PHOTOS Dook PRODUCTION Annemarie Meintjes
As our virtual world becomes global we are migrating to smaller spaces, where multifunctional furniture is the practical choice.
Designer-maker Joe Paine teamed up with his partner and muse Klara van Wyngaarden to show and tell us more about his collection of pieces with more than one purpose.
KLARA SHELF
Joe: “The cantilever design allows you to stack this shelf with whatever load will fit on it. It flat-packs like a dream and is really simple to assemble. It’s perfect for magazines, books and impressing dinner guests.”
Klara: “The Klara Shelf was designed for me as a storage unit for my props and magazines, and it serves as a room divider in my work/living space.”
SELF-HELP SIDE TABLE
Joe: “You can put all your bedside paraphernalia on this table, and it has a mezzanine level to hide the things you might be shy about, like those self-help books you buy from Amazon in January when you realise all the goals you set for yourself the previous year are now just broken promises. The candleholder is for when you want to create a romantic atmosphere.”
Klara: “This is great for the times we live in. I never have to run downstairs to find a candle when there’s an unexpected blackout.”
RADIO GOOGOO
Joe: “The shapes and structure of radio towers fascinate me. It may seem banal, but the minimalist structures framed in blue and grey are sort of beautiful.”
Klara “Radio Googoo is a dumb valet/dressing station. The seamlessly bent cross struts are for draping clothes over or hanging coat hangers from. The mirror and the slender make-up and jewellery storage compartment swivel for easy access, and the round storage compartment is for larger containers.”
WRAP WRITING BUREAU
Joe: “The Wrap Bureau was designed to offer a small personal space for working on a laptop. The ceramic vessels can be used to hold plants, stationery or the severed heads of people who got up in your face while you were doing your tax returns.”
Klara: “It’s the ultimate compact office!”
