The Best of 2001

edited by Alexa Yablonski -- Interior Design, 12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Presenting the designs which most intrigued our readers, whose requests for product information we tracked by assigned circle numbers. Apparently, a good lamp is hard to find: Lighting dominated the top picks. To fill out the list, a few of our opinionated editors (as if there were any other kind) sounded off. A diverse lot—ranging from antique flooring reclaimed from French châteaus to Philippe Starck's latest—made the cut.

Bernhardt: Following a flurry of notices, the biomorphic form of the Go! chair by Ross Lovegrove (whose mug appeared everywhere from Vogue to the New York Times) still strikes us as fresh and otherworldly. circle 300

Agape: The Spoon bathtub is sublimely sensuous—even without exotic sea salts. It received the most reader responses. circle 302

ICF: Ali Tayar's perforated aluminum Plaza screen showed that a lightweight accessory can make a heavy-duty statement. circle 301

Edra: Following in Frank Gehry's footsteps, designers Fernando and Humberto Campana took cardboard—that rather humble material—and raised its prestige factor a notch or two with their stylish Papel series of seating, tables, and screens. circle 303

Vitra: Originally designed by Ingo Maurer's wife, Dorothee Becker, in 1969, the Uten.Silo's rerelease was hotly anticipated this year, proving that bright, shiny things appeal to people of all ages. circle 305

Maharam: After resurrecting a handful of Eames fabric designs with great success, Maharam chose to plumb the archives of a few more design demigods, including Alexander Girard, whose Checkers and Double Triangles are shown here. circle 304

Kartell: Not even the most jaded design junkie could resist the latest from the ever-ubiquitous Philippe Starck: the candy-colored, invitingly egg-shaped Eros chair, which debuted at the Milan fair. circle 306

Elson & Company: Artist Rex Ray, who has garnered success in the realms of painting, photography, and graphic design, lent his unique visual flair to a collection of striking rugs for Elson & Co. circle 307

Bone Simple Design: The Silk Cog pendant's undulating design and warm, radiating light caught our readers' attention. circle 308

Hussl: The ST6 café chair may be basic, but it's not boring—thanks to charming colors and a whimsical peekaboo back. circle 309

Cassina: We never seem to tire of minimalist master Piero Lissoni. The pieces in his Reef collection feature a cool, clean look (given) and adjustable backs and armrests for comfort and flexibility. circle 310

Boyd: After 80 years, Boyd continues to produce lights worth noting. Among those that turned our readers on: the Opera table lamp. circle 311

Michaelian & Kohlberg: We liked the graphic nature of the handwoven flat-weaves from Madeline Weinrib, granddaughter of ABC Carpet & Home's founder. circle 313

Lefroy Brooks: Proof positive that change does good. This veddy, veddy British company took a dramatically different and streamlined approach for the new XO collection of bath and kitchen fixtures and accessories. circle 312

5x5: Color play coupled with simple lines and elegant craftsmanship led our readers to favor this Brosnan bench. circle 314

Ameico: The company tapped designer Michele De Lucchi to create the industrial chic Acquaparete wall sconce made of Murano glass. circle 316

Vitraform: This freestanding washbasin supported by bronze polished-glass laminated countertop is a decidedly modern choice that resonated with readers. circle 315

1+1: Enlisting artist Arturo Guerrero to help create a fabric collection yielded impressive results that are in equal parts graphic and painterly. circle 318

Clarence House: Two metallic sheers made the list last year. Clarence House's spray-coated Stainless Steel version was a pick this time around. circle 317

HAF: The Nigma collection is distinguished by dark-stained mahogany and an inventive use of aluminum, which is bent to function as drawer pulls. circle 319

Loewenstein: Maple and aluminum proved a winning combination for the popular Piazza collection of seating and tables designed by Hedi Painchaud of Studio Italia for Loewenstein. circle 321

Stone Source: These durable and sophisticated Sadler tiles are natural stone agglomerates containing cement, marble, and quartz. What makes them so winsome? They've got a warm, organic look but aren't limited to color options created by Mother Nature. circle 320

Peter O'Kennedy: We were wowed by the striking light creations from this Dublin-born musician, painter, and sculptor, who has had no formal architecture or design training. (When Clodagh's your mom, maybe there's no need for it.) circle 322

HBF Textiles: The company invited design diva Barbara Barry to create a collection of contract fabrics with style. The eight patterns and total of 58 coordinating colorways perfectly fit the bill. circle 323

Bellato: Debuting at ICFF, the Tetra table designed by Bernard Vuarnesson proves that functionality and chic aren't mutually exclusive. circle 324

City Studio: The very versatile Libra sconce designed by Susan Moses for City Studio was our readers' second most sought-after item. circle 325

Duravit: These cool cabinets were created by Sieger Design and are part of the 4x9 furniture collection for Duravit. The modern polypropylene surfacing is coupled with maple and cherry—adding a bit of traditional warmth. circle 326

Illuminating Experiences: The Elf series of lighting fixtures made from blown glass with satin-nickel accents has an eerily anonymous look—one that could work in über-contemporary or traditional settings. circle 328

Cavendish Grey: Herringbone-pattern tiles fashioned from recut antique Tuile terracotta reclaimed from French and English castles were a surprisingly popular choice for our readers, who usually favor cutting-edge, modern materials. circle 327

Snaidero: Forsaking the sterile and rectilinear, Sistema ES embraced the seductively serpentine, proving that all modular kitchens need not be built alike. circle 329