Dezeen Magazine

Apparatus at Salon

Apparatus designs Interlude furniture for "imagined, modernist concert hall"

An embroidered floor lamp and eel-skin clad cabinet are among the objects in a collection by US lighting studio Apparatus that took direction from musical scores.

Apparatus at Salon
Embroidery influenced by musical motifs decorates lamps and a screen in Apparatus' Interlude

Presented at this year's Salon Art + Design in New York, the elaborate collection Interlude was created to take on a host of musical references.

"The collection is conceived as a suite of furnishings designed for an imagined, modernist concert hall," Apparatus said.

Apparatus at Salon
The shapes used in the collection's series of marble tables took cues from symbols found in music scores

Throughout the series of limited-edition works, the use of materials and shapes are reminiscent of melodic symbols and pay homage to music.

Examples include a pair of cabinets influenced by the music and composition techniques of Theme and Variation. They are crafted with a unique mix of dark materials including eel skin, carpathian burl, suede and bronze.

Apparatus at Salon
Cabinets in the Interlude collection play with the musical techniques of Theme and Variation

"Musical references inform the collection, with motifs evoking synesthetic interpretations of notes on a score, and a pair of cabinets conceived in the compositional tradition of Theme and Variation," the studio added.

Decorative embroidery, beading and threadwork was carefully integrated into the exterior of a brass mesh cage, which forms the light shade used on several of the light fixtures in Interlude.

Musical shapes and symbols are sewn onto the pieces and employ a range of colours, textures and patterns.

"The dimensional beading and threadwork evoke synesthetic interpretations of a musical score, organic forms recorded on a strict grid," Apparatus added.

Apparatus at Salon
Interlude was exhibited at this year's Salon Art + Design in New York

Another netted cylinder forms "a veil" over lamp with an alabaster core. "The rounded silhouette of the mesh cage forms a veil over the glowing stone, an airy metallic contrast to the warmly grounded material," the designers described.

Similar techniques were used to create other pieces in the collection, including wall scones and a screen.

Pieces of marble shaped like the embroidery motifs form the surface for a set of tables in the collection. Two small sections break away from the large central table to create the series conceived as one piece.

Apparatus at Salon
The collection features several lighting designs including this embroidered sconce, which was formed from a brass mesh material

Apparatus first unveiled Interlude collection during this year's Milan design week. The studio then presented the series at this year's Salon Art + Design in New York, which took place earlier this month, including news designs like the floor lamp.

Apparatus was among sixty studios and galleries that showcased a mix of contemporary and mid-century art, furniture and design works at the event.

Apparatus at Salon
The lamp is decorated with embroidery evocative of musical motifs

Apparatus was founded by Gabriel Hendifar and his partner Jeremy Anderson in 2012. The brand has showrooms in New York City, Milan and opened a third location in Los Angeles.

Other collections by the design duo include a homeware and lighting series influenced by intricately decorated Persian boxes and kaleidoscopic patterned textiles that also pay homage to Hendifar's Persian roots.

Photography is by Eric Petschek.