This is not the first conversation we’ve had about Stanley Jay Friedman – and it won’t be the last. His passion for pushing boundaries and his appetite for experimenting has led to his long-standing reputation as a savvy, forward-thinking designer.

While he’s grown in the design industry, working for several designers then forming his own brand, Friedman has always remained true to his design philosophy which is to control, influence and design the entire project and almost everything in it. This he does in hopes to “…satisfy the very savvy American consumers with something that is unique and beautiful.” While it can be challenging to take on an entire design project, not to mention requires several refined skills, Friedman’s eye for cutting edge technologies and ability to maintain clean, intriguing modern designs has allowed him to be continually recognized with admiration, praise and awards. Some of his successful designs include the Calcutta Sectional Sofa and the Lugano Sofa & Ottoman.

When not designing award-winning furnishings, you can catch Friedman lecturing on the Evolution of Modernism in America. His focus concerns the slow emergence of the understanding and acceptance of modernism in our homes. Always challenging himself and looking forward to doing his best work, Friedman says that he never tires of designing. He has more inspiration today than he had in 1970, and his motivation has never been greater.

Mobican is a family owned company who specializes in bedroom furniture, dining room sets and living room collections such as audio video modules. The entire process, design and production, is done by a small staff of experienced employees in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec.

Since 1988, Mobican has been committed in offering high quality, functional and affordable product lines that help each and everyone of their customers in creating an environment that will satisfy their expectations of well being, calm and harmony in their home. European origins contribute to the creation and manufacturing of superior quality Contemporary and Scandinavian influenced furniture. The Mimosa dresser and night table, for example, are available in a wide range of wood stains. Our designers can help you choose the perfect one for your space. We love it in walnut!

The utmost care is given during each step of the Mobican production process. While the wood is carefully selected for its exceptional grain patterns and combination of colors, the highest quality of European hinges and drawer slides are used to offer the best possible product. When beauty of contemporary lines meets exceptional craftsmanship, pieces like the Classica bed are born. Nothing makes a space more interesting visually than mixing playful with contemporary.

Mobican is proud to offer state of the art equipment to support the employees creativity obtained over the years from a heritage of our European origins, and passed on from one generation to another. With several unique options to choose from, explore the latest lines of innovative products.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1929) began his career as an architect associated with the Glasgow School (derisively nicknamed the ‘Spook School’ by traditionalists who found their brand-new aesthetic unpleasant). Members of the Glasgow Group were designers and artists inspired by Celtic, Japanese and Arts and Crafts influences. They broke away from historical styles and in turn influenced the Modern Movement which emerged in the 1920s.

As the 19th century ticked over into the 20th, Mackintosh began to see himself as more than a designer of buildings; he wanted to design every detail within them; down to color schemes and household items. He designed the Glasgow School of Art between 1897 and 1909, and in 1903 he created the furnishings and interiors of a Glasgow tearoom for Miss Kate Cranston.

In 1904 Mackintosh secured a commission to design a house for publisher Walter Blackie; he and his wife Margaret MacDonald designed the entire house and its contents, including furnishings and decor.

Mackintosh furniture is characterised by lean geometric shapes, exaggerated proportions, and limited color palettes. Among the pieces created specifically for Hill House was the now-iconic MA14 Hill House Chair, with its instantly recognizable extra-tall ladder back in lacquered wood. Other Mackintosh designs that are still in production include the monumental Willow Chair, the Berlino Table and the DS1 Folding Table.

One can only imagine where Mackintosh stood, laid or sat in order to draw inspiration for his work. Having a workspace that fuels inspiration and enhances productivity is essential; especially for home-based business owners and creative geniuses like Macintosh.

The difference between a comfortable armchair for short working hours and a quality desk chair for a traditional working style is fundamental to boost working habits and increase idea flow. Creating the right aesthetic for your workspace is not only important for your work, but important for your health – skimping on chairs may cost your body later. Sklar is proud to offer options that are classy and practical. With the right workspace furniture touches, you could be the next Mackintosh.

GW William was founded in 1981 by Patrice Fontaine and began its journey in the granite sector. In 1998, the WILLIAM subsidiary, specializing in upholstered furniture, was created. Very quickly WILLIAM built an excellent reputation thanks to the beauty and quality of its sofas, easy chairs and other upholstered products. WILLIAM uses only leading edge, environmentally respectful manufacturing methods. Not only is the furniture aesthetically pleasing and comfortable, the business practices are ethical, and boast superior quality construction, as well as carefully chosen, highly durable leathers and fabrics.

The Nelson Sectional

Sklar currently carries the Nelson Sectional. While the Nelson is available in a wide range of fabrics in and an impressive choice of materials and colors, it is presented at the Sklar showroom in a beautiful, 100% polyester fabric that has a smooth, velvety look.

WILLIAM favors superior quality, eco-friendly construction and uses materials that respect the environment. All adhesives are heat-fusible, water-based and do not produce ozone depleting fumes. All pieces of wood are drawn and cut using the Mastercam computer system in order to minimize losses and maximize the use of the material. Solid wood scraps are glued and modified in order to reuse them elsewhere in the making of furniture while wood debris and dust are reused as absorbent materials in Quebec fields and are therefore, biodegradable.

To purchase WILLIAM products is to make a good investment; not only for yourself but for the planet at large. With many different elements that can be combined in various configurations or used alone, the Nelson brings originality to your living room.

Based out of West Palm Beach, FL, sculptor Alexander Krivosheiw creates abstract forms in bronze and aluminum, ranging in size from small maquettes to large form sculptures. His sculptures are imbued with a sense of motion that makes them seem virtually weightless, regardless of their proportions.

He was educated in New York and Crete, and sculpted in clay and marble before serving a seven year apprenticeship under Kevin Barrett. Krivosheiw’s other influences include modern aesthetics, industrial design, ancient Greek mythology and Futurism. His flowing forms combine elements of representative art and abstraction, suggesting figures in a way that leaves interpretation up to the viewer.

Krivosheiw’s hand-welded and polished Torso, Amour and First Kiss Maquettes seem to express joyful and romantic emotions in their mysteriously satisfying curves and flourishes. They balance traditional metal fabrication techniques with a highly contemporary sensibility, with results that add both style and soul to any space.

Founded in 1979 by Giorgio and Silvia Cattelan, Cattelan Italia is one of the most established manufacturers of high-end, Italian, contemporary furniture. Known for creating interior masterpieces, the award-winning collections are conceived by Italy’s most famous designers and made entirely in Italy.

For more than 35 years, Cattelan has continually surprised the furniture world with superior quality materials crafted in modern designs. Today, the renowned brand is managed by Giorgio and Silvia’s son Paolo, and distributes products in 96 countries with over 4000 qualified showrooms.

Style in its purest form, Cattelan Italia produces luxurious contemporary dining tables, chairs, coffee tables and compliments such as TV stands, trolleys, showcases, etc. While each collection is innovative in material and design, all of them reinforce the long-standing features of the Cattelan brand; excellent quality, price and composition.

Sklar is proud to showcase an extensive selection of Cattelan furnishings, and our award-winning design team is always ready to help you create a look that’s uniquely you. Get in touch with us and explore the latest Cattelan designs from Europe.

Harry Bertoia (1915-1978) was a prolific artist, industrial designer and metalworker whose multiple creative disciplines complemented and informed one another. He was born Arri Bertoia in San Lorenzo, Italy, and moved to the USA in 1930, at just 15, to attend art school. At 22 he was awarded a scholarship to Michigan’s Cranbrook Academy of Arts, the creative incubator that also trained Charles Eames, Florence Knoll and Eero Saarinen, and began making jewellery in the metalwork shop. He later joined Charles Eames in his experiments with molded plywood furniture, then went on to design his solo collection of chairs for Knoll in 1952.

Bertoia’s metalworking background came to the fore when designing the Bertoia Chair Collection. The chairs are built around latticed wirework frames, and include the now-iconic Diamond Chair and Bird Chair. They would become landmark pieces in the development of Mid Century Modern style, and remain in production today. Their unique lines and comfortable, ‘springy’ feel have made Bertoia’s chairs enduring favorites.

Always restless, Bertoia continued to develop his creativity in new directions. Post-Knoll, he went on to create 50 public sculptures, recorded 11 albums of Sonambient music played on tonal sculptures of his own design, and returned to his jewellery design roots shortly before his death in 1978.

Founded in Faenza, Italy in 1987, FOS is a manufacturer of unique, handcrafted porcelain design objects. The city of Faenza is one of Italy’s great ceramic centers, its artisans having produced faience and majolica pottery since the 13th century.

The name FOS is an acronym, which stands for Form Object Surface. At the FOS factory, raw porcelain is thrown then fired at a very high 1,260° C for maximum hardness and mechanical resistance. Products are finished with non-toxic glazes that are created in house, plus hand-applied gold, silver or platinum details. The resulting pieces, though highly contemporary, draw upon the ancient traditions of Italian ceramic art.

2017 sees the 30th anniversary of this unique ceramic brand, which continues to evolve and surprise. FOS offers a number of current lines, including Anthozoa, inspired by aquatic lifeforms, Erosum, inspired by landforms, and In Alto I Cuori, a romantic series based on anatomical hearts.

Ramón Esteve – a believer in everything beautiful and intelligent – graduated in Architecture from Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM) in 1990. Trusting that architecture was an expanding global discipline, a year later he founded his own studio, Ramón Esteve Estudio de Arquitectura (RE_E) in Valencia, Spain.

The harmonious, fluid features in Esteve’ s work stem from his desire to create habitats, not just buildings, where people can enjoy an experience in the space. With work encompassing the fields of architecture, interiors, industrial design, and graphic communication, Esteve places substantial emphasis on the process of design; ensuring every project is conceived and executed with art and technique; as well as emotion that gives the project spirit, making you feel good.

Although he’s known for not following an established pattern or any kind of a recognizable style, believing every design is a unique work, he enjoys creating and designing with plastic – calling it a “magical material” as it’s possibilities are only limited by one’s imagination.

Beyond his ability to skilfully combine design principles and philosophies in order to create functional, creative projects, Esteve’s believes his strongest asset is his ability to make architecture and design that connects emotionally with the user; developing designs that evoke empathy and passion simultaneously.

Using design to communicate a way of living, RE_E is currently working on several architectural projects, as well as design commissions for brands such as Vondom, Vibia, and Porcelanosa.

Eileen Gray was born into an aristocratic family in Ireland in 1878. She would become an artist, architect and designer inspired by Bauhaus and De Stijl principles, whose houses and furnishings were fluid and multi-functional.

Educated at London’s Slade School of Fine Art, Gray developed an interest in furniture making and Japanese lacquering techniques. She began making lacquered screens in Paris circa 1910, and progressed to bold and sometimes scandalous interior designs. Drawn to asymmetry, geometric forms and what she saw as the superior rationality of the De Stijl movement, she started designing her own furniture to outfit the modernist houses she designed. These included the Non-Conformist Chair, the Bibendum Chair (named after the Michelin mascot) and the now-iconic steel and glass E-1027 table.

After falling out of fashion for some time, Gray lived to see a renewed appreciation for her work in the 1970s, an appreciation that has only grown in the years since.