Building on a period of steady growth in business, we are pleased to announce the partnership of Christian Brown and Lauren Davis.  Together we have over 35 years of combined architectural experience designing original and contemporary buildings.  We believe that our collaboration will help ideas flourish, bringing two viewpoints and a balance of perspectives to each project, and allow us to successfully manage our increasing workload.  Our partnership is enhanced by a shared interest in materials and craftsmanship along with a mutual belief that good design matters.

We look forward to working with you!

A few images of the newest addition to the prana table series.  This table features a live-edge walnut slab that is 42″ wide and 108″ long.  The base is a modern version of a traditional trestle design made from blackened steel and walnut.  The steel provides a dramatic combination of structural stability and thin, clean lines.  Kirk Williams fabricated the steel base and Brian Jones fabricated the wood components.  Images of a matching walnut bench will be coming shortly.

A few images of the latest version of the Vertigo Stool.  These are made from solid walnut with black leather seats, backs and footrests.  The walnut and black leather are particularly nice together.  We’ve been using walnut for a number of new pieces recently, look for a new version of the Prana Table to come out soon.

A few images of the recently completed Dunder Road Table.  The top is made from a single live-edge walnut slab, about 2 1/2″ thick, with a hand-rubbed, VOC-free oil finish.  There are a pair of butterfly splines made from wenge at each end of the top.  The legs are stainless steel, with lockable casters.  The overall dimensions of the table are:  36″ x 84″ x 30″.

Getting settled back in Vermont after a great experience at the ICFF show in New York City.  Met some interesting fellow designers, saw some beautiful new designs, made some good contacts and were thrilled at the reception that our new designs received.  We featured the new sonoma series and the echo stools in the booth.  It was fun to see the seductive quality of the cork in the sonoma series pieces, people walking by the booth couldn’t resist coming over to touch it, and they were fascinated by the monolithic quality of the solid cork.  This has been our feeling all along, and it was great to see how much people are drawn to the cork, in particular when it is used in pieces with the strong visual lines and sophisticated designs of the sonoma series.  Here are a few shots of the booth during set-up.

Here are photos of the newest addition to the Sonoma Line of contemporary green furniture, the Sonoma Club Chair.  This chair features a solid cork seat, back and armrests along with a wood frame made from regionally-harvested maple.  The finish is a hand-rubbed VOC-free oil, clear on the cork and charcoal on the wood frame.  This distinctive chair is warm, inviting, and very comfortable.  The back rest and armrests are perfectly sized and proportioned to provide comfortable support, and the seat is angled slightly towards the back.  The seat is available in three depths to allow for sizing that best fits the user.  We will be launching this chair along with the rest of the Sonoma Line at the ICFF show in New York City this weekend!

Here are photographs of the latest set of Sonoma Tables, part of our expanding Sonoma Line of contemporary green furniture.  This set includes two tables that are 18″ x 18″ x 18″, and one table that is 18″ x 24″ x 18″.  The tables can be rearranged to create a variety of groupings.  Think of them as adult-sized building blocks that encourage creative interaction.  They are designed to be seat height, and may also be used as stools for extra seating at a dining table as needed.  The open space in the middle of the tables is a great place for storing magazines or books.  The tables may also be stacked.  The solid cork is a unique, compelling and durable material that is environmentally-friendly.  The solid black mdf is manufactured with no added formaldehyde and is moisture resistant.  The finish is a hand-rubbed VOC-free oil that is easy to maintain.

Here are photos of the finished prototype for the new addition to the Sonoma Series.  These side tables are designed so that they may be rotated to have different sides facing up as the top.  When combined together in multiples, a number of patterns may be created by alternating the orientation of the individual tables.  The tables are 18″ high and may also be used as seating, adding to their versatility.  The materials used in this prototype are solid black Valchromat MDF (no added urea-formaldehyde), and solid cork.  While the prototype shown is 9″ wide, final versions will be available in 12″, 18″, 24″, and 36″ widths.  The open space in the center may be used as storage for extra coffee-table books or that stack of periodicals waiting to be read.  The finish is VOC-free oil.  The Sonoma Series is expanding to include a Club Chair coming out soon.

Christian Brown Design will be exhibiting at the ICFF 2010 show this spring.  The International Contemporary Furniture Fair is a prestigious showcase for contemporary designers from around the world. The annual show is held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City, show dates this year are from May 15-18.  The show is open to the trade only from May 15 – May 17, and to the trade and public on May 18.  If you plan on attending, look for us in booth #2253.  We will be showcasing some of our newest designs, all of which demonstrate our passion for modern green design and unique, environmentally-friendly materials.

The most recent Prana Table was finished and delivered this week to the conference room in the new Heritage Flight FBO building at the Burlington International Airport.  This renovated building is a 79,300 square foot LEED facility with a green roof, solar array and wind power features.  The project architects are Truex Cullins of Burlington.  Interior design is by Truex Cullins and Gayle Erdman of Casa Bella Design in Hinesburg.

This table features a one-piece solid slab Redwood top with live edges.  The 200 year old redwood slab was salvaged from the forest floor in California where it had been for the past 100 years.  The slab is 3″ thick, 48″ wide, and 146″ long.  The table base is solid stainless steel, 3/8″ thick x 4″ wide.  Kirk Williams of Burlington fabricated the base. The finish on the table top is VOC-free Woca oil.