Contract - November 2012 - (Page 39)

Key Design Highlights A mix of vintage midcentury modern furniture and new pieces by Oikos, Kiely, and the architects complement the retro-inspired patterns on Orla Kiely’s wares. Stained oak strip floors establish a warm backdrop that doesn’t distract customers from the pattern-heavy merchandise. To conceal a stairway, the design team created a faux pitched roof that complements the shop’s dollhouse-like aesthetic. The curated retail environment encompasses Kiely’s women’s wear, accessories, handbags, wallpaper, and housewares. A pitched “roof” (above) emphasizes the dollhouse theme, but it was actually a clever solution to disguise the angle of the stair leading to the building’s second floor. Floor Plan The main volume features movable displays that can be reconfigured as merchandise evolves and easily pushed aside to turn the stained oak strip floors into a catwalk. Aside from hosting fashion shows on the fly, the space also doubles as a long dining area for press lunches with a stage for DJs, and the store’s staff has plans to host a movie night. Laroussi describes the main volume as an “interior street” and, continuing that metaphor, it is faced by a series of more intimate rooms, revealed like the cross-section of a dollhouse. Several of Kiely’s wallpaper designs line these rooms, which display her stationery sets, housewares, and clothing. Shopping in high-end New York boutiques can often feel more like visiting a museum, but Kiely’s customers are welcome to touch the merchandise, or even rest on a sofa. Custom furnishings mixed with vintage A mix of furniture includes midcentury vintage pieces and new ones designed by Kiely and the architects. The movable pieces within the main space were made by one of Ireland’s top joiners, Oikos. Londonbased workshop Oval fabricated the bentwood rails from which clothing hangs along the long south wall. Orla Kiely will soon launch a new furniture line, which will be available for purchase in the store. Laroussi’s design drops the ceilings to just below eight feet in the series of side vignette rooms, establishing a more domestic scale on par with a living room, kitchen, or walk-in closet. The proportions of the millwork correspond to seat and desk height. Other domestic details in the rooms include vintage light fixtures, a giant reproduction of an old television, baseboards, and textured-vinyl tile flooring. “Your body understands those kinds of dimensions. They give comfort and a sense of being at home,” explains Laroussi. That home-like feel will welcome New York shoppers as they get to know the Orla Kiely brand. c contract

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - November 2012

Contract - November 2012
Contents
Editorial
Industry News
Product Focus: Getting Crafty
Product Briefs: Seating and Carpet
HyundaiCard Air Lounge
Orla Kiely
Vintry Fine Wines
Louis Vuitton Selfridges
Diptych Leadenhall Market and Bleecker Street
Camper Granada
Practice: The Future in Technology and Experiential Interiors
Designers Select: Tables and Casegoods
Sources
Ad Index
Small Project: A Lighting Installation Emphasizes Decadence in a Brussels

Contract - November 2012