The Skram Furniture Company—no dearth of provoca-
tive names here!—is spearheaded by designer A. Jacob
Marks who sees all good design—even the industrially
produced—as rooted in excellent workmanship. Skram
proclaims the fusion of "austerity and warmth," achieved
in the streamlined benches and chairs shown at ICFF
which incorporate time-honored materials: timber, leather,
stone.
The most startling exhibit at ICFF is Lladro's, which we as-
sociate with ultra-traditional figurines with a characteristic
crystalline finish. Their current icon, what seems to be a
futuristic mouse, is Jeff Koons meets Energizer Bunny, a
cryptic, preciously crafted cartoon of a character.
All in all, the 2014 ICFF promises to set a benchmark
for the best in contemporary design. It is a truism, but
a valuable one, that to break rules, one must first know
Hastings Tile & Bath
HYLAND
