Eye on Design: Room 68
Recently, Julie and her daughter Charlotte—on a quest for outdoor furniture for a client—ventured into Room 68, a new “concept store” in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.
Outdoor party featuring Flux chairs. Image courtesy of Room 68.
What is a concept store, you ask? On its website, Room 68 is described as a place fueled by “a passion to bring emerging design to the public.”
The shop sells furniture and design items for the contemporary home and workspace. Owners Nick Siemaska, Eric Portnoy, and Brent Refsland seek out unique pieces whose design exemplifies ingenuity and a creative approach to beauty and functionality.
Room 68 founder and owner Nick Siemaska, holding the BOCA watering vase by Studio Macura. Photo: JMMDS.
Here are a few pieces that Julie and Charlotte particularly enjoyed.
Turned leg table by Pelrine+Durrell. The walnut vase on the table is made by Seth Rolland from a single piece of wood. Photo: JMMDS.
The Hyphae lamp designed by Nervous System, an organic form inspired by vein formation in leaves, throws lovely patterns on the wall. On the shelf beside it are Debra Folz’s Whole Story photo albums, ingeniously engineered to stand independently. Photo: JMMDS.
The minimalist Flux chair comes in eight colors and folds up origami-style.
Julie ended up selecting the Flux foldable chairs for her client—in black. Despite their very contemporary look, they fit beautifully into the Secret Garden that JMMDS created for their client’s elegant historic home. With an array of fun colors, foldability, and a built-in handle, the chairs are also terrific for use in parks as temporary, mobile seating; even more portable and comfortable than the bistro chairs and tables so widely used in places like Bryant Park in NYC.
Here’s a quick video of Nick demonstrating how to turn the Flux chair into a neat little portable pocket that can hold a picnic blanket or a book!
What a fun find this store was! Be sure to make time for a visit to Room 68 when you’re in the Boston area.
I am hoping to see the executed design. The chairs are quite interesting and fun.