Furniture

Subterms

    More stories

    • 88 Shares129 Views

      in Rooms

      Eight living rooms dominated by giant sofas

      by

      From a curving couch in a Parisian apartment to an extra-wide settee in São Paulo, our latest lookbook collects eight living rooms where oversized sofas take centre stage.

      The sofa may be most people’s favourite place to sit and relax, but it can also make a bold design statement.
      Below, we highlight eight living rooms where couches, which are significantly more substantial than standard furniture, serve as the focal point.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with paper lamps, sculptural furniture and 1970s decor.
      Photo by Denilson Machado (also top)DN Apartment, Brazil, by BC Arquitetos

      An olive-green sofa in the shape of a broad sickle, courtesy of designer Jader Almeida, commands attention in the open-plan living room of this home in São Paulo.
      Part of a 1970s building, the apartment was renovated by local studio BC Arquitetos and filled with classic Brazilian art and furniture, including a Petala coffee table by Jorge Zalzupin bearing a bronze head sculpture by Florian Raiss.
      Find out more about DN Apartment ›
      Photo by Giulio GhirardiCanal Saint-Martin apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
      Interior designer Rodolphe Parente overhauled this classic Haussmann-era Parisian apartment to celebrate its original features while showing off the owner’s contemporary art collection.
      Nowhere is this juxtaposition of styles more pronounced than in the living area, where a sculptural vintage sofa wraps around a pearlescent coffee table in the centre of the room, with a black-and-white graphic rug beneath its feet.
      Find out more about this Canal Saint-Martin apartment ›
      Photo courtesy of Hotel Valley HoHotel Valley Ho, USA, by 3rd Story
      The suites at this mid-century hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona, feature generous U-shaped sofas with colourful upholstery.
      As part of its renovation, Anissa Mendil of architecture and interiors firm 3rd Story sought to introduce contemporary furniture that would complement the building’s modernist architecture.
      Find out more about Hotel Valley Ho ›
      Photo by Fran ParenteGale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio
      From the double-height ceilings to the mosaic wall and the extensive artwork collection, multiple elements compete for attention in the living room of this São Paulo apartment renovation by local firm Memola Estudio.
      Anchoring them all is a super-long sofa along one wall, which ensures that the room’s overall colour palette remains neutral despite the vibrant wall hangings above.
      Find out more about Gale Apartment ›
      Photo by Serena EllerG-Rough, Italy, by Gabriele Salini
      Italian hotelier Gabriele Salini wanted this Rome hotel in a 17th-century palazzo to have a rough-yet-refined feel, fusing historic elegance and Italian modernism.
      In entertaining spaces in the rooms, an extra-deep sofa that can also serve as a spare bed provides an intriguing focal point.
      Find out more about G-Rough ›
      Photo by Julie SmorodkinaRadikal Klassisk, Spain, by Puntofilipino
      Radikal Klassisk is a Madrid apartment conceived by local studio Puntofilipino as an unusual take on Danish design, with an intense colour and material palette that creates a brooding atmosphere.
      A curving couch from Danish brand NORR11, composed of three separate parts upholstered in different fabrics, dominates the sparsely furnished living room.
      Find out more about Radikal Klassisk ›
      Photo by Brett BoardmanBreezeway House, Australia, by David Boyle Architect
      A built-in sofa lines the living room wall in this holiday home on the Australian east coast designed by New South Wales studio David Boyle Architect.
      The generous seat is reminiscent of patio or garden furniture, playing into a theme of ambiguity between the indoors and outdoors that is continued throughout the house.
      Find out more about Breezeway House ›
      Photo courtesy of Design Space AlUla 2024Design Space AlUla 2024, Italy, by Sabine Marcelis and Cloud
      Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis and architecture studio Cloud created a lounge to promote Saudi city AlUla during this year’s Milan design week.
      At its centre was a massive modular seating area by French design studio Hall Haus that bears striking similarities to Pierre Paulin’s never-produced Ensemble Dune from 1970.
      It was not the only design of its kind in Milan this April. Another installation, which explored the future of the living room, featured a yellow sofa platform made specially by design studio Panter & Tourron.
      Find out more about Design Space AlUla 2024 ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with paper lamps, sculptural furniture and 1970s decor.

      Read more: More

    • 150 Shares129 Views

      in Rooms

      Orange floors create “golden afterglow” in Aranya fashion store by Say Architects

      by

      Chinese studio Say Architects has designed a concept store for fashion brand Nice Rice in the seaside resort of Aranya, featuring bright-orange tiles and furniture intended to evoke the colour of a sunset.

      Having previously designed stores for Nice Rice in Shenzhen, Chengdu and Shanghai, Say Architects conceived the interior as a response to the store’s setting near the port city of Qinhuangdao, also known as the Aranya Gold Coast.
      Say Architects has designed a concept store for Nice Rice in Aranya”Due to the individuality of the site and the splendid geolocation, we hope to bring the orange sea of Aranya inside and build a gold coast that never ends by using light as expression, creating undulating volumes, intertwining lights and shadows,” the architects said.
      The 290-square-metre store is arranged over three floors, with retail spaces on the lower two storeys and a roof terrace accessible from the top floor.
      Glossy orange tiles reflect light onto white walls, creating a “golden afterglow” effectThe building’s minimalist facade features an illuminated sign with the company’s logotype over the entrance and a horizontal window above.

      A glazed entrance provides a view into the store, where bright orange surfaces create a vibrant contrast with the shop’s monochrome exterior.
      The glossy orange tiles reflect light onto the white walls, creating an effect that the architects describe as a “golden afterglow”.
      A leather bench provides a minimalist seating area on the first floorInside, a full-height void connects the shop’s three floors, with a vaulted ceiling directing light from a window on the top floor down to the levels below.
      Say Architects designed each floor with a symmetrical layout that enhances the calm and serene atmosphere within the store.
      Clothes rails in the Nice Rice store are designed to resemble breaking wavesOn the ground floor, a pair of freestanding units are used for serving customers, while changing rooms are positioned on either side of a second entrance to the rear of the space.
      Clothes rails on both sides of the room are designed to resemble breaking waves, curving outwards from the wall to create space for hanging clothes underneath.

      Tile mural fronts Cult Gaia Miami boutique by Sugarhouse

      On the first floor, a geometric leather bench provides a seating area, while a simple display podium is located close to the transparent balustrade overlooking the triple-height void.
      Throughout the store, windows of varying sizes create a play of light and shadow on the internal surfaces that changes throughout the day.
      A full-height void connects the three floorsStaircases on both sides of the building ascend to a roof terrace that is floored with the same tiles used inside the store.
      A sheltered area with matching orange benches allows this space to be used in all weather.
      The building’s staircases lead to an outdoor roof terraceSay Architects is based in Hangzhou and is led by architects Yan Zhang and Jianan Shan.
      The studio works across architecture, interior and landscape design, with previous projects including an accessories store formed almost entirely of translucent resin and a grooming salon for pets featuring a sunken cafe and a paddling pool.
      The terrace is finished in the same tiles as the interiorAranya is built on the site of a failed real estate development and aims to provide a haven for overworked young urbanites seeking a coastal escape.
      The exclusive gated community contains several architecture projects that have helped elevate its profile including an art centre designed by Neri&Hu, a monolithic concrete concert hall and a chapel raised above the beach on stilts.
      The photography is by Wen Studio.

      Read more: More

    • 150 Shares159 Views

      in Rooms

      Danielle Brustman designs Harbour Early Learning facility to “inspire delight and joy”

      by

      Bold colours and graphic elements that represent the sea and sky add personality and context to the interiors of this Sydney children’s centre by Australian designer Danielle Brustman.

      Brustman was responsible for the interior package of the Harbour Early Learning educational facility, which is situated in the city’s Vaucluse suburb and aims to connect children with educators, nature and the broader community.
      The brief for the project called for a high-quality facility arranged over three levels with a focus on design integrity and the well-being of both the children and staff.
      Danielle Brustman has designed the interiors of Sydney’s Harbour Early Learning facilityBrustman employed oversized graphic elements throughout the spaces to help stimulate the imaginations of the children and create thematic experiences that respond to the building’s harbourside setting.
      “I wanted the design to inspire delight and joy for the people occupying the spaces,” the designer told Dezeen.

      “I also wanted to create a healthy space using environmentally sustainable and quality materials that would stand the test of time and toddlers!”
      The educational children’s centre responds to the building’s harbourside settingBrustman worked closely with architects SJB and Supercontext, as well as with landscape designer Fiona Robbe and signage experts Citizen to deliver a range of bespoke indoor and outdoor play and learning spaces that reflect the client’s educational philosophy.
      The building’s external and internal spaces were designed to reference the surrounding nature, with large openings framing views of the neighbouring mature fig trees.
      The interior was heavily influenced by the building’s seaside context, with each room given a specific theme including the Sky room, Sunset room, Rainbow room, Under the Sea room and Boat room.
      Oversized graphic elements and large openings frame neighbouring mature fig treesThe themes lend the rooms a unique character whilst reinforcing the thoughtful layout of spaces, with water-based elements on the ground floor and sky references on the upper floor.
      Graphic details were used throughout the interior to complement architectural features, including the arched windows and circular skylights.

      CLOU Architects stacks blocks to form kindergarten in China

      Marmoleum flooring and carpet inlaid with geometric shapes also feature alongside bespoke murals depicting simplified elements like waves and clouds.
      The raw materials and neutral tones used for the exterior give way to more vibrant hues inside the building.
      Murals, marmoleum flooring and carpet inlaid with geometric shapes depict seaside waves and cloudsBrustman selected colours that she said have “a slightly muddied feel to them” to maintain consistency and a connection to nature.
      “It was important that the colour and materials palette was unique in each room but there was also a cohesive thread throughout,” she added. “The palette was designed to be enjoyed by both children and teaching teams.”
      Materials that appear on the building’s exterior, such as raw concrete and pale wood, recur in the reception area where they contrast with colourful elements that help with wayfinding and circulation.
      Primary colours, including a vibrant blue staircase, inform a palette enjoyable to children and teaching teamsThe primary hues in this space reference the work of Dutch abstract painter Piet Mondrian, while the blue staircase in particular evokes the colours of Sydney Harbour.
      Wherever possible, Brustman chose furniture that was designed and made in Australia, focusing on pieces that are robust enough to handle being used by children.
      Many of the furnishings have a graphic quality to them, including the Love benches by designer Daniel Emma, the stacked-cone pendant light by designer Edward Linacre and the Big Friendly sofa designed by CJ Anderson for Dowel Jones.
      Graphic furnishings are featured throughout the interior design, including the Love benches by Daniel EmmaBrustman is based in Melbourne and specialises in residential interior design and commercial design for the education, hospitality and retail sectors.
      The designer’s previous projects include a children’s centre in Melbourne featuring similar graphic elements in various pastel hues and a hair salon decorated using the client’s signature yellow colour.
      The photography is courtesy of Harbour Early Learning.

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Linehouse defines Shanghai office with “unexpected combinations of materials”

      by

      Interior design studio Linehouse has renovated an office in Shanghai using numerous materials and art from a local gallery.

      Linehouse refurbished the ground floor of a three-storey building in Shanghai that The Independents global marketing group have occupied in Shanghai for numerous years.
      The office is located in a three-storey building in ShanghaiThe 374-square-metre space was designed as a communal area for the staff working on the floors above.
      It includes a reception area, meeting rooms, pantry and communal eating space as well as a flexible deskspace for twenty people.
      Metal curtains are used to blur the boundary between different functional spacesAdditionally, an art installation area has been integrated, taking advantage of the high lofty ceiling of the space, which will be used for monthly rotational curation.

      Linehouse aimed to create a destination by presenting art from a local gallery, which will be rotated monthly, in the space. Combined with numerous materials and abstract furniture pieces, the studio forms what the studio called an “unexpected collection”.
      The entrance features a circular seating installation wrapped in metal curtain”The support of the client to design an office that pairs unexpected combinations of materials was refreshing and a challenge,” said Linehouse.
      “The result is a space that allows art to breathe and creates a welcoming, natural and open place of work.”
      The workstations are located in a sunken seating areaThe spaces are each defined by different materials. Marine plywood was used for the wall of the reception and pantry area, separating them from the meetings rooms. The same plywood was used for to the workstations located in a sunken seating area.
      A circular seating area was wrapped in a metal curtain, with five-meter-high curtains used to divide other spaces.

      Linehouse transforms Shanghai swimming pool into office space

      A customised table, made from different shaped pieces of marble and laminates, is used for meetings and dining.
      Other tables in the meeting room features unique surfaces — one being a patchwork of timber textures and the other a gradient of glass transparency, from solid black to transparent.
      “The design challenges the traditional notion of an office to promote a healthier and creative mindset to collaboration and communication, with emphasis on openness and autonomy for how staff use and occupy the spaces,” Linehouse concluded.
      Marine plywood is used on the walls of the pantryLinehouse is a Hong Kong and Shanghai-based architecture and interior design studio established in 2013 by Alex Mok and Briar Hickling.
      The duo won the emerging interior designer of the year category at the 2019 Dezeen Awards.
      Meeting rooms feature custom made tablesThe studio has also recently designed a greenhouse-informed food market in Shanghai and the facade of a shopping centre in Bangkok.
      The photography is by Dirk Weiblen.

      Read more: More

    • 175 Shares159 Views

      in Rooms

      Max Radford Gallery opens London showroom to get people “in front of real objects”

      by

      Max Radford Gallery has opened a permanent space in east London that shows collectible designs from its past shows, including pieces by Carsten in der Elst and Amelia Stevens.

      Located in Hackney Downs, the showroom displays works that the gallery first showed at Belgium’s Collectible design fair, as well as pieces from earlier exhibitions.
      The showroom is located in east LondonBy combining works from different stages of its designers’ careers, the gallery aims to showcase how the artists it works with have developed over the years.
      “It’s a privilege to be able to track a designer’s development and change in their practice across a few pieces in the same space,” founder Max Radford told Dezeen.
      It features pieces by 15 designersThe gallery, which launched in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, focuses on emerging artists. By opening a physical space, it hopes to also help them reach a bigger audience.

      “The Max Radford Gallery seeks to platform emerging creatives who are working in the grayscale between art and design with a London-centric focus,” Radford said.
      “This has always been the particular area that the gallery has been engaged with and stems from a need for physical spaces to see these types of works in London, rather than just on social media – as the only option was when the gallery was beginning.”
      Collectible furniture designs are on display at the galleryAmong the artists showing in the space are In der Elst, whom the gallery had previously included in its Hard Knocks show, and Stevens, who took part in Max Radford Gallery’s exhibition at the Aram Gallery.
      The new space also showcases furniture and accessories by designers Georgia Merritt, Fred Thompson, Grace Prince, Nic Sanderson, Inga Tilda, Eddie Olin, EJR Barnes, Ty Locke, LS Gomma, Natalia Tifantilyi, Andrew Pierce Scott, Louie Isaaman-Jones and Matthew Verdon.

      Aram and Max Radford Gallery showcase emerging designers in Now 4 Then exhibition

      Max Radford Gallery is now located in a minimalist studio, which its founder intends to keep as a paired-back space.
      “The showroom is a beautiful white-painted studio space with just over half of the floor plan having triple height up to skylights, producing beautiful changing light across the day,” Radford said.
      “We haven’t made any architectural changes to the space and are not sure that we will, potentially with the exception of some sort of temporary mezzanine in the triple height space for an exhibition-specific installation,” he added.
      Max Radford Gallery focuses on emerging designersBy opening a permanent gallery, Radford wants to support London’s community of emerging designers.
      “It’s for the community aspect that is introduced by the communal use of creative space; there is a burgeoning community of designers and artists in London with lots of crossovers through universities and workshops that support and raise up its members,” he said.
      “Facilitating a space for communities like this to express and interact seems like a key aspect to supporting what is going on here in London currently,” he added.
      The showroom features pieces from previous exhibitionsHe also hopes that the physical aspect of the space will encourage people to see design pieces in person.
      “It’s as simple as getting people in front of real objects, not just heavily retouched or rendered images of them,” Radford concluded.
      The photography is by Richard Round Turner.

      Read more: More

    • 100 Shares149 Views

      in Rooms

      Eight gallery-like living rooms with sculptural furniture pieces

      by

      For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected living rooms that feature sculptural furniture in homes from São Paulo to London.

      An undulating sofa, a lamp made from towering columns and a wiggly chair are among the sculptural furniture pieces in this lookbook, which showcases how they can be used to add more interest to living rooms.
      In pared-back interiors, these furniture designs can add a playful touch and make the rooms feel more special, while also giving them a gallery-like feel.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring rooms dominated by dark-wood furniture, well-designed hallways and contemporary green bathrooms.
      Photo by Fran ParenteGale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio

      Local firm Memola Estudio renovated this São Paulo apartment with a combined living-and-dining area containing furniture in earthy hues.
      Among the sculptural pieces used are a low, pill-shaped coffee table with a decorative indentation and cosy, velvet-clad lounge chairs.
      Find out more about Gale Apartment ›
      Photo by François CoquerelHaussmann apartment, France, by Hauvette & Madani
      The interior of this Parisian apartment in a Haussmann building (above and main photo) was created by design studio Hauvette & Madani to have a gallery-like feel, inspired by the owner’s art collection.
      In the living room, two slow-slung curved sofas add a sculptural touch and are complemented by round chairs and tables.
      Find out more about Haussmann apartment ›
      Photo by by Genevieve LutkinLondon townhouse, UK, by Tabitha Isobel
      A stylish metal chair with a graphic fabric adds design interest to the living room of this London townhouse, where it matches a mushroom-shaped steel lamp.
      A textured painting in earthy tones hangs above the home’s marble green fireplace, while small sculptures add to the decorative atmosphere.
      Find out more about London townhouse ›
      Photo by by Denilson MachadoDN Apartment, Brazil, by BC Arquitetos
      The living room of this 230-square-metre apartment has a Petala table by designer Jorge Zalszupin that functions as a sculptural centrepiece.
      A velvet sofa and chairs with polished wooden globes are among the other sculptural furniture pieces on show in the apartment, which was designed for a landscape architect.
      Find out more about London townhouse ›
      Photo by by José HeviaCasamontesa, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández Gil
      Spanish studio Lucas y Hernández Gil drew on 1970s aesthetics for the interior of this Madrid bungalow.
      In the living room, a sculptural wavy stool, an arched fireplace and a round tadelakt coffee table add a fun touch.
      Find out more about Casamontesa ›
      Photo by by Jake CurtisChancery House, UK, by Norm Architects
      The only non-residential building on this list, the Chancery House workspace in London has a number of living-room-like spaces for relaxation.
      In one, design studio Norm Architects added floor-to-ceiling wooden screens to create a sheltered space, where soft, monolithic armchairs are contrasted against a low, geometric wooden table.
      Find out more about Chancery House ›
      Photo by Margarita NikitakiEsperinos, Greece, by Stamos Michael
      Numerous geometric shaped pieces by designer Stamos Michael fill the living room of this Greek guesthouse, including a lamp made from two towering, rust-brown columns of powder-coated steel.
      Also featured is a sculptural chair by Michael that features a metal pole running through its backrest and a brown-leather edition of designer Konstantin Grcic’s Traffic lounge chair.
      Find out more about Esperinos ›
      Photo by Helen CathcartThe Maker’s Barn, UK, by Hutch Design
      A concrete pig farm outside London was turned into a rural retreat by architecture studio Hutch Design, which decorated it with bespoke fittings and handmade furniture.
      The sculptural furniture in the living room include a metal table with triangle-shaped legs and a wiggly lamp.
      Find out more about The Maker’s Barn ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring rooms dominated by dark-wood furniture, well-designed hallways and contemporary green bathrooms.

      Read more: More

    • 150 Shares159 Views

      in Rooms

      Objective Studies drops first equitable design collection with A Calm Place exhibition

      by

      A tranquil exhibition during 3 Days of Design showcased the launch collection for Objective Studies, a digital platform that shares its profits with designers and makers.

      A Calm Place featured furniture and homeware from 10 designers and studios, all now being marketed and sold directly from Objective Studies.
      Objective Studies launched with an exhibition at RefugioThe objects were presented in a scenography inspired by Korshagehus, a thatched, modernist summerhouse in Odsherred, Denmark, built by architect Erik Korshagen in 1960.
      The exhibition was staged at Refugio, a co-working studio in Copenhagen’s Østerbro neighbourhood.
      The inaugural collection includes furniture pieces by Mario Martinez and Ted SynnottDesigner Matteo Fogale and e-commerce expert Lijana Norkaityte co-founded Objective Studies with a vision to bring greater equity to the design industry.

      “We are building a business model where we will share equal profits with designers and makers,” they told Dezeen.
      “We joined the industry with the belief that we can put designers and makers at the forefront, and shed light on the quality and hours needed to create unique objects that will stand the test of time.”
      Exhibition curators Sébastien El Idrissi and Sara De Campos also contributed piecesObjective Studies will launch products in limited editions, with product drops rather than seasonal collections.
      “Drops will appear when we have something valuable to show, not simply for the sake of launching or to keep adding items to an infinite collection,” said the founders.

      NoDe exhibition presents 28 emerging designers from the Nordics

      “We want to discourage unnecessary production, keeping quantities limited and made-to-order to encourage conscious consumption.”
      The first drop of 20 objects includes the pine-wood Korshage bench by Spanish designer Sina Sohrab, the Unité daybed by CPRV and the characterful Salas chair by Copenhagen-based Mario Martinez.
      Juhl & Lange designed the woven baskets, while the Korshage bench is by Sina SohrabAmong the lighting works is Arète, a vertical pendant made from sailcloth designed by Asca Studio, while pieces by New Zealand-based Ted Synnott include the aluminium Terra stool.
      Accessories also feature, with woven baskets and dustpan and brush sets by Danish studio Juhl & Lange.
      Sébastien El Idrissi designed the Stack plantersThe exhibition was curated by designers Sara De Campos and Sébastien El Idrissi with the aim of promoting slow living, inspired by Danish culture and in line with the ethos behind Objective Studies.
      The curators also have works in the collection; designs by De Campos include a hand-woven wool rug and an aluminium tray, while El Idrissi’s pieces include the Claro salt and pepper grinders.
      Juhl & Lange’s works also include dustpan and brush setsFogale and Norkaityte hope the launch of Objective Studies will bring greater transparency to the process and costs involved in designing and producing furniture, and how profit is distributed.
      “We want to challenge how design and craft products are marketed, and how designers are compensated for their work,” the pair said.
      “We want people to know why certain items cost what they do,” they continued.
      The scenography took cues from modernist summerhouse Korshagehus”We are well aware that not everyone can purchase a piece of furniture for over €1,000 but we hope we can expose the value that comes with each design object, from the materials chosen to the hours that it took to make them.”
      “We live with these objects, we use them every day and if we choose well, we can pass them on to generations to come.”
      A Calm Place was on show at Refugio in Copenhagen from 12 to 14 June as part of 3 Days of Design. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.
      The photography is by the curators.

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares119 Views

      in Rooms

      Natural Material Studio crafts entire home interior from bioplastic

      by

      As part of 3 Days of Design, Danish practice Natural Material Studio has created a futuristic fossil-free home interior where all the elements, from the curtains to the sofa, are made from the same bioplastic.

      White Utopia is Natural Material Studio’s most ambitious installation to date, adapting the studio’s Procel bioplastic to form massive functioning furniture pieces across three separate rooms – a dining room, a lounge and a bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe.
      The White Utopia installation includes a lounge (top image) and dining room (above)The exhibition envisions a future where our homes are made entirely using biomaterials like this, which can be endlessly remade into new products and backyard composted at the end of their life, rather than ending up in landfill.
      “The installation has for sure been the most challenging to date due to the complexity in scale and the three-dimensionality of the whole ‘house’,” studio founder Bonnie Hvillum told Dezeen. “You can really start to see how we can live with these new materials.”
      Every element down to the lampshades is made from Procel bioplasticNatural Material Studio initially developed Procel as a flexible biotextile, used to form everything from clothes to curtains. But recently, the studio started experimenting with adapting its recipe to create whole load-bearing furniture pieces.

      The core ingredient is a specific – although nondisclosed – natural protein, which Hvillum says can be derived from either plants or animals.
      Among the larger pieces is a monobloc biofoam sofa”It’s very much used in the medical industry, also in bookbinding,” said the designer, who sources her protein from different suppliers across Europe.
      “It’s used in many different places,” she added. “But when I called them and said ‘can you figure out a way of supplying this to me’, they were like ‘okay, we’ve never had this question before’.”
      The installation also features a bedroom with a walk-in wardrobeTo create Procel, this natural protein is mixed with a small amount of chalk for strength and a natural softener made from plant oils for flexibility.
      Combined in different rations and cast into different moulds, this mixture was used to create not just the textile room dividers found in White Utopia but an entire bio-foam sofa for the living room, stools for the dining area and a giant platform bed that visitors were encouraged to sit on.

      Natural Material Studio creates restaurant panels from leftover beer

      By taking out the softener, Natural Material Studio was also able to create more rigid pieces, including a dining table that was originally cast as a simple rectangle but deformed into a more organic shape as it dried.
      “The presented design objects are really pushing the possibilities of these materials,” Hvillum said. “Opening the door to making them structural is a completely new route for us.”
      “I think it holds so much potential, creating materials that resemble polystyrene and vacuum-formed plastics.”
      Visitors were encouraged to sit on the bioplastic bedFurnituremakers including Isomi and Natuzzi have already started experimenting with using natural latex as an alternative to traditional polyurethane upholstery foam, as the plastic is hard to recycle and contains toxic chemicals.
      Hvillum argues that Procel could offer another promising alternative, as it can be endlessly recast to form new products or simply buried outside in the garden, where it will degrade within a month.
      “We are basically investigating fluidity,” Hvillum said. “So everything is in motion and things can move on to have another life. ”
      “This is how we envision the future to be.”
      Procel biotextiles were also used to form wall coveringsProcel has already made it out into the real world with clients including Calvin Klein and Copenhagen restaurant ÅBEN.
      A collaboration with a Spanish luxury fashion house is also in the works, despite the brand being weary of using animal-derived protein.
      However, Hvillum argues that animal polymers can actually be more sustainable than their vegan counterpart because they are made from waste residues from the meat industry.
      The dining table deformed as it dried”When we work with animal-based materials, we can actually tap into a waste flow so we work with second-generation materials,” she explained. “Whereas when we work with plant materials, we work with virgin materials.”
      “Sustainability is a lot more complex than just: is it animal or is it vegan,” she added. “It’s more about: what sources can we reuse from so that we keep things in a circular loop.”
      The photography is by Peter Vinther.
      White Utopia was part of 3 Days of Design, which took place at venues across Copenhagen from 12 to 14 June. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

      Read more: More