The cabinet was made of Elm by a carpenter in Arnhem and features knobs cast in solid brass.

The mechanism is supported by springs so that pulling on one side opens up the whole structure, despite its weight, without a motor or electronic components. "I wanted to have the analogue feel of this old-school sewing box, and I wouldn't like it if you have to open it with two people or if there's a motor inside because then it becomes something electronic and it really doesn't fit with the idea," van Eijk told Dezeen, adding that the project took four years to perfect because the mechanics were so tricky.

See all our stories about Kiki van Eijk and all our stories about Dutch Design Week, which continues until 28 October.

Photos are courtesy of Studio Kiki van Eijk.

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This collection of furniture by Dutch designer Kiki van Eijk looks like it's made of textiles but is in fact fashioned from solid metal.

The Eindhoven designer used laser-cutting, welding and blow-torching plus gold- and nickel-coated thread to give the illusion of lace, piping, fringing and crochet.

The Textile Sketch range includes a dining table, high table, low table, lamp, chair and room-divider.

It's on show at The Pop-up Generation exhibition at MOTI Museum until 12th April.

See more work on Kiki van Eijk here

Here's some more information from Kiki van Eijk:

Textile Sketch

Part of a furniture collection that brings flat and mobile textile shapes to life in solid heavy metal; the different techniques Kiki discovered in a metalworkshop inspired her “to capture the delicate nature of fabrics: laser-cutting lace, 3D laser-cutting piping, welding and blow-torching fringe, coating gold and nickel thread, and even attempting to fluff-up a metal pillow!”

A first sketch of cut and folded textile pieces results in a table with a flat and textile feeling.

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London Design Festival 2011: Eindhoven couple Kiki van Eijk and Joost van Bleiswijk share a studio but usually work on independent projects. During the London Design Festival they present a chaise for Bernhardt Design that combines her textiles with his metal furniture.

The five textile patterns for the interchangeable seat pads, cushions and bolsters were inspired by configurations of timber offcuts, thread, paper and tape lying around the studio and workshop.

The chaise comes in a right or left version with a metal base in antique copper or brushed nickel.

The London Design Festival starts tomorrow and continues until 25 September. See all our stories about the event in our special category.

See all our stories about van Eijk here and all our stories about van Bleiswijk here.

Here are some more details from Bernhardt Design:

Hailing from the career-making Design Academy in Eindhoven, Dutch designers Kiki van Eijk and Joost van Bleiswijk are the latest real-life couple to join forces in the studio for Bernhardt Design. Leading the new generation of Dutch designers, much of Kiki's and Joost's work is based on the traditions of the workshop and a respect of craft. Their personal studio became the inspiration and starting point for their aptly titled collection "Workshop." Consisting of forty textiles and an accompanying chaise, the project will make its international debut at the 2011 London Design Festival.

Although they have worked side-by-side in their studio since 2001 and often create exhibits together, Kiki and Joost have received considerable attention by focusing on their solo careers. While a student, the "Kiki Carpet" became an instant sensation and propelled Kiki onto the global design stage. Recognized for her nostalgic and playful work, Kiki's signature design statement is to use multiple layers. Joost, widely heralded for his Outlines Series, is currently working on his "no glue, no screw" collection. His passion for true craftsmanship and historical pieces has led to creating contemporary versions of forgotten objects such as an hourglass and a chessboard. Kiki and Joost have exhibited at galleries and museums worldwide including Moss Gallery and Zuiderzee Museum and have designed for companies such as Moooi, Skitsch and Venice Projects.

A visit to their studio from Jerry Helling, President of Bernhardt Design, was the catalyst for their first professional collaboration. Helling remembers, "The minute I met them in Eindhoven, I realized that although their work is very different stylistically, their chemistry was such that they could do something fantastic working in unison on one idea. I had the same feeling when I asked Jaime Hayon and Nienke Klunder to do their first joint product." Kiki and Joost's "hands-on" approach to design made Helling's proposition appealing, yet as challenging as many unknowns can be. "We agreed with the idea of doing something jointly and since the place we share in common is the workshop, we would develop the story there," says Kiki. She continues, "It would be a little scary as our relationship had never been tested by working together in this way."

Eager to begin, Joost laid the foundation using a variety of materials such as spray cans, paint brushes, wood bars, tape and stitching to form a structural base. Kiki, finding his work inspirational, quickly began adding graphic layers. Joost explains, "After working on the structural format, Kiki came in and does what she does best: layers and textures." The end result is a symbiosis of two very different worlds - Kiki and Joost - to achieve a dense and rich textile collection inspired by their workshop.

The Workshop Textile Collection is comprised of five distinctive patterns in eight different colorways: Connect, Stitch, Block, Score, and Brush. When viewing the textiles, they are quite simple to identify as each name corresponds to the method in which it was created.Using distinctive weaving techniques and a variety of different yarns, each textile is purposeful and markedly different. Connect, a very playful pattern that appears to be random sticks in different sizes, was inspired by an arrangement of wood bars in their workshop. Stitch is a very sophisticated pattern with rather humble origins consisting of lines of paper tape on a worktop with an overlay of string. The intensity of the pattern Block was created by combining wooden bars and squares, then coating with a light mist of spray paint and adding a final layer of paper tape. Score was conceived very spontaneously by engraving score lines through multiple layers of paint on wood. And lastly, Brush is a blurry and artistic pattern composed by using thin strips of tape to create a surface that appears to be painted with a brush.

Carolyn Smith, Brand Director of Bernhardt Textiles, sensed a domino effect occurring during the development process. "As the project came together, it was interesting to see the progression of the textures and how well the patterns complement each other.” After Kiki and Joost shared a sketch of a chaise they designed for their home, Smith thought it would be the perfect way to showcase the fabrics and expanded the collection to include it. Joost concurs, "Since Kiki is a master of layering pattern on pattern, all the fabrics work very well together, especially when upholstered on furniture."

The chaise can be ordered in a right or left arm version with a metal base in striking antique copper or brushed nickel. The clean and spare lines of the Workshop chaise provide a blank canvas for combining fabrics and creating unique and very individual pieces. The upholstered seat, pillows and bolsters can be specified in any combination of Workshop textiles, Bernhardt Textiles or leather.

Aesop said, "In union there is strength." How true.

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for Bernhardt Design appeared first on Dezeen.

Dutch designer Kiki van Eijk has created this series of 14 mantle clocks, each made from a different metal wire or finish.

Called One More Time, the clocks comprise a ceramic face and metal wires twisted into the frame of a clock case.

More about Kiki van Eijk on Dezeen »

Here are some more details from the designer:

One more time

14 mantelclocks handmade in metal wire in 14 different materials and finishings. Each clock has exactly the same shape, but a totally different appearance because of its finish. It tells a story about time; how we look at objects, judge them, how we feel about them and how our vision towards them changes within time.

An object that shows only the skeleton of what it could be, yet representing a function in full state. The objects exist between fiction and reality, it’s ultra transparent and seems to float in space by almost getting absorbed by its surroundings. In this work the construction looks like a tiny ink drawing. The added ceramic part determines a function: a clock.

Finishes: Brass, Brass sandblasted, Copper, Copper sandblasted, Copper oxidized, Copper sulphur, Copper sandblasted nickel plated, Copper 24K gold plated, Copper nickel plated, Copper oxidized copper plated, Aluminium, Aluminium blue anodized, Aluminium red anodized, Aluminium black anodized.

34 x 14 x 41 cm

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In this short interview we conducted as part of our Food and Design report for luxury kitchen appliances brand Scholtès, Dutch designer Kiki van Eijk describes her ideal dinner party.

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The interview is one of ten we made in Milan earlier this year to accompany the report. See all the interviews here.

Food and Design is a major trends investigation into the cross-over between the worlds of food and design. It was commissioned by luxury kitchen appliances brand Scholtès.

See also:

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More about Kiki van Eijk	Dezeen's top ten: food	See the full report

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