No one does lounge seating better than Canada’s own Keilhauer, the private, family-owned company founded 30 years ago. At NeoCon in Chicago this past June, the Toronto-based manufacturer introduced two stunning examples: Boxcar, a lounge collection, and Moss, a lounge seating system.
Boxcar continues the fruitful association between Keilhauer and EEOS, the well-known Austrian design firm, whose principals are Martin Bergmann, Harald Grundl and Gernot Bohmann (other products include the Sguig task chair and Cahoots side chairs). The hallmark of the Boxcar collection is a discreet separation carved between backrest and seat: the backrest appears to be floating over the sculpted seat. Sofas and chairs each have their own distinctive, refined polished chrome bases, further enhancing the appearance of weightlessness. Boxcar comprises two sizes of sofas, with or without arms; an elegant lounge chair without arms; and a generous armchair. Accompanying tables bring balance and offer a modern vibe. Two sizes of round end tables are made of steel, with polished chrome finishing on the top halves and matte black on the bottom; while polished chrome rectangular tables are topped with glass.
As for second introduction, “Moss is a deceptively simple product,” says company president Mike Keilhauer. “Three pieces, each in two lengths, comprise the entire collection; but, due to the ingenious design and innovative connecting hardware, a multitude of seating configurations can be created for a variety of applications.” Essentially, Moss is a kit of parts, consisting of unadorned upholstered benches – in two lengths and three heights. The height dimensions are based on the seat height, arm height and back height of conventional sofas. Each piece can be used as a seat, and their different heights accommodate every level of seating, from sprawling to perching and leaning. An aluminum extrusion at the base of each piece joins them through the use of a connecting paddle; this paddle can be placed in any position along the base to allow for multidirectional, asymmetrical configurations and clusters.
Moss’s designer is Toronto-based Andrew Jones. Says Jones of his design inspiration, “While at a busy party, I noticed how people were using all the sides of a sofa, perching on the sofa arms, leaning against the back, and of course sitting. The arrangement worked remarkably well for a variety of social interactions. In fact, the postures and heights of people added something to the buzz of the room. That was the spark of the idea.”
At NeoCon, Keilhauer also introduced the Northern Biome Collection of contract textiles. The eight fabrics in the collection comprise small- and medium-sized patterns and textural solids, in bright and neutral colours, all inspired by the flora and fauna indigenous to Canadian biomes.