Doshi Levien make a home at John Lewis

British department store John Lewis is to launch the 'Open Home' collection, a new range of furniture designed by London-based designers Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien. The 13-piece range (comprising two armchairs, a sofa, a series of occasional tables and consoles, rugs and a lamp) will hit stores in February 2017, featuring essentials which bear the designers’ signature sensual styles.

The pair devised a collection that eschews traditional room settings, imagining furniture as partitions and objects with dynamic uses. ‘The collaboration started as a conversation about how our homes are designed now, how the spaces that we live in are really merging’ says Doshi. ‘We took that research and thought about pieces that were sculptural, warm and inviting.’ Part of the duo’s research was focused on the British home. ‘It is a welcoming place,' continues Doshi. 'There are a lot of textiles, and there is a formality that I think categorises it.’

The designs are characterised by sinuous forms, cantilevered angles and a palette of colours and materials drawn from Scandinavian furniture traditions. The sofa and chairs feature high backs, affording extra privacy; while the console and tables are light pieces that could work in different settings and are easily moved. ‘We thought about how we can live in an open and flexible way, and how furniture could become less about symmetry and more about sculptural forms and light, with a lot of more freedom of movement,’ explains Levien.

It’s also the first time the pair has worked with a British company since setting up their studio in 2000. For both, working with John Lewis was an important decision. ‘I think John Lewis is the best British brand,’ says Doshi. ‘It has this appeal that goes beyond the design world we are working in, and we really empathise with their vision and how we are looking at how people live. It felt like a good match to work with them.’

INFORMATION

For more information, visit the Doshi Levien website