We had no idea what whimsical, colorful surprises were in store for us this year at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair. Splashes of lime, magenta and teal dotted the convention center landscape, making up the color scheme of the moment for carpets, pillows, and wall decorations. We spotted almost an entire zoo of animals, from Yuki Matsuoka’s massive cardboard giraffe statue, to Katherine Ladd’s playful stuffed lion and cow cushions. Retro-themed ipad and ipod docks that looked like fifties TVs and radios stood out against the multitude of modern, streamlined furniture. Designs from larger Scandinavian firms like Wästberg and Artek may have stolen all of the Editors’ Awards, but hidden gems from lesser-known designers made our day. Here’s a selection of our favorite entries.
Made from linen, these Marimekko-ish pillows were super cute. Katherine Ladd was inspired by her travels to West Africa to create Claude the Lion and other pillows decorated with traditional West African imagery.
