Sometimes we get the feeling no one really wants us here in Leipzig. Not that we are complaining - or at least not when avoiding our company means sending us to the International Contemporary Furniture Fair and New York City. From May 14th until May 19th your (smow)blog team will bring you all the important stories, new products and general lunacy from Vitra, Kartell, Magis, Tom Dixon and all the other exhibitors at North America's premier designer furniture trade fair. And not just from
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Two days sun and we at the (smow)blog are already trying to convince the (smow)boss to let us work from the garden for the next six months. Fortunately smow can provide all that we need to both work safety and in comfort out of doors as well as to enjoy our evening. Designer furniture for outdoors: S 1043 outdoor by Thonet With its round stainless steel tubular frame, weather-proof plywood top and height-adjustable feet the S1043 is an excellent choice for all outdoor areas; regardless of
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A cult figure among designers, relatively unknown amongst the general public Joe Colombo is without doubt one of the most important designers of the 20th century. The Vitra Design Museum exhibition “Joe Colombo – Design and the invention of the future” is the first international retrospective of the man, his work and his influence. From April 3rd until the end of June the exhibition is on display at the Grassi Museum here in Leipzig and, as one would expect from an official Vitra partner,
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smow prides itself on only dealing in new, officially licensed products from internationally renowned producers such as Vitra, Kartell, USM Haller and Moormann, amongst others. As an internationally active retailer, smow, however, also has a regular supply of shop display items and exhibition articles which cannot be sold as "new": For just as a car that has travelled more than 40 kilometres can't be sold as new, so a chair that has been sat on more the twice also can't be sold as new. And
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Shameless self-congratulation – but what the hey! The current German edition of Cosmopolitan (April 2009) contains a wonderful recommendation for the stylish La Bohème -”Vases” by Philippe Starck for Kartell. And we didn’t even pay them. If the Cosmopolitan Germany editors will also recommend the article to their colleagues at Cosmopolitan Denmark, Cosmopolitan Holland or Cosmopolitan UK is not clear, but we at (smow)blog can definitely recommend these humorous and, slightly irritating,
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At smow we have a particular soft spot for Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and so it is especially pleasing that we can recommend an exhibition of their work currently on display at Grand Hornu in the Belgian region of Hainaut, close to the border with France. Grand Hornu is 19th century mining complex which has been creatively restored and today serves as a centre for culture, tourism and technology - and so it is particularly appropriate that it is playing host to "Etapes" and exhibition
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Last week the (smow)team made their annual pilgrimage to the CeBIT communications and IT trade fair in Hannover – not as exhibitor but as curious visitors and passionate techies. And while we looked for ways to improve our on-line service and to offer even more features, we found our attention being continually attracted – and occasionally astounded – by the furniture behind and around the stands. And over the course of the visit we had plenty of time and opportunity to draw up a list of our
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The evenings are getting longer and the rain is a little warmer: Spring is unquestionably approaching. And with the rising sap many an idle thought will undoubtedly turn to romance and the city of all hopeless romantics, Paris. And for those of you planning making a short trip to the French capital this spring we at the (smow)blog would like to recommend a couple of exhibitions that could appeal. Until March 16th the Centre Pompidou is showing an exhibition from the British/Israeli designer
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The dollop of cream atop the perfect office is a practical, aesthetic and user friendly trolley. In general an office trolley fulfills several roles: As a convenient depository for heavy folders or a pile of uncompleted jobs or occasionally as a bar trolley. smow currently offers five different trolleys, that in addition to providing work-based mobility can also be used as side tables and/or mobile bars: Gastone from Kartell (Design: Antonio Citterio & Oliver Löw) Gastone is an elegant
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Winter in Europe and while the weather outside is at it’s less attractive, it’s good to know that at home one has a functioning, stable and unobtrusive coat hanger. For as long as coats have existed, top designers, and those who aspire to such, have tested their art on the challenge of creating the perfect construction on which to hang said coat. A hook is a hook you think, think again, Knax from loca, is characterised by its unostentatious, functional design. The hooks sit within the
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Design awards. They’re funny things. Sometimes one has the feeling that behind every tree and round every corner a design award is lurking. And while you can have too much of a good thing, awards ceremonies are in principle positive in that they help present a platform to a lot of designers whose work would otherwise go unnoticed outwith specialist circles One of the oldest and most prestigious design awards is the Good Design Award presented by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of
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Within the next 48 hours all christmas presents must be bought. Or else it’s back to writing vouchers for your nearest and dearest. And so before it’s all too late a few final gift ideas from smow. In particular we present here the Eiermann desk, the miniature chairs from Vitra and the La Bohème "Vases" from Kartell. Or in other words Christmas gifts for workaholics, designer furniture afficienados and aesthetes... Number 1: "Desk perfection" Designer Egon Eiermann was a perfectionist who
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Although there are still nine whole days until Christmas, it may still be an idea to organise one or the other gift. And so in the second part of our series on gift ideas we "present" here some more wonders of designer furniture that cannot fail to impress: The elephant stool, a paper basket and some exquisite cushions. Number 1: "The Christmas Elephant" The Eames Elephant simply belongs in every children's bedroom. Through its's irresistable form this imaginative and practical children's
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The first snow of the years has fallen, the Christmas window displays are finished and the nervous hunt for the “perfect” Christmas gift is well underway. And so sometimes the best decision is simply to relax in front of the Internet and choose extravagant, amusing or simply, simple gifts for your nearest and dearest. In a small pre-Christmas series we the smow blog team will present a few ideas and treasures from the (smow)catalogue, which will hopefully ease you search and bring a smile to
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