Sunday October 26, 2008
Romance in the air
BETTINA Hermann has worked with Rolf Benz for the past 10 years, and regularly produced designs for the company on a freelance basis prior to being made head of design five years ago. Here she shares what inspires her designs.
What do you think will be the next trend in furniture design?
We’re expecting a lot more romantic themes, and also a mixture of textures and patterns. For sofas, I can predict a stronger definition in forms and shapes €“ a strong, solid framework that will be accentuated by textures, along with new techniques and design for the upholstery.
Furniture that has a hand-crafted feel will be rather big, as we expect to see a lot of bold reinterpretation of classic materials. We’re also noticing a lot of new, sustainable materials, which have gained popularity within the last five years.
A lot of your designs are based on architecture, product design and fashion. Do you have any particular favourite designers?
I am inspired by the wonderful work of Herzog & De Meuron as they have a good eye for material and shape, plus their talent in combining the two. Konstantin Grcic is also a personal favourite, as I think his product designs are both iconic and ironic. I’m also continuously inspired by the companies that produce great designs, such as Kartell and Capellini €“ they constantly push the envelope in their field and that is what makes them so refreshing.
Are there any particular favourite designer pieces that you love?
One of my favourite pieces is by Patricia Urquiola €“ she designed the Antibodi chaise lounge for Moroso which I thought was very whimsical.
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