IKEA Launches Second-Hand Furniture Marketplace in UK and Ireland
IKEA has introduced an online platform for pre-owned furniture and products in the UK and Ireland, offering items at approximately 60% less than new prices. This initiative aims to reduce waste, provide affordable alternatives, and allow access to discontinued designs, reflecting a growing consumer interest in second-hand goods and promoting a more sustainable approach to home furnishing.
Marmomac Highlights Innovative Stone Design and Traditional Craftsmanship
The 60th edition of Marmomac in Verona showcased cutting-edge approaches to natural stone, featuring experimental forms, digital design integration, and a tribute to traditional building methods from the Lessinia region. The event also highlighted marble's versatile use in interior design and public art installations across Verona, celebrating the enduring appeal and adaptability of stone.
Berlin's Find Attached Exhibition: Sustainable Design Solutions for a Resource-Limited World
Berlin's inaugural Find Attached exhibition showcased innovative designs from 14 emerging designers, focusing on sustainability and efficient resource utilization. Held during the city's new Currents festival, the exhibition featured a range of products, from a water-conserving folding sink to an electricity-free natural air conditioner. Founded by Jonas Paul Spieker, Mia Pahl, and Jul Gross, the show aimed to provide a platform for local young designers to address societal challenges through sustainable design.
The Belgian gallery, Objects with Narratives, has unveiled its latest exhibition titled "What Remains?" at PAD London. This marks the gallery's second participation in the prestigious design fair, held annually in Mayfair's Berkeley Square. The exhibition brings together a compelling array of textured pieces, unified by their organic shapes and patinated finishes, prompting contemplation on the longevity and inherent history of each item.
Central to the exhibition are the works of Belgian designer Ben Storms, known for his unique furniture that blurs the line between hard stone and soft forms. His latest creation, "Ex Hale," a coffee table resembling a cushion, is crafted from Mexican onyx with a mosaic veneer. Storms employed a hydroforming technique to sculpt the metal sheets into a cushion-like shape, which was then precisely milled from a stone block using a CNC machine. The gallery highlights how "Ex Hale" challenges conventional perceptions of material, making rigid stone appear yielding and delicate through meticulous surface treatment.
Another prominent display is Paul Cocksedge's "Critical Mass," a standing shelf made from Corten steel. This piece, composed of three metal components supporting three shelves, echoes Cocksedge's previous installation, "What Nelson Sees," which graced Trafalgar Square during the London Design Festival. Objects with Narratives describes the "Critical Mass" series as embodying a dynamic energy, suggesting a precarious balance on the brink of significant change or release.
The exhibition also showcases Sofie Middernacht's striking furniture, including a steel credenza, bench, and two stools, all clad in gleaming crimson resin. Middernacht's design philosophy centers on repurposing industrial materials to create pieces that evoke the aesthetic of archaeological artifacts. Furthermore, Venezuelan artist Jojo Corväiá contributes a trio of glazed vessels, meticulously crafted from volcanic clay, a material fundamental to his artistic practice. The diverse material palette extends to mohair and wool lamps by Belgian studio KRJST Studio, and patchwork copper lighting by Danish designer Karl Monies, adding rich layers of texture and form to the collection.
"What Remains?" invites visitors to ponder the intrinsic qualities that allow an object to transcend its moment of creation. The exhibition encourages reflection on whether material, craftsmanship, or an undefinable timelessness grants certain objects an enduring presence. Objects with Narratives, founded by Nik and Robbe Vandewyngaerde and Oskar Eryatmaz, opened its first permanent gallery in a historic Brussels atelier in 2023, underscoring its commitment to showcasing design with deep narratives. The exhibition will be open to the public until October 18th.