nieuwe heren: the poet + expo objects

the green w. blake chair which holds its light on the right side is named for right-handed poet william blake, while the white chair with the light on the left is named for left-handed poet k.w goethe images courtesy of nieuwe heren

erik de nijs and tim smit of nieuwe heren, the dutch-based studio who aim to create products with a strong narrative, have released three new pieces that look to redesign familiar objects.

‘the poets’, a folding chair with an integrated light was designed to encourage the act of reading bedtime stories to children. the chair can be used anywhere provided there is an outlet to plug into. when not in use, the seat folds flat and can hang or lean against a wall where it functions as a floor lamp. ‘the poets’ come in two configurations with the lamp either on the left or the right. the green chair entitled ‘w. blake’ has its lamp on the right side and is named for the right handed poet, william blake while the white chair with its lamp on the left is named after left-handed poet j.w. goethe.

contrasting details such as the cord, cushion and hardware add interest to the chairs

k.w goethe chair

when the chairs are not in use they can hang or lean on a wall where they can function solely as floor lamps

nieuwe heren’s cable reel and flood light

‘expo objects’, a small collection including a cable reel and flood light were designed when nieuwe heren looked to create more attractive objects for the unwanted items necessary to operate an exposition. reflective of the form and characteristics of a WWII searchlight, the light which is handcrafted out of wood and concrete is dimmable and rotates along two axes.

the flood light references forms found in WWII searchlights

the ‘cable reel’ can house up to three cords at once

intended to condense the amount of cables that stretch across the floor ‘cable reel’ was a reaction to the unsightly cords and reels that are typically scattered around an exposition booth. constructed out of wood and powder-coated steel, the modest design can accommodate up to three cords.

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