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HIGH POINT, N.C. -- A new breed of furniture coming to showrooms this spring can take a room from static to stylish in one easy move. Just sitting there looking good isn't enough anymore, which is why manufacturers have added something more than good lines and nice hardware to their products.
Furniture is taking on new meaning -- literally. Designers are fusing furniture with different styles, materials and even messages, turning home furnishings into evocative pivot points that spark scintillating design schemes and stimulating conversations. Among those sending a message at this year's Fall International Home Furnishings Market in High Point were C.R. Laine, Thayer Coggin, The Platt Collections, Four Hands, Haute House, Oly and American Leather.
It was only a matter of time and now it's here: Furniture for the Cure by The Platt Collections. The Alyce Chair is the first in a new line paying tribute to breast cancer survivors by furniture designer Glenn Midnet, whose mother, Alyce, lost her battle with the disease in 1974, when he was a boy. Upholstered in pink Dupioni silk on a plantation mahogany frame with brushed nickel feet, its ribbon back says it all.
Saving the bees and sweetening rooms with its Hive Honey upholstered pieces was the mission for C.R. Laine, an eco-conscious company.
"We want to raise awareness about Colony Collapse Disorder," said creative director Holly Blalock. "The actions of the simple honeybee bring essential value to our everyday life."
According to Ms. Blalock, managed honeybee colonies have dropped dramatically from 5.9 million in the 1940s to 2.5 million today. She also noted the amber color of honey is compatible with so many interior color schemes.
California-based Haute House wants to personalize upholstery like never before with its Histography collection. Using old postcards, family photos, even love letters, Haute House will transfer the print onto fabric for sofas, chairs, ottomans and pillows. What better way to create furniture that really speaks to you?
Because the spoken word is often texted or typed, Thayer Coggin's Claes chair telegraphs volumes with its @ symbol back. The chair was designed by Clark Coggin, the youngest son of the company's founder. He has always been a fan of pop artist Claes Oldenburg, famous for his giant clothes pins and larger-than-life erasers.
"Oldenburg's work, to me, transformed these objects into symbols of their time, but also objects not of their time .... The asperand represents our 24/7 culture. Use it to rejuvenate for another day," he said.
The Claes chair features a tight seat of foam and fiber and a European beech frame available in any Thayer Coggin wood finish.
Finishes are not a concern for Thomas Bina in his Adrian dresser for Four Hands. It's the epitome of piling on. Different hardware and several kinds of demolition wood make this patchwork piece a perfect example of fusion for no reason.
Mr. Bina was one of the first designers to use old truck tarps as upholstery and cast-off wood for furniture. The Adrian is the epitome of environmentally friendly furniture done with the highest quality workmanship. It has a finished back so you can float it in a room rather than shove it against a wall. It also boasts fine-furniture dovetailing.
"For me, it all starts with materials like the demolition woods and the adventure travel finding them. I can tap resources worldwide," Mr. Bina said.
For the ultimate fusion of dual functions, there is American Leather's new Beckett Comfort Sleeper ottoman. Really, it's a bed in a box. The top opens and becomes a nice leather headboard once the full-size twin bed is pulled out. It's a great use of space no matter what size the room and perfect for holiday parties and unexpected overnight guests.
Don't expect a visit from Tippi Hedren if you buy Oly's Simone cabinet. Art, film noir, magic and furniture all come together in this black beauty, which features a flock of birds carved onto the top. The message here is: Let your imagination fly high.
SOURCES
Local dealers: Today's Home (412-444-0021 or www.todayshomeinc.com); Evelyn James Interiors (412-521-5220)
J.L. Interiors (412-767-5114); Design DIY (412-779-4349 or www.design-diy.com)
Weisshouse (412-441-8888 or www.weisshouse.com)
Perlora and Perlora Leather (412-434-7425 or www.perlora.com)
Hot, Haute Hot (412-338-2323 or http://hothautehot.net); Weisshouse
Antiquarian Shop (412-741-1969 or www.antiquarianshop.com); Weisshouse
Stickley Audi & Co. (www.stickley.com); Perlora Leather
Doug Oster writes a blog, "Growing With Doug," exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.
