By Cassandra Pizzey /asdf 24-03-2011

Marking the six month anniversary of their London showroom situated in the White Building, Moooi teamed up with stylist Despina Curtis to create the Fantasy House of Moooi. 

“A match made in design heaven” is how Despina Curtis would describe her collaboration with quirky furniture company Moooi. 10 years of iconic design by the brand has been used to create an array of stylized rooms that allow visitors a peek into the humourous yet versatile world that is Moooi.

To create the somewhat surreal environment while keeping the showroom atmosphere intact, Curtis first needed to find a common thread within the products which would work to develop a strong theme. To get Moooi’s iconic wittiness across while embracing the space within the White Building, the stylist chose to play with scale and a monochromatic colour scheme.

“Hence the oversized vinyl wallpaper design which covers the walls and uses silhouettes of Moooi products,” explains Curtis. “The scheme lent itself to a black-and-white palette, which helps the design look more surreal, more fantasy which is the root of the idea.” Arched windows in unexpected places and hovering walls have been designed to allow interaction with the various rooms. “You van move within the space and discover surprises along the way.”

Although staying true to the Moooi aesthetic while keeping a personal sense of style intact was a challenge for Curtis, the products themselves provided a great starting point. The interior design features some brand-new products such as the Miyake Floor and Table lamps by Japanese designer Arihiro Miyake, and Bertjan Pot’s design for the Random LED light and floor lamp.

“I chose the Two Tops table as the focal point for one of the rooms,” Curtis continues, “it’s a beautiful and grand design which can carry being the centre of attention. The Random lights hadn’t been presented en masse before in the showroom so I wanted to create a cloud effect using them together above the table to create an impact.” Any other favourite Moooi products? “The Delft ware which was perfect to use in the framed window openings.”

Everything from the floor to the ceiling has been given a Moooi makeover, with cast-resin flooring by Senso providing the finishing touch.
To sum up Despina Curtis has created a showroom-cum-wonderland which embodies both Moooi’s humourous approach to design, presented in an immediately recognizable fashion, and Curtis’ zeal for design where products take centre stage.

The Fantasy House of Moooi will be on show until the end of April, 2011.

Photography: Peer Lindgreen

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