This is how iconoclastic design doyen Matylda Krzykowski would furnish a cave

Designer, curator, awards juror, mentor, and professor Matylda Krzykowski lives by the same advice that she regularly imparts to her students: reject the existing boundaries and forge your own path. So when we asked her to select pieces from Pamono that she’d love to have for her own, she responded, "Here are my choices. Imagine that they’re for a cave."

Alright, so Matylda's vibrant imagination has conjured a domesticated cave space. We're guessing that she, like so many today, has become fed up with restraints of urban life—gridlock traffic, inconveniently placed electrical outlets, and the sometimes oppressive prevalence of monotony. Even though we're not 100% sure where she's coming from, one thing's for certain: Matylda knows how design can contribute to a life less ordinary. Check it out!

 

Sun Floor Lamps by Andrea Scholze

Given that caves tend to be, well, dark, Norwegian artist Andrea Scholze's coarsely textured Sun Floor Lamp is an apropos way to light it up. "I like that the sun lamp is on the floor and not in the sky." Turning the world upside down—classic Matylda.

Photo © Andrea Scholze

 

Batyline Meeting Chairs by Laurence Humier

"Of course you also have to accomodate people who come to visit; a cave's not necessarily just a private space." These foldable chairs by Belgian-born, Milan-based designer Laurence Humier can be found in MoMA's permanent collection—and they easily make way for a dance party. In a small space, it’s important to have versatile furniture.

Photo © Laurence Humier

 

High Tea Pots from Studio Wieki Somers

The High Tea Pot by Wieki Somers, the Dutch designer of highly collectible works, captures decadence at the moment when the delicious and the unsavoury are no longer distinguishable. Molded from a pig skull and draped in river rat fur, this icon of 21st-century design is included in the collections of both the V&A and MoMA. "I really like the whole concept of this piece. I can imagine that if you live in a cave, it's something that you really need. It’s not about function; it's a statement."

Photo © Studio Wieki Somers

 

Margot Wine Goblets by Felicia Ferrone

One always needs to have wine glasses on hand—in any and all spaces—and Chicago-based designer Felicia Ferrone has reimagined the form to striking effect. "Glass is a naturally occuring material, and it aligns the whole selection. I’m also interested in the history of glass production from the venerable Czech traditions to how it is reimagined here in a contemporary way from an American, industrial perspective."

Photo © Felicia Ferrone

 

Cradle to Cradle Sofas by Neil Nenner

"When I live in a cave, I'll need to have a sofa that is made out of leather. This sofa by Tel Aviv designer Neil Nenner can pull double duty as a bathtub and a bed. The way the dark leather embraces you makes me think it would feel like a kind of companion. You should really be laying there with someone." The ribbing of the underside of the sofa looks as though it could easily be made out of the carcass of a wild animal.

Photo © Neil Nenner

 

Drinks Vessels by Ahryun Lee

"I travel so much, and I keep thinking about how nature should be more visible outside. We should look outside to see nature always." Matylda cites Mies Van Der Rohe's Farnsworth House as a model for enjoying the outside without dragging it inside. She also spotlighted these porcelain vessels by Seoul-born, Munich-based Ahryun Lee, which look like magnified microorganisms. "The idea of living with all these vases is almost like living with pets or something."

Photo © Ahryun Lee

 

Blue Sky Lamps by Chris Kabel

Speaking of bringing nature-inspired elements inside, the Sky Lamp by Dutch designer Chris Kabel is Matylda's finishing touch for her cave. "I was there when Chris produced this lamp. It was for a winter 2014 anti-depression-themed show in Maastricht, where I lived at the time. Now that I'm in Chicago, everyone is constantly discussing the weather. I can image that living with a piece like this provides a certain comfort and antidote to dark times." Looking out the window in Berlin right now, we're inclined to agree.

Photo © Chris Kabel