The inspiration for this chair came from a brilliant sunset in Sedona, Arizona, where I traveled for a wedding. The prehistoric geological formations in the desert glowed a sublime orange and red when illuminated by the setting sun. This sparked my imagination for this chair. The bow shape of the seat back references the sunset over the horizon. The seeming simplicity of the design speaks to how nature can seem uncomplicated; the complex joinery required to achieve this simplicity speaks to the millions of years it took for the sandstone formations of Sedona to achieve their sculptural perfection.

The design has been paired down to the fewest parts possible. The legs appear to flow right out of the arms while the seat hovers in between. Modified dovetail joints secure the legs to the arms in a seamless fashion for strength. 

Looks can be deceiving. Many manufacturers in the Northeast declined to create a prototype because the design was so complex. Realizing that the construction of the chair required a type of craftsmanship that gradually becoming antiquated, Zipperer decided contact a traditional early American Windsor chair maker who lived in a small town in the Pocono Mountains. Known for his meticulous joinery and hand shaping, the maker decided to take on the project due to the challenge of making this difficult design. Constructed of solid white Ash derived from a tree the maker cut down on his property, the end result is a beautiful marriage of skill and mastery. It is a modern design made by hand in small batches.

The final stage of construction involved choosing a fabric for the seat. I tried a number of subtle, luxe textiles that made the design look like any other Scandinavian modern chair. I realized I had to do something bolder, so I chose cowhide as a material. It adds a living warmth and unique texture to the cool ash. 

I have always wanted to design a wing chair. This is my design channeling some classic Scandinavian masters as a jumping off point.  

Papasans are something I grew up with in the 80’s and 90’s.  Every home had one, either in the living room, den or bedroom. I have always wanted to redesign the form because while they are so comfortable, I find traditional ones to be so ugly. I could never bring myself to actually buy one. These strange American icons deserve to have a face lift. My Neu! Papasan is a modern take on this American classic.

Materials

The base is constructed with a tubular steel ring and solid steel rod for the stiles. A small solid band clinches the stiles like a napkin ring to hold all the parts together.  The upholstery is made from a fitted comforter with quilting that is placed inside the cage. The upholstered seat goes in last which anchors everything in place. I used polished metals and powdered steel to elevate the design through materials. The color palette of the upholstery reflects the burnt sienna and blues I’ve always been drawn to aesthetically, having been born a child of the 1970s.

This is a multi-functional design that merges the paucity of both ladders and ambient light in most urban living spaces. The ladder serves as both a ladder and a soft atmospheric light. It quickly unplugs from the power source so that it can easily be moved when needed. When it repose, it acts as a floor lamp. The design was inspired by my frequent trips to China. There, I see workers using props hastily constructed from whatever materials are on hand – tables made from doors and sawhorses, bent steel for screwdrivers, buckets for chairs. In this spirit, I wanted to create an everday tool that has the unique feature of being useful in more than one way.

The Ladder floor light is constructed from solid beech with an blue ombre watercolor accent at the base. Led lights are embedded in all the rungs generating a gradient light pattern on the wall. Having the ladder backlit projects the beautiful black silhouette of the ladder in the foreground. The touch of bluecolor at the base pays homage to the blue tiled brick buildings you see throughout southern China. The low voltage quick release plug attaches to the base of the ladder with magnets. 

A secret place to hide things you want close by, but out of sight. The mirror slides to the right by grabbing ahold of the small shelf to open the secret compartment. 

Inpired by my favorite art movement. 70's minamlism. Light and space from California. I love this stuff. DeWain Valentine. Homage. 

Pigmented resin base with a dark magenta colored glass top. 

Watching a old French film, "Qui êtes-vous, Polly Maggoo?", ( Who are you Polly Magoo), I became obsessed with 60's optical art. I had been questioning where to go for design inspiration which led me to watching old movies. Rustic-Artisan-MidCentury-is dead. 

This table recaptures the lines from the 60's/70's optical art movement.  

These are a continuations of my urban housing side table collection where I model side tables after urban housing projects in NYC, paying homage to the families who live there.