Seattle-based furniture company Memo, known for small collections and singular objects, introduces Candy modular seating. The new range represents the manufacturer’s focus on the category, a key driver in the contract sector. David Simon, managing partner and creative director at Memo, tapped noted designer Carole Baijings to create the line, one of the first projects completed via her new firm, Carole Baijings Studio for Design. The brief was to develop a sculptural lounge system with all the benefits of traditional office seats.
Candy features curved, straight, and end segments that are made to attach to a plinth base, which can then be placed in any number of configurations throughout a space, like basic line formations or curved around columns. Units are fully upholstered, with veneer or laminate back options. Finished on all sides and combined with concealed ganging, this allows for endless reconfiguration without the need for new parts or components.
While the various shapes offer flexibility, the visual composition reflects Baijings’ colorist sensibilities, and she ensured that the hues were not an afterthought but an integral part of the design. Baijings makes her own tints and models by hand in an atelier-style process, which for this product resulted in the pillowy forms and light tones of Candy. “I enjoy the interplay of the colors of the upholstery and wood veneer,” she says. “A pastel palette creates a softness that is beneficial to our well-being.”
Stains on solid wood and wood veneer are produced with a two-step conversion varnish, ideal in high-traffic areas. They are applied with a combination of hand-rubbed and spray methods to enhance the character of the material. Yellow Over Ash or Sky Over Ash selections, for example, pair perfectly with cushions in spun-sugar pink, blue, and green.
No matter which combinations specifiers choose, Candy offers function and a playful touch that resonates with users. As the name implies, it is a sweet delight. “I wanted to design a sofa system that could be arranged in many different ways to enrich a space,” Baijings adds. “When you see it, it makes you smile.”
For more information on Candy by Carole Baijings for Memo, visit memofurniture.com.
Photography courtesy of Memo.
