Glass, in a new mold
JEFF BENROTH is not a hippy dippy Northern California glassblower. “I aspire to a more modern aesthetic,” says the Berkeley artisan, left, whose studio work is on sale at Show in Los Feliz, and on display at the Sunset Idea House in Menlo Park through June 18. “Rather than create precious arts and crafts pieces reminiscent of the 1960s, I want to do cleaner and sharper designs that still look handmade.” The result is a new production line of vessels that Benroth creates by blowing multiple layers of colored glass into square and round molds. With milky white exteriors and richly colored interiors, the glass pieces are particularly beautiful on illuminated surfaces. They are $95 at Show, (323) 644-1960. Benroth’s studio and gallery is open to the public by appointment at 907 Camelia St., Berkeley;
(510) 525-0111; www.benroth.com.
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MADE IN CALIFORNIA
Lounging in ocean-going style
Reminiscent of the steamer chairs found on ocean liners, Leslie Curtis’ wicker chaise also references a number of early 20th century design movements. Its stately profile echoes Machine Age Deco and the Viennese bent wood furniture popularized by Thonet. The Morris back, named for Arts and Crafts pioneer William Morris, adjusts from upright to almost horizontal -- a common feature of Mission seating. Curtis, a respected historian and Melrose Avenue dealer of antique and reproduction Heywood-Wakefield wicker, designed the chaise ($2,600) using the French weave technique that creates a durable, nearly solid herringbone pattern. The lounger’s armrests are wide enough to hold a drink or paperback, and the footrest detaches. (323) 653-2999, www.lesliecurtisdesign.com.
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INNOVATIONS
A seat at the table, a table that’s a seat
A longtime staple of apartments
and guest rooms, convertible furniture has just gotten a little greener. The Futaba is a squat, rectangular coffee table that opens
to reveal a 4-foot-long loveseat with curved
upholstered surfaces to cushion the tailbone and lumbar. (The piece, designed by Akemi Tanaka, takes its name from the Japanese word for two leaves sprouting from one seed.) It’s made from Plyboo, plywood that is
manufactured with renewable bamboo, and water-based adhesives, and it’s finished with earth-friendly linseed oil. Orders take six to eight weeks through Inmod, (877) 224-6663, www.inmod.com, at a cost of $4,750,
delivery included.
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