Heirloom Objects of Desire
At ASPAC, we believe in enlightened living. That means thinking about everything we buy — is this a meaningful purchase that will stand the test of time? Here are some of our favourite things that we believe can become the heirlooms of the future.
Ryan Laurin
@lightninglaurin
BUILDING THE LILY
From their tower high above Hong Kong, the father-and-son team of KC and Pak survey the bustling maritime city below. In their studio, they are crafting lights that hark back to a bygone era of steamships and cruiseliners, yet are packed with the latest LED and digital technology.
Dimmable by simply rotating the light itself, the Lily Lantern by Noah and Grey resembles a classic naval bulkhead lamp, protected by a brass cage. Inside, a rechargeable warm dimming lamp gives up to 10 hours of illumination per charge — no need for cords or cables. These lamps can go anywhere and look awesome everywhere.
LESS WALL, MORE CANVAS: HOW TO PAINT A HOME IN 3D
Next time you are tempted to redecorate, take a moment before you pick up a brush or pop a paint pot. Roman Gutyrya, a Ukrainian-Canadian, suggests that you push the boundaries of what paint can do.
Gutyrya is an artist who works on walls. He treats them like a giant canvas. And the subject is the homeowner’s experiences or memories. His boutique workshop, Studio Muze, combines murals and 3D sculptures into large-scale wall art. Muses Gutyrya:
“You could call it creative decorating or artistic decorating: we’re decorating with custom art. It’s fusing space-making with art-making, I don’t see why they need to be separate.”
If you are a homeowner who is challenged by choosing colour (and who isn’t), Studio Muze can offer colour therapy as part of your wall design journey. A piece might be inspired by working in a photographic dark room, or by an Etruscan sculpture — the story flows from discovery conversations with the client.
“My recipe for creating a home is connecting a client with their memories. There’s a design phase and an execution phase. Two to three weeks of getting to know the client. And then we fabricate and install, wall to ceiling, end to end.”
The end result is a unique object, with dimension and texture, as well as colour on a feature wall that becomes a talking point forever. And, of course, Roman and his team can also paint the rest of your walls at the same time! If you’re like me, someone who ends up with as much paint on the floor as on the walls, this really seals the deal.
A CHIC SHEEP HUG
Siberian winds chill Hokkaido, the most northerly island of Japan. But some of the inhabitants don’t seem to mind even though they spend their entire lives out on the hills. We are speaking, of course, about the woolly wonders who dot the countryside.
In rural Bifuka-cho, designer Rika Hemmi works sheepswool into felt to create stunning cowls, shawls and coats that keep out the cold in wild style. Soseisoudou is hot couture for Vancouver’s winter days, each item made by hand from natural materials and dyes.
GET YOUR SHUFFLE ON!
Back in 15th-century Olde Englande, they called it shovegroat, slide-groat, or shovel-penny, a game for the aristocracy. Later generations preferred shoveboard or shovelboard in bars or on the decks of ocean liners. Today, those in the know call it shuffleboard — a mash-up between tennis and curling, with wood for ice.
The talented craftsfolk of Union Wood Co. in Vancouver have brought shuffleboard into the 21st century, with an indoor and a patio tabletop version, which can be right-sized for any home. It’s all-Canadian and sustainable, too — starting in 2023, they’ll plant 50 trees for every Union product sold.
Photo credit: Union Wood Co.
THE FOREVER SHELF: VITSOE 606
Famous designer Dieter Rams is responsible for some of the world’s most iconic objects, such as the Braun ET66 calculator and the BC02 alarm clock. Younger readers are entitled to ask, What’s a calculator? And, Who uses an alarm clock? Both objects have now been ingested by our ubiquitous phones. Even so, at least one Rams design fulfils the 7th of his Ten Design Commandments — the Vitsoe 606 Universal Shelving System.
The 606 is long-lasting, and neither trendy nor antiquated. Designed in 1962, the 606 makes everything on it, beside it — and even behind it — look like a million dollars. Its sparse beauty and adaptability means you will never need a different shelving system — and they’ll never fit a shelf inside your phone.
Vitsoe 606 designed by Dieter Rams
Photo credit © Vitsoe
