I want to ride my bicycle … i want to ride my bike … I want to ride my bicycle …
Queen is right. I do want to ride my bicycle, but the snow falling in Victoria is not helping me out in this department. My hat is tipped to those die hard riders that I have seen over the past few days persevering through the slush and ice. What has inspired my cycle craze? Well… this:
Custom bike by Troy Woodburn, Pro City Cycle
When I arrived to work this week, this beauty had appeared in the showroom. It’s a beautiful bike from afar, but up close, it’s exquisite.
Custom built by Troy Woodburn of Pro City Cycle, this bike is really more “art” than a bicycle … there are several hand made wooden parts including the seat post and the handlebars (and many others that I won’t pretend to know the name of!).
The bike has our name on it, so I hope this means that it’s here to stay – I think it fits in well with our Cassina Nest sofa and the Corbusier LC1 chairs.
If you would like to see this work of art in person, drop by our showroom at 589 Bay Street, and if you’d like to meet the creator, find him at Pro City Cycle at 338 Catherine Street.
Visit Pro City Cycle’s website, here.
Contact us, here.
Terra Verde (Italian for “Green Earth”) is a new contemporary townhome devlopment in Fairfield area, Victoria BC. It’s a modern project with a west coast feel by local developer, Abstract Developments. The open concept design and clean finishes create a perfect space to house Gabriel Ross’ modern furnishings and accessories.
Terra Verde - exterior, 1020 Richardson Victoria BC
Many of our lines are represented in the show suite including Frighetto, Calligaris, Cattelan Italia, Herman Miller, Unique carpets, Joquer, Fritz Hansen, and several pieces by our own upholstery shop. The livingroom features Frighetto’s Hopi sofa and matching arm chairs, Herman Miller Noguchi table in black, Unique Carpet’s Aurora Borealis area rug, and Flos’ Tab lamp.
The barstools at the kitchen island are the “Hoppy” stool by Bonaldo in black leather. With a hydraulic lift, these stools are perfect for any space with varying counter/bar heights. They even make a comfortable extra seat around the dining table in a pinch.
Calligaris’ Modern table and Cattelan Italia’s Tess chairs adorn the diningroom, featuring Walter Gropius’ TAC 02 dinnerware and Reidel wine glasses ontop of Chilewich Ghost Stripe placemats.
A sitting area next to the kitchen is the perfect place to enjoy your morning cappucino in one of Gabriel Ross’ Metro chairs. Between the chairs is a Platner side table in bronze by Knoll.
The bed in the first bedroom is our very own Niloc design and Loft nightstands while the second bedroom features the “Mini’ version of the Niloc upholstered in Knoll’s graphic houndstooth textile: Century by Dorothy Cosonas.
The lower level features an underground parking garage, and a spacious media room. We furnished the media room with a Joquer Light sofa, Moka chair, and Fritz Hansen’s PK20Â easy chair in black leather. The floor lamp is the new Diesel “Fork” by Foscarini – for more info on this see our previous blog post, here.
The show suite is open Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday 1-4pm. For more information, contact Abstract Developments or Mark Lawless from Re/max, here.
Questions about the furniture or accessories? Contact our showroom at 250-384-2554.
For more information on Terra Verde, visit Abstract Development’s website, here.
Our last post was highlighting a vintage Arne Jacobsen Series 7 Chair that our shop reupholstered. Today, I came across this video on the Huffington Post about the making of the classic 1955 chair. The video is a beautifully choreographed black and white film depicting all the steps (human and mechanical) involved in the making of the Series 7. Recorded along side a tranquil acoustic guitar soundtrack, it’s an engaging view for both it’s content and cinematography. Check it out here:
View and purchase the Series 7 chair on our website, here.
Visit Fritz Hansen’s website, here.
View the article on the Huffington Post, here.
For those who don’t already know it, Gabriel Ross is also a furniture manufacturer. AND … not only do we locally hand make beautiful sofas, chairs, and occasional tables, we also occasionally re-upholster some vintage pieces. We are *very* talented.
Recently, we reupholstered an Arne Jacobsen Series 7 office chair and this is the result:
This chair was reupholstered in “Divina Melange” fabric by Danish textile company, Kvadrat. Our people carefully molded the fabric to the curvature of this organic design and hand stitched the back panel.
This chair is certainly a piece worth re-investing in and we’re proud to have had a part in preserving such an iconic piece of design history.
Kastehelmi Dewdrop Collection by Oiva Toikka for Iittala
Modern with a vintage twist, Iittala’s new Kastehelmi (Dewdrop) collection is fresh, fun, and elegant all at once. Oiva Toikka originally came up with the design in 1964 as a solution to camouflage the seam that is created during the pressed glass production process.
Oiva Toikka’s design career’s 50th anniversary was the catalyst in bringing this line back into production by Iittala. Toikka is, of course, is the designer behind the Finnish company’s line of beautiful hand blown glass birds including my personal favorite: the Barn Owl.
Barn Owl by Oiva Toikka for Iittala
The Kastehelmi collection is available in two different plate sizes and a set of four bowls in clear or apple green glass. Find them on our website, here.
Kastehelmi Bowl in Apple Green
These pieces feel wonderful to touch, as the round beads adorn the surface of the glass in various sizes and patterns. The interior of the dishes are smooth, making them completely functional as well as beautiful. Mix them in with other Iittala pieces as accent dishes, or use the bowls for special candies and the large plate as a platter.
Kastehelmi Plate in clear by Oiva Toikka for Iittala
View these pieces and the entire Iittala collection at gabrielross.com, here.
View Oiva Toikka’s glass birds on our website, here.
Visit Iittala’s website here.
Herman Miller’s new office chair, SAYL by Yves Behar, has finally arrived at Gabriel Ross. We receivied our stock last week and the chair exceeded our expectations in comfort and appearance. Although we have only received stock of the Basic black version for now, there is more stock on the way soon in the Fully Loaded and Executive models.
Click here to read our original post on the SAYL chair. The Basic model that we now have in stock retails for only $448.00 – a significant triumph for Herman Miller and Behar’s hopes to create a well designed and fully functioning office chair that is accessible to a wider audience. Click here to purchase yours now.
SAYL’s webbed back is part of the “unframed” design – providing full flexibility and movement for the user. “Less is more” seems to be the mantra for this chair – it’s extremely comfortable AND feels supportive at the same time.
Converse and Marimekko have teamed up to produce a product of my own personal obession: super cute sneakers! My head exploded when I realized that the classic cool Chuck Taylors would now be sporting the iconic graphic textile designs of Marimekko. What a perfect collaboration.
You know how sometimes the most mundane objects can bring you some awesome everyday joy? It’s all in the details. I love when great design is applied to everyday tools and stuff that would otherwise remain used but unappreciated.
Gents Tape Measure by Stotz-design for Blomus
Stainless Steel accessory design house, Blomus, produces a great deal of everyday items in a thoughtful and beautiful way. Above is their “Gents” tape measure by Stotz-design. We have been using these in the showroom recently, and as a result, I am no longer embarrassed to hand over a 5 pound plastic and rubber Home Depot door stop to a client when they request a measurement. Simply lovely.
Would your opinions of laundry day change if this was your go-to for dirty clothes?:
Slice Laundry Bin by Stotz-design for Blomus
Imagine picking up your mail every day from this beautiful, modern, stainless steel mailbox:
Signo Letter Box and Newspaper Holder by Stotz Design for Blomus
You won’t be hiding that unruly pile of magazines behind the sofa any longer with this magazine rack:
Wactor Magazine Rack by Floz Design for Blomus
Scooping your bar of soap out of this modern, clean dish each day when you wash your hands:
Nexio Soap Dish for Blomus
Visualize your closet with clothes half falling off of mismatched plastic, wire, and wood hangers transforming to a cohesive, clean row of stainless steel hangers with rubber tips to ensure your clothes stay put and straight:
Toios Tubular Coat Hanger by Stotz Design for Blomus
All of these well designed everyday objects and many many more can be found on our Blomus products page at gabrielross.com. Treat yourself by upgrading one of your utilitarian tools to something that is not only useful, but also beautiful.
Purchase these and other amazing Blomus products at gabrielross.com, here.
Visit Blomus’ website, here.
Visit Stotz-Design’s website, here.
Visit Floz Design’s website, here.
The Oklahamo Museum of Art with Vitra Design Museum is featuring “George Nelson: Architect, Writer, Designer, Teacher” February 3rd – May 8th. The first complete retrospective of Nelson’s work will include over 120 objects including chairs, clocks, lamps, benches, etc., and also over 50 documents that include drawings, photos, and films.
photo: www.modernica.net
Nelson was one of the most prominent American designers of the 20th century in various areas spanning architecture, industrial design, and photography. He was also an influential lecturer, curator, writer and publicist. For over two decades Nelson was the design director for Herman Miller, allowing him the opportunity to work closely with other canons of mid century modern design such as Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard, and Isamu Noguchi.
Nelson Bench by George Nelson for Herman Miller
Marshmallow Sofa by George Nelson for Herman Miller
Swag Leg Desk by George Nelson for Herman Miller
Coconut Chair and Ottoman by George Nelson - photo: Photo: Vitra Design Museum Archive
Herman Miller just recently re-introduced the Nelson Basic Cabinetry series – an excellent collection of cabinet coordinates that can be put together to create a built-in look or used individually as nightstands or side tables. The introduction included Nelson’s bench with a new metal base option. View these products on our website, here.
Nelson Bench with Bookcase Cabinet for Herman Miller
As if you need another excuse to visit Oklahoma… but in case you did, this retrospective show is it. There may be opportunities to see George Nelson’s original product designs in retail stores (although, even these are few and far between), but this is a rare chance to get a glimpse of the artist’s personal world and thoughts through his drawings and writings and connect it all together in one space.
Read more on this exhibition on the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s website, here.
View and purchase George Nelson products on our website, here.
