A $300,000 Polished steel sofa

The first auction devoted solely to contemporary design will take place at Christie's in New York this autumn.

"It really is an increasingly popular market," said Carina Villinger, design specialist of Christie's New York. "There is a huge overlap with contemporary art. It has got to the point where we need a separate auction.

The Christie's sale will feature items such as a polyurethane table by the London-based Iranian architect Zaha Hadid, who designed the aquatics centre for the London Olympics, estimated to raise $200,000.

Another lot will be a highly polished steel sofa by the British-born Israeli designer Ron Arad for $300,000. Arad's work will be exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York next year.That sofa is made of steel that’s polished to match the reflection of a real mirror!

Via Independant

a Ron Arad sofa may fetch up to $160,000

a Ron Arad sofa may fetch up to 80,000 pounds ($159,000) at a London sale this week that aims to tap demand for ``design art.''

The steel work looks amazing -- just don't sit in it. "If you're sitting on a polished metal sofa with rivets on your jeans you have to be careful,'' said Ben Williams, a design specialist at Phillips de Pury ."Sitting on these pieces tends to be reserved for special occasions. They're usually just looked at as a sculptural element in the room.'' [...]

Other objects at the April 24 sale of 246 lots also blur the line between design and art. A carbon-fiber table by Australian- born Marc Newson may fetch up to 200,000 pounds. Phillips's inaugural design sale in London, at its new Howick Place auction rooms, has a total estimate of 1.4 million pounds to 2 million pounds.

Via bloomberg

Misfits Modular Sofa

Misfits is a modular sofa series with a corner and central elements and two footstools that can be used separately or in different configurations.

Introduced at milan’s salone del mobile 2007, misfits elements look as natural as if shaped by wind and sea. comfortable, relaxed lounging is easily found within misfit’s eccentric and softly rounded seats. their unique shapes allow misfits elements to be used individually or any imaginable combination..

Designed by Ron Arad the pieces are sold separately for $3,489 - $7,235 on unicahome.com

Experience Smooth Slopes with Casssina's Aspen Sofa

When two name like Cassina and Jean Marie Massaud team up the results are bound to be impressive, and more than likely very contemporary. The Aspen opposing sofas work well together as a long sleek single seating surface, or as individual chaise lounges. Cassina's Aspen collection includes an end table suspended on a center cylinder that transitions into the side of the sofa in a very smooth transition.

The sofa comes in 180 and 260cm lengths and delicately floats on two feet that remind me of ice skate blades. Here Aspen is combined with another Massaud design, the Auklund lounge chair and ottoman shown in black leather, for a most stunning modern statement.

Via furniturestoreblog