March 2, 2008 by clander When white people envision their dream home, a key part of the fantasy involves a least one piece of furniture designed by a famous architect from the 1930s. Architects like Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier designed iconic modern furniture that has inspired virtually everything made by Ikea and Design Within Reach, both of which are key suppliers of furniture to white people. But as with all things, white people will do whatever it takes to secure authenticity including paying thousands of dollars for a small piece of furniture. If they are able to acquire this prized furniture, they will forever refer to it only by the designers name. “I spend hours in the van der Rohe, just looking through these beautiful books of his work.” Referring to a white person’s expensive chair as a ‘chair’ is considered poor form and will likely result in a loss of trust and/or respect. The best strategy for avoiding this faux pas is to look for the most uncomfortable chair in a white person’s home and ask “who designed that?”
If they say “Ikea” or “Design within Reach” you can call it a chair, otherwise refer to it only by the name they give you. It should also be noted that many white people are unable to acquire this furniture, but that does not mean you cannot use this information to your advantage. In situations where you need to improve your connection with a white person, just mention how you hope to be successful enough to one day afford an original piece of furniture by . If they have heard of the designer they will nod in agreement, if they have not, they will also nod in agreement and make a note to look it up later. In either case, your status will rise.IKEA DINING TABLE AND FOUR CHAIRS White Gloss table and 6 ChairsExtending dining table with folding chairsIkea Herman Dining Table and ChairsIkea Kitchen bar table and 5 bar stoolsTable and 2 chairs great looking in situ.Ikea GRANAS table and 4 chairsIKEA BJURSTA Black Extendable Circular Dining Table and 4 Chairs up to 8 Seaterikea norden gateleg table and 5 frosta stoolsIKEA Fusion Space Saving Dining Table and ChairsIKEA Glass Table and ChairsIkea 'granas' Glass Top Dining Table & Four ChairsIKEA Fusion Space Saving Dining Table and ChairsIKEA dining room table and 4 chairsIkea Extendable Table and 2 Chairs.
IKEA BJURSTA Extendable table, white and 6 terje folding white chairsIKEA silver- metallic, round glass dining table with 4 chairs included.Ikea Gamleby extending Table and 4 matching chairs New BoxedAmerican furniture brand Emeco is to sue IKEA for damages for allegedly copying a chair designed by Norman Foster. The American company alleges that IKEA's Melltorp dining chair, by Swedish designer Ola Wihlborg, is similar to its 20-06 Stacking Chair, designed by Foster in 2006. Emeco has filed a design right and copyright infringement case against the Swedish furniture giant at Munich District Court in Germany and a hearing is scheduled for September. Pennsylvania-based Emeco, which specialises in aluminium furniture, is seeking damages and wants IKEA to cease manufacturing the product. "A hearing is scheduled for September in Munich," Emeco chairman Gregg Buchbinder told Dezeen. "We have started an action against IKEA in Germany for damages and to stop making the chair."
In a statement, Josefin Thorell from IKEA's group corporate communication department said that IKEA "never deliberately copies products". "IKEA does not comment specifically on any upcoming or ongoing legal proceedings," she said. "However, on the subject of design, IKEA never deliberately copies products sold by other companies or designers. Design is of greatest importance for IKEA and is an integral part of the IKEA vision and business idea." But Alev Öztas, Emeco's vice president of sales and marketing, said that, in his opinion, the IKEA chair was "very, very similar" to Emeco's product. "When [people] see that very, very similar model in an Ikea catalogue at a completely different price range, of course it damages our business," she said. The 20-06 Stacking Chair, designed by British architect Norman Foster, is a slimline tribute to Emeco's iconic Navy chair, which is also known as the 1006 and was first introduced in 1944 for use on US Navy submarines. Both Emeco chairs are handmade from 80 per cent recycled aluminium using a proprietary 77-step process, which involves forming, welding, grinding, tempering and finally anodising and hand-brushing the metal.
Like its predecessor, the 20-06 has an estimated lifespan of 150 years but uses 15 per cent less aluminium and weighs just 3.2kg. It retails in the UK for around £540. IKEA's stacking Melltorp chair features a powder-coated steel frame and a polypropylene seat and backrest. It weights 5.6kg and retails for £20 in the UK. Emeco has resorted to legal action to protect its designs on several occasions in the past. In 2013 it reached a settlement with US furniture retailer Restoration Hardware, which it had accused of copying the Navy chair. Restoration Hardware agreed to cease selling the product. In 2014, Emeco reached settlements with two more furniture companies that it had accused of copying the Navy chair and the Philippe Starck-designed Kong chair. In the same year home-rental brand Airbnb removed a set of aluminium chairs from its San Francisco headquarters after Emeco pointed out they were fake Navy chairs. In a video interview with Dezeen in 2013, Emeco's Buchbinder expressed his frustration at firms that copied his products.
"In today's marketplace people are looking for economical things, and I understand that and there's a market for that," he said. "It's something that, as a manufacturer that puts a lot of time and effort into the development and research and everything else, is a very hard thing to swallow."above: House & Home via Bright Bazaar If you've been on the internet lately, you'll know that Scandinavian design is having a moment. And it's easy to see why! Traditional Scandinavian style is simple, clean, cheerful, and very achievable for basically any budget. When you think about this style, usually lots of white springs to mind, but the reality is that Scandinavian design can also have lots of vibrant color and fun patterns. above: promotional image from retailer Gudruns Joden / below: Sandra Freij The patterns you'll find in traditional Scandinavian designs are typically simple, botanical illustrations in a symmetrical style. Animals are also common themes, such as the traditional dala horse (as seen in top image), most commonly seen in a poppy red hue.
Modern Scandinavian patterns usually have bold colors and graphic, high contrast styles, like the oversize prints and patterns from the Finnish company Marimekko. (above sofa upholstered in Marimekko fabric) above: unknown with Marimekko wallpaper / unknown via homedit A favorite Scandinavian designer is Austrian born Josef Frank whose patterns exhibited the folk-style traditional to Scandinavian style, but with a mod flair. You can purchase Josef Frank wallpaper and fabric for your home these days, but be ready to pay a pretty penny! Sometimes just investing in a yard or two will give you the perfect pop of pattern in a pillow or chair cover. above: La Maison d' Anna G. / below: Josef Frank prints available from Svenskt above: Anna Kern for Svenska Dagblaet / Sweet Paul Issue 2 House to Home / image from the book Scandinavian Design Scandinavian style has a long history, traditionally marked by simplicity, bright whites, natural wood tones, folk style ornamentation, and color washed furnishings and trims.
Hues of medium blues, bright reds, and pleasant greens, pinks, and yellows are common throughout Scandinavian design. In old Dutch homes, folks used to build their beds into warm, closet-like spaces, and to save space, would hang spindle-backed chairs on the walls when they weren't being used. The modern version of Dutch and Scandinavian design isn't always about efficiency and space-saving solutions, though it is still both practical and beautiful. A lot of modern, Scandinavian-style homes showcase a mix of the traditional style of almost rustic simplicity alongside the sleek designs of forward-thinking designers who emerged in the 20th Century. A lot of iconic modern designs came from Scandinavian designers in the 1900s, and above you'll see some of the most popular pieces. 1. Wishbone chair by Hans J. Wegner (knock-off linked to down below)2. Panthella lamp by Verner Panton3. Artek stool by Alvar Aalto (knock-off available at Ikea)4. Egg chair by Arne Jacobsen5. PH5 hanging lamp by Poul Henningsen6.
Tulip side table by Eero Saarinen (knock-off linked to down below) above: Better Homes and Gardens/ flodeau GET THE LOOKWant to add some Scandinavian style to your home but don't know where to begin? These things are a great start, and are pretty affordable too! 1. Bentwood pendant light2. Flip clock (knock-off of the Karlsson Big Flip clock)3. above: House & Home / Anna Kern for Svenska Dagblaet Paring down the color palette in your home and utilizing pops of color amidst a more neutral background is a great way to get the Scandinavian look if you can't really afford to do much redecorating. Instead of dark wood tones, try natural wood colors or painted wood instead. Combine sleek modern pieces like the iconic Panton chair with soft, rustic elements for the effortlessly chic looks shown here. Or it might be easier for you to find an old spindle-back chair and paint it a glossy black for a touch of Scandinavian charm. A classic windsor alongside streamlined pieces (think Ikea if your budget is anything like mine!) is a look that works wonders.