When I think of the Buddha, I can’t help but mentally go to that universal icon of Chinese eateries, pleasant and plump and grinning from ear to ear as though he were the cat’s pajamas. If his higher calling could be said to be contented relaxation—which from several perspectives it indeed is—than he is the cat’s pajamas indeed. I trouble over the Buddha today because I’m grasping for signification in designer Melissa Moore’s decision to name her hybrid seat/lamp after same. Could it be that the piece sits so low to the ground? That it exudes a meditative aspect to suit bohemians and religiosos alike? That it’s transportable, easy to dismantle and reassemble, and versatile enough to tempt the resourceful Caine from Kung Fu?

Buddha 1.0. Designed by Melissa Moore for Nikkuu Design.

A Versatile Furnishing That’s Shabby and Chic

The answer of course is all of the above, for Buddha 1.0 has many sides, many dimensions. The piece is a sanctuary of re-purposed materials: found wooden pallets form the frame and a re-claimed (and removable) cushion forms the seat and back, while a retro yet handcrafted acrylic lamp gives the ensemble an illuminatory ambiance. The final touch is a recessed cup holder, which deeds the whole its over-riding holistic character, for the Buddha 1.0 embraces the four crucial compass points of imbibing, reading, relaxing, and re-locating. A quartet that implies, perhaps, that this is a piece meant for students (or those in especially cramped quarters), but anyone can enjoy and admire the Buddha’s patent versatility.

About the Manufacturer: Nikkuu Design LLC (pronounced “Nee’koo”) creates “lluminable objects for the home, office, and business.” Nikkuu’s inventive lighting products are the creative fruits of artist/designer Melissa Moore, who has a surpassing interest in exploring the intersections of art, architecture, and design. Nikuu’s lightpieces are thus frequently hybrid in nature—like the above Buddha 1.0 or “Mizuu Green,” a combination floor lamp and planter. In her single function designs, like the Linear 1.0 LED Slide Lamp, Moore achieves a unique aesthetic by creating unorthodox shapes or by using reclaimed or salvaged materials. All Nikkuu product is conceived, ruminated upon, designed, and built from their Baltimore location.

Via Inhabitat.