NEW RELEASE - Mondaine Helvetica Family. The No.1 Collection.

The luxury watch market has exploded in recent times, with manufacturers taking a move towards wearable technology and elaborate, expensive and overly "blingy" chronometers. As exciting as the prospect of wearable technology is, here at Utility we're more excited by something we saw unveiled at Baselworld 2014, the world’s most important horological event...and it looks like we aren't the only ones.

The design world is buzzing with the news that Mondaine, the official watchmakers for the Swiss Railway System, are releasing their new "No.1 / Helvetica" watch collection, seeing a shift away from their use of the famous red ticker and the introduction of an equally recognisable, Swiss designed sans-serif typeface design.

It's fair to say that the Mondaine style hasn't changed much since Hans Hilfiker designed the iconic Swiss Railway clock in 1944, but the introduction of the new "Helvetica" watch family sees a huge leap in design for the company.

Available in a range of size, "watch weight" and strap options from leather to mesh strapping, the "No.1" collection features a simple styling with stunning brushed stainless steel case. With the use of the hugely popular Helvetica typeface and left justified numbers on the hour markers, they are guaranteed to appeal to all the typography enthusiasts among us.

Are you as excited as we are about the release? The watches are due to arrive in early November 2014 but you can pre-order yours now at Utility.

Click here to view the collection.

Mooore MOOOI

Moooi have been impressing the design world for years, with furniture & lighting that is visually strong, highly functional and individual, such as the Smoke Chair, Light Shade Shade Chandelier, Pig Table and Horse Lamp. 

During Salone 2014, under the art direction of Marcel Wanders, Moooi presented their "Unexpected Welcome" exhibition, showcasing their new and exciting 2014 range in an interactive experience that had all of Milan talking - You can view the panoramic display by clicking here.

We have been steadily adding to and improving our online catalogue of Moooi products and are happy to announce that best sellers such as the Bart Sofa and Container Tables are now available to purchase at www.utilitydesign.co.uk

Joining these best sellers are a host of brand new furniture and lighting pieces that were introduced during Salone 2014 including the playfully elegant Zio Coffee Table and Sideboard, the versatile Prop Light range and the Bassotti Coffee Tables that merge the solid grace of marble table tops with the shiny lightness of classically shaped legs.

Shop the new Moooi collection here now.

Re-Introducing Content By Conran

Here at Utility, we are extremely excited to re-introduce the new,beautifully designed & sensibly priced collection of furniture from Content by Conran, the brainchild of the Godfather of British design, Sir Terence Conran.

Sir Terence Conran is the British founder of Habitat who revolutionised the way we live in Britain in the 1960s. In his own words : "My ambition has always been to make good design accessible by creating products that work well, are affordable and look beautiful; qualities that I believe are reflected throughout the Content by Conran collection.

Utility was one of the first stockist of the brand when it was launched in 2003. We had a short break and re-introduced it in 2014 to complement other furniture brands in our collection. Since many items such as the Balance Shelving family have gone on to become design classics they sit comfortably with other wooden classics from manufacturers such as Vitra and Carl Hansen. What's more, all Content by Conran upholstery is made right here in the U.K - so it's only right we do our bit to support this fantastic brand and a corner of the British furniture manufacturing industry still in production. 

Utility now stock the entire Content By Conran catalogue, which can be viewed here.

Fritz Hansen Drop Chair - now available!

The Drop Chair from Fritz Hansen - originally designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1956-60 is now a commercial reality! Designed for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen only around 300 of the chairs were ever produced and it never entered commercial production for the public to buy. However, thanks to advances in material production, a bit of modern technology and an X-ray of one of the few surviving original chairs to examine the construction, the Drop Chair has been recreated with a polypropylene shell. In 6 complementary muted colours it comes with legs in the same colour as the shell or chrome. For those requiring a softer look the Drop Upholstered Chair comes in a huge variety of fabrics to suit any colour scheme. We're taking orders now for delivery in September. An icon comes to life!

Lust after Lustre!

Lustre is a new series of pendant lights from Tom Dixon. A departure for the company, the range is hand made from stoneware by a small Dutch, family run company established over five generations. Each light has a unique look created during the manufacturing process whereby an iridescent glaze containing minerals and precious metals is used to dazzling effect. This attaches itself to the stoneware in a unique way to give an 'oil on water' effect. As each light is totally unique the colors achieved during the process range from a pale lime to a deep green. There are four shapes in the family - Lustre Round, Lustre Wedge, Lustre Flat and Lustre Square. They're each priced at £360 and are available to order now!

New Collection from Foscarini

Foscarini have released a brand new collection of lighting solutions which exhibit new dimesnsions in sculptural forms. Each offer a spectrum of illumination possibilities from soft and diffused to intense and precise. This is particularly visible in the Magneto Desk and Floor Lamp, the diffuser and structure joined only by an electrical cable and magnetic force. Through the use of a spherical magnet, the diffuser can balance in a wide range of angles and positions - free to travel up and down the stem which is embossed with rounded impressions.  The Solar Floor Light was inspired by the subdued glow experienced during sunrise and sunset, the rounded shape enticing you to sit around its circumference - perfect for socialising. The atmospheric illuminations can be adjusted with a slight tilt and is available in indoor and outdoor options.

However the Birdie range, designed by Ludovica & Roberto Palomba, is where Foscarini have excelled through simple and organic forms to create a sophisticated collection of table, wall, ceiling and floor lights. Each are instantly recognisable via the classic shade and offshoot growing from the stem - beckoning a bird to perch upon it. The Birdie Ceiling Light is a contemporary chandelier (pictured), unlike any other ceiling light seen before and is available in a range of configurations ranging from one shade to three, six and nine for an awe-inspiring spectacle.

Watch The Birdie!

Foscarini have a new collection of lights out but we love the Birdie! Designed by Luvovia and Roberto Palomba this gorgeously slender light is the epitome of elegance! as a Table Lamp or Floor Lamp both come in four colours - White, Grey, Wine and - the one we love the most - orange! On the stem is a branch which contains the on/off switch. We think they make great bedside or reading lamps and the floor lamp is great behind a sofa or where space is a bit limited.

Vitra Jill Chair

The Jill Chair - now online - has been designed by Alfredo Haberli for Vitra. Clearly influenced by the bent plywood designs of Charles & Ray Eames each shell is available in black beech, natural oak or walnut. These are complemented with different leg designs - tube (a standard 4 leg) or wire - the same design used on Charles & Ray Eames DSR or 'Eiffel' chair. These both comes in various colours to complement the shell finishes. Cushion options also give an additional option for extra comfort. A fresh design with a retro twist we think it's a winner.