Two of my favorite projects so far this year come from Lebanese designer Wyssum Nochi. We encountered his beautiful bamboo Petal armchairs and Rocker on a recent visit to Carwan Gallery, and I can't stop thinking about them!

Nochi—who was born in Beirut, raised in the U.S. and Europe, and returned to Beirut as an adult—blends art, design, nature, and science together in his work. For Petal's low and high versions, Nochi was inspired by the natural form of a tulip; and he handcrafts each chair by manipulating several bamboo stems into a six-petal shape. He heats the palm stalk, bends as needed, and then cools them off with water. The various pieces are stapled, assembled with screws covered in bamboo,  fastened together with ribbon bindings, sanded, and then finished in various colors—an intricate and very delicate process, with gorgeous results! He also makes these lovely rocking chairs—simply called Rocker—using the same materials and process.

And stay tuned—these beauties will be available on our site very, very soon!

designer Wyssem Nochi

*All images courtesy of Carwan.