Ron Arad has reconfigured the idea of a traditional sofa. Constructed from soft square and rectangular modules of various heights all fixed to a base by steel pins. Arad drew his inspiration from screen pixels. The modular nature of the sofa means that a wide range of compositions can be created.

Moroso is available from Matisse.

I love this big old chunk of natural stone that's been artfully turned into the kitchen bench. I'm not sure if it's marble or limestone, but either way it's fantastic. I don't imagine it houses your usual kitchen bench accoutrements, such as dishwashers and wastemasters, but who cares when it looks this impressive.

To view more images of this project go here.

In a classic case of being in the right place at the right time, I had the immense pleasure of meeting the charming and talented Mr Sergio Rodrigues at the Milan fair. The 82 year old architect and designer had flown in from Rio de Janeiro to join Classicon in the re-release of his iconic furniture range. Having designed furniture since 1954 Rodrigues furniture defines the Brazilian aesthetic, his pieces have always sat perfectly within the homes designed by himself and his luminaries such as Oscar Niemeyer. 

I have long been a fan of the South American aesthetic, and with the increasing demand for classic furniture from the area at international furniture auctions, it's easy to see that Classicon are onto a great thing with the charming Rodrigues.

Classicon is available locally at Matisse.

Oh my this is so pretty. I love feathers, and this site specific installation by London artist Kate MccGwire is right up my alley with it's industrial pretty. Check out her other beautiful creations on her website.

People are always asking me to recommend furniture, and more often than not, it's outdoor furniture they ask about. I've picked up some excellent new outdoor offerings from Milan this year that we'll be including in the next issue of Design Folio - out in September.

The Heaven outdoor range is designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for Emu, which is avaiable here.

Not only is Ms Urquiola currently one of the most prolific designers, she is perhaps one of the most unique amongst her contemporaries. Unlike say, Philippe Starck who's done many an interpretation of the Louis XV chair, Urquiola never seems to reveal a signature style. Personally I think this shows the extent of her talents as a multifaceted designer, but others might disagree.

I would describe The Rift chairs above as sort of retro-futuristic. Urquiola says her influences came from tectonic plates that diverge, collide and overlap creating different layers.

Moroso is available from Matisse.

Growing up in rural South Korea designer Kwangho Lee spent much of his childhood making things. His humble surroundings have had an outstanding influence on his hand-crafted works. From chairs hand carved from styrofoam blocks and sponge to hand knotted or knitted lighting and furniture, Lee's work signifies craftsmanship at it's best and an innocence in design that I greatly admire.

Check out more of his work here.

I have been considering the benefits of a Design Folio branded vehicle. I believe I may have found just the answer in this subtle little number from Chanel. There will be no mistaking our design prowress on the road when we are behind the wheel of this hot ticket.

Jinyoung Jo a car designer from Hong-ik University in South Korea recently created the Chanel Fiole concept car. As with classic Coco Chanel work, the design of the car was centered on simplicity of lines and “the best of black and white.”. The car seats three, two abreast and one staggered in between — the perfect shotgun position for my dog.

In amongst all of the crazy that seems to exert itself at the Milan fair, it's often a welcome respite to visit stands like Walter Knoll. Walter Knoll are the masters of timeless elegance. The cantilevered George Lounge Chair is something that one would own forever. I love me a good classic.....it helps tone down the odd touches of crazy!

Walter Knoll is available from Matisse.

Many of the larger furniture manufacturers are adding feathers to their caps. Cappellini has drawn upon their vast celebrity designer network to develop a collection of desirable rugs with creations from notable designers like Fabio Novembre. The collection called Magic Carpets are mostly hand woven using our world famous New Zealand wool.

Cappellini is available locally at Georgigregg.