A new furniture collection inspired by Rhode Island Beach Retreat
Rugosa Collection, created by Kalon Studios, debuted in May 2020 as part of the online exhibition Offsite Online, using all-natural materials and committing deeply to sustainability.
Rugosa was created focusing on deeply comfortable pieces that are also environmentally considerate. Kalon studio named it after a home on the Rhode Island coast that served as an artist retreat for decades. Keeping sustainability as the main focus for the collection, their aim was to eliminate the superfluous and distill the essence of mundane objects to an exalted art form.
Kalon is a design studio known for its commitment to sustainability, its US-based production, and exceptional materiality. They are debuting this brand new collection of furniture as part of the Offsite Online 2020 exhibition.
The minds behind the Rugosa collection – Kalon
Kalon is a Los Angeles based studio, founded by Michaele Simmering and Johannes Pauwen in 2007. Kalon prides itself on its intense focus on materiality, which is at the forefront of each of their designs, as is an obsession with integrity. Since the beginning, Kalon has held a deep commitment to sustainable, US-based production, and each piece is made by a small team of highly skilled traditional craftspeople in New England using timber sourced from local, sustainably managed forests and the highest quality sustainable finishes and materials.
Materials and Techniques – All-natural Materials and Unique Joinery
From its raw materials to its finishes and upholstery, the collection utilizes solid, all-natural materials that enrich rather than deplete resources. All the elements in the new collection are made from broad planks of western sugar pine, upholstered Belgian linens, or machined-polished, bronzed glass. The lumber selected is a readily available domestic timber harvested from a sustainably managed forest local to the factory.
The Rugosa Bookshelf epitomizes the straight-forward aesthetic of the collection. It is beautifully spare and an essential piece of furniture. The default configuration offers two columns but the unique joinery allows the bookshelf to infinitely expand according to the needs and desires of the buyer.
Each piece is hand-rubbed with the Kalon Bare Finish, a custom-mixed, premium organic, non-toxic, plant-based oil-wax finish that avoids the use of petroleum-based synthetics and harmful compounds and was developed by Kalon for their products.
Style and Aesthetics – Elemental forms and versatility
The design of Rugosa is meant to inspire lively conversation and serve as a solace for quiet study and reflection. The pieces are meant to evoke the breeze-filled living space of the Rhode Island property for the homes of today, with a strong focus on elemental forms, natural materials, and versatility. The sandy shades of timber wood and the earthy hue of the upholstery deliver a feeling of calmness and relaxation.
The streamlined appearance of the simple geometric shapes has a meditative quality that brings to mind the soothing atmosphere of a Zen monastery. By taking the furniture to its most pure form, void of any superfluous decoration, the ultimate minimalist shape is achieved.
The collection
Rugosa (meaning ‘beach rose’) collection consists of seven pieces: a new sofa, daybed, chair, glass wing accessory, oval or round coffee table, three different side tables, and a bookshelf. It is the brand’s first collection in two years.
Design memento – Rugosa collection is set out to achieve a better environmentally safe production
Kalon’s goal was to push beyond the accepted standards and practices for environmentally safe production and to find the exact limits of what can be done to have a net positive effect on the environment, economy, society, and culture. To minimize the carbon footprint, all the materials and resources selected are local to the factory. Also, the pieces ship upon completion, minimizing the energy use and carbon output created by fuel and transport.
The writer’s comment – Embodying sustainable creativity
Kalon achieved what it set out to create: elevated design that is both sustainable and comprehensive. It focuses on its adaptability to the needs and spaces of the user, with a very straight forward aesthetic that embodies simplicity and creativity in their most essential values and shapes. A truly masterful collection that feels refreshing like a breeze on the beach.
