The Finishing Touch on a New York Showroom

If Schotten & Hansen had a kindred spirit in the interior design world, it may have been Christian Liaigre, the French designer of furniture and interiors who passed away in September aged 77. Back in 2018, his eponymous firm opened a new showroom on 29th Street in Manhattan’s Nomad district, where his signature aesthetic—described in The New York Times by Penelope Green as “muscular and elegant”—was made manifest with flooring from Schotten & Hansen. Liaigre was devoted to fine craftsmanship, and admired the skill of accomplished makers. He designed interiors for Calvin Klein and Karl Lagerfeld, and he loved using elemental materials like bronze, stone, and wenge wood. He’s also credited with pioneering the concept of the boutique hotel, having designed SoHo’s Mercer Hotel in 1997—his first big project in the United States.

Liaigre showroom, New York City.

Hotel Montalembert, Paris.

Born in 1943 near La Rochelle, Liaigre studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. His inspiration came from an array of sources, many of which, like African art, had widely influenced French Modernism. He was also the grandson of a horse breeder, and growing up he studied the ingenious design and construction of saddles, bridles and stirrups carefully. He liked exposed joinery, and disliked applied ornament, which meant his interiors and furniture were in sync with the pared down modern look of post-industrial lofts in the 1990’s and 2000’s.

He designed the Hotel Montalembert in Paris for a 1990 renovation before moving to the United States, and there he made bold, eclectic choices like pairing carved African sculptures with Ancien Régime furniture. He was also famous for a stool he designed in homage to Brancusi’s “Endless Column,” a square block of wood that flares out at a dramatic angle at the top, forming a primitive seat.

Liaigre showroom, New York City.

Custom floors by Schotten & Hansen at the Liaigre Showroom, NYC.

Liaigre’s reverence for craftsmanship comes through in the design of his New York showroom. The floors are Schotten & Hansen’s Shrunk Face European Oak, which is a light, straw-colored wood (the color is custom, in fact) and adds a depth of natural texture to the crisp space, emphasizing Liaigre’s particular love of wood in all its subtle variation. The interior is meant to be a neutral setting in which to stage Liaigre’s pieces of furniture and lighting, which are invariably bold in design, at times massive, understated in color, and usually sumptuous in their material.

Shrunk Face Oak is now available in 20 colors at our New York showroom through the Schotten & Hansen Collection for The Hudson Company.

The Hudson Company + Frama CPH

Custom mood board by Frama CPH for The Hudson Company.

The Hudson Company + Frama

Scan almost any list of top design studios coming out of Scandinavia, and you will come across the name Frama - a Copenhagen-based design shop and creative team at the very forefront of Scandinavian chic. With their one-of-a-kind office space in Copenhagen's historic Nyboder neighborhood, Frama is a trendsetting brand that refuses to be boxed in by industry adjectives, which is appropriate, as the brand is constantly reinterpreting, rediscovering, and reimagining what it means to be a 21st century design leader (we think the photos below speak volumes about the quality and timeless elegance of Frama's work).

Here at The Hudson Company, we have been fans of Frama's inspired work for a long time, so, of course, we were thrilled this past summer, when they graciously agreed to create a custom mood board for us. Choosing from our full product range, Frama chose to focus in on our Select Harvest White Oak [Barley Finish] to use as the backdrop for their custom mood board.

Read on for some insights into what keeps the creativity flowing at Frama and how they brought this inviable mood board to life for The Hudson Company.

5 Questions with Frama

Tell us about the items included in your mood board, what's their origin story? Why did you select them for this mood board?

The objects of focus in our mood board design is our line of Aj Otto Stoneware - designed by Frama Studio here in Copenhagen. The ceramics are hand made in Denmark, which provides each product in the collection a unique feel. Although it has a Scandinavian aesthetic, the idea for this collection came from some old Italian glass food-containers discovered during some southern travels a few years ago.

Along with the Aj Otto stoneware, we've also included a variety of vintage and new brass pieces in our mood board. The cutlery is from different flee-markets, while the candleholders are designed by a young danish designer Maribel Carlander for Frama. Cut out of solid, untreated brass, these candle holders are a careful study in geometry, proportion and composition. Lastly, the E27 Table Light (also designed by Frama), is a simple, industrial and straight forward lamp which provides a cozy light to any table setting.        

Where does that team at Frama turn for inspiration, what sources are consistently inspiring?

Most often our best inspiration comes from dialogues with interesting people we meet on our travels, with whom we collaborate, or from people who stop by our studio.  

Overall, it's a central focus of ours to find the right balance between the traditional and the contemporary aesthetics, so we often look back in time for our inspiration whether that's to old art-posters or to historical building detail. Many of Frama’s design ideas grow out of the interior design projects we work on. We find that great inspiration can come from nature, art. architecture, as well from basic shapes and forms. 

Color and texture seems to be especially important to the items and collections that Frama produces: can you talk about that a little bit? 

Yeah, sure. Everything we do stems from an idea that we call "slow production." We use solid woods, untreated metals and stone to create both a aesthetically pleasing product, but also something that will “live” for a long time - these are long lasting and “honest” materials. Our design language is pretty straight forward, based in simple geometry and subtle, natural colors. These are the elements at the center of the Frama design universe. But we also love rich colors.

Choosing the right colors is essential for curating the final expression any space will have. So, with that in mind, we really thoughtful with how we use color - both in painted and non-painted finishes - so that everything is complementary. That's how we developed our St. Paul's Blue paint color with Jotun and it's how we got started with our upcoming line of colors based on the interiors of an historic Copenhagen space (coming in 2017).    

Is there a driving design vision or 'manifesto' that you use in your work and collaborations?

We often work within the area of re-interpreting design archetypes. Therefore, the objects of our collection often signals a return to basics. Our vision is always to come up with something new, but we try to maintain a historical feel to everything we do. The synergy between the past and present is important for our design process. Our main interests lay somewhere between two opposite poles - that space between classical and the contemporary design, that incorporates both digital and analogue production. 

Why did your team chose Select Harvest White Oak [Barley Finish] flooring as the background for your mood board? 

We chose this specific White Oak flooring because of its honesty. It has rich veins and you can clearly see and feel the knots in the wood. The color of the flooring is warm (natural white with a slightly golden hue) which provides a cozy feel to the mood board. Also, since it's Oak, you know that it is a solid, enduring surface. These are all qualities of material that reflect the Frama vision.

You can learn more about Hudson Company White Oak Center Cut, Barley Finish] here, and more about Frama here. 

Follow The Hudson Company on Instagram. Follow Frama on Instagram.

All photos courtesy of Frama CPH.

Frama Studio in Copenhagen, Denmark. All photos courtesy of Frama CPH.

“We often work within the area of re-interpreting design archetypes. Therefore, the objects of our collection often signals a return to basics. Our vision is always to come up with something new, but we try to maintain a historical feel to everything we do. The synergy between the past and present is important for our design process.”

Frama's home offices and showroom at St. Paul's Apotek in Copenhagen.

Hudson Company Select Harvest White Oak [Barley Finish].

“We chose this specific White Oak flooring because of its honesty. It has rich veins and you can clearly see and feel the knots in the wood. The color of the flooring is warm, and since it’s Oak, you know that it is a solid, enduring surface. These are all qualities of material that reflect the Frama vision.”

Custom mood board by Frama Copenhagen. Wood background is Hudson Company Select Harvest White Oak [Barley Finish].

INSPIRED BY: FURNITURE DESIGNER ASHER ISRAELOW

The Ø Chair by Asher Israelow

Serving trays, black walnut and brass.

Handcrafted Furniture for the 'Modern Explorer'

One of the best things about participating in national design fairs is the exposure we get to talented designers and makers. One of these such craftsmen is Brooklyn-based furniture designer Asher Israelow, whose work is featured as a part of the FAIR showroom collection, curated by interior designer Brad Ford. Israelow's design studio produces all original and small batch furniture pieces designed to last for generations.

And it goes without saying, that the more familiar we get with Asher's work, the more inspired we are. As a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), with degrees in art and architecture, Israelow incorporates a strong architectural aesthetic into his creations. In his chairs and tables, there is a kind of clear structural strength as well as a streamlined elegance. His pieces are never 'heavy' and, yet, they carry weight. According to his own website, each piece of Israelow's work, "narrates the story of its materials, creating innovative and precise designs with a timeless aesthetic." We totally agree; there is a definite timelessness to these pieces - they could be just as at home in a 21st-century Manhattan penthouse as they would be in a mid 20th-century Danish hotel designed by Arne Jacobsen. 

Another element of the designer's work that we admire is how he sources the material for his furniture, "all the materials [we use] are ethically and locally sourced, building upon the importance of origins." And, on top of all this, we love to see makers like Asher taking advantage of the many beautiful varieties of walnut in their work - which is one of our favorite species. With such a thoughtful ethos toward timelessness, durability, and sustainability in mind, it's not hard to see why The Hudson Company is quickly becoming big fans of Asher's stylish furniture.

You can learn more about the designer and his work by visiting his website and by following Asher on Instagram.

All photos from www.asherisraelow.com.

The 'Miner Table' in maple

The 'Contour Bed'

Anamorphic Console in walnut and brass

Chairs from 'The Lincoln Collection'

'Dante Table' in walnut

Asher Israelow

Detail from 'Serenade Series' table

All photos from www.asherisraelow.com.

Inspired By: Oliver Gustav Studio | Copenhagen, Denmark

We are beginning a new weekly series here at The Hudson Company Blog. Every Friday we will be featuring the people, places, or products that inspire us.  We hope that this new 'Inspired By' series will also be an inspiration to you.

Today we begin by sharing images from the beautiful studio of Oliver Gustav located in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

A creative consultant whose focus is on "artisanal and holistic interiors", Oliver's Studio also functions as a shop whose contents compliment the designer's tastes acutely. Here you'll find one of a kind pieces made of wood, stone, linen and ceramic along with marble or leather boxes by Michael Verheyden and with a variety of texturally compelling pieces that suite Oliver's signature look. His collection of larger scale works such as lighting and seating by Poul Kjaerholm complete the ensemble with flawless curation.

All photos from olivergustav.com.