 Chameleon Form
Multipurpose design elevates function to an art form
By Noelle Coyle
Let’s be honest — good interior design often is the goal rather than our reality, and excellent design is hard to come by. Anyone can doll up a space with a coat of paint or throw pillows, but far fewer people introduce truly sophisticated products that serve more than one function into their living spaces. Square footage comes at a premium, considering there is less and less developable land, and more often than not we need our living spaces to be streamlined, comfortable and dual- or triple-purpose. From furniture to lighting to home accessories, the opportunities to minimize clutter without minimizing high-end furnishings are endless.
Atlas Industries, based in Brooklyn, NY, unintentionally stumbled upon a consumer need for flexible, multifunctional furniture when sales for their as4 Modular Furniture System took off.
“It had pretty humble and unassuming origins,” says Joseph Fratesi, president and co-owner.
Fratesi and his business partner, Thomas Wright, were already in the architectural interiors industry, creating custom products for clients. When they needed shelves for their own office, they created a system that best fit their needs and could be re-configured easily as more space was required. As time went by, clients saw the shelves and requested something similar in their own home or office, but with slightly different features. The system developed from there.
Composed of solid hardwoods and steel bar, the as4 features both open and enclosed shelving, drawers, cabinetry and desk top options. The hardwood shelves can be made out of a variety of wood including walnut, cherry, maple, white oak and bamboo, and are built with dovetail joints rather than screws or nails. The dovetail joints, Fratesi explains, make the system sturdier and allow for more movement.
Clients can use a design tool on the company’s Web site called the as4 Builder to design their own configurations. They can drag various options onto the drawing and their dimensions and price quotes will be calculated automatically during each step.
“We try to come up with configurations tailored to everyone’s needs,” Fratesi says. “...(We’ll) spend time working with them on what they want and what configuration will best work with what they have.”
The system can be used in any room in the house, from the kitchen to the home office and from a child’s room to the living room. It’s also popularly used as an entertainment center.
One of its unique aspects, Fratesi says, is its versatility in any environment and design setting.
“It’s simple and straightforward in terms of its character,” he says. “(We’re) more inclined to not be outspoken in terms of our work. (We) like things to be quiet and sedate. (That) lets it work well in a lot of different ways.”
A Virginia-based company called Posh Tots has found success serving the multifunctional design niche, too. The company designs high-end children’s furniture and whimsical accessories, offering a line of convertible cribs and dressers. One trend that’s rising in popularity among parents is furniture that grows as children grow.
“(Over the years) we’ve stayed true to who we were, but we’ve added a lot more mainstream collections to the line and grew our customer base,” says Co-founder Andrea Edmunds.
Posh Tots has a wide selection of convertible cribs that grow in three phases — from crib to toddler daybed, to full-size bed. Most daybeds include or have the option of a guardrail. Each line also has its own signature features like the Prestige Convertible Crib that features four adjustable mattress positions to accommodate a baby’s growth. The Prestige line is composed of New Zealand pine with a warm amber finish. The Samantha Convertible Crib features an optional storage chest that easily fits underneath the full-size mode.
Posh Tots also offers versatile dressers with a coordinating and removable changing table. Once the changing table is no longer needed, it is removed and the dresser takes on a more “adult” appearance. Most of the convertible crib lines have coordinating dressers, allowing a full bedroom suite to follow an individual throughout his or her lifetime.
No room is complete, however, without lighting. Studio Italia Design, based in Venice, Italy, offers an expansive line of functional, abstract lighting fixtures that are available through the company’s Web site.
The Buonanotte bedside lamp features a triangular frame available in chrome, white or green. The frame has a sensor on it that controls the light: When a book is placed on the frame, the light turns off and when the book is removed, the light turns on. And, due to its unique shape, the frame serves as a bookmark, holding your place in the book.
David Weisinger, general manager of the U.S. office, explains the lamp can also be turned on and off by tapping the sensor, but it’s designed specifically to function with a book.
The Nuvola light fixture by Studio Italia Design features a fire-proof fabric cover wrapped around a metal frame that resembles a cloud. The material can be shaped any way you want, and inside there are two metal mechanical arms that move up and down, causing the “cloud” to undulate for a lifelike effect. Growing in popularity for both homes and businesses, the Nuvola is even featured in the lobby of the Mondrian Hotel in Scottsdale.
“It’s all about being innovative with design and making it fun,” Weisinger says, “and having a piece in the home that’s a conversation piece.”
Also a functional art piece is Tabrizi Art’s stretto.
The stretto offers an aesthetic solution to sediment collecting at the bottom of fine wines, which can ruin a wine’s flavor if the bottle is not stored and handled properly. The wine bottle can be displayed, carried and served directly from the stretto, which is designed at a certain angle to ensure the sediment is not disturbed.
“I wanted it to be fresh, attractive and functional, but befitting of a bottle of wine that’s valuable, not something that just was mediocre,” says Arthur Tabrizi, principal and owner of Tabrizi Art.
In addition to its functionality, however, the stretto serves as an exquisite art and conversation piece. There are three designs available: the bello, the esotico and the raro. The bello features a Swarovski crystal on its base, while the esotico is painted with the same paints designed for Lamborghini.  Each one is handmade by Tabrizi, and various types of wood are available including lace wood, figured maple, cherry and walnut. The raro’s design goes a step further; for this model, Tabrizi uses rare woods, including burled maple, and adds a diamond to the base (size and quality vary depending on the customer’s specifications).
“Clients interested in the raro are individuals who pretty much have everything, and want that special one that no one else has,” he says. “If I can give them what they want, that’s great for me.”
www.atlaseast.com
www.poshtots.com
www.sid-usa.com
www.tabriziart.com
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