Once upon a time, if a “bar” wasn’t the right circumference to do chin-ups or wasn’t in serious proximity to gleaming bottles of various imbibements, then I wanted absolutely nothing to do with it, making exceptions, of course, for the occasional bar of the Hershey variety. But manufacturer Izzy+ has put an end to this narrow vision. The company’s Nemo Bar is neither watering hole nor exercise station but, in fact, the new prototype for effective mobile productivity.

Nemo Bar and Trellis. Designed by Joey Ruiter and Chuck Saylor. Manufactured by Izzy+.

Izzy’s Nemo Bar and Trellis Make Waves at NeoCon

This isn’t to say that parking your posterior and perusing the various varieties of vodka across the way doesn’t involve a certain brand of commitment, but employers aren’t typically willing to compensate you for it. To the contrary, Izzy+’s Nemo Bar encourages the kind of activity for which many a boss will pay a pretty penny.

Styled as a “flexible environment that fosters, supports, and stimulates a free-flowing exchange,” the Nemo bar is at first glance nothing more than a slick, slim, and svelte place to perch. However, a quick glance beneath the surface reveals a veritable cornucopia of technological infrastructure: a plethora of portals to plug in and get down to business.

Trellis, the companion piece to Nemo, is an overarching architectural structure. Providing a sense of both figurative and literal enclosure, Trellis is an aesthetically intriguing and functionally innovative place of repose, “providing a sanctuary for semi-private work or reflection.”

Both pieces received raves at this year’s NeoCon, doubtless not only for their lean, clean design and accomplished execution, but also for their ability to adapt to varied environments and multiple venues. The bar is available in lengths of 8, 10, or 12 feet and is thus able to accommodate group sizes from 6 to 10 people. The trellis supports both freestanding and wall-mounted installations.

Both the Nemo Bar and Nemo Trellis are made of steel and cast and extruded aluminum containing a high quantity of recycled material. Surface choices include a broad selection of laminates or veneers: “Customers and designers are free to specify materials to fill in the frames of the Trellis or the leg base of the Bar to make a colorful and customized design statement that can change over time.”

About the Manufacturer: While they concede it’s important, manufacturer Izzy+’s driving motivation isn’t making furniture, but rather recognizing people: “grownups and toddlers, bosses and phone answerers, dog-lovers and cat people, coffee-drinkers and water-guzzlers—they’re all important for different reasons, and they’re all unique.” The company’s larger point is that effective interior solutions depend upon knowledge of how we live, how habitual users move through a particular space. This perennial outfitter of offices, schools, hospitals, cafes, and dining rooms doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to creating functional furnishings for the ways we live, work, and play:  “Our products are designed to support New Work styles—people who are more collaborative, technology-savvy, and on-the-move than ever before.”