Curated reports, “Atelier Pfister brings together eleven young Swiss designers to produce a collection of solidly crafted, “radical” material. Sure, the pieces have a touch of Scandinavian minimalism about them, but also exhibit a charming quality and range that is hard to deny. The bed frames and seating furniture are highlights.”

More at Curated.

Furniture from Curated. “Designed in 2004 by Maarten Van Severen, this “Leather Lounge Chair” strikes a strong profile – both from the side and front/back. It is from the latter that the chair is most dramatic, the single arm taking shape of a wing. That movement, however, is as straightforward as the line of the piece. It is minimal, to be sure, but manages a distinctive footprint. The chair is produced by Pastoe, a Dutch firm that has been in the business of furniture since 1913.”

A new exhibition on Wharton Esherick, a fascinating and multi-faceted artist, has opened at the University of Pennsylvania. Mounted as a partnership between the Rare Book and Manuscript Library and the Architectural Archives at the University of Pennsylvania,  the Wharton Esherick Museum (Paoli, PA) and Hedgerow Theatre (Rose Valley, PA), the presented material draws fully from Esherick’s diverse output.

About the exhibition -

Wharton Esherick and the Birth of the American Modern, the first major examination of Esherick’s work and artistic development in over fifty years, will explore the social, political, and artistic milieu of the 1920s and 1930s and the role it played in Esherick’s evolution into an artist who spoke through wood. Trained as an illustrator and painter, Esherick’s experiences in modern theater and dance, his exposure to new ideas in philosophy, politics, and literature, and his experiments in carving and printmaking laid the foundation for his emergence as an artist of remarkable range–from painting and prints to set designs, sculpture, furniture and architecture. He and his community of friends created an artistic circle in which radical new ideas flourished and shaped the definition of American Modernism.

For those interested there is a corresponding catalog and there is also a symposium planned for October 1st and 2nd. The exhibition runs through February 13, 2011.

Learn more at Penn Libraries.

D-Build’s new marketplace may well be the “Etsy” for reclaimed materials, as Core77 mentions. Like Etsy, you’ll find an extraordinary collection of product designs that use old up-cycled materials to form incredible objects from bed frames, to benches. “In the Products section they sell finished products like Arbor & Taylor’s Lincoln series of furniture (above), all made from reclaimed lumber; those looking to do their own projects should check out the Materials section, where you can buy random hunks of old floor beams, planks, boards, framing, and even entire ripped-out walls. Design something up, build it, and sell it; do it right and you’ll make your money back, and then some.” An awesome idea.

More looks at the  D-Build’s “Reclaimed” Materials Marketplace after the click.

From Curated –

Barcelona-based Marina68 produces some fantastic furnishings.  Partners Rafel and Cristian experiment with material contrast (metal, cork, fabric) and the results are quirky without losing site of functionality. Their work in cork, especially, hits the mark – sustainability and design integrity mixed to a rare degree of excellence.

More here.

Furniture from Curated –

Influenced by stalwarts of California design Green & Green and Sam Maloof, furniture maker Josh Finke has produced a solid set of table and chair. The inspiration comes primarily in the craft (exposed joinery, etc.) and there is a discernible Green & Green aesthetic. I’m most tickled by the movement of the stretchers… which I think are lovely.

Furniture news and views from Curated.

The Twist table collection was designed by German studio Formstelle for Zeitraum. I love the angular flow of the legs, which have terrific depth and a nice taper running from top to base. The tables (and I’m only showing one here) can be made in American Oak or Walnut.

Check out a full range of images at Curated.

Jardan, a Melbourne-based furniture making outfit, enlisted the talents of Nick Garnham and Rod Carlson to create the Archie Chair. The duo draw inspiration from the casual, relaxed nature of Australian porch life (note: I am not exactly sure what that entails) and build from solid American Oak. Traditional joinery techniques are utilized, which creates a nice little detail where the legs hit the arms of the chair.

The chair also comes in love seat size, so don’t forget to check that out after the jump. (via Daily Icon).

For those who appreciate the furniture work from the Hansen Family comes a small “collection” of home furnishings for Surface to Air. “Furniture gurus the Hansen family and designer Steve Harrington have teamed up to create four custom made pieces of furniture for Surface to Air. Check out The collection will be showcased in our shop in shop space at our Paris flagship store.”

Designed by Alberto Sanchez for Mut Design, the Enea Rocking Chair combines traditional Spanish handcraft with a contemporary wooden base to form a simple, functional rocking side chair. The woven seat, done in black, offers solid contrast to the seat rails and stiles, balancing the form. The proportion of the base to seat adds further to the stance, which could easily have appeared overly cumbersome. Not quite as delicate as other Mut work (notably the Leaf collection), the weight of Enea Rocking Chair makes it more successful than other product from the firm.

Information and images from Industrial Design Served.

Additional looks at the Enea Rocking Chair after the jump.