Blog Archives
The Talented Mr. Chandler
By Marica
Please spare me a moment or two of your afternoon to share the remarkable works of Michael Chandler with you – it will be well worth your time. Do you have your coffee in hand… mmm, and a rusk maybe? Ready? Okay…
Browsing through the Chandler House website, Rose and I had to agree that Michael is one clever young man. Most of his pieces have an unique play of old and new – taking an artefact and reworking it into a contemporary interpretation is simply brilliant. He finds inspiration for new designs in South African history & heritage and then uses modern materials and methods to craft it. I also find it admirable how he utilizes otherwise damages & useless objects (like the shards of an old blue & white Dutch plate) to create something beautiful with it – with a completely different use.
- Fridge magnets made from shards of blue & white porcelain plates. Clever, hey!
Rose and I were rather interested to find out how Michael’s seemingly contrasting interests came to be…
It seems Michael spend school holidays on family farms that resulted in an early introduction to nature, antiques, gardening and needlework. After leaving school, he enrolled at UCT where he studied one of his most passionate interests – Art History. While undertaking his post grad Michael started working for Stephan Welz & Sothebys, a prestigious fine and decorative arts auction house. Spending every day examining and cataloguing beautiful things, he learnt an enormous amount about the past 400 years of design and was snapped up as a research assistant to Deon Viljoen – a leading expert on 18th, 19th and 20th Cape Visual and Domestic History. Deon’s passion for early Cape furniture and Dutch trade pieces quickly seeded itself in Michael and this is easily recognisable in the work that Michael does today. In July 2010, Michael started a small design studio – Chandler House – and his work is largely associated with the above-mentioned interests.
Beautiful embroidery - the white and blue combination remains stunning!
Deon Viljoen approached Michael in 2010 to find an upholstering solution for these fabulous set of Cape Stinkwood Dining Chairs, circa 1810. Georgian English in design, but made in the Cape. By some happy accident, Michael found shards of discarded English blue and white porcelain and decided to embroider the different porcelain shards patterns on the chair seats – brilliant blue on off-white cotton.
- The Kraak Mirror
Based on the rim pattern of a 17th Century Japanese Blue & White Ceramic Plate, the Kraak Mirror, above, is a 21st Century Cape take on the Regency Butler’s Mirror.
Striking Red Embroidered Coral Scatters
I absolutely love these beautiful bold red embroidered Coral scatter cushions Michael designed. Quite striking, hey? They’re available at Pezula Interiors. (I believe the talented Lanalou took this lovely photo)
Love those busts. So funky!
The beautiful black & white Houdiniware is quite… well… hypnotizing and the quirky busts you see at the top are slip-casts of a phrenology head by Lorenzo Niles Fowler. Michael, viewing the heads as blank canvases started experimenting by painting different features on the various heads – the result is uniquely funky.
The Madam-Style Mirror and Nyanga Mirror = what an unique translation
Based on a Robert Adam Neo-Classical design from the late 18th Century, the Madame-style mirror is made entirely out of white beads. Whereas the Nyanga Mirror has a more simplistic tribal feel – “nyanga” being the Xhosa word for “moon” and ultimately the inspiration for this beaded piece.
On the bottom, from left to right: The Cape Spitoon; Phrenology Vase & the Enlightenment stack of books.
The Cape Spittoon is Michael’s 21st Century interpretation of an old Cape Icon – although traditionally it would have been heavy brass, so unlike this dainty ceramic version.
Here again you find the Fowler’s Phrenology head but now used as a vase – imagine planting some herbs in it – that would be one funky head of hair!
I adore the stack of plaster books! It can be used as a decorative object and Michael designed a lamp base version of it as well.
VOC-Inspired Plate
Fabric man, David Bellamy kindly asked Michael to create an unique piece for an exhibition which aims to raise awareness and funds for the protection and survival of the Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus). Michael came up with this VOC-inspired piece, only replacing the traditional Ho-ho birds with a pair of Cape Parrots.
The beautiful Cape Pendant Collection
Michael says he has several things in the pipeline. He’s working on a revised smaller Cape Pendant Collection – for those of you unfamiliar with it, it’s a jewellery range based on the key-plates found on old pieces of Cape Furniture (and it’s freaking beautiful). Lanalou also did a beautiful post about it here. Michael is also currently focusing on a range of Kitchen Linens – Aprons, Tea towels, Dishcloths and Napkins inspired by china patterns, 18th century etchings of the Cape and esoterica. So, keep your eyes peeled people and check out his website for more beautiful thingies.
So, what do you guys think? Which item appeals to you most? I have to say I would love to own one of those Cape Pendants, how about you? Give us your opinions please!
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Nature Inspired Design
By Marica
I wanted to write a post on Organic Design, a movement, or rather a motivation in design, which really inspires me and most designers.
Organic Design is a very broad term that encompasses anything from environment sensitive architecture and engineering, to nature inspired design, structure, materials and pattern. It also plays a big part in the development of sustainability, science and future technology.
So why do we have this great fascination with nature and why is it worth emulating? I would say Nature is the embodiment of perfect design. There is a certain grace, balance and beauty found in Nature that all designers, artists and craftsmen strive to attain. Nature is ultimate “form follows function” standard. Every leaf, colour, branch, exoskeleton, right down to the smallest cell was designed and evolved to perform a specific function in the most sufficient way. It is this ingenuity of Nature’s tested patterns and strategies that we attempt to imitate or draw inspiration from.
The Museum of Modern Art curator, Paola Antonelli, introduces the exhibition “Design and the Elastic Mind” and explains Organic Design.
I truly appreciate designers who mimic Nature’s working designs and evolve it to fit a new function whilst still retaining its aesthetically pleasing appearance whether it is in the way a structure is put together, a slight organic curve in a furniture piece, or an intricate pattern on a fabric. Designs inspired by nature has an elegant quality, maybe we recognize some subconscious symmetry in the organic.
Check out these beautiful nature inspired designs…
The Pod Hanging Chair & The Bloom Chair - Weylandts
The Pod Hanging Chair is reminiscent of a weaver’s nest and the Blossom Chair designed by Kenneth Cobonpue resembles a flower, both available from Weylandts.
Merino Bubble Cushions from Peta-Lee
I adore these cushions from Peta-Lee. They are made from Merino Wool Felt and remind me of alveoli and sea grass, beautiful.
The Chrysanthemum Centrepiece by Michaella Janse Van Vuuren
The Chrysanthemum Centrepiece by Michaella Janse Van Vuuren is a reversible design that can function as either a bowl or a candle holder. The piece was the winner of the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa at the Design Indaba Expo 2009.
Beautiful Ceramic Vessels by Astrid Dahl Images: http://amaridianusa.com/index2.htm
And these organic form ceramic pieces from Astrid Dahl are truly awe-inspiring. They look so delicate and feminine. Isn’t it absolutely breathtaking!
Scientist, Janine Benyus, in her book on Biomimicry suggests looking to Nature as a “Model, Measure, and Mentor”. We truly live on an amazing planet, take care of it! May Nature continue to inspire us!
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Top 5 MUST Haves: Kloof Street
By Marica
We took a walk-about down Kloof Street on Saturday and saw so many beautiful shops and amazing finds that we decided to compose a little wish list of our favourite Kloof Street items, here is our Kloof Street Top 5…
Mother of Pearl Side Tables – Loft Living:
Mother-Of-Pearl Side Table by Loft Living
What: Mother-Of-Pearl Side Table
Where: Loft Living, Kloof Street
Description: White ribbed side table with mother-of-pearl top.
How Much: R 1,995.00 each
Retro Dining Table – LIM:
Retro Dining Table by LIM
What: Retro Dining Table
Where: LIM, Kloof Street
Description: Superwood top with white Duco finish and solid Walnut legs. Size: 1800(l) x 900(d) x 750(h)
How Much: R 7,790.00
Nguni Loop Chair – Klooftique:
Nguni Loop Chair by Klooftique
What: Nguni Loop Chair
Where: Klooftique, Kloof Street
Description: Nguni hair on hide or leather, legs: timber, stainless steel or caster/wheels.
How Much: R 7,200.00
Brno Chair by Mies van der Rohe Replica – Eddie Zoom:
Brno Chair by Mies Van Der Rohe Replica from Eddie Zoom
What: Brno Chair by Mies van der Rohe – Replica
Where: Eddie Zoom, Kloof Street
Description: Upholstered in leather with a chrome flat bar frame.
How Much: R 3,200.00 for the pair (an absolute steal!)
Ceramic Protea Candle Holder – O.live:
Protea Candle Holder by Olive
What: Protea Candle Holder
Where: O.live, Kloof Street
Description: Ceramic Protea candle holder in glazed white finish.
How Much: R 160.00 each
Ultimate must haves! What’s your favourite…let us know!
