Organic Modern

Organic Modern - and not the type of organic that has to do with farming, ingredients or chemical free - is the description used by Editor At Large of Luxe Magazine Michael Wollaeger about Ironies Furniture at a recent event I attended at the Boston Design Center. Although I can't say Ironies falls within the range of "green" companies, I find this title an apt description for a company that integrates natural materials - in all their beauty and imperfection - into their amazing furniture. Material and form are essential to Ironies, and as such, create intense impact with every piece. Impact for Ironies also goes beyond the design of their pieces - and this is where 'green' comes into play. Many of the materials they use - including Horn, Pen Shell, Bone and Shagreen are sustainably sourced, "remnants" as Ironies itself describes them, that with the skilled hands of local artisans, are crafted into anything from table tops to light fixtures, to chests. And despite all the varied materials, their name isn't for nothing - many of their pieces are a combination of metals - either hand forged or cast or cut with new metal working technologies to create incredible bases, frames, hardware, etc....but there are often applied materials like Shagreen (Ray skin salvaged from the discards of the fishing industry), Bone (remnants from the husbandry industry), and pen shell and horn which are naturally found or shed. Ironies manufactures their pieces in Indonesia and truly believes in their workers - helping to provide them with fair wages, good working conditions, and the opportunity to continue the traditions and skills of Indonesian craftspeople who have been using many of these materials for centuries. Their attention to detail and quality is magnificent, and as one of their marketing team said, they are doing their best to put to good use things that would otherwise end up as trash, unused, and with the knowledge of their workers, they're able to turn it into amazing products...and he also mentioned he hoped they would continue to become more "green." Me too - I love their product and hope that the technology, resources and will to increase their company's role in the stewardship of our environment grows.

Talk about stunning, form, inspiration...basically Wow! These two case pieces below from Ironies are amazing - the Heron Cabinet and Forte Armoire are both sights to behold. The Heron has a funky, abstract, almost deco feel with the pen shell inlay while the Forte reminds me almost of a vortex or spider web with its dark horn doors.

Check out these funky tables below with Shagreen & Bone tops - I love the contrast of the simplicity of the table top colors, but the complexity of the pattern of shagreen or bone inlay.

Below is probably one of my favorite of Ironies' lighting line - the Jaeger Chandelier (also comes in a half round sconce) made either from Horn (naturally discarded) or Agate (abundant natural stone material).

And these agate and onyx sconces - absolutely gorgeous.

Ironies also offers various accessories - some of which are also made from their eco-conscious materials like this reclaimed wood Root Table Lamp, Shagreen Vase, Teak Screen and Kopi Wood Planters, made from Kopi wood which thanks to Surinam's governmental policies is harvested sustainably.

And I'm honestly not sure if there is anything eco-friendly about this Tule Chair & Ottoman below, but it's gorgeous - as is the Tallinn Buffet made with cast resin doors (which as a material does have eco-friendly options). I love the sculptural form of both of these pieces so I just had to include them, at the very least for inspiration - which this company happens to be brimming with.