CURVE in the City

CURVE Bench Outdoor - Photography by Marcus Peel

CURVE Outdoor, its smooth, curved white contours resplendent, inviting calm and serenity, a quiet moment. With robust HI-MACS® composite stone slats, CURVE Outdoor provides an elegant, comfortable seat whatever the weather, wherever the location. 

From its origin as a set of circular seating for an art wellness centre, the CURVE concept has evolved, with benches for indoors or out, city or country, gallery or garden, seaside or mountain top. In single or multiple units, it’s designed to suit any occasion or milieu. 

I was delighted to place the bench in this urban environment during a recent project. Silhouetting the skyline of contemporary high-rise flats near the Thames, it was a pleasing juxtaposition of materials and lines: composite stone slats from Curve Bench, metal railings, wooden legs of a repurposed table. Sometimes, it just works. 

Step outside today – find what works for you.

Find out more about CURVE Bench

Bringing Blue Skies Home

“A good interior doesn’t only look good, it makes us feel good.” 

Creating spaces that make us feel good is a driving principle for me, and the beautiful artwork by Benjamin Raymond, with its blue-sky ambiance, invites calmness, serenity and wellbeing. My client, for whom I repurposed them, had lived in Japan, and embraced these tranquil elements, as well as the sense of purity and minimalism the paintings engendered.

The first piece envelops you on entrance, its muted shades of white and blue rising up out of the background wall’s rich, deep blue ‘2am’ colour from Coat. 

You can find the second piece of blue sky next door, in the living room, edged with a striking red line of fabric next to the white wooden frame. The red accent was inspired by William Turner who dabbed a bit of red onto one of his magnificent seascapes – adding not only a buoy but contrast and further interest. I like to think there’s a similar – magnificent – effect here, in this room not far from the River Thames.

In addition to the wonderful synergy of the pieces in this home’s interior, I was delighted to be able to give new life to the artwork. Ever conscious of the waste in the building industry, I try to be resourceful and think carefully about the products and materials I’m using. As with all dream projects, the client and I connected – we shared empathy and trust – which made for a truly collaborative, creative partnership. 

The end result: a home interior that the client loves and was a joy to create. 

As we enter the summer, whatever this season may hold for you – I hope you find your blue-sky moments. 

Credit: Photography by Marcus Peel

CURVE Bench at Glyndebourne

“CURVE Bench finishes off the space and gives it a meaning, a sense of place.”

Glyndebourne’s comment made my heart sing. It has been a dream come true to have our two CURVE Metal benches gain a permanent home at Glyndebourne.

Designed in 2019 (following the successful launch of the original wooden CURVE bench in 2018) and exhibited at Index Dubai 2019 with digital designers Recursive AV, the metallic finished benches are now sitting in Glyndebourne’s Gallery and Archive. Well-travelled, their lustrous patina revealing their journey, the two benches provide a beautiful, comfortable perch from which to admire the current exhibitions including Cover to Cover, celebrating 70 years of the Glyndebourne Festival Programme Book.

The brilliant golden, hand-applied metallic finish on the benches mirrors the resplendence of this renowned venue – a place buzzing with energy and creativity, where all one’s senses are awakened. There’s a wonderful synergy between the opera at Glyndebourne connecting people through music and the organic connection that happens between people sitting on the CURVE benches. I am thrilled these two have now come together. It was only when I was there the other day with photographer Marcus Peel, seeing the benches in the space with my own eyes, that I could really believe it had happened.

As we all emerge this summer, into the sun, into society with friends, family and strangers, into theatres, music venues, gardens, the seaside - wherever you may go seeking escape - I hope you find connection, inspiration and a moment of transcendence.

Credit: Photography by Marcus Peel

Books are ...

“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.”

— Anna Quindlen

Working on any project is a voyage of discovery. Design, like books, is a journey, a destination, a home – in the case of design, literally creating a physical space. For me, much of the beauty in a project comes from getting to know the client, from understanding not only the brief but who they are, where they’ve come from, their lifestyle, their needs – in other words, discovering their story.

This client - a busy working family who appreciates the aesthetics in life - actively engages with music, literature and the arts. Their grand piano thus takes pride of place amidst the library in this light, dynamic room, adding elegance with the crystal chandelier above it. A timeless design for a forever home.

Two desert photographs sparked the inspiration and vision for the room. Familiar with the client’s artwork, when I saw this empty space, I saw these two pictures across from each other. Fortunately, the client agreed, and their placement thus created the anchor for the room. It was natural, then, that we would design the bookshelves around the picture. The void opens up the space; the eye is then drawn from the photograph of the cactus directly across the room to the other desert landscape, creating a sense of movement and energy, with the piano adding its own beauty and vitality.

In my newsletter last summer, I spoke about the need for connection, to reengage with life, with friends and family, with places, after the long period of lockdown. While we are still re-emerging, finding a new sense of normality in April 2022, it is with a renewed sense of hope and joy that I enter this season of spring. New projects and exciting collaborations are on the horizon. I look forward to sharing those soon. In the meantime, I hope you too feel a sense of hope – and joy and anticipation for what connections and adventures lie ahead.

For a design consultation, please get in contact.

Credit: Photography by Marcus Peel

Dream Spaces for CURVE Outdoor

“To a journey through sculpture whose space - made of emptiness and silence - beyond that of the material that constitutes it, opens and unfolds around it.”

— Antibes Juan-les-Pins.com

The words describing NOMADE, Jaume Plensa’s sculpture outside the Picasso Museum in Antibes, capture not only the beauty and profundity of the piece, but the silence and emptiness that for many, characterised the last year. This stunning backdrop looking out to sea, with a sense of endless possibility, felt a perfect setting for our CURVE Outdoor Benches – a beautiful, open place to sit down, dream and connect.

With wanderlust yearnings and many projects – both at home and abroad – shattered during the pandemic, it feels good to be starting to reengage with and embrace life again. Over lockdown, I was able to take a welcome break, explore different creative avenues and make some exciting new connections virtually. I learned to adapt, discovered that life and work, fortunately, could continue in some semblance. Moreover, I was thankful to have work commitments over this time which allowed me to travel, even if only in the UK. Unsurprisingly, I was drawn to these forays away from home, which energised me and awakened new ideas. 

As we now gradually get back to this ‘new normal’, I’m reminded yet again of how essential the fresh view, which literally comes from new vistas – people and places – and the intangible connections made face-to-face, are for lasting inspiration and innovation. There’s nothing more valuable in life to me than the connection, and vitality, fostered when two kindred spirits meet, share and laugh. 

‘Only connect’, says E.M. Forster, in Howard’s End, stressing the importance not only of those who share a deep bond coming together, but those with different viewpoints and backgrounds. Indeed, it’s variety and diversity which we as human beings need for a richer, more passionate and interesting life. It was this need for connection, in fact, that inspired the CURVE benches. Designed first for a wellness centre in London, their natural, curving shape and ability to literally connect together invite both collaboration and reflection.

Where can you go? Who can you meet? What could be the site of your next connection? And what ideas and inspiration could be born from it? Reignite your dreams of travel, of projects, of people, of art and the natural world … keep that spark alive – embrace what this next stage will bring. The unknown is part of the excitement.

CURVE Bench, manufactured in England, is available to order.

Find out more about CURVE Bench

Setting the scene at home for living and working

Within a wall lies a surprise!

Trapdoors, false fronts and hidden cupboards may be the stuff of fairy tales or adventure stories, but for designers, it’s simply clever design and bespoke joinery. For us at Nina Moeller Design, while secret passages aren’t the norm, well-designed cupboards and covert spaces within walls are. They provide a multitude of opportunities, from extra storage to greater organisation to technology concealment and more.

In 2021, as we all adapt to the ‘new normal’, for many this has meant a longer-term shift to working from home. Many won’t be going back to full-time office working any time soon; therefore, it’s important to properly set the scene at home. And for us, using wall spaces effectively has been key to integrating work with home life. One challenge some clients face is separating out their work area – creating a ‘clean’ space to work that doesn’t interfere with or overwhelm their living space when they want to down tools and unwind. A client recently approached us with a single question:

‘How can we make the space work and not look like an office?’

Our client wanted a working space in the main living area, accessible to the kitchen and garden, that would blend seamlessly with the room they relax in at night or on the weekends. A concept drawing helped us visualise, then share with the client, how we might create this new living / working setting.

To maintain an open, tranquil atmosphere and a timeless, neutral look while accounting for the room’s numerous requirements, it was clear we would need several discreet storage zones. A wall of sleek push-button storage cupboards alongside a floating shelf, rectangular cube and wall-mounted desk unit with a drop-down worktop provide a fresh, harmonious vista. With extra storage in the under-seat cupboards across the room, further items could be secreted away when not needed. From there, bespoke flooring, lighting and soft furnishings come into play. And, of course, any further personalised features like artwork could be integrated. Balancing practical needs with beauty, we aim to create in all of our projects an enduring space that will be loved as much in twenty years as it is now – and, in this case, to make the most of this room at the heart of the home.

What scene have you set – or would like to – in your home this year?

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Creating the right space for working from home

September is here - back to work. 

With most of us spending more and more time working from home these days, we look back at one of our recent projects where the client wanted to work more from home. The main criteria was to create an ambience of overall comfort and the space should not look like an office. Given the permission to rehang existing artwork in the client’s flat, we chose one large piece of art for the spare room placing it close to the client’s desk. The artwork became the new focal point - the room suddenly had a feature wall giving the space a personal touch. We reorganised all the paperwork out of sight in a bespoke made cabinet.  The desk was placed close to the window, as working with daylight is better for your wellbeing.

As we continue to spend more hours at home working in this new environment, we would happy to help you transform your current space for remote working, to create a workspace that works best for you.

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Connecting people with their environments - IDF Expo Oman

Together with the team of RECURSIVE we have been invited to give a talk at the Interior Design Furnishing Expo in Muscat - Oman, on the 11th of February 2020. We are delighted to be speaking at this event and the theme of our talk is Connecting people with each other and their environments.

Exciting times for us…following the successful launch of CURVE Bench for indoor spaces last year, we have  developed a versatile design for the outdoors and will be launching CURVE Outdoor in the middle of February.  This bench is designed to be adaptable, as a single seat or multiple units joined to form a variety of outdoor seating arrangements to suit your needs. 

INDEX Dubai - Above and Beyond

We are thrilled to share our news about winning an award for our stand at the INDEX Dubai together with the RECURSIVE team.

Our stand won an award by LOVETHATDESIGN.COM and was just one of 4 across INDEX Dubai selected to be part of the TREND TOUR, which directed visitors to our stand.

Visitors to the stand enjoyed our unique collaborative approach to immersive interior design, combining audiovisual, lighting, software and our CURVE Bench in a Metal finish, as the centrepiece.

CURVE Bench was setup against an interactive back wall containing a graphical image in black and white taken from CURVE Bench with projected overlay. As visitors approached the stand, their physical presence was tracked in real time driving an interactive overlay which brought the image alive in both look and colour based on their dynamic movements. RECURSIVE’s interactive solution enhanced the setting of our bespoke bench seating, transforming the space and creating a more engaging experience.

CURVE Bench, a modular seating arrangement, is suitable for public indoor spaces such as reception areas, hotel lobbies, galleries, libraries and shopping malls.

CURVE Bench - Above and Beyond

This Autumn, we will be travelling to the Middle East to exhibit at the INDEX Dubai, 17 - 19 September. The centre piece of our stand is our CURVE  Bench in a new metal finish.

We have teamed up with Recursive to demonstrate how digital technology can be integrated into the interior fit out of any building, making normal surfaces such as walls and fabrics become touch surfaces for a more interactive and engaging user experience.

CURVE Bench - Exhibition Stand Design Mockup

CURVE Bench Graphic For Interactive Surfaces

CURVE  Bench is suitable for public indoor spaces such as reception areas, hotel lobbies, galleries, libraries and shopping malls. The outdoor version of this bench will be launched in London next year.

NEW Bench Seating for a New Sanctuary of Creativity and Wellness - RE:CENTRE

We have recently delivered our bespoke seating for the opening of RE:CENTRE in Hammersmith. Since last year, we have been working on an exciting design for this recreational centre, which aims to create a community space along the river Thames for tranquility, creativity and mindfulness.

To keep you in the picture, here is a cut out from our recent photoshoot:

Bench Seating - RE:CENTRE

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The Stacking Chairs For The Ivy

I was recently invited to tea by one of my clients to the newly opened Ivy Cafe/ Restaurant.  Whilst enjoying the beautiful ambience  in this Richmond  restaurant,  I was reminded of the days Pat Booth and  I designed the Ivy Chair for the Retaurant in the West End in the 90’s