The internationally recognised Dutch furniture brand, Pastoe, is a brand that stands for simplicity, timelessness, quality and craftsmanship. This year, Pastoe are celebrating 100 years of design innovation and are currently exhibiting their many designs at Kunsthal Rotterdam, including furniture, drawings, publications, photographs, posters and advertisements. Curated by Anne van der Zwaag and a host of notable designers, artists and architects, the exhibition includes design pieces from different periods of Pastoe’s illustrious history, all presented together. We have touched on a couple of Pastoe designs on Minimalissimo over the years, but I would really like to take this opportunity to share with you some of our favourite furniture collections. These include the calm, understated beauty of Vision and Vision Elements, the clean lines and elegance of Pure, and the bold colours of Shift. In addition to the exhibition, a book titled, Pastoe: 100 years of design innovation has been written by author and design critic Gert Staal and curator Anne van der Zwaag, published especially for the anniversary. This looks back on the past century, but also looks forward with a modern vision on living, interior and design. Furthermore, on 27 May, an auction of old Pastoe furniture will take...

The Tom Kundig Collection, launched in 2012 by Olsen Kundig Architects is a celebration of the moments when people become kinetically involved with the buildings and spaces they inhabit. The series features a variety of differing interaction scenarios, suitably named peek, no peek, droop, pull and earless. The collection is one of stylised conscious consideration of experience. With each piece, the user is challenged to change their interaction with the hardware, as a response to the evolution of the aesthetic that is presented. I like and appreciate this immensely. Here, design is challenging behaviour, heightening experience and giving a nod to the appreciative eye of the user. The use of steel, the consideration of the line work and seamless nature of the execution are beautiful. Seattle-based Olsen Kundig Architects were also recognised in 2012 from Interior Design magazine with a Best of the Year Award. Envisioned as the first of several product lines by the firm, the focus of the collection stems from Kundig’s well-known interest in the ways people interact with their environment. The resulting collection is one that celebrates the movement of people through architecture, and the interface of that interaction is celebrated. I look forward to the...

The great and ever inspirational creative director Fabien Baron, under his full spectrum design agency Baron & Baron, has created a quite incredible range of minimalist furnishings for the Milan based design firm, Cappellini. The range of designs include a variety of sofas and chairs, one of which is a slender lounge chair, as well as storage units and tables. All of which result in an elegant combination of materials and exceptional sculptural quality. Such beautiful proportions.

Sometimes all you need is one drawer! Less stuff is a chest consisting of just one drawer, making it an interesting variation to, say, a nightstand. I think I am most struck by the simple archetypical form of the object, and the incredible lo-fi-ness of it. Less Stuff is made by Studio Ditte, a design agency specialized in concept development and product design. Studio Ditte is formed by three Dutch designers: Natasja Heesbeen, Endry van Zwam and Marieke Dirks. The drawer has a plain matte white finish, and can be hung without the points of suspension visible.