Grassworks by Jair Straschnow is a range of product created from bamboo laminate.

Israeli born Straschnow, moved to Holland in 1999 to undertake a post-graduate course at the Applied Arts Department of the Sandberg Institute. Following his graduation he established himself as  a professional designer based in Amsterdam who specialises in public installations as well as series’ of furniture pieces.

Originally displayed at the Aram Gallery in Drury Lane, London – as with Extrusions as part of  the London Design festival – Grassworks is a series of production ready prototypes.
And so again as with Thomas Heatherwicks Extrusion, is a sort of  “work in progress”
(Which does of course raise the question if displaying prototypes at the London Design Festival is not in fact the best way to guarantee a nomination for the Brit Insurance Design Award )

Including, amongst other items, a picnic table and bench and a convertible easy/dining chair, Grassworks is designed to be as simple, space-saving and sustainable as possible.

For all the decision to use bamboo was made “…mainly because it is a truly green material“: As a fast growing grass, bamboo stocks can be quickly replenished without casing any impact on the local environment.

But is perhaps the simplicity of the design that really distinguishes the Grassworks range from other products. Using variations of the traditional dovetail joint,  the individual Grassworks elements simply slot together without the need for permanent fixings. Which of course means that they can also be just as easily taken apart again.

We particularly like the Eames-esque easy chair – not least because it flips over to form two different shaped chairs – and the extending trestle table. Both have a lovely flowing, natural form… which we like.
And we think the judges will also approve of both the mix of materials and traditional techniques in a wonderfully fresh collection.

Grassworks by Jair Straschnow

Chances of winning the 2010 Brit Insurance Design Award: very good

Grassworks by Jair Straschnow: Easy Chair

Grassworks by Jair Straschnow: Trestle Table

Grassworks by Jair Straschnow: Bookshelves

Learn the pros and cons of  contemporary desks for your office.

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Here are the following styles and features of files furniture. Great for your office furniture!

Pedestal File

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We are proud of our 82 year old history as an office supply company.  Now is probably a good time to let you know something about the parent company, Haskell New York Inc.   OfficialSpin has a nice write up about us.

Without doubt the ugliest and least aesthetic nomination, Extrusions by  Thomas Heatherwick Studio should,  in our opinion, be considered more a “work in progress” than an actual product in its own right.

Born in London, Thomas Heatherwick studied at Manchester Polytechnic and the Royal College of Art in London before establishing his own studio in 1994. Based in Kings Cross, London Heatherwick Studio is a conglomeration of architects, designers and engineers who have worked on a range of architecture and public art projects.  Many of Heatherwick’s architectural works focus on finding new solutions to problems and experimenting with materials.

As wonderfully demonstrated by Extrusions.

Premiered at the Haunch of Venison Gallery during 2009 London Design Festival, Extrusions is the worlds first single component metal furniture piece extruded by machine.

Extrusion is, basically, forcing material through a pre-formed cross section “die” – think of it as a mould through which the raw material is pushed, and you won’t be that far away.

Macaroni, for example,  is produced by extrusion.

Heatherwick’s benches were, however, produced on the worlds largest extrusion machine – a machine normally used for producing components for aircraft – and represent the first prototypes of a 100m long bench that should be finished in the course of 201o.
And they look like it. A sort of Ron Arard meets Frank Gehry meets a case of very agreeable  St Emillion.

But that is not the point.

The point is that metal extrusion offers a new method for furniture production; and for all furniture production wth materials that would normally be too brittle to work.

And that is the strength of the project. It pushes the borders of what is possible and forces new ways of considering how one constructs furniture

In years to come the first benches will be worth more money than an average aluminium miner earns in a lifetime; but they may just be the first step to developing furniture that he can afford.

Extrusions, Thomas Heatherwick Studio

Chances of winning the 2010 Brit Insurance Design Award: very good

Thomas Heatherwick Studio Extrusions

Several Extrusion examples from Thomas Heatherwick Studio

Get to know more about the pros and cons of traditional desks for your office.

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Today, US Markerboard publicized their new plan to implement a white glove installation program to all 50 states and Canada. The purpose of this service is to provide their customers with the opportunity to have a professional installer handle all aspects of the installation process for products purchased off the site (www.usmarkerboard.com).

Scott Newman, President and CEO of US Markerboard, is very excited about the new addition to his company, “the ability to offer a service of this magnitude, that will make my customers’ experience easier, is something I’m very excited about and proud to offer.”

US Markerboard now boasts a network of over 8,000 professional carpenters and installers who are able to accommodate just about anyone, anywhere, with their newly purchased items. In this day and age, it’s rare to find an online business that offer such an extension of service. Most Internet companies are generally a “drop ship” business that offer a place to buy a product, but don’t expand much further than that. In a world of independent contractors, the average individual often struggles to find the right guy for the job; the US Markerboard installation plan now offers to take all the guess-work out of it, and personally attribute an installer to you based on your order, and location. The installation service requires no size limitations, and all products sold on www.usmarkerboard.com that require any bit of assembly are eligible!

Newman feels this is a huge perk for businesses or schools who buy their products online with US Markerboard, “Right now unfortunately, schools and businesses have had to downsize, and many just don’t have the staff available to handle the installation required.  Our new installation program allows these businesses to get their products up and working without the need of a large staff, which is a huge help.”

The installation service is the most recent of US Markerboard’s campaign to strive to surpass the customer’s expectations, something that has garnered the online company an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau 3 years running.

For more information about the service, feel free to visit the site (www.usmarkerboard.com) and click the “Installation Services” page.

Choosing the right piece of office furniture is an important task, especially when if it is the desk that you will be spending hours at. Some people choose style of substance when they are searching for furniture, but that can not be done with desks. High quality office furniture, especially desks will last for the life of the company, while a low quality office desk may become trash within a few years.

Most office furniture and desks tend to be made out of metal or wood. Wood is the most typical choice because it is attractive, versatile and outlasts most other materials. Damaged wood can also be easily sanded and refinished, so your desk can always look brand new. you can keep wood clean and polished with oil soap and lemon oil extends the life of any piece of wood office furniture.

Laminated desks are a more affordable alternative to whole wood desks. Laminate requires low maintenance and high quality laminate is resistant to many daily abuses. A laminate style desk has a thin piece of plastic called a laminate affixed to the top of a wood desk, which gives it a pure wood, glossy look. Laminate can be in many different style and color options. Metal desk are primarily chosen for their simplicity, durability and strength.

Checking for quality is the next step. High quality office furniture desks will have a strong and dependable suspension system that keeps the drawers in place. This suspension system should let the drawers slide repeatedly with ease and not pull off the track or come out of the pocket too easily. Opening and closing the drawers to see how they do after a few times is a good idea. Checking to see if the drawer bottoms are solid wood or thin pieces of wood veneer, plywood or melamine glued or staples together should also be done. There is nothing wrong with the drawer not being solid wood, but smart to understand what you are buying.

If you are looking at metal desks, find out the gauge of the steel that they are made of to give you a look into how high of a quality it is. The higher the gauge of steel and the heavier the desk is to lift. This also demonstrates the desk’s construction and quality.

Office furniture desks often set the mood in an office, as well as the distinction of the whole area. Searching for the right office desk that is durable, attractive, and functional can take some time, but it will be worth every second.

Office Furniture

used office furniture

used office furniture

There is always one thing that makes a room what it is, whether at home or at the office. If you are looking to remodel an office, then office furniture desks will be the determining factor.

Office Furniture: office furniture

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If you are serious about getting your home office set up then you will certainly be shopping around for some home office furniture to turn your design into a reality.

The most important piece of home office furniture you will ever buy is your computer desk. This is the centerpiece of your office and will certainly be the hub of your home business.

As you start shopping for your home office furniture be sure to keep a few things in mind to make sure you get the right furniture for your needs. The first thing you need to think about is your office space.

Are you the type of person that already has their dream office already planned out? You may have already envisioned your desk, chair, cabinets, table and even a nice couch or sitting area for your clients to relax. However, you need to consider if you can really fit all the office furniture you want to get.

For example, if you are short on space you wont want to buy a desk that is too big and bulky. On the other hand, you don’t want one that is so tiny you have no space to work.

Also remember, that you wont just have a desk in your office. There are other types of home office furniture that you will probably want to include to help your home business run smoothly. Some of these would be a comfortable chair to go with your desk, you will be sitting in this for many many hours so you will want to make sure you like it. Also, a filing cabinet and storage shelves to hold all your supplies.

Unless money is of no object, you will probably not be buying all of your home office furniture at once. So make sure you use this to your advantage by finding the best possible deals both online and at your local stores.

I must say, being able to shop around online has huge advantages because you can check dozens of stores in the time it would take you to visit one. Plus, it saves you all the gas money it would take to drive around.

Don’t feel overwhelmed, if money is really tight you can always pick up a temporary desk by using a folding table and a decent computer chair. Then you can upgrade as your business starts to make a profit. There have been quite a few million dollar companies that started on nothing more than a card table in the living room.

Office Furniture

office furniture

office furniture

Make sure to visit Home Office Design for creative Home Office Ideas and tips for Home Office Organization. Your office will never be the same again.

Office Furniture: cubicles

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The notion of office planning is a relatively new one. Since the beginning of “the working day” and “the office”, little attention has been focused on the way an workplace was designed. If any layout was considered, it was usually restricted to the aesthetic appeal of an work space and this has, sadly, remained the usual assumption when someone thinks of an office refurbishment. Whilst visual aesthetics remain a vital part of office planning, modern businesses now see office design embodying the much broader concept of space management. Modern office design not only creates a visually beautiful interior, it also aims to create an efficient and useable working space.

Office design is integral for a plethora of reasons, for both staff and the company as a whole. For the company, modern office design provides the chance to create a place of business that shows a strong corporate identity. It is here that visual aesthetics reach their most vital function as they serve to demonstrate to a visiting customer about the business, what it values, what its priorities are and how it perceives itself. First impressions matter and the visual appeal of the area that clients see first is especially vital.

For staff, too, practical office refurbishment is exceedingly important. Visually, a well-planned workplace will raise employees morale. An office should be an inspirational place to work and not just a “working space”. Just as for clients, usingoffice design to brand a space with a strong corporate identity can encourage a positive work culture and encourage staff to work in a way appropriate to the values of the business.

Exceptional office design also has a more practical function as it takes into account how an office space will work and applies that knowledge to create a practical and useful space. It should also include elements that will work to support staff with particular needs, such as workers with disabilities. In this regard, office design works in conjunction with workplace health and safety in order to build a cohesive, practical and pleasing environment for all staff.

It is necessary to realize that office refurbishment is an ongoing practicality, rather than a one-off design event. The office design must keep up to the demands natural in a working space, where how an office is utilized is continuously evolving. New workplace and safety laws must also be considered. Finally, the changing nature of a company’s logo and corporate identity is another reason why it’s important to keep office design modern.

There are two options when considering office design software: whether it will be a new fit-out or whether it will be an office refurbishment. A new fit-out should be evaluated for existing premises, as well as new ones, as it lets a corporation the unique ability to create a one-off plan that works in perfect harmony with a corporation’s workplace requirements. The other option is an office refurbishment, which is an good option if the basic structure of the workplace is still appropriate for workers requirements and gives the opportunity to update and modernize economically.

There are various aspects to think about in office design software. Priority should be given to thinking about how a office will be used. What are the traffic flows in the workplace? Where should meeting rooms be located? What are the personal requirements of workers who may have disabilities? All of these questions must be factored in by the office design if a office is to work practically. Additionally, consideration should be given to the storage requirements of an workplace, what equipment will be used and where it should be placed, where the power and data points are (or should be), what kind of light sources are in the workplace and where they are coming from and any sound or sound-proofing requirements. Visually, consideration should be given to color schemes, brands and finishes that work together to build a professional effect that strengthens the corporate brand and identity.

When contemplating how to create and execute your office refurbishment, a business can hire a professional design corporation. There are many companies that specialize in corporate design and a business can employ this specialist knowledge to create a bespoke plan with a minimum of fuss. An alternative option is to use office design software. This is an option that has only become available to the general public relatively recently. It has the potential to let a corporation to economically redesign or refurbish their working place. Whichever option is chosen, however, it should be the option that will meet a company’s design ideas within budget.

Office Furniture

computer desks

computer desks

The writers information visit: Bob Johnson has many years property management skills. For office design for more information visit on office interiors

Office Furniture: used office furniture houston

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Used office furniture can be found almost anywhere these days. You might find what you are looking for by using the search engines. We’ll discuss some different types of furniture below, but two search terms to keep in mind are “Buy Office Furniture” and “Buy Used Cubicles”.

Twist FLOP TABLE. Whether you pick Basic Mica Business’s Twist Flop Table (right and above) in a three~-centimeter square dimension or in the bigger 36- or 42-centimeter renditions, at the flip of a wrist you could have a surface precisely triple the magnitude of the primordial anytime Professional Henry Kotzian built this uncommon circular extension table. While the 8 pie-conditioned zones are moved aside (they are affixed to a track, so a tiny turn of the table splits apart them), 8 arrow-conditioned leaves might be injected to triple seating from 6 to 12.

Accessible from Furnishings of the Twentieth Century and Bieffe U.S.A. it could be requested with its own piling cart (on casters, obviously) so that a nearly infinite number might be stored while not in use. Laid out by Norman Cherner, the Ion armchair has thin, rectangular wooden legs which bend into twirled corners at the arms.

The workstation top is a spacious 381 centimeters wide by 23 large enough to keep few schoolbooks and a note pad and still leave room for teen elbows. Modular steel-mesh baskets coated with off-white or brown rubber cement offer lots of storage choices.

Made of the polypropylene resins that Allibert uses for most of its outdoor decorations, the Dalgoria armchair is molded to fit the body’s organic contours. So even if you don’t add the discretionary seat cushion, you’ll have a chair that can aid you in soothe for hours.

Since it modifies effortlessly to some seat elevation from 17112 up to 29 centimeters (no instruments demanded), it could serve comparably well as a high stool at a galley counter or as additional seating at the breakfast table. Made of organic or smeared beech with black or crimson metal aid, it folds compactly for simple storage. Professional Torstein Nilsen has contained a discretionary bracket so that it could be hung from the fence or in a pantry while not required.

No matter the color amalgamation you pick, the Ibex can grant additional seating without taking up a lot of room; the chair measures only twenty centimeters in diameter by 19112 centimeters thorough and stands a mere 30 centimeters tall. Arconas constructs this steel-framed side chair under permit from Hille Global. JOINT. If you’re a fan of new fashioning, you’ll positively desire to ponder this sleek piling chair from Interna Plans.

Some chaise lounge is a welcoming place to recline at the end of a long night. Milo Baughman’s upholstered chaise offers that soothe and more: it additionally conceals a full triple bed.

The sinuous lines of this sleek wood monitor are configured of laminated ash; matt paper injects between the boards give it flexibility. Built by Charles James in 1946, the classic layout is accessible from 5-Nil, which practices in mid-century decorations and decorative crafts. Where to Hang It While the pantries are stuffed to exploding even albeit you’ve assembled them to a fare-thee-well, why not hang additional attire in basic view?

Once you have exhausted a excellent deal of attempt adorning those 2 spaces, why ruin the overall consequence with sick-laid out, cheaply made accompaniments bought from the nearest rebate store? Particularly while there are appealing choices obtainable options which take into account both excellent looks and utility. As long as lavatories and galleys are commonly amid the tiniest regions in some home or condo, space is a vital understanding.

Office furniture really does come in all shapes and sizes. Everything starts with a good search term like “Used Office Furniture File Cabinets”. Your timing could not be better as the deals are everywhere.

Office Furniture

used office furniture

used office furniture

Whether it’s an elderly or uncontaminated furnishings, you keep to measure the dimension before moving it. Office Furniture Phoenix plywood is hefty and defies bulging, shriveling and warping. Fragment board: sawdust and tiny wood chips are mixed with cement or resin which is then conditioned and pressure handled.

Office Furniture: office furniture

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One of the best ways to put your own style stamp on your world is through personalization. Many people overlook how easy this is to do.

Everyday objects can be made personal with not a lot of effort or a lot of money. Everyone wants a taste of luxury in life, and personalizing objects in your home, office, or elsewhere is one way to achieve luxury. The following is a list of the top 5 ways to incorporate the luxury of monogramming into your life for a touch of added luxury.

#1-Monogrammed Bedding Why should you settle for bland and boring bed linens when you can add flair and style with monogrammed initials? You do not have to stop with initials you can monogram your bedding with images or even a special message. These are small details that make your linens have a distinctive difference that you will appreciate.

The pillowcases on your bed will forever stand out with monogramming. You have the option of choosing the colors you would like the thread to be, and the script of the lettering. You can choose something modern, classic, ornate, or understated. And don’t worry about matching because most companies will try and match your color scheme with precision.

#2: Personalized M&Ms for Your Home or Business Candy really is a sweet way to say welcome to any guest, visitor, or client. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, then getting Personalized M&Ms for your home or business is the way to go. You can have personal message inscribed on them and also have them dipped in the color scheme that you most desire.

Moreover, monogramming or personalized your m&ms with a picture of yourself is something new and exciting that you can do. If you own a business, you may think about adding you logo, company slogan, or contact information onto your m&ms.

#3-Have your Towels Monogrammed A bath takes on a new air of sophistication and elegance when you select monogrammed towels. Anyone can have solid white bath towels arranged on the towel rack. However, your monogrammed towels are a personal touch that boosts the “Wow” factor of the most often used room in your home.

#4: A Personalized License Plate Now this option may not necessarily make you feel like a king or queen, but it can be fun to do. Have your license plate customized with a special message instead of the usual 6 or 7 letter identification number that is random and not special. While it is not recommended that you put anything too personal on your license plate, you should definitely make a statement.

#5- Get Specialty Water Bottles with your Name on Them With so many people interested in health and fitness water bottles have practically become a necessary accessory. Their popularity means that your mass-produced bottle can be lost among the crowd of identical models. You can make sure that you can identify those that belong to you if you get specialty water bottles that have your name emblazoned on the front. A monogram is an easy way for you to save money and time because you can always spot your personal belongings, even if they are jumbled up with dozens of other “look alike” products.

Office Furniture

cubicles office

cubicles office

Sheila Dollarsby has not only gotten her bedding monogrammed, she has also put Personalized M&M’s in her candy dishes at work and at home. At home they read simple “SD”, but at work her Personalized M&M’s say Sheila Dollarsby and have her contact information on the back.

Office Furniture: office cubicles

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Every office, be it on a small-scale or a large organization requires equipments and furniture, for the employees of the office, and to make it look presentable.

It’s affordable and helps in saving a lot of money. The important thing is to find good quality used furniture that is affordable. The used office furniture sells like hot cakes and if you want to get the best pieces then purchases it early.

But sometimes, with the doom of an office, or the transfer of the location, this furniture may not necessarily be carried with it. So, what happens to this furniture then?

This furniture which comprises of office cubicles, desks, chairs, tables, is then sold to the retailers who resell it. In fact, it is a great concept, which is environment-friendly. It saves money and environment. It is great for small-time entrepreneurs, who are just starting out at their business. So, how does one decide how to purchase it?

Purchasing used office furniture is not easy as it sounds. In fact, it is quite a task. If one is establishing a private, small-time firm, then the used office furniture would be a quite reasonable deal.

The main challenge a person faces, while purchasing used furniture is finding the right piece. It is very difficult to find the appropriate size, quantity and the color that suits your needs.

While purchasing used office furniture, one must keep in mind that our personal tastes and likes would match the already available furniture.

This actually will offer you lots of leverage when you try to get office furniture for a better price. EBay is one of the best tools to determine how much the price of used office furniture is. It normally offers you a perfect idea on how much you can spend on excellent quality used office furniture.

Used office furniture must also be comfortable enough, not a tad more, not a tad less. This furniture should be able to sustain the employees? comfort levels but shouldn?t be too cozy; otherwise it can lead to less productivity.

Furniture dealers will help you to locate all the used office furniture outlets in your city. You should be able to manage your logistics. Make sure to monitor the shipping and the installation of the furniture.

If one has staff, then one should purchase the used office furniture, which suits all their needs and not wants. Used office chairs should be ergonomically appropriate. They should support the posture of the employee, and should not be limp. The desks and cupboards should be appealing, spacious, and well presentable. Style and cost are to be considered when one purchases used office furniture.

Office Furniture

cubicles office

cubicles office

There are lots of whole sale used office furniture stores right at your fingertips. Cubicles Denver These items can likely be found at a local used office furniture store as well. Because anybody who is using those furniture will be using it for many hours a day.

Office Furniture: office furniture

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The French.

Stubborn.

Têtu.

Very few other nations are so fixated with their language as the French.
And while you have to admire the passion for the cultural heritage; it doesn’t exactly help commerce.

And so while @designmilk highlighted Arnaud Lapierre’s absolutely delightful Accueil Lamp.

We can’t expand because a) Arnaud’s website is in French and b) Accueil Lamp, apparently, recently won an award. But the award site is only in French….

And so we can’t confirm that.

Fortuitously Arnaud does at least present his biography in English.

And so we know that he is an industrial designer, mainly  focused on object,  furnitures and space design, art  direction and design consulting.

We know that he has a master’s degree level II in industrial design from the ENSCI-Paris Institute for advance  studies in industrial design.

And we know that Accueil Lamp is a touch of genius.

For that one doesn’t need a translation.

It’s a lamp.

Which can also be used to store things.

Brilliant.

And with it’s lovely retro-George Nelson charm and soft flowing form, is a wonderfully descriptive object that should fit into any space; be it domestic or office.
And judging from the photo with the Eames House Bird the size and proportions are also very nice.

Accueil Lamp reminds us, at least visually, an awful lot of the gorgeous lacquer Wajima Collection Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec presented in July 2009.

But obviously we don’t know what Accueil Lamp is constructed from.
Although it does appear to be an LED lamp.

Assuming LED is French for LED.

Accueil Lamp by Arnaud Lapierre.

Génial!

Accueil Lamp by Arnaud Lapierre

Accueil Lamp by Arnaud Lapierre with Eames House Bird

Accueil Lamp by Arnaud Lapierre ... lovely

]]> http://myhouseismycastle.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/the-2010-brit-insurance-design-awards-carbon-fibre-chair-by-shigeru-ban/ Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:23:22 +0000 myhouseismycastle http://myhouseismycastle.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/the-2010-brit-insurance-design-awards-carbon-fibre-chair-by-shigeru-ban/

“I wanted to make a chair that was lighter than Gio Ponti’s Superleggera, so light a child could pick it up with just his little finger”.

So describes Japanese architect Shigeru Ban the motivation behind his Carbon Fibre Chair.

Born in Tokyo in 1957 Shigeru Ban initially studied at the Southern California Institute of Architecture and subsequently at the Cooper Union School of Architecture where he completed his  Bachelor in 1984. Following his  return to Japan he established his own practice. Although much of Ban’s work has unmistakable overtones of two of his favourite architects, Mires van der Rohe and Alvar Aalto, it is his experimentation with “non-traditional” materials that sets Shigeru Ban apart from his contemporaries. Best known for his work with cardboard tubes and paper Ban has created buildings as varied as Issey Miyake’s Design Studio Gallery in Tokyo, the Japanese Pavillion at Expo 2000 in Hannover and refugee shelters for the UNHCD.

“I was interested in weak materials,” Ban told time.com “Whenever we invent a new material or new structural system, a new architecture comes out of it.”

So with his carbon fibre chair

Weighing in at just 500 grams, carbon fibre chair is constructed as a “sandwich” featuring an aluminium skeleton surrounded by two 0,25mm layers of the carbon fibre TENAX – a product commonly used in aircraft wings, satellite antennas and fishing rods.

So stable, yet light.

Carbon fibre chair originally formed part of the “Tokyo Fibre 2009″ exhibition: essentially a PR event for the Japanese synthetic fibres industry.

In many ways it is only upon seeing carbon fibre chair in profile that one realises the true aesthetic value of the chair. It may resemble Maarten van Severens .03, however not only is the silhouette much finer and more filigree; but just as the true magic in .03 lies in the feather spring structure in the back rest, so is carbon fibre chair more about the construction and the material than the sitting comfort per se.

Although that is apparently also quite high.

And the technological features could just swing it for Shigeru Ban…if the judges go for two similar decisions back-to-back.

Carbon Fibre Chair by Shigeru Ban

Chances of winning the 2010 Brit Insurance Design Award: good to middling.

Carbon Fibre Chair by Shigeru Ban shortlisted in the Brits Insurance Design Award

Although born in Munich Konstantin Grcic is in many ways an English trained designer. Following a carpentry apprenticeship at the renowned Parnham College, he undertook an MA in Industrial Design at the Royal College of Art in London. After graduating in 1990, Grcic spent a year working for Jasper Morrison before returning to Munich to establish KGID Office (Konstantin Grcic Industrial Design)

Often considered one of the modern masters of minimalism, Konstantin Grcic’s work is typified by its simple, clear, uncluttered form.

Among Grcic’s best known works are his Mayday lamp for flos, the ES shelf for Moormann and his Chair One for Magis.

Konstantin Grcic won the Brit Insurance Design Award 2009 with his MYTO Chair for plank.

But we can’t believe he will do it again, principally because  360° Work Chair is in many ways simply a modern reinvention of George Nelson’s 1964 Nelson Perch.

And so in that sense falls short of the Design Museum’s own claim that the Design Awards are an “annual exploration of the most innovative, interesting and forward-looking new work in design of all kinds”

Reworking George Nelson aint innovative. Or forward looking.

And whereas Grcic’s 2009 winning MYTO Chair could lay claim to being based on an innovative new plastic;  360° Work Chair is a combination of epoxy resin and aluminium. So nothing especially new there then

Conceived as a chair for short burst of work rather than for 8 hours at a desk, 360° Work Chair is a neat idea, nicely executed and is certainly a product for which there is a demand.

And while that may make it interesting for some. It’s just neither a new nor innovative design.

360° Work Chair by Konstantin Grcic

Chances of winning the 2010 Brit Insurance Design Award: very low

360 work chair by Konstantin Grcic shortlisted in the Brit Insurance Design Awards 2010

Nelson Perch by George Nelson ... compare and contrast

MYTO chair by Konstantin Grcic winner of the furniture category at the 2009 Brit Insurance Design Awards

A couple of weeks ago we posted the shortlist nominations for the furniture category at the 2010 Brit Insurance Design Awards.

On February 17th the Award Exhibition opens at the London Design Museum, and  in advance of that we have decided to take the opportunity to present each of the furniture nominations in a little more detail.

On the one hand a very lazy way to get a series of 12 posts; on the other a chance to give those of you who are unfamiliar with one or the other of the designs and/or designers some reference points and an independent assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the works.

(There should now be a picture with the logo of the Brit Insurance Design Awards – only they don’t appear to have one…. Which is kind of ironic if you think about it )

initial drawing of a lawyer’s office

Well, my monthly update promise went well, nearly 8 months on and here I am back with more interesting items and updates all in the name of ‘blogging!’ Where to begin? I suppose Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and to cover all bases – Happy Easter!

So what have we been doing in the busy world of office furniture, I (don’t) hear you all ask. Well, I’ve been very busy adding lots of new and exciting ranges to the Urban Office Interiors site including some (que buzz words and flexing index fingers!) ‘funky’ screens and ‘trendy’ new desk systems. For example there is the myPOD http://www.urban-office.com/my_pod.html range of office furniture which seems to cover most areas of modern office requirements – from desks to storage and all with the same matching visual flair.

myPOD desktop storagemyPOD twin desk with lightingmyPOD desks with table top storage

myPOD twin desk

myPOD bench desk

I have also added lots of new and interesting chairs that can be found in the http://www.urban-office.com/occasionalseating.html section. These include a few ranges from a Spanish company called Sancal, and in the http://www.urban-office.com/meshchairs.html section, we have the Una chair from the Italian company ICF.

UNA mesk task chair

There have also been updates to the screens page, most notably with the http://www.urban-office.com/contemporarysofficescreens.html presenting some interesting designs for acoustic and non-acoustic screens all with unique design and shape; most notably the Wannabetree.

Wannabetree acoustic office screens

Please feel free to peruse my chatologue – and I mean that chatogorically!

A blog is a lot like the history of the European continent.
You think you know it, think you understand it … but it always surprises you.

In this context, as we were preparing the Christian Lessing post, we wanted to compare Lessing’s Collectuer with Gangsta Lean by Matt Braun.

Only to discover that we hadn’t yet written about Gangsta Lean.

Which we quite frankly can’t believe.

Because for us Gangsta Lean is the must have product amongst all must have products.

Leaning record storage boxes.

Need we say more.
We don’t think so; because such as wonderful, ingenuous and beautifully execute product speaks for itself.

Gangsta Lean by Matt Braun

Absolute genius!

Gangsta Lean by Matt Braun

Gangsta Lean by Matt Braun ... stackable

Gangsta Lean by Matt Braun .... detail

In Cologne only very few designers were represented at both Designers Fair and at IMM; one of the few was Christian Lessing.

And that with two wonderful products.

In the Rheintriadem Lessing had his own stand where, amongst other objects, he showed his ingenious stool Collectuer.

We all, but all, know the problem – what to do with all those glossy magazines you’ve read, but want to keep.

Most of us simply leave them lying in uncontrolled piles in the corner of a room and hope that our partners don’t notice.

They invariably do, and we are obliged to move them to another location under the pretence that we are “in the process” of filing them away.

Christian Lessing has however now solved the problem.

His Collectuer stool ” collects” magazines and not only stores them in a dignified form; but also uses them to support the stool seat.

In the “low” position the magazines simply sit, passive, under the seat; however, once the magazines reach the underside of the seat they cause the two pieces of steel from which the stool is constructed to slide over one another. Alone the magazines, therefore, maintain the height of the stool.

We must admit we didn’t make a note of the minimum and maximum heights – but rest assured they are both very sensible heights.

Available with or without a cushion, Collectuer can also be used a side table.
And it looks wonderful.

As does Lessing’s Card Trellis which we found at IMM; but because the retailer involved doesn’t feel the need to list it on their website – we don’t feel obliged to advertise them.

If you want one, buy it direct from Christian Lessing.

Constructed from spring steel, Card Trellis is/are strips with clips at irregular distances  for holding postcards, notes, letters and all those other things that you don’t want to throw away, but for the life of you can’t think where you should store them.
Available in four colours Card Trellis is one of those wonderfully simple ideas that only achieves its usefulness through its thoughtful execution.

Both Collectuer and Card Trellis can be used just as well in the home,  in the office or even in a public waiting area of, for example, a dentists.

Christian Lessing

Quality design!

Collectuer by Christian Lessing

Collectuer by Christian Lessing ... detail

Card Trellis by Christian Lessing

Card Trellis by Christian Lessing ... detail

Interesting news on the interactive whiteboard front – eBeam developer Luidia is teaming with Claridge Products and Equipment to make traditional whiteboards with “built-in connections” for quick conversion into digital interactive whiteboards. They’re called Digital Ready whiteboards, and they’ll be available sometime soon. So what’s the difference between this technology and separate portable interactive whiteboard systems you attach to a traditional dry erase whiteboard?

From what I can see, it’s a matter of how much you want to spend up front for the ability to upgrade to an interactive whiteboard. In the case of the Digital Ready whiteboard, it seems as though you’d spend a little extra up front for the built-in receiver and access to future features. With an unfurnished dry erase whiteboard, there’s no receiver, and therefore no up front cost for the option to upgrade. If you decide to make the leap to digital technology, you can spend a little extra later on to buy and attach the portable system.

There’s always the question of actual price comparisons, which system is easier to install and operate, and which one has more flexibility and functionality in the long run. Either way, these two competing conversion systems should convince educators and businesspeople that they can convert to interactive whiteboard technology at their own pace without breaking the bank.

If you spend most of your time in your office, then you need to find a good office chairs. Good office chairs are normally ergonomic and are made to put little stress as necessary on the back and hip Area while you are sitting for longer periods of hours.

Nonetheless, good office chairs can be expensive. This merely means that if you would like to protect your posture and wellness by sitting on a good chair, you will need to spend a bit more the everyday amount.

Looking for inexpensive office chairs in your city stores is very difficult especially if the stores don’t have any clearance specials or discounted price for an office chair that you would like. However, buying yourself a good yet Inexpensive office furniture chairs can be easy if you know where to look for one. inexpensive office chairs can be found in the most unlikely places.

Auction Houses
You are able to buy second hand cheap office chairs at nearby auction houses. There may be several chairs that are sold as junk however you can eventually find something a chair that is of high quality.

Call Centers
The great thing about this day and age is that information is very accessible. There are a lot of call centers that have sprung up and they do dispose of a lot of office chairs commonly to replace their stock with brand-new ones. Several of these chairs that they discard are not junk and barely have small marks on the finish. All you need to do is to ask the custodian to purchase the used office chair or ask them for it for free.

Ebay
Ebay is acknowledged as one of the most dependable online stores that sell inexpensive items including office chairs.  You are also able to hustle with the prices with the owner.

When you walk in the front door of your home after a long, hard day, do you feel comfortable, and at home?  Or does it look like a frat house?

Imagine looking around you and only seeing  appealing things.   Imagine coming home from work to a home where you love every single thing you see.  Where every single thing has a purpose and a space, and you know exactly where everything is, and it all functions beautifully.

You can live this way!

Call Dimola Brother Rubbish Removal Service 718-326-6969

Do you have clutter in your home or office?  Are you behind on bills? Are there stacks of papers or other items that have been there since the 80’s, and you are waiting to get  around to it?”  Are you simply a busy person, or are you a packrat or a hoarder? If you are a chronic packrat or hoarder, you may consider seeking our professional to feel safe without the “protection” that all your “stuff” provides.

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• Rubbish removal
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• Basement/Garage Clean Outs removal
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• Residence and Office Furniture removal
• Mattress/Box Springs removal
• Miscellaneous Debris, Waste & Trash
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Many people would love to have an organized environment, but keep procrastinating while their piles of stuff and their guilt/fear/anxiety increase!  Call us to help you get started on a cleaner house, head, and life. Dimola Brothers is a full service, fully insured rubbish removal company with offices in Manhattan and Queens. We come to pick up anything that you need removed from your home or your office for a small fee, taking away items that the city normally will not.

About Dimola Brothers

Dimola Brothers Is one of the premier demolition contractor and scrap metal removal contractors in New York City. Dimola Brothers Demolition is a family owned rubbish removal and interior demolition company based in Ridgewood, Queens, New York. We started as a small neighborhood business and over the past 50 years have grown to a larger scale serving businesses, contractors, organizations and residential customers in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. Nicholas George Dimola, President of Dimola Bros, was born and raised in Ridgewood, Queens and has been running the family business for the past 15 years

As you view our website, http://www.dimolabros.com you will see how Nick’s love of the business has evolved into salvaging and preserving many items long since seen or used. As a family owned and operated business we take a personable approach to each project we undertake.

We take great pride in our work and as a result we offer a service like no other. Early on in our endeavor to become the company people would want to use, we learned the value of our customers and how important personal recommendation can be.

Contact Information

Dimola Brothers – Main Office

1640 Summerfield Street

Ridgewood, NY‎ 11385

Manhattan Office

133 E. 30^th Street

New York, New York  10016

Phone – (718) 326-6969‎

Fax – (718) 326-7979

Website: http://www.dimolabros.com

Email: nick@dimolabros.com

Phone: 1-718-326-6969

Email:nick@dimolabros.com

Website: www.dimolabros.com

A filing cabinet (or file cabinet in American English) is a piece of office furniture usually used to store paper documents in file folders. In the most simple sense, it is an enclosure for drawers in which items are stored. The two most common forms of filing cabinets are lateral files and vertical files. A vertical file cabinet has drawers that extend from the short side (typically 15 inches) of the cabinet. A lateral file cabinet has drawers that extend from the long side (various lengths) of the cabinet. These are also called side filers in Great Britain. There are also lateral files and shelf files. In the United States, file cabinets are usually built to accommodate 8.5 x 11 paper, and in other countries, filing cabinets are often designed to hold other sizes of paper, such as A4 paper.