Our Edmonton team recently took part in Vignettes: Showcase, a design challenge created by Mojo Design to celebrate Edmonton’s local designers, craftsmen, artists, and suppliers. The team spent long hours brainstorming and then building an original design to showcase on October 8 and we are so proud of the result.

Vignettes was a great success–it was jam-packed with design enthusiasts and professionals alike and even earned significant air time on City TV. Look for additional coverage in upcoming issue of Western Living. Follow us on Instagram to see pics of the event, check out the Vignettes Instagram page, or search #vignettesyeg for more event pics.

Here are some pics and the rational behind LightForm + Dwell Modern’s Beauty In The Beast vignette.

Beauty In The Beast

Juxtaposing the refined with the raw

The art of juxtaposing has long been used as a tool to compare and contrast. Thus with the emergence of two recent trends; namely, the revival of refined luxury and the increased experimentation with raw, unrefined materials, we were inspired to juxtapose the two in this vignette: Beauty In The Beast.

In this study of contrasts we’ve created a vignette that places high-end luxury items amidst raw, unrefined materials. What emerges is an intriguing tapestry of contrasts, not simply among elements, but more interestingly within the objects themselves. Moreover, we’ve discovered a thread that unites these trends: a preoccupation with the tactile—the luxurious, in its pursuit of ever more refined sensory experiences and the raw, in its curiosity towards the palpable potential of discarded materials.

At the center of this vignette is the Ruché sofa, whose name references a sewing technique in which fabric is gathered or pleated for a soft, layered effect. Contrasting the indulgent undulations of the duvet, the sofa’s solid wood structure stands upright, coercing the movement of the overlying fabric. The result is a surprising cooperation between raw and refined elements, a harmonious union of straight lines and soft, welcoming curves.

Covering the wall is the Cloud, a design that ushered a new typology for wool, a textile conventionally used for furniture or clothing. Here the raw material acts atypically: like a vine, it grows, creeps, covers, and insulates the wall, suffocating harsh sounds and creating a luxurious cocoon of peace within the space.

Lighting this vignette is the Raimond, a glorious steel luminaire built with innovative LED technology and mathematical precision; its intricate spheres are what transports electrical current. Unexpectedly, this refined lighting design falls backstage to its hypnotic effects, for staring at the Raimond is like staring into the soft glow of a starry night.

Surrounding these luxurious objects are elements of industrial and natural decay. Earthy, organic terrariums sprout from heavy, decadent jewel-toned velvet macramé. Decaying, moss-choked cinder blocks are littered amongst dilapidated and graffitied warehouse walls. At first sight the juxtapositions shock, disgust, or intrigue us; regardless, the monotony of the status quo has been shattered like the mirrored floors. We’re invited to contemplate these new tactile experiences, to re-examine the boundaries that define useful and useless, luxury and decay, beauty and monstrosity.

Here finally, resides the power of this juxtaposition: new sensory experiences refine our understanding of the world we inhabit—empowering us to see the beauty within the beast.

Objects:
Ruché sofa, designed by Inga Sempé for Ligne Roset
Clouds, designed by R. & E. Bouroullec for Ligne Roset
Raimond suspension light, designed by Raimond Puts for Moooi
Terrariums designed by Victoria Wright

Vignette design:
Carrie Cameron, Dwell Modern
Elizabeth Hasham, LightForm
Michelle Dahlbeck, LightForm
Teng Chong, Dwell Modern + LightForm
Dylan Lynch, Dwell Modern
April Petry, Dwell Modern

Congratulations to all the designers and artists who participated in this wonderful event and thank you Mojo Design for dreaming it to life.

For behind-the-scenes pics check out our Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter pages.