Who among us has not committed the interior design faux pas of stacking boxes for a tv stand? Or piling-up books to elevate a laptop to eye level (as I’m doing at this very moment)? Or scooting a chair over to the bedside for nocturnal duty as a nightstand? Yes, money (see “lack of”) and necessity (see “studio apartment”) can promote some creative improvisation vis a vis furnishings and function. Leonardo Fortino and Andrea Bartolucci of Spigoli Vivi seem to have traveled this terrain as well. Their Helios Chair is not just a chair, nor is it merely a chair with an enviably flat sitting surface, but rather a wholesale conversion of three items into one; in other words, a “product combo” that synthesizes chair, nightstand, and bedside lamp.

Helios Chair. Designed by Spigoli Vivi.

A Trifecta for the Nighttime Ritual

Certainly even the most spontaneous sleepers among us bid the day adieu with some species of ritual. And more than likely this observance involves reading, relaxing, or just finding a convenient spot to stow away essentials. Helios facilitates any of these habitual activities while tempering the need for the distinct items of table, chair, and lamp. The all wood chair is a slim and sturdy affair with a decidedly contemporary aesthetic. But more than yet another nice looking chair from Italy, Helios houses a certain capacity for illumination in the form of a lamp integrated into the underside of the seatback. The feature is cleverly hidden from prying eyes—in fact, the functionally challenged among us might need a fair bit of guidance to find the switch that catapults Helios from daytime duty into overnight repository for book (ahem, Kindle), phone, glasses, wallet, and watch.

The duo behind Spigoli says the piece was “born from the improper use of a chair… the need to have a seat and a bedside table at the same time.” I’d hardly call that “improper.” In fact, I’d call it downright inspired—just the kind of creative solution called for by small spaces and smaller budgets. Who else to conceive of such a creature than the young talent of Spigoli Vivi?–a name that translates, incidentally, as “Sharp Edges.” And wherefore such a name? Perhaps the answer to that lies in Helios’ distinctive aesthetic, because the look of the piece recalls the clean lines and finely-honed craftsmanship of the Lolita Chair, which also relied on exquisite joinery to highlight the allure of negative space. Indeed, the sharp edges of Helios show off its excellent functionality in high relief.

Via MocoLoco.