Tazi Hound Sofa. Inspiration: The Afghan Hound (come again?). Description: Shaggy, White, With a dash of Magenta thrown in. Family Tree: Ding 300 Petting Zoo Collection (you read that right). Last Seen: Milan @ Salone Satellite 2008.

Tazi Hound Sofa. Designed by Philipp Nemenz.

Mother Nature is full of all things bright and beautiful, so its being a constant source of inspiration doesn't come as a surprise. However, kudos to designer Philipp Nemenz who chooses to take the road less traveled by paying some attention to the often neglected Afghan Hound (we jest here). Good old Wikipedia tells me that an Afghan Hound is a sighthound dog breed (so much for the exotic animal bit), which is distinguished by its thick, fine, silky coat and a tail, which has a ring curl at the end. So what does an Afghan dog have to do with furniture? Read on!

The Afghan Hound plays muse to the Tazi Sofa, which is a two seat sofa constructed from solid oak, birch plywood, polyester, and includes a molded cold foam cover. The white fringe acts as a curtain to cover the entire sofa structure including the sofa legs. This has been done intentionally by Nemenz as it not only highlights the seating arrangement but also gives way to an illusion of levitation.

Personally, I feel that the Tazi Sofa strives to be elegant, yet funky, without compromising on individuality. The designer clearly demonstrates a burst of brilliance by diving headfirst into the animal kingdom and coming out inspired and may we add unscathed! The sofa beats all the clich©s thanks to its whimsical shape, and the clever juxtaposing of two contradictory colors further highlights its quirkiness. Like most pieces at Salone, the Tazi Sofa too demonstrates an interplay of a bold palette, hip design, and impeccable craftsmanship.

“Mother Nature is still the best designer in the world. That's why we started copying her most fascinating creations. ding3000´s petting zoo features floating afghan hounds, shy giraffes, greedy chicks and not-at-all-stubborn mules.”