug, Blue, 5'x7'5"

$127

Admiral

Admiral's Brass Sundial Compass 4'', Brass Compass, Unique Nautical Gift, Br

$30

Traditional Black Polystone Sculpture 58314

Traditional Black Polystone Sculpture 58314

$57

Contemporary Red Polystone Sculpture 50106

Contemporary Red Polystone Sculpture 50106

$73

nuLOOM Vintage Odell Traditional Transitional Area Rug, Ivory, 6

nuLOOM Vintage Odell Traditional Transitional Area Rug, Ivory, 6'7"x9'

$169

Mist Floral Vintage Rug, Aqua, 9

Mist Floral Vintage Rug, Aqua, 9'x12'

$273

Sponsored

Urban Upkeep LLC

Franklin County's High Quality Painting Expert

At Urban Upkeep, we will work with you on design, pricing & scheduling for your project. We are interested in... Read More

Sponsored

Comments (13)

See 10 more comments

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

lffisher

My dad built an etagere EXACTLY like the winning design about 25 years ago. No nails, screws, or glue. It has stood the test of time all these years. He was even able to open up the center of it in order to accommodate a large 35" 75lb TV.

4 Likes January 22, 2013 at 7:28AM

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

celtickathy

My dear husband of 42 years, so far, built exactly these shelves for our first home in 1973. They too were very easy to disassemble and were moved to our second home and the first apartment of our son. Great ideas never fade, they are ever around us.

1 Like February 4, 2013 at 7:18AM

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

Amy Shimm

I think the felt rugs are stunning. They don't yell, but whisper as they sit on the floor, adding beauty and warmth to any room (and cold toes are grateful too!) I also appreciate the tilting lamp for the simplicity in use. It's so cleanly designed too. The Dear Disaster cabinets look beautifully made and would be a constant reminder to me of shade, shadow, texture and form. Sometimes I'm sure everything would line up, others I'd make quite random forms, all according to my mood. Congrats to all who were mentioned!

1 Like March 10, 2013 at 8:50AM

Related Stories

Books John McClain Dishes on Design, Inspiration and His New Book

By Suzanne Ennis

The designer and author of ‘The Designer Within’ shares what he thinks homeowners should know when planning a redesign

Full Story

Decorating Guides What Is Millennial Style, and Why Will It Be Trendy?

By Bea González

Vintage items, wallpaper, recycled wood. Young people prefer decor that’s affordable, cheerful and sustainable

Full Story

Events Top Trends From Fall’s European Design Fairs

By Julia Bolotina

As design trade shows return in person, we look at some of the biggest trends coming out of Europe right now

Full Story

Events A Shift From Sustainability to Desirable Development

By Elen Pouhaer

Trend forecaster Vincent Grégoire discusses why desire and the senses will be central to consumption in the future

Full Story

Events Top Trends From London’s Decorex Design Fair 2021

By Amanda Pollard

Designers served up tactile, colorful products while staying focused on nature and sustainability

Full Story

Events 7 Trends From the 2021 London Design Festival

By Amanda Pollard

This year’s design event focused on creations that nurture us and the planet

Full Story

Events Comfortable Classics and Sustainability at Danish Design Show

By Kasper Iversen

Optimism filled the air at Copenhagen’s 3 Days of Design 2021 as iconic brands looked to a post-pandemic future

Full Story

Events Big Trends From the 2021 Maison & Objet Fair

By Claire Tardy

The recent Paris trade event highlighted home and decor trends coming out of the pandemic

Full Story

Events 8 Design Trends From the Milan Furniture Fair

By Antonia Solari

Sustainability, bold color and lightness were among the trends seen in new products at the iconic design trade show

Full Story

World of Design 9 Trends That Could Change How We Live at Home

By Antonia Solari

The pandemic has spurred a desire for more privacy, creative areas, multigenerational spaces and contact with nature

Full Story