Furniture is a wide category of items that are added to a space with the intention of making it more comfortable. It might be a chair to relax in, shelves to organize a room, or even just a piece of wood to hold something. Over time, these additions have shifted from being based on necessity to being driven by desires. The designers often draw inspiration from a variety of historical eras, styles, and cultural influences. They also reflect changing societal needs and tastes, from complex and classical styles to minimalist and modern designs. New materials and design innovations are constantly being introduced for a more sustainable and user-friendly design.
Below are the 10 furniture firms that have been recognized for their distinctive works.
- Lee Broom, UK
Lee Broom is a globally recognized design brand and one of the leading designers in the UK. The brand specializes in creating high-end furniture and lighting fixtures, which are sold worldwide. Lee Broom’s designs are a unique blend of tradition, modernity, and craftsmanship, always adding a touch of surprise. The designer is known for reinterpreting classic styles and traditional materials in a contemporary manner. Apart from designing lighting and furniture, he collaborates with significant fashion brands.
He received over 20 honors, including the prestigious British Designer of the Year Award in 2012.
- Vitra, Switzerland
Vitra is a Swiss-originated furniture design company. The company blends engineering expertise with a global designer’s imagination to create its products. For over 50 years, Vitra has been designing innovative and visually stunning office furniture. For office furniture, the brand continues to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing needs of the modern workplace, with a focus on delivering high-quality, flexible, and agile solutions. They offer a wide range of customizable furniture options, featuring recognizable pieces from the global design community, to furnish any environment stylishly.
International organizations have recognized Vitra’s products with numerous design-related awards including the Good Design Award in 2020, bringing their total recognition to 40. Vitra’s products have been used in a variety of prestigious contexts like Dublin International Airport and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
- Cassina, Italy
Cassina was founded in 1927 in Italy. They are known for blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology in a creative way. Cassina continues to create unique and functional furnishing elements by bringing together the design styles of 20th-century architects in an ongoing conversation between the past, present, and future. The brand is committed to a sustainable future where its products are passed down through generations, promoting environmentally conscious consumption. The company has combined foamed components and 100% recycled blown fiber with environmentally friendly polyols sourced from renewable biological resources. This study is part of a larger initiative by the company to explore new materials for use in its products, reflecting its commitment to sustainability.
Vico Magistretti, Gio Ponti, Mario Bellini, and other renowned Italian and international designers and architects have collaborated in the modern era. Cassina has been awarded three Compasso d’Oro awards for their exceptional products and other recognitions.
- Fritz Hansen, Denmark
This Danish design brand, known for innovative, high-quality furniture, was founded in 1872 by Fritz Hansen and remains successful today. The company produced what are now recognized as classic design icons by working with modern designers of the day like Jaime Hayon, Piero Lissoni, and Kasper Salto. Their guiding principle is that a single piece of furniture can enhance the well-being of those who occupy a room or building and enhance the entire space.
Some of the awards won include the Good Design Award in 2023 for a plank bench.
- Muuto, Denmark
Muuto is a design brand based in Denmark that draws its inspiration from the Scandinavian design heritage, which is known for its timeless beauty, practicality, skill, and open communication of ideas. Their aim is to reinvent Scandinavian design by incorporating modern components, techniques, and bold creative ideas while staying true to its legacy. From material selection to production and testing, they ensure that each process is environment-friendly and produces long-lasting designs. The firm has received many awards like the wallpaper design award, IF design award and more.
- Nendo, Japan
Nendo is a studio based in Japan started by Oki Sato in 2002. The studio focuses on designing interiors, furniture, installations, and artwork using straightforward and ingenious ideas. Since the Japanese word for “Nendo” means “Clay,” most works have an abstract and simplistic quality to them.
He was awarded the “Designer of the Year” title by Wallpaper and Elle Décor in 2012, and by Maison & Objet in 2015. In addition, he was named the 2019 Designer of the Year by AW Architektur & Wohnen magazine. He has received several awards and recognitions, including the Elle Deco International Design Award, the German Design Award, and the Good Design Award.
- Tom Dixon, UK
Tom Dixon is one of the best-known luxury design brands founded in 2002 in London. He designs and manufactures products like Lighting, furniture, and body care products. Dixon gained popularity as an industrial designer as his designs were avante grande and futuristic. His designs are mostly free-form and are fluid.
Dixon has been honored with many awards, including the London Design Festival’s London Design Medal. In 2014, Her Majesty the Queen bestowed upon him the Order of the British Empire.
- Bouroullec Brothers ,France
Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec started their firm in Paris and joined together as partners in 1997. They create a wide range of items, from tiny functional objects to large-scale architectural projects. Their main focus is on designing and organizing interior spaces, but they also design jewelry, vases, porcelain dishware, office and home furniture, and various other home accessories. The quality of their work is evident in the diversity of their creations. They believe in constant change of design as time passes and when need changes.
They have many awards to their forte including the famous Compasso d’Oro and the Designers of the Year award in 2011.
- Hyche, London
Hayche is a furniture and lighting brand based in the United Kingdom that values tradition and innovation. They are always motivated to create original, genuine, and useful products that reflect the beauty, truth, and usefulness of all art. The brand has a particular preference for solid wood due to the sense of warmth it brings to its products.
They have received numerous awards including The Design Mark award in 2019 for WW Armchair CS3.
- Bene, London
Bene is a leading furniture design firm started in 1790 with headquarters in Austria. They specialize in international offices focusing on designing and decorating modern workspaces. Bene believes that workplaces should be like a second home, and their ideas, products, and services make that belief a reality. They mainly focus on the functionality and quality of the design creating timeless pieces. Bene has received many awards latest being If Awards in 2023 and the Redot winner in 2002.
References
- LOHD Italian interiors. (n.d.). Cassina, the mark of authenticity. [online] Available at: https://www.lohditalianinteriors.com/blog/cassina-the-mark-of-authenticity [Accessed 19 Nov. 2023].
- updated, R.B. last (2022). Fritz Hansen marks its 150th anniversary with new collection. [online] wallpaper.com. Available at: https://www.wallpaper.com/design/fritz-hansen-anniversary-collection [Accessed 19 Nov. 2023].
- Sayej, N. (n.d.). 20 Minutes With: Lighting and Furniture Designer Tom Dixon. [online] www.barrons.com. Available at: https://www.barrons.com/articles/20-minutes-with-lighting-and-furniture-designer-tom-dixon-01659368173 [Accessed 19 Nov. 2023].
4. thefrenchfurniture.com. (n.d.). Office furniture and concepts. [online] Available at: https://thefrenchfurniture.com/showroom/bene [Accessed 19 Nov. 2023].
