Jan Kath, known for his expertly crafted hand knotted carpets, has made the organic next step venturing into the world of furniture, with 'Daydreamer', his first upholstered seating design.
The furniture features a movable wooden mechanism, which allows the design to serve a variety of positions: a platform for a mattress, a classic sofa shape with a backrest, or a comfortable nest-like shape supported by its airy frame.
Jan Kath presents 'Daydreamer'
Kath is known to purposefully break conventional styles and stray away from design rules. His carpet creations are woven with juxtaposing features; classic elements inspired by oriental carpets are intertwined with a contemporary design. The designer has included his interpretation of photorealistic motifs into his carpet designs.
‘I am part of the Photoshop generation,’ Kath previously told Wallpaper*, explaining how his designs are very intuitive: a series of images mounted on top of each other. This is woven into the textiles, a skill perfected by his team of carpet weavers in the workshops in Kathmandu (a nearby location to Jan Kath’s Rug + Art Space , a new gallery and showroom).
The German designer mostly draws inspiration from his numerous travels across various cities, with a particular interest for the native Ruhr region (Germany’s largest urban area), and its industrial culture. Yet, for 'Daydreamer’ he reflected upon personal childhood memories of travelling through Persia with his father.
Walking amongst old mansions that boarded leafy gardens, padded divans were positioned under shady trees against a flowing river: it was in these Persian gardens that Kath felt was the perfect place to unwind, and daydream.
The divans provided a foundation for his ‘Daydreamer’ model, updated with his own contemporary interpretation. The wooden frame holds a hand-knotted carpet mattress which simultaneously cushions and embraces the user. For the upholstery, Kath chose the 'Tenno' design from his Spectrum collection, an abstract composition of rich jewel hues.
The oak frame was developed in collaboration with product designer Sanchir Kath and master carpenter Claudius Schliessler. Two versions are available: the 'Daydreamer', which folds on three sides for a cocooning seating experience, and the 'Daybed', the collection's more classic lounging option.
