KFI Studios’ New Product Lines Will Appeal to All Designers

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Chair of the Month

Elise Shapiro
Elise Shapirohttps://www.workdesign.com
Elise Shapiro is a contributing editor. Little did she know that her first job, in the facilities department at Ralston Purina, while obtaining her M. Arch at Washington University, in St. Louis would foreshadow where her career would lead. She has always been a strong advocate for providing the best possible spaces for people to work – where aesthetics meet function and drive business success.

We’re excited to share an exclusive look at KFI Studios’ new product lines: Roqa, Express Yourself, and their new Voodoo series. These options will appeal to designers across the spectrum of workplace design.

Social Imme Meeting
KFI Studios has introduced some exciting new product lines that work perfectly in today’s work environments. Pictured above: Proof tables with Roqa and Imme.

At Work Design Magazine, we love to hear about new products so we were excited to be introduced to KFI Studios and learn about their business and products. Having recently completed a re-branding effort, a new website, and leaning into a new focus on design, we discussed some of their new product offerings and the decisions to move beyond their roots in the stacked seating business.

We were especially excited to receive the exclusive look into the new product lines and to help introduce our readers to the new offerings; Roqa, Express Yourself, and their new Voodoo series. They are also the exclusive partner for Umage furniture, of Copenhagen, a strategic partnership that was built out of their desire to enter the American contract furniture market. All the exciting new options will appeal to designers across the spectrum of workplace design.

How will these products impact workplace design?

Express Yourself is a brand-new design from KFI Studios from Atelier Bellini in Milan and is a beautiful indoor and outdoor seating option.

Roqa, a beautiful multi-use guest chair from the design minds of Qdesign in Chicago, is available in four leg, cantilever, and as an incredible two-position chair. Useful for leaning in to collaborate and to lean back and contemplate.

The Voodoo tables are perfect for today’s break rooms or casual meeting spaces.

The tables we have created for our Voodoo series are our response to the ever-growing need for light scale, multi-functional meeting and worktables. It has a ton of applications in both an open plan setting or in meeting/huddles. We are also very excited to offer it in a regulation size ping pong table.

Do these product support agile and activity-based workplaces that are becoming so prevalent in new and refurbished facilities?

What is so incredible about the new products is their ability to fit in just about anywhere. What is going to make Express Yourself so attractive is its ability to work indoor and outdoor. We know modern workplace designers are making considerations for multi-use seating and outdoor spaces. Because this seating option really leans into its European design aesthetic, it gives designers both beauty and flexibility in guest seating.

“Express Yourself” designed to work as a flexible indoor/outdoor seating solution.

The Roqa chair, especially the two-position rocker, is going to be a total game changer in a collaborative workspace. As a company, we felt that the Roqa series was a great way forward into the design and A&D community. What drove us toward this design was how simple, modern and light it appeared. We believe designers and end-users alike are going to find this seating option very appealing in terms of aesthetic and comfort, and very useful in a ton of different applications.

KFI Studios product lines work together seamlessly. Featured in this vignette, the Roqa rocker, Voodoo tables and Aluvia stools.

We had the opportunity to gather a bit more information about the Roqa series from the team at Q Design, Rick Joutras, Design Director and Tim Buchenberger, Senior Designer.

What was the inspiration for this design of this product?

Simple shapes and forms were the basis of inspiration for the Roqa series. Our goal to design a highly functional yet minimal seating element that would be cohesive in a variety of environments, and blend with the interior’s aesthetic. We took inspiration from the classic mid-century molded fiberglass designs of Saarinen and Eames who created timeless pieces with their graceful design forms – using the body as the mass of the chair and the base as more of a sculptural support element. The apex leg design was inspired by the bending and splitting of a tree branch.

kfi studios
We love the variety of Roqa configurations.

What innovations in use of materials or fabrication are utilized in the manufacture of this product?

Combining the seat, arm, and back into one fluid form allowed us to sculpt the interior of the piece while maintaining the minimal aesthetic that defines the design. Although the chair shell appears simple, it has subtle complexities designed to cradle the body with comfort. Additionally, the use of bent steel tube to create the wishbone and cantilever bases creates a lightness, yet also conveys a visual tension between the delicate form of the frame and the shell of the body. This combination looks as though the shell is floating with little more than a thin tube supporting it.

Where do you think the installation of this product will be most effective?

Roqa is a versatile seating element that can be used in a variety of spaces. The apex leg and cantilever sled bases make Roqa a great option for work cafés, and even small conference and huddle room meeting spaces. While the rocker could certainly be used in wellness rooms, phone rooms, as well as break-out lounge spaces.

A year from now what would be the most exciting thing you could think of that would find out about how the product has been accepted, specified and installed in projects?

We get excited any time we see our products being specified – no matter the scope or size of the project. The ultimate validation for us is the inclusion in someone else’s design vision. The greatest accomplishment a designer can feel is seeing their ideas come to life and being used in real world applications.

Roqa chairs with companion pieces from KFI Studios fit well with today’s workplace settings as the entire product line is based on a simple, clean design aesthetic.

Can you tell a story or give an example of how Roqa and their other product introductions can be used today’s workplace projects?

We are confident that our friends in the A&D space are going to find a lot of flexibility not only with these products we’re discussing here today, but with the entire KFI Studios line up.

We will continue to evolve and update our products and with a ton of options for ancillary spaces as well as moderately priced primary pieces that designers can build a room around. The flexibility of our furniture, our dependability and quality are what we want people to think of when they are considering KFI Studios for their next project. With over 25 years in the industry, we believe that the primary goal for us is to make your decision to work with KFI Studios an easy one, and to make your experience personable.

We begin with great inspirational design, ensure that every product curated to join the KFI family is functional across a broad spectrum of applications, is comfortable for the end user, and takes affordability into consideration without sacrificing quality.

While our designs range from traditional, transitional to contemporary they are all painstakingly developed to help create beautiful spaces for any work environment.

Even better, our lead times are amazing. We have several products with 48 hour or two-week availability.

When will Roqa, The Voodoo Series, and Express Yourself be available for orders?

They are available to order as we speak and as an FYI for folks in the contract market, we are an open line.

What do you think our readers will love about these products?

Where do we start? We think the Roqa shell colors are really, special, plus Roqa is available for two-week quick ship upholstery and COM. The Voodoo series of tables and chairs work beautifully together and are terrific stand-alone products as well. The seat of the Voodoo Stool is made of recycled material and is certified green-guard gold.

Express Yourself has such beautiful lines it will really elevate an outdoor space. Be sure to check them out in both the Poppy and Baltic colors.

“Express Yourself” is a fun design element in a café or break area.

What are the projected costs for the products?

List price for Express Yourself is $252 and Roqa starts at $575. The Voodoo Stool starts at $975 per stool and the Voodoo Table starts at $2,750.

When and where do you plan to exhibit the products?

We introduced the two new chairs at NeoCon in June 2019, and you can currently see the products in our showroom at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. You can contact us here to find out more about our products.

 

All images courtesy of KFI Studios

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