damien velasquez grating chair
photo: damien velasquez

This sculptural mesh chair ($2,000 at yliving.com) by designer Damien Velasquez has a deep, springy ergonomic seat. It looks to us like it was made from standard punched metal sheets used for grilles and other architectural applications. We checked one of our favorite catalogs for McMasters-Carr, and sure enough, that’s what it is. We wonder if Velasquez got the idea for the chair from the material, along the lines of Annie Albers wise words (which have been on our fridge for years):

Being creative is not so much the desire to do something as the listening to that which wants to be done: the dictation of the materials.

We DO get ideas from looking at materials. One of our favorite past time when we’re walking around town is to ask: What could I do with that? (Construction sites are particularly inspiring). At home, materials catalogues are some of our favorite fantasy reading. Although all are online, we like paper catalogues for flipping through. Our favorites:

Zoro Tools: We find all sorts of cool things here from the hard-to-find 1/2-inch blue painter’s tape (great for wall drawings and signs), to a huge assortment of bungee cords. We bought the super-hardened steel rod for our did-it-ourselves pot rack. Their range is mindbloggling.They have frequent deals, and GREAT customer service.

pot rack detail
Sally Schneider

Uline: shipping and packing materials. This is our go-to spot for new shipping pallets, thick corrugated cardboard, not to mention boxes and storage bags of all kinds.

pistoletto inspired cardboard room screen

McMasters-Carr: hard core industrial supplies, from metal gratings to winches to office supplies. We looked at McMasters when we were trying to figure out solutions for the Laboratory ugly baseboard heater covers. We especially like their Raw Materials section. If you’re looking to make black pipe closet fittings, you’ll find a good selection here.

Sally Schneider
Sally Schneider

via new york magazine

Related posts: black + copper pipe sculptural faucets + corian counters
diy minimalist stainless steel pot rack
max lamb’s dim shelving built from hardware store finds
more black pipe brilliance: closet fittings

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