Just a few straight lines, but placed into space correctly. Minimum of materials, but match perfectly. Only two colors, but harmoniously emphasize to each other. The design is completed, but allowing to customize it. And only one function, but the function is beautiful. That’s the creation formula of California Armchair.
I’m not come up with the different stories and images to my designs before creating. More often I minded by such category of design as a function, technology, utilitarianism, comfort etc. I really passionate to make daily life more beautiful and convenient according to exactly the practical reasons.
But, in fact, it’s really complicated challenge to create the memorable and capacious design of the simple and usual object. Especially if we talk about the design not as a result of a random “playing” with the shape, but as a result of deliberate searching. If it’s not easy, so, I have to try – that was my motivation before start this design.
Probably, the California Armchair is a first object I have been started to design based on the formulated descriptive image. In this image, I wanted to express the character of the Californian coast and the character of the whole West Coast. The blue ocean, framed by a thin strip of sandy shore. Little laconic houses, inscribed in the landscape, wooden piers… All this is reflected in the materials, shape, and color of the California Armchair.
Primarily, the California Armchair is a light wooden construction based on straight lines. This laconic construction supplemented by leather seat creates the memorable design, that’s correlated to “Scandinavian design”. The chair base made of beech wood, and the seat with additional armrests made of leather.
This armchair can be used both with the additional soft leather armrests and without it. Using leather armrests makes this armchair more comfortable and cozy, but slightly reducing the width of the seat. In addition, these armrests perform the function of lateral support. The armchairs design allow changing a configuration easily by putting on and out leather sidewall-arms.
The configuration of the chair without soft armrests makes it possible to slightly extend the seating place. In addition, this design option visually facilitates the overall appearance of the chair, making it airier.
Creating the design of this chair, I tried to pay great attention to the smallest details. This is extremely important in things that are outwardly simple and concise. When the shape is not pompous and not complex, the sight will always stop by the details. That’s why every detail should be perfect, whether it’s a seam, a joint or a fastener element.
The wooden armrest/backrest is slightly raised above the rest of the wooden frame. It is attached to this frame with the help of custom metal elements, the fasteners of which are hidden from the fleeting glance. There is no wooden spike joint or visible gluing. Thanks to this approach, these two details seem to be independent of each other, so that the chair becomes visually lighter and more “graphical”.
Materials: beech wood, leather.
Client: ARTU (Poland).
Team: Alexander Zhukovsky (design, 3D-modelling, engineering); Eugeny Yushchenko (prototyping, woodworking).
More interesting pictures and shots of the design process on my Instagram Al.Zhukovsky. Follow, like, ask a questions etc.
Thank you!
