Top 10 picks: International Contemporary Furniture Fair 2012

I visited the 2012 International Contemporary Furniture Fair earlier this year to see the latest trends and find the coolest home goods. There were so many awesome designs. It took me quite a while to whittle them down, but I’ve finally managed to do it. Here are my top ten picks. Also, make sure to check out my New, hot art and design Pinterest board to see the other outstanding designs I spotted.

10. Polish design studio Puff-Buff, makes whimsical lights from inflatable PVC. Their black and white “Orca” floor lamp stands on stainless steel legs. It looks like a seaworthy space capsule just dropped from space.

9. Mark Moskovitz of Fiftytwothousand takes rustic furniture to heart. His “Facecord” dresser conceals four spacious drawers. Mark sees “this piece being as comfortable in an apartment as it is in a cabin.”

8. John Housmand’s  “Clearly Functional” line marries clear acrylic with black walnut to striking effect. His “Nº 0148″ dining chair minimalism puts the elegant wooden legs on center stage. The legs almost appear as if they’re balanced upright without support.

7. Neò turns neoprene yarn into bags, jewelry, and home accessories. The silky smooth rubber works perfectly in their wonderfully unusual and chunky woven cushions.

6. Graypants slices used corrugated cardboard and layers the pieces to create elegantly shaped pendant lights. The pendant lights pack an impressive visual punch especially when are clustered.

5. BRC Design dabbles in a wide variety of materials. They produce limited edition furniture that’s distinctively quirky. Their “periodic” table draws inspiration from three-dimensional molecular models. It’s a sure-fire conversation starter that will guide you to down the memory lane of high school chemistry class.

4. Sinje Ollen knits custom fashion for the people and reupholsters designer furniture pieces with hand-painted yarn. Each piece draws directly from the person and space it’s made for, making it meaningful couture.

3. The duo behind Hellman Chang meticulously handcrafts glamorous furniture. Hit TV shows, blockbuster movies, and ultra high-end hotels often pull from the luxe workshop’s collection of wares. The “Avery”, four years in the making, is their first chair. Sleek lines and extreme angles gives the chair an air of elegance and speed.

2. Molo designs buildings all the way down to intimate objects. They’re also known for making innovative paper furnishings. Molo’s “cappello” table lamp is made from recycled paper and marble discards from the iconic “Arco” lamp. It’s nicely edited and sleekly composed. The cappello is so cute and clever I grabbed one for myself! It’s pocket-sized and affordable design that makes a big statement. You can get your own from their online store. While you’re there, make sure to check out their other stuff. It’s EXCELLENT very “pin” worthy!

1. Peter Sandback injects surprise and humor into all his pieces. His design arsenal includes scale as seen with his giant God’s eye complete with supersized popsicle sticks. He re-imagines decorative accessories in different materials. Humble soap bottles and vacuum cleaners shed plastic casings to become heroic wooden sculptures.

Even his business cards stand out as whimsical art. Saltine crackers stamped with his name look convincing enough, but they’re made of concrete. Even so, he knows how to get serious. He creates a line of gorgeous wooden tables intricately patterned with inlayed nails. Each heirloom table (actually all his pieces) is individually handmade in the US, but if you’re unsure if it’s a genuine Sandback, just check underneath the tabletop for a cast pewter piece of gum.