Interior designers know well how much goes into creating a space. Likewise does La Deux, the luxury furniture distributor alleviating some of this creative load by assuming the role of consultant as well.
La Deux is a platform. We’re not obligated to promote a specific brand – we promote design, says principal Alan Tse. Since 2012, La Deux has been working with furniture designers abroad and interior designers at home, bridging the former to a wider audience and the latter to curated inspiration. We’re very happy to bring interesting ideas to Hong Kong designers, to help stimulate their creativity, says Tse, referencing a mix of styles and generations of designers all moving the industry forward. We take a look.
Parachilna
The lighting brand features lamps in every form, from pendants to wall fixtures to floor lamps, in quirky assemblies – such as the Aballs Chandelier – as well as the fantastical, including the Gweilo floor lamps, comprised of hand-sculpted sheets of acrylic bent like fabric and illuminated by LED strips. The spectacular creations are designed by a roster of creatives including Jaime Hayon, Stephen Burks, design duo Neri & Hu as well as interiors consultants Viveca Gonzalez and Shukri Girgis.
Röthlisberger
Switzerland’s very famous for making watches, and to make watches, you must have a lot of very precise machinery and tools, says Tse. With this background, the way Swiss brand Röthlisberger cuts and makes furniture is among the most precise around the world. Their collections are also some of the most beautiful and thoughtfully designed, marked by innovation and whimsy yet not without functionality and ease – as illustrated in pieces such as the Ovolo oak table, with curves and magnets in the right places, or Susi & Ueli Berger’s Stack of Drawers, a pillar of boxes in diagonally-striped wood veneer.
See more: Small home hacks: 5 tips for shopping for space-saving furniture
ClassiCon
Named to encompass the classic and the contemporary, German brand ClassiCon features an expansive range of products that are easy to adapt, and made with excellent craftsmanship, describes Tse. Among their roster of designers are Eileen Grey – one of the classics – as well as Jader Almeida, German designer Sebastian Herkner, and architect couple Neri & Hu, to name a few. The collections are punctuated by creative pairings of material and colour in classic, sophisticated forms.
Sollos
Brazilian brand Sollos features the work of two designers including Jader Almeida, whose lauded young career has brought us timeless furnishings predominantly in wood, marked by fine curves and clean lines. Three major traits he wants to express: the design must be good-looking; it must be comfortable and functional; and the production quality must be excellent, elaborates Tse. Indeed, excellence marks the slick, elegant pieces, produced through modern manufacturing processes with finishing and attention to detail akin to that of skilled craftsmen.
For more up-and-coming designers, read our interview with these two creatives turning ocean waste into designer furniture.
