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Seat of nobility

By Shepherd Laughlin 01 : 04 : 2015 Chatsworth House : Make Yourself Comfortable : Geo-Luxe

Derbyshire, UK – Make Yourself Comfortable at Chatsworth is an exhibition using chair design to reflect on the interplay between traditional and contemporary design at the historic site.

Exhibition highlights Cavendish family’s role as supporters of emerging design talent
Works by students and alumni from nearby Sheffield Hallam University provide a local link

Endgrain by Raw Edges at Make Yourself Comfortable at Chatsworth, Derbyshire

Counterpart by Tom Price at Make Yourself Comfortable at Chatsworth, Derbyshire

Over the Rainbow by Jung Myung Taek at Make Yourself Comfortable at Chatsworth, Derbyshire

Spun Chairs by Thomas Heatherwick at Make Yourself Comfortable at Chatsworth, Derbyshire

The exhibition presents contemporary designs alongside the private collections of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and includes two newly commissioned works. A new piece in the Endgrain collection by London design studio Raw-Edges references a 19th-century duke’s desire for a colourful Sculpture Gallery, while highlighting the studio’s dyed-wood process that mixes traditional and modern techniques. Tom Price, known for other-worldly sculptures mimicking nature, has created Counterpart, an installation of two opposing blocks. One, made of coal, references the Cavendish family’s mineral rights, while the other is inspired by crystals held in the house’s mineral collection.

The Big Picture: The hi-lo use of materials seen in Geo-Luxe has made inroads into even the most exalted luxury environments. For more, see our forthcoming coverage of the Milan Salone Internazionale del Mobile.