Style Profile: Arash and Kelly
Design duo Arash Kaynama and Kelly Sant
These dynamic designers believe in working with like-minded people to create a positive environment for life. Their Signature products include Big Clip magazine rack and the Genius Table.
What inspired the Genius Table, with its giant sticky-note pad on top?
A stroke of genius.
Who are your design heroes?
French designer Marie Christine Dorner for her understated brilliance, Jason Iftakhar for his genius recycled cardboard furniture and Khashayar Naimanan for creating the cleverest, most stunning set of Nymphenburg tableware.
Which of your own designs is your favourite?
Our ‘bend the rules’ ruler – it made us laugh so much when we came up with the idea.
And by another designer?
The earliest recorded paperclip design – a patent for it was filed by Samuel B Fay in 1867; and window glass, which improved people’s quality of life at home.
Do you have any golden rules when it comes to design?
Yes, have fearless freedom to experiment.
Do children influence your work?
Absolutely! Little Genius was designed because one of our nephews loves drawing and we couldn’t separate him from our Genius Table at home.
Did you have a favourite piece of design as a child?
KS: Bill Lishman’s underground house from the Seventies.
AK: The entire contents of my dad’s stationery cupboard.
Little Genius storage station £125; Bend the Rules ruler £20. www.arashandkelly.com
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