“One sits more comfortably on a colour that one likes” declares Verner Panton in his 1997 book Lidt om Farver/Notes on Colour.1

A succinct expression of an understanding of colour as more than just a decorative element, and one of many reflections on the function and relevance of colour beyond the merely decorative which, in a myriad guises, pervade the history of furniture and product design.

And contrasting, if at times complementary, reflections, pun intended, we will consider in the coming weeks and months via a selection of texts and pronouncements from a contrasting, if at times complementary, collection of international creatives. And while not all the sources considered represent theories in a classic understanding of the term, and certainly not colour theory in a classic understanding; in representing the respective creative’s understandings of the relationships between colour and form, colour and function, colour and user, colour and artistry, etc, can be considered as contributions to the development of a more formal design.colour.theory..

We start with Verner Panton and Lidt om Farver/Notes on Colour……

The Panton Chair by Verner Panton for Vitra .... but on which one would you sit most comfortably......?

In centuries past traditions were something that were established slowly, often becoming such long after those who had began them, who had understood their origins, meaning and function in contemporary society, had shuffled off this mortal coil; in our contemporary world traditions arrive over night, no-one having the patience to wait, no-one wanting to miss out on anything.

In which sense, celebrating in 2019 its second edition, our traditional 3daysofdesign Copenhagen #embassytour.

3daysofdesign Copenhagen 2019 embassytour

happy birthday verner panton

It is almost certainly more by chance than design, but in the week that Verner Panton would have celebrated his

stockholm february 2011

On his 2009 album “Waxing Gibbous” Falkirk balladeer Malcolm Middleton included the song “Red Travellin’ Socks” a jaunty – if

christmas vitra dark lime panton chair

If purple is the second colour of mourning; then citrus colours are unquestionably the second colour(s) of Christmas. Be it

vitra panton chair dark lime

Back in the summer we ran a highly entertaining “Summertime in Dark Lime” Panton Chair Cocktail competition. The judging was

Last August we made an ill-fated trip to Copenhagen and CODE 10. A trip that caused us to ponder the

The winner the Dark Lime Vitra Panton Chair Summer Cocktail Competition is Alessandro Barison. Congratulations !!! His “Spritz Upgrade” –

London based design studio Barber Osgerby stands as a testament to the fact that high quality work will always win

Until July 31st we are giving readers the chance to win a limited edition Dark Lime Panton Chair. In effect

Summer. Sun. Cocktails. In order to allow you to enjoy this combination to the full (smow) are giving away a

For all those looking to make their summer balcony even more exclusive, Vitra are currently offering the Panton Chair in

One of the most famous – and arguably professionally relevant – phases in Verner Panton’s life was his journeys through

Ida Engholm, forskningslektor ved Dansk Center for Designforskning er kurator for den akutuelle Pantonudstilling på den danske ambassade i Berlin.

I 1962 mødtes Verner Panton og Marianne Pherson Oertenheim under en ferie på Tenerife, og to år senere blev parret

This past Friday the Danish Embassy in Berlin opened an exhibition devoted to the work of Verner Panton – from

As already stated our visit to Copenhagen and CORE 10 was without question one of our more disappointing trips. Largely

For one of Denmark’s most celebrated designers Verner Panton spent considerably little time in Denmark; and many most of his

It may not be the most universally recognised example of either Charles Eames‘ nor Eero Saarinen‘s canon however their 1940

Although in the course of his career Verner Panton worked with numerous designer furniture producers, his name is undoubtedly most

On Saturday 20.03.2010 the latest Vitra Design Museum exhibition “The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction” officially

As many of you will be aware, the construction of the VitraHaus was not without it’s controversy. For all the

There is little doubt as to who the most popular furniture producers with the exhibitors here in Köln are…. Vitra

From experience we can confirm that photographing furniture is not the easiest job in the world. And getting a picture

One of the joys of being involved in the designer furniture industry is that every now and again one is