Trend: Woven Minimalism

As excessive desires wain under the current economic climate, minimalist living shifts back into the spotlight.  Daniel Hedner, the mastermind behind Imaginary Office, a Swedish design and architecture firm, recently designed Pleats Please, a bare-bones approach to traditional seating.  Weaving only 19 stripes of upholstered polyurethane foam to a white coated steel pipe frame, Hedner built his creation using the macramé technique of knotting.  Illustrating this method on a flat surface, graphic designer Damien Correll, interlocks various arms together in Like Pattern, a print of hands holding hands. Utilizing a monochromatic palette and consistent stroke, Correll conveys a timeless sense of optimism, communicating strength in the basics.

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Home: Insect Kingdoms in Paris

If you pay attention, you’ll almost always notice art imitating life and vice versa. I find this most exciting when unexpected trends weave their way through a city I am unaccustomed to. This was the case on a recent trip to Paris. While exploring the Marais, I stumbled across the most beautiful collection of hand painted silk pillows. The beetle toss was a high-end approach to playful décor. This beetle theme consistently reappeared in various stores – most interestingly as a woven monogram at Printemps. Later on in the day, on a more guided stroll through the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, I stumbled upon a beautiful collection of preserved butterflies. The color, composition and collection were impeccable. A commercial version of this natural wonder is translated well as individually printed insect candles from Elizabeth’s Embellishments.