Category Archives: Furniture & Lighting

LOZI | LUXURY PLYWOOD FURNITURE DESIGNER/MAKERS

10 December 2018

Our fifth Function and Form event was held mid November at the Lozi Work/Shop where owner and designer/maker Soroush Pourhashemi talked to us about his take on high end luxury plywood and how he came up with the idea of an entry level £9.99 collection.

But let me back up and tell you about this fascinating designer/maker who grew up in Tehran and discovered his love of plywood and Scandinavian design during his studies as an industrial designer. As a kid Soroush loved hanging out at his uncles’ carpentry workshop where he started experimenting with wood always trying to make something out of the offcuts – a recurring theme as you’ll find out.

His masters took him to London in 2007 and he was delighted to discover how (relatively) easily plywood was available in the UK. He set up his own workshop solely using this material and had a bit of an epiphany when he figured out how to bend plywood through pressure rather than steam. This allows him to bend larger pieces of plywood thus opening up new design solutions, making stronger furniture with more elegant and thinner curves and lines.

I was surprised to learn that Lozi often create their own plywood applying a veneer of hard(er) wood to add some luxury to their designs. This means the piece is more affordable than a design made of solid wood like walnut, maple or oak whilst not compromising on the design.

Lozi’s designs are simple and modern, almost Scandinavian looking and clearly inspired by Soroush’s favourite designer Finn Alvar Aalto. Curves are a trademark and show off the multiple layers of wood elegantly which Lozi take great care to finish to perfection. Lozi’s plywood is almost entirely top grade from sustainable forests all over Northern Europe ensuring the smooth, plug and notch-free appearance that makes their furniture so beautiful.

Most of Lozi’s projects are commercial or residential with anything from wardrobes, kitchens or whole shop outfits but in their commitment to zero waste they’ve come up with an ingenious idea to give customers an entry level product with their £9.99 collection. This collection consist of small pieces like coat hooks, key rings, coasters and such like that are made from the few inevitable offcuts they produce.

I’m currently somewhat obsessed with zero waste and sustainability so I was excited to learn that Soroush is also developing a sheet material from sawdust mixed with bio resin. The prototypes look like a micro terrazzo and I can’t wait to see what a kitchen worksurface or tiles will look like. Watch this space. I’ll make sure I’ll get my hands on a sample when it comes out next year.

We were all far too excited to go our separate ways after the event and had a good old catch up over lunch on Columbia road talking all things interior and discussing how the majority of us juggle freelance and home life. As with all Function and Form events the social aspect of physically getting together and building relationships in person is important to Tiff and me since we all spend far too much time behind our screens at home. Interaction as such is often reduced to emojis on the various social platforms which can’t be a good thing so gathering around a large table with a cup of coffee and having a chat (or moan) is a welcome distraction as well as an enrichment.

Lozi also rather kindly put together a list of their favourite local hangouts, small independent shops and brands and delicious lunch and coffee places you might otherwise walk past. I’ve listed them at the end of this post so if you’re in the Hackney Road area you can check them out for yourself and of course don’t forget to pop into Lozi and have a nose around.

If this has sparked your interest and you’d like to take part in the next Function and Form event drop us a line at hello@wearefunctionandform.com and you’ll be one of the first to know.

Check out these Hackney hangouts as recommended by Leila from Lozi:

SHOPPING | 5 mins walk

Henri
Our neighbours at 276 Hackney Road, Henri make beautiful minimal workwear from organic
cotton with a focus on ethical manufacturing. Their shop stocks their own collection and a
selection of brands that share their ethos.
276 Hackney Road, E2 7SJ

Grace and Thorn
A beautiful florist just down the road, Grace and Thorn stock an intriguing range of flowers and
some wonderfully whimsical vases.
338 Hackney Road, E2 7AX

Eastern Biological
A gift shop entirely focused on botanical objects and natural history, Eastern Biological is a
treasure trove of miscellaneous beautiful objects and fascinating books.
485 Hackney Road, E2 9ED

Conservatory Archives
A bit further down Hackney road you can delve into the incredible Conservatory Archives, or East
london’s urban jungle, crammed to the ceiling with a phenomenal range of magical plants and
enormous cacti.
493-495 Hackney Road, E2 9ED

SHOPPING | Columbia Road

Ben Day
Fine jeweller Ben Day’s opulent selection of stunning pieces is definitely worth a trip. Soroush got
his wedding rings made here.
160 Columbia Road, E2 7RJ

Charlie Borrow you can also find a post about him here
Master leather craftsman, making clean and elegant bags and luggage from a similar Work/Shop set up to Lozi.
116 Columbia Road, E2 7RG

Mosaic Del Sur
The beautiful tile experts have their enticing London showroom on Columbia road. Discover their
extensive range of graphic tiles crafted in Morocco.
106 Columbia Road, E2 7RG

SHOPPING | A Bit Further Afield

Ally Capellino
Timeless bags for men and women.
9 Calvert Avenue, E2 7JP

Wonderound
Beautiful minimalist clothing and gift store, a little further south from Lozi.
16C Calvert Avenue, E2 7JP

Broadway Market will be in full swing on a Saturday, so head over there for a great selection of
food and new designers market stalls as well as the established shops that line the street, full of
art books, ethical clothing and boutique designers.

House of Hackney, SCP and Goodhood Store are all around the corner if you walk down hackney
road towards Shoreditch High Street station, as well as the many design stores nestled down
Rivington Street and Curtain Road.

Redchurch Street, with designer clothing stores like APC, Sunspel and Folk, interiors store Labour
and Wait as well as a great selection of cafes and bars is just a bit further south, at the top end of
Brick Lane.

SNACK – COFFEE – CHEAP EATS

Lanark Coffee
Our favourite coffee shop in the area! Lozi used to share the workshop below with a metal worker
before moving to our current space. Great artisanal coffee and snacks.
262 Hackney Rd, London E2 7SJ

StingRay Globe
A Lozi lifesaver, Stingray has fed us more times than we care to admit and probably
singlehandedly saw us through setting the shop up last year. A delicious and well priced Italian, it
is just at the top Columbia road. A great option for a quick and simple lunch.
109 Columbia Road, E2 7RL

Hackney City Farm
Right opposite Lozi, Hackney City Farm is a mini heaven amongst a busy street. Their cafe serves
a lovely range of home-made food for under £10, and you can pop by and see the goats
afterwards!
1a Goldsmiths Row, E2 8QA

Premises cafe
The cafe serving the infamous Premises Recording studio. The walls are covered with endless
signed photographs of famous musicians who recorded albums there. Simple and easy food, a
mix of traditional cafe and Turkish.
209 Hackney Road, E2 8JL

Bun Bun Bun
Our favourite Vietnamese restaurant amongst the baffling array of choice on Kingsland road. We
highly recommend the Bún chả Hà Nội (Hanoi grilled lemongrass pork noodle salad)
134b Kingsland Road, E2 8DY

Campania and Jones
A charmingly ramshackle restaurant and coffee shop, just off Columbia Road, serving southern
Italian cooking made from local and seasonal ingredients.
23 Ezra Street, E2 7RH

LEISURELY MEALS AND DRINKING

The Marksman Pub
A modern take on gastropub dining, the Marksman is one of the finest places to eat in the area. It
serves a fantastic selection of beers and was the first Public House in London to be awarded the
Michelin Pub of the Year.
254 Hackney Road, London E2 7SJ

Laxeiro
At the top of Columbia road, Laxeiro serves a wide range of fantastic classes Spanish tapas in an
intimate setting.
93 Columbia Road, E2 7RG

Morito
A cool and modern restaurant, Morito draws influences from Southern Spain, North Africa and the
Eastern Mediterranean.
195 Hackney road, E2 8JL

Lucky and Joy
In our neighbourhood for a couple of months, pop up lucky and Joy serves up some phenomenal
Chinese food in the evenings.
184 Hackney Road, E2 7QL

MORE INFORMATION | Lozi
PHOTOGRAPHY | by Lozi with thanks

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‘A ROOM FOR TWO’ | PLYWOOD STRUCTURE BY BEN ALLEN STUDIO

17 October 2017

I absolutely adore Ben Allen’s latest project, ‘A room for two’ which is a plywood structure custom made for an apartment in the Barbican’s Defoe House in central London.

Pale birch plywood is a massive trend at the moment as the inexpensive material is light, strong and versatile and can be cut easily into any shape. The pale colour and subtle wood grain texture compliments the continuing trend for minimalism, creating clean lines and a contemporary uniform look as so often seen in Scandinavian design.

The purpose of this commission was to divide a single bedroom into a creative sleeping and working space for the owners two children making sure that every piece of the off-site prefabricated structure fitted through the standard Barbican apartment door.

Studio Ben Allen picked up on details like the arches of the Brutalist style estate and created two separate entrances to the kids spaces which feature a desk and a bed each. I adore the way that each piece of furniture serves a function like little cubby holes in the steps for slippers and in-built drawers for books to read in bed. My favourite bit is the fold down desk which cleverly reveals a house shaped window repeated on the opposite side ensuring a straight sightline out into the open courtyard.

A fabulous piece of functional design that nestles perfectly into the 1950ies apartment.

If you love plywood you can see more creative applications in this cafe and this stylists home or head over to the V&A’s current plywood exhibition.

MORE INFORMATION | Studio Ben Allen
PHOTOGRAPHY | Michael Sinclair with thanks

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CH24 WISHBONE CHAIR | ENGRAVED LIMITED EDITION

18 April 2017

As you know I’m a huge fan of Carl Hansen & Son (see a previous post here) and I’m excited to tell you that a limited edition of the CH24 chair – aka the Wishbone Chair – will be available on the 27th April with the designer’s signature engraved to celebrate Hans J. Wegner’s 103rd birthday.

*screams* I want it!

It is made for the first time of oil-treated elm sourced from North American forests as elm is no longer prevalent in Danish or European forests. The North American wood variety has a very distinctive structure with visible grain and vivid colour interplay with a natural, woven paper cord seat and all chairs sold on April 27 will come engraved with Hans J. Wegner’s signature and date of birth. Honouring the designers high craftsmanship standards the engraving is made on the wood’s surface with a laser, reproducing the signature with a high degree of detail, discreetly located on the interior side of the chair’s frame.

Wegner designed the Wishbone Chair, known for its distinctive wishbone-shaped backrest in 1949 and production began the following year. The CH24 is Carl Hansen & Son’s best-selling design and still imposes high expectations on the skilled craftsmen and -women who must handle and assemble the chair’s 14 parts and hand-weave a seat made from 120 meters of paper cord before the finished chair can leave the factory.

A true beauty and how I wish I was a collector… #oneday *sighs*

MORE INFORMATION | The recommended retail price for the limited edition Wishbone Chair in oil-treated elm with a natural, woven paper cord seat is GBP 497 (excl. VAT).

To find your nearest Carl Hansen & Son dealer, call +45 6612 1404 or visit www.carlhansen.com

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CARL HANSEN & SONS RELAUNCHES CH23 BY HANS J WEGNER

8 February 2017

It’s not often that emailed press releases get me excited but this one made my ears prick up, Carl Hansen & Son are relaunching the CH23 chair by Hans J Wegner.

In case you struggle to distinguish your Fritz from your Carl Hansen (the former’s best seller is the Egg Chair by Arne Jacobsen and the latter’s is the Wishbone chair by Wegner) – or don’t even know what the heck I’m talking about – this is the Danish furniture brand started by master cabinet maker Carl Hansen over 100 years ago in 1908 that has been producing design icons to the highest standard in craftsmanship ever since.

I’m fascinated by the story of Wegner and Carl Hansen’s collaboration which started in 1949 to develop a unique chair series which in turn laid the foundation for an extensive furniture collection. During a short but intense period prior to the 1950 launch, the young furniture designer worked with some of the most highly skilled craftspeople at Carl Hansen & Son to create the CH22, CH23, CH24 and CH25 chairs – four designs with very different expressions, yet all bearing Wegner’s unique fingerprint and emphasis on high-quality craftsmanship.

Wegner was an accomplished cabinet maker himself and pushed the boundaries of Carl Hansen’s craftsmen by applying advanced design techniques such as steam-bent backrests, organic forms, complex constructions and seats made of woven paper cord and light coloured wood – all united in a simple and elegant expression – considered avant-garde at the time.

For us Wegner’s chairs are timeless and synonymous with Danish Modern, a style of minimalist furniture and homewares from Denmark based on the principles of Bauhaus modernism, creating pure, clean lines based on an understanding of classical furniture craftsmanship and coupled with careful research into materials, proportions and the requirements of the human body. Made from natural materials the chairs are durable and sustainable and even with their strong artistic expression clearly designed for everyday use.

ABOVE | The relaunched CH23

ABOVE | Detail of the CH23

Two of these chairs – the CH24, also known worldwide as the iconic Wishbone Chair, and the woven CH25 lounge chair – have been in production at Carl Hansen & Son for over 65 years. The other two, the CH22 and CH23, which have been out of production for various periods of time, are now being manufactured once again.

With the current relaunch of the CH23 dining chair, all of the master furniture designer’s first four chairs are again part of Carl Hansen & Son’s extensive Wegner collection. The Danish furniture manufacturer is bringing renewed focus to the period that proved to be Wegner’s most productive – a period when the CH26 dining chair also took shape. Conceived in 1950 and closely related to the CH22 lounge chair, the CH26 was never put into production; the drawings were only discovered in Wegner’s vast archives last year. The elegant chair with organic forms has now finally been brought to life and added to Wegner’s first collection.

And as if you need convincing but check out the beautiful product photography and close ups of details of the chairs below as well as one of the master himself: Hans J Wegner.

ABOVE | The relaunched CH23 dining chair

ABOVE | All four design icons in a room. From left CH25, CH22, CH23 and CH24

ABOVE | Lounge Chair CH25

ABOVE | Wishbone chair in black and olive

ABOVE | Hans J Wegner at work

MORE INFORMATION & PHOTOGRAPHY | Carl Hansen & Son with thanks

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BELGIAN DESIGN | ETHNICRAFT FURNITURE BRAND

23 November 2016

CIRCLE dining table in teak

Do you remember me talking about how much quality craftsmanship especially in the form of wooden furniture we saw in Antwerp? One of the brands we met was Ethnicraft furniture who introduced us to their product and design philosophy of creating simple, authentic and functional furniture with respect for the environment and society. Needless to say they had me at ‘hello’.

All of their furniture is made from solid wood of certified origin whether it’s teak from Indonesia, French or Serbian oak or black walnut from the USA, it all originates from well managed forests making it an environmentally friendly material and ultimately contributing to a cleaner environment.

Currently Ethnicraft have taken over a quirky old building in the Old Town of Antwerp where their furniture is styled alongside other pieces from universo positivo, Notre Monde and classic design brands like Hay, Kartell and Menu to name a few. Sadly the lighting wasn’t great so I’ve decided to show you some of my favourite images from their catalogue instead.

Apart from the amazing quality of the wood and craftsmanship the design really stood out for me with simple lines and innovative solutions like the BLACKBIRD storage cabinet which has shelves to display special items as well as a door behind which to store maybe less special stuff. The slim black frame and legs gives the piece it’s name and I think it works really well in a contemporary and minimal environment.

I also loved the BOK chair with it’s single bar backrest, smooth edges and contemporary design – all the attributes of a future classic. Another really clever twist on an essential piece of furniture is the WINDOW side table where you can show off your favourite things underneath the glass surface just like a display cabinet.

Working with designers from around the world you can tell the different influences in Ethnicraft’s range with eg oriental influences by top Indonesian interior design studio Grain and Green or Toronto based product designer Heidi Earnshaw who takes influences from Japanese and Scandinavian design. It all works seamlessly together and is combined by the beauty of their core product: wood and all it’s different colours, grains and shapes.

I could almost get philosophical here aligning this to our world and calling for more tolerance in society but maybe that’s a post for another day. 😉