Just one (1) day ago I wrote about the ‘Grand Imperial Style’ of lounging and relaxing with rugs and carpets when I (potentially) introduced you to the irreverent, playful, and somewhat juvenile Picnic Lounge. But what if popular culture iconography and a jaunty day in the park or at the beach just aren’t your style? Perhaps instead of merely evoking this haughty style of a bygone era whilst out enjoying the fresh summer air you instead wish to directly invoke the sophistication, style, and culture that no mere modern day pastiche can convey. For that ladies and gentlemen of the world of rugs, might I humbly suggest on occasions when only the finest in lounging and relaxation accoutrements will do: The Daydreamer by Jan Kath.
In the spacious gardens of traditional manor houses in Iran and India, upholstered divans replete with colourful cushions are amongst the most important pieces of furniture. Often set up over by a little river under the shade of a tree, they provide the ideal place to relax and dream away the day sheltered from the midday heat. This was precisely what inspired Jan Kath to design his first piece of furniture in collaboration with the Dutch furniture specialist Founded.
Is this not one of the most decedent pieces of furniture you have ever cast your eyes upon? The academics of its design and capital ‘A’ artistic merits are pure wonderment. Mr. Kath has taken what is a traditional manner (pun intended) of living from one culture and, as countless noteworthy designers from our collective past have done before, adapted it to be both contemporaneous and relevant to not only our western lifestyle but also our design sensibilities.
Carpets from his renown ‘Erased Heritage’ Collection have been transformed into mattresses and cushions in various sizes which, in keeping with the Oriental tradition, are stuffed with hand-spun raw cotton thusly providing a unique feel when laid upon. These presumably sumptuous carpet beds appear to float mid air on a lightweight and graceful powdercoated steel and cowhide frame that does not betray the actual massiveness of the piece. In its stead we are given the impression of an ethereal and carefree moment from another time and place.
The ability of Mr. Kath to not only understand but to also successfully marry the essence of so many disparate cultures, ideas, and emotions into a single embodiment has long been the secret of his success. With the Daydreamer – a work that is at its simplest a daybed – he continues this trend by returning rugs and carpets to some of their earliest uses as beautiful (if not also practical and durable) upholstery, while simultaneously articulating the updated concept and aesthetic as only a brilliant revivalist can.
The Daydreamer is available in two (2) sizes. The small at approximately 37″ x 76″ (95cm x 195cm) and the large at approximately 71″ x 88″ (180cm x 225 cm). Pricing for the small begins at €11,500.00 approximately $12,475.00(USD) as of 17 June 2015. Let’s hope all of us in North America get to preview this fantastic piece of furniture for ourselves when Jan Kath exhibits at the New York International Carpet Show 19-21 September 2015.