Here are 10 show-stoppers at the recent Maison&Objet Paris show:
1. Qeeboo
Italian brand Qeeboo has quite a sense of humour when it comes to decorating the home. It makes things like Killer - an umbrella shaped like a shark, or the Rabbit stool, where you literally sit on a bunny. Quirky they may be but the emphasis is on function, such as the Ribbon Chair, a girly chair with a ribbon-shaped backrest. It's comfortable, but try getting the man of the house to sit on this chair, which comes in pink, pure white, and now in gold and pink gold.
Qeeboo.com
2. Big Blue Company
Clams, shells, sea urchins and corals. As bright, clear and pristine as they look in the ocean and soon, in your home. Except they're not real. The stunning replicas are made of a resin stone formulation by Singapore-based company Big Blue, which started in 2016. They look and feel like the real thing, thanks to images taken by an underwater camera and 3D technology. No more getting sand between your toes while hunting them down on the beach.
bigblueco.com
3. AP Collection
Buying a chair from Belgium brand AP Collection isn't as simple as choosing leather or fabric. You're more likely to be picking from flamingo, swan, or hedgehog. And no, we don't mean the animals' feathers or quills. Instead, each AP Collection chair is made of stuffed toys sewn together. Its founders Alexis Verstraeten and Pauline Montironi were once in a long-distance relationship, and he would send her teddy bears. When they reunited, they decided to create a collection together, hence the start of AP Collection. Each head-turning design comes in only 30 pieces, so only a select few get to hug their seats.
apcollection.be
4. Kitchibe/Likestone
The days of diffusing fragrance from a tacky diffuser are over with these understated stone-like versions from Japanese brand Kitchibe/likestone. They're actually made of ceramic and come in rather playful designs such as the Monolis Tsuki, which has a round plate going through the diffuser stand, resembling the moon peeking out from behind a mountain. Meanwhile, the Nanopot is a small diffuser designed to look like a spoon stuck in an ice cream cup. The range of fragrances available includes Washi, Matcha, Yuzu and Cherry Blossoms, to complete the Japanese connection.
kitchibe.jp
5. Kristina Dam Studio
Danish graphic designer and architect Kristina Dam, is all about 'sculptural minimalism', hence her designs have a distinctive Scandinavian expression with their clean lines.The Mobile Mirror has mirrors on both sides that allow it to be hung from the ceiling like a mobile art piece, or it can be used as a wall mirror. The Decoration Circle is meant to be part of a floral arrangement. Made of solid brass and steel, its geometric design is pretty enough as an art piece on its own, sans blooms.
kristinadam.dk
6. Bump
British designer Tom Dixon has given birth to Bump, a family of minimalist glass vessels designed to up anyone's status as a host. Tea pots, glasses, water jugs and vases are delicately handmade, in subtle shades of pink and grey. Bump comes out of Dixon's fascination with laboratory apparatus, namely the glass cones, spheres and tube shapes which are re-interpreted as everyday products. In fact, Bump is made of borosilicate, the same heat resistant glass used in making test tubes and vessels for science labs.
tomdixon.net
7. Terrariumart
If you can't even keep a cactus alive, a terrarium is the perfect foil to your not-so-green thumbs. TerrariumArt is a studio based in Milan, where it builds terrariums with moss and plants. The live plants are treated with resin to make them last longer.This also means that no watering is required. The design team also created dioramas to put in the terrariums, which can last at least three years. Of course, if you don't find a way to kill them first.
terrariumart.it
8. Tiny Miracles
Make your home beautiful and do good at the same time. The Dutch company's range includes vases, lampshades, wall clocks and wallpaper decorations - all handmade by over 100 mothers in Mumbai. All items are made of paper, come flat packed and are lightweight.
Besides employing these mothers, Tiny Miracles also provides them with education and healthcare, so that they can become self-supporting.
tinymiracles.nl
9. Kimu Design
The New Old Light from this Taiwanese design brand is like its name implies - a blend of the old and the new, a journey of discovering new soul in old objects. The traditional Oriental paper lantern meets Western design aesthetics and transforms into a new shape for the modern-day consumer. The paper lampshade can be adjusted to different heights to allow for varying brightness, depending on your (old) age.
kimudesign.com
10. Industry+
The Singapore-based design collective Industry+ works with various designers to create new furniture collections. Its most recent is Take A Seat, which includes the Wimbledon chairs from Japanese designer Takeuchi. Inspired by the high chairs of tennis umpires, it comes in three heights and is suitable for both outdoor and indoor use. Useful for referee-ing any impromptu badminton matches in your jumbo living room. Otherwise, its legs extend above the seat which act as hooks for hanging bags.
Industryplus.com.sg
All items are available for purchase online.
If you'd like to know more about the other Singapore brands at the fair, read here. Written by Tay Suan Chiang for The Business Times.