The Lounger® is a response to n-ktr’s obsession with late-industrial American culture and post-industrial American furniture.  Rich materials and graphics bring an otherwise innocuous seating form to life.

The Jackalope’s status as an icon of Western American culture was immortalized when CBS cameras captured the odd trophy in an interview with Ronald "The Gipper" Reagan. No man of leisure should live without one.

 

This is a combination of lost ideals, the artifact of a defunct Soviet-backed military joined with a Chinese imitation of a seating icon.  Designed by architect Jorge Ferrari Hardoy in 1938 the BKF has become known as the Butterfly Chair and is a ubiquitous staple in the nomadic experience of early adulthood (see Furniture for Nomads).  Hardoy’s original vision has been lost, as the chair’s creator can no sooner be recognized than could the origins of Coke.

 

As the threat of Communism faded into a lampooned and exhausted caricature of Russian antagonism, the complex tools of Soviet fear turned into a deep well of pop-culture symbolism.  Soviet artifacts feel as ominous as stage pistols; a mere prop in a history there seems little tangible evidence to prove even existed.  A military blanket from the former East German Army replaces the traditional sling in Hardoy’s design, a relic of Brand Communism® that proves histories can be as fleeting as our addresses. 

   

The n-ktr pattern is influenced by Dazzle Camo patterning employed by British Naval vessels during wartime, which gave passengers a (false) sense of security while traveling at sea.  Emphasizing design solutions that appeal to our perceptions of our personal narratives through life are often the most powerful motivators.  This philosophy is at the heart of every n-ktr product.
 
 
 

Through a careful selection of materials (textile, brass, glass, and ceramic) and a packaging scenario storied around a famous cigarette brand; n-ktr “light” is a study in bringing a unique experience to an otherwise common product.
 

My grandfather was a source of tremendous inspiration for my growth into manhood.  While direct lessons are difficult to recall, the memories of our time together are filled with perfect anecdotes into the values I would learn on my own.  His sensitivity to life was both ruthless and gentle; a disjointed harmony in its balanced sincerity.  As a designer these ethos have had more effect on my intuition than any academic lesson.  They are a keystone to my creative identity and were a major source of inspiration for this project.

 






 
 

 

 

 

 



Sound’s unseen but perceptible value is as important a part of the home as any piece of furniture.  The haptic experience of the Left Phonics™ stereo makes tangible

the rich experience of music.  Birch plywood boxes, engraved metal and hardwood details reinvigorate a classic component stereo.

Tired with traditional academic values of “form” and “function” n-ktr aims to breathe new life into furniture design by incorporating elements of

pop-culture, microhistories and personal narrative into a brand that celebrates the intricacies of the human experience.

Influenced by the diversity of lamps sitting outside Japan’s izakayas, ika denki (squid lamp) attempts to build product character without becoming a caricature.

“if you admire somebody you should go ahead tell’ em people never get the flowers when they can still smell em’”

~kanye