The Cologne-based furniture label Droom is bringing two new collections on to the market, created by the red-blooded designer Dirk Kels - right on time for the biggest German design event “Passagen 2012”.
The concept that Droom founders Ann Karnstedt and Katja Schüssler came up with for their business is simple and genial: they create interior elements that can be customised and printed to customer specifications. Lamps, tables, room dividers, wallpaper, pictures and seating can be individually customised this way. Designer Dirk Kels certainly must've had plenty of fun, adding his individual touch to the furniture.
The two series, each limited to 300 pieces, certainly have aspects in common, but in other ways couldn't be more different. The “Imagine” line is a challenge to the imagination of the beholder. Black or white text blocks are printed on to colour-contrasting backgrounds – describing a totally different piece of furniture. So on a stool, for example, the following is printed: “Imagine a maroon leather lounge chair with old brass button rivets”. In this way the imagination of the viewer is stimulated with the help of the printed text, and projected on to the piece of furniture.
With the “Urban“ series, Kels also worked with typography. The erstwhile graffiti artist transferred contemporary cityscapes with optically rough surfaces and modern street art onto the furniture. Tags not only serve as decoration here, but also as commands. “Shut up! Sit down & relax!” is printed onto a cushion for example. In this way, alleyways and vandalism are transformed into a means of providing homely cosiness – and Dirk Kels proves himself to be a designer with impeccable humour.
His furniture can be admired for the first time from 16. – 22. January at the Passagen 2012 in Cologne.
URBAN Linie
