Trace Design Studio

✨Material Focus: R a t t a n ✨

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁?

• A climbing vine grown mainly in Southeast Asia.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲?

• Rapidly renewable
• Harvested as cane (no need to fell whole trees).
• Low-energy processing & biodegradable at end of life

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗻 🩵

⌓ Charlotte Perriand

French designers including Ms. Perriand established the 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴 (UAM) in 1929. They created interiors that embraced tactile, natural materials while reviving traditional techniques. (img 4)

⌓ Adrian Audoux & Frida Minet:

French designer-duo, extremely productive during the 40s & 50s whose design ethic was based upon new, accessible materials and technologies such as rattan, representing the realities of modern life. (img 5)

𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟬𝘀 & 𝟭𝟵𝟳𝟬𝘀 — 𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 🌱

⌓ Gio Ponti:

Experimented with undulating rattan forms in the 60s, such as his BP16 Chair by , celebrated for appearing as a ‘single continuous reed.’ (img 6 & 7)

⌓ Bonacina:

A historic workshop (founded 1889) that partnered with masters such as Franco Albini & Gio Ponti. Albini’s Margherita (1951) and other MCM rattan icons cemented the house as a Mediterranean reference for rattan modernism. (img 8 & 9)

⌓ Tito Agnoli:

Known for designing bamboo/ rattan seating and airy lounge pieces from the 60s such as the P3 collection. (img 10)

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 & 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 🪑

✧ Contemporary Reissues:

Contemporary brands like have reissued heritage designs (like Gabriella Crespi - img 11 & 12) making select vintage designs newly available & continuing the legacy of rattan with new collections like Francis Sultana’s 2023 designs for Bonacina (img 13).

✧ Latin American heritage:

MCM Brazilian designers (ie. Joaquim Tenreiro, Sérgio Rodrigues, José Zanine Caldas) often integrated cane & rattan into their furniture designs

✧ Contemporary rattan:

Designers such as , Neca Abrantes and are reinventing these traditions paying homage to local handcrafts & materials while exploring new forms.

Although I love a good moody and earthy interior, there’s 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 something about a bright 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 that just makes me want to take off my shoes…

There’s something ethereal about these sun-filled and relaxed homes that are softened with warm textures and curved forms that make me feel like taking a long deep breath…

In this day and age I think it’s safe to say most of us don’t need to feel more stimulated when we get home.. I want to feel inspired by the things and places I love, but live in a space that feels easy, beautiful and calming.

These beach homes, soft textures and details make me feel just that:

Natural teak-lined ceilings,
Seamless outdoor showers,
The softness of light through white frosted glass,
And a view of the sea…

Time to meditate✨

One of our most recent projects, a home in Coconut Grove inspired by 𝘄𝗮𝗯𝗶-𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶 and 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺.

The design for the 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 focuses on the passage of time and natural cycles such as the rising and setting of the sun. ☀️

Park Avenue Residence✨
Coconut Grove, FL