Words by MPDClick’s Home & Interiors Editor.
For this week’s ‘Design Focus of the Week’ we take inspiration from the work of Claire Kalvis, an amazingly talented designer who upcycles furniture and then photographs it.
Having recently completed a Surface Design Degree at the London College of Communication, Londoner Claire Kalvis combines her love of photography, print, letterpress and graphic illustration, and a history in furniture design and ceramics, to create a unique collection of objects and photographs. Claire Kalvis is inspired by a variety of sources including the jazz, soul and funk music genres, the Film Noir and British New Wave movements and American Art Moderne, especially the impact it had on 1950’s popular design. Her method of working sees her locate pieces that have a particular interest to her and transform them through themes of storytelling and aging techniques such as devore and heat transfer. What makes Kalvis stand out, is her attention to detail and creative method of bringing furniture pieces back to life by decorating them with photographic images. Kalvis’ work is in keeping with MPDClick spring/summer 12 trend The Curator, which sees a growing desire to leave a legacy, rejoicing in the charm of historical artefacts and stories embedded within them and the ornamental aesthetic used to restore objects.
MPDClick were fortunate to catch up with the emerging designer and ask her about the collection as well as any future plans she may have:
MPDClick: You upcycle furniture, does this come from a sustainability perspective or purely aesthetics?
Claire Kalvis: For me it goes hand in hand. The craftsmanship and attention to detail in old furniture gives it a certain aesthetic and longevity. So to extend its life purposefully is the best outcome.
MPDClick: Your work has quite a retro, nostalgic feel, which coincidentally comes at a time when we are seeing a revival for 1950’s design and vintage Americana, where do you think your work sits in the market?
Claire Kalvis: It’s exciting, and such a strong look. The music, clothing, style of of these periods in particular, are part of my life, in the way I dress, the objects I have in my home. It’s dynamic and there’s real optimism. I feel I’m in the right place at the right time.
MPDClick: Finally could you tell us a bit about your current client base and if you have any future projects in the pipeline?
Claire Kalvis: Just through my Face Book page I’ve noticed a lot of interest from Europe especially France and Italy. I’m interested in working on the furniture, but also at a larger scale too. I can see that what i’m doing would really lend itself to shop, bar /restaurant interiors, commercial ads, film and TV sets. So I’d really love to move in that direction.
Discover more at Claire Kalvis’ brand new website here
Image Source: Claire Kalvis
