Belgian designer James Van Vossel has just won a prize at Interieur 08 for his Z-Ball: innovative seating for kids in a learning environment. It reminds us of the old space hopper from a few years back. Those of us who are starting to experience “senior moments” will remember it with a wry smile!

Z-Ball is an inflatable ball with 3 handles. The position of the handles stimulates a better position of the 5-attitudes of the back.

We’re struggling to find out much more about this item and James’s website, whilst very funky, does not easily let you see the product, so if anyone knows more about this cool bit of kid’s seating or even where it might be purchased, please let us know!

Anyone who likes tasteful design should take a closer look at these three delicious rolls, Tekka, Kappa and Sake. These exceptional stools are covered with faux leather and are available in various colours and are the brainchild of Düsseldorf designer Achim Beermann.

After his architecture studies at the TH Aachen and several years of freelance work in different architecture and design firms, he started his own business and since 2005 Beermann has been developing inspirational furniture and home accessories.

Clearly they won’t be to everyone’s taste but they are certainly statement pieces.

Further details about Achim and all of his designs can be found at his website at www.studiowhitesite.de

Finding time to spend hours looking around furniture stores, online or high street, searching for a piece of furniture the right size for your room is so frustrating. Furniture retailer Kettlewood offers a solution by tailor making its furniture for your room without the exorbitant price tag often associated with bespoke furniture.

All the furniture is made in Lancashire to order which allows them to alter dimensions on pieces, change the type of wood or stain used, and offer a wide range of fabrics for the chairs. You can even supply your own fabric or handles if you find something you like locally.

This flexible service alongside friendly, attentive customer service is proving a hit with customers across the UK.

We stumbled across this interesting design company today. Istanbul-based Demirden Design is a company with over 15 years of experience in the design industry. It has received numerous awards, including two Red Dots and the Design Management Award.

Since the company was established in 1994, its creative team has been involved with exhibition, event, product, graphic and multimedia design.

Demirden’s multidisciplinary approach and internal synergy has resulted in its successful past and promising future.

And from this pedigree background the ilio brand was born.

ilio takes its inspiration from the natural world to create a fresh new look for everyday functional objects. Every item in their tableware and furniture collections is imbued with a unique artistic identity designed to appeal to those who appreciate a contemporary sensibility. A sensibility that is beautiful and functional, daring and playful.

We have completely fallen for “twig & sprout” a simple, yet incredibly elegant, table and chair (or is it a stool?) combo.

Like the calm and elegance of sedge grass around a pond, this stool (we decided it was a stool!) and table combination brings comfort and ease to everyday life. Made of natural beechwood, its simple appearance belies its advanced craftsmanship and design that allows it to be its own lever when carried.

And what about the icedrop candle holder for the ultimate in cool?

Like an icicle suspended from a tree or melted wax at a table’s edge, icedrop is literally frozen liquid in motion. Its function as a candleholder is obvious from its very appearance.

Born in Brussels in 1978, Belgian designer Sylvain Willenz studied Design Products at the Royal College of Art in London from 2001 to 2003 and in 2004 Sylvain opened his own studio, based in Brussels.

Sylvain’s works deal with projects from lighting to product design and furniture. His work is characterized by a clear love for materials and processes and bear a no-nonsense approach to design. The work-spirit is straightforward and uncomplicated. His projects celebrate design, archetypes, and industry.

Things like rubber, post-its, elastics, graphics, stickers, plasticine, Internet, music, toys, highways, flowers, cacti, fat books, chewing-gum, spraycans, cars, graffiti, shoes and cooking, are just a few underlying inspirations in SylvainWillenzDesignStudio’s works.

One of his many designs that caught our eye is Petrol: a rug assembled in two to three layers from machine-cut felt discs. The three different diameters of discs create the organic and random pattern of the rug, which can be produced in infinite configurations and formats. Petrol can run down a corridor, or spill from one room into another, like a moving organism.

Sylvain Willenz can be contacted at info@sylvainwillenz.com

Designer Urs Schweizer and Master Cabinet Maker Arnold Meusburger are presenting “Decarus”, a stunning new furniture collection from Austria.

Old wood is fascinating. It tells us a personal story and this story is transposed into modern day contemporary design as every piece of wood used in this furniture range is extracted from very old, matured wood that has been used in a building for at least 150 years previously!

The designs are minimalist, the results are outstanding. Sustainability at its best!