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Room & Board Finds

Last week I took a little bus trip down to San Francisco's Design District to have a peek at what's new, and fairly new, from mod furniture purveyor Room & Board. I met up with Joe Darling who gave me the tour of the rather massive, three-floor showroom, and walked me through the latest Room & Board has to offer. In addition to their own designs, I came across a handful of beloved objects from the leading lights of furniture design, making the whole affair rather a nice tour through the present state of design and decor. Here's my curated look at the highlights.
 

room and board wegner_f chair square

Elbow Chair

Though hardly new, Hans Wegner's very handsome Elbow chair is new to Room & Board. Its wooden frame and stylish seat scream mid-century classic without making you feel like you've seen this one a thousand times before.
room and board tiffany_arm chair square

Tiffany Chair

On the other end of the spectrum is the Tiffany seating group. Comprised of a stool, dining chair and armchair, I love the glossy plasticity of the line. The armchair is the most comfortable of the lot, and at $250 it won't blow your decor budget out of the water.
solis pendant room and board

Solis Pendant

Rather like a hoop skirt, this pendant is all about the drape. I cottoned to a smaller one, though you can get one that hangs some four feet in length. Subtle, stylish, and another winner from San Francisco lighting heroes Pablo.
room and board costanza_arc lamp square

Lady Costanza Floor Lamp

Considering Susan died before she and George could wed, I don't know from any Lady Costanza, unless screeching Estelle counts. But I do dig the Arco-inspired form of this one. Very Italian, very bendy.
room and board stinson_cherry dresser square

Stinson Six Drawer Dresser

A clear nod to mid-century lines and materials, the Stinson Six-Drawer dresser is handsome and understated, a solid piece of furniture that's happy to let what you put on it make the bolder statement. Classy stuff.
room and board fuller rug square

Fuller Rug

I quite liked this new rug, a handmade thing from Iran. At first glance the all-wool floor covering appeared to be hit with the dappled light of some fractured stained-glass skylight. Though the pattern might be overly assertive in bolder hues, the concrete gray keeps things appropriately calm. And at over $2,000 you'd better be sure that calm is what you want.
room and board chain_charcoal rug square

Chain Cable Rug

For an even more sedate carpet, go for the Chain rug, which is also 100% wool, costs loads less, and still makes a nice addition to any room. Again, I was drawn to the gray color, a nice cool tone that would look great on dark hardwood.
room and board pillar lamp square

Pillar Table Lamp

I'd seen images of the Pillar table lamp online, and dug the orange glass base. It's actually a bit taller than I expected, but I like that it occupies this middle ground between mid-century austerity and late-60s groovy. Whether you're more Bobby Darin or Bobby Dylan, I think this lamp could really swing either way.
room and board henley_chocolate pillow square

Henley Floor Pillow

This one is from 2008, but it jumped out at me as we wandered the showroom floor. Nice pop, but nothing overwhelming. A pretty perfect accent piece, really. And at 30" it's big enough to really knock your kid brother down a peg if you sling it just right.
room and board encore sofa square

Encore Sofa

Aaron Britt: As Joe and I walked the floor, we watched a pair of shoppers fighting with a rather trad hide-a-bed, battling massive cushions and a cranky frame to turn it back into a couch. It was an ugly scene. So imagine my happiness at seeing the Encore Sofa--not brand new, but for the first time in this flashy, Knoll-y red--which simply folds down into a bed when you want to stretch out. And at just $900 it's a pretty good guest room, or if you're in a small apartment like me, living room, piece.
room and board icon lamp square

Icon Table Lamp

I was more into the shape of this lamp than the nickel finish on the base. It lists a little into contempo style for my taste, but it's undoubtedly elegant, and lends something of a grown-up feel to a space.
 
Aaron Britt
Aaron Britt

Deputy Editor at Dwell

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