The Innovative Designs of Dutch Powerhouse Brand, Moooi
With some of the design world's best innovators as contributors, Moooi collections merge quirky inspiration with cool contemporary form
The name Moooi is inspired by the Dutch word ‘mooi’ (it rhymes with boy), which means beautiful. The brand added an additional ‘o’ to to the word to represent the extra beauty and uniqueness of their products. Founded in 2001 by Marcel Wanders, a designer with a business mind, and Casper Vissers, a businessman with a creative eye, Moooi celebrates a great love for design. It is based in the Netherlands but works with an array of local and international designers to produce a range of eclectic, playful and exquisite furniture and lighting.
While Vissers left the company in 2015, the brand has certainly achieved what it set out to do: to shake up the furniture sector, which Wanders described as being “pretty boring” in the early 2000s. Here’s what you need to know about Moooi and the outstanding pieces of contemporary design that merge the character of antiques with the freshness of modern times.
While Vissers left the company in 2015, the brand has certainly achieved what it set out to do: to shake up the furniture sector, which Wanders described as being “pretty boring” in the early 2000s. Here’s what you need to know about Moooi and the outstanding pieces of contemporary design that merge the character of antiques with the freshness of modern times.
Moooi presented its first collection at the Salone del Mobile in Milan in April 2001, under the creative direction of Wanders. The New York Times dubbed Wanders the ‘Lady Gaga of Design’ and in 2006 he received Elle Decoration‘s Designer of the Year award. As the designer says in his online biography, his work “excites, provokes, and polarises, but never fails to surprise for its ingenuity, daring and singular quest to uplift the human spirit, and entertain”.
Wanders often mixes contemporary materials and techniques with historical references, and first gained prominence in 1996 for his Knotted chair for Droog Design, which paired industrial and craft techniques.
Wanders and Vissers founded Moooi as a platform for design talent from around the world. Today, the company works with internationally recognised designers such as Jurgen Bey, Bertjan Pot, Maarten Baas, Jaime Hayon, and Studio Job, producing exclusive, quirky and inspirational furniture and lighting.
Let’s take a look at some of Moooi’s key pieces, as featured in the interiors on Houzz.
Let’s take a look at some of Moooi’s key pieces, as featured in the interiors on Houzz.
Random light
Bertjan Pot’s Random light began as a material experiment. It demonstrates the designer’s fascination for techniques, structures, patterns and colour. In white or black, its circular and web-like form, suspended in mid-air, is light and transparent.
Bertjan Pot’s Random light began as a material experiment. It demonstrates the designer’s fascination for techniques, structures, patterns and colour. In white or black, its circular and web-like form, suspended in mid-air, is light and transparent.
Non Random light
Pot’s Non Random light has a similar form. When grouped, as they are here, the crossover of lights adds depth and saturation of the black colour.
Bring in statement pendant lighting
Pot’s Non Random light has a similar form. When grouped, as they are here, the crossover of lights adds depth and saturation of the black colour.
Bring in statement pendant lighting
Heracleum II light
The Heracleum II light, also by Pot, takes its form from the Heracleum plant, appropriately. It appears to almost grow from the ceiling with splaying branches, and LED bulbs like leaves at the end of each.
The Heracleum II light, also by Pot, takes its form from the Heracleum plant, appropriately. It appears to almost grow from the ceiling with splaying branches, and LED bulbs like leaves at the end of each.
Dear Ingo lamp
Like a spider stretching it legs, Ron Gilad’s Dear Ingo lamp plays with abstract aesthetics, functional form and people’s perception of objects. His light has multiple limbs that radiate from a central point, each limb culminating in a shade more commonly seen on a desk or table lamp.
Like a spider stretching it legs, Ron Gilad’s Dear Ingo lamp plays with abstract aesthetics, functional form and people’s perception of objects. His light has multiple limbs that radiate from a central point, each limb culminating in a shade more commonly seen on a desk or table lamp.
Raimond light
Raimond Puts is a designer interested in the conceptual idea of how everything connects, and his Raimond light is a great example of this: a perfect mathematical sphere punctuated with tiny LED lights. Indeed, the designer creates refined and precise pieces that explore the challenge of making geometric shapes and models, while integrating beauty and functionality.
Raimond Puts is a designer interested in the conceptual idea of how everything connects, and his Raimond light is a great example of this: a perfect mathematical sphere punctuated with tiny LED lights. Indeed, the designer creates refined and precise pieces that explore the challenge of making geometric shapes and models, while integrating beauty and functionality.
Dandelion lamp
Richard Hutten’s Dandelion lamp is aptly inspired by the plant it takes its name from. Like the dandelion, it has a circular form and transparent structure, with each limb finishing in a small explosion.
Richard Hutten’s Dandelion lamp is aptly inspired by the plant it takes its name from. Like the dandelion, it has a circular form and transparent structure, with each limb finishing in a small explosion.
Round Boon lamp
Piet Boon is known for functional and timeless designs, and this light is no exception to that. It is a simple and sophisticated statement with subdued colours but an oversized form, and its perfectly round shape appears both light and weighty.
Piet Boon is known for functional and timeless designs, and this light is no exception to that. It is a simple and sophisticated statement with subdued colours but an oversized form, and its perfectly round shape appears both light and weighty.
Light Shade Ø70
At first glance Jurgen Bey’s Light Shade Ø70 seems to be a simple cylindrical pendant light. But turn on the light, and a chandelier is revealed inside the shade, adding ’70s-style glitz and glamour to a room.
At first glance Jurgen Bey’s Light Shade Ø70 seems to be a simple cylindrical pendant light. But turn on the light, and a chandelier is revealed inside the shade, adding ’70s-style glitz and glamour to a room.
Paper Chandelier pendant
Truly mixing antique character with modern form, Studio Job’s light, the Paper Chandelier, is a contemporary take on an old classic. Made from wood and cardboard, and finished with paper and polyurethane lacquer, the Neo-Gothic chandelier is elegant yet playful, and clearly ironic.
Truly mixing antique character with modern form, Studio Job’s light, the Paper Chandelier, is a contemporary take on an old classic. Made from wood and cardboard, and finished with paper and polyurethane lacquer, the Neo-Gothic chandelier is elegant yet playful, and clearly ironic.
Rabbit lamp and Pig table
The Rabbit lamp and Pig table (above) are two parts of a three-piece collection of animal furniture, which also includes a Horse lamp, that was created by Swedish design group, Front. Each piece is faithful to the dimensions of the animal, bringing what Moooi describes on their website as “a touch of fairytale style and genuine madness”. The Front designers take inspiration from the living world and these works particularly are intended to elicit a powerful emotive response.
The Rabbit lamp and Pig table (above) are two parts of a three-piece collection of animal furniture, which also includes a Horse lamp, that was created by Swedish design group, Front. Each piece is faithful to the dimensions of the animal, bringing what Moooi describes on their website as “a touch of fairytale style and genuine madness”. The Front designers take inspiration from the living world and these works particularly are intended to elicit a powerful emotive response.
Horse lamp
And here’s that Horse lamp. It’s certainly the statement piece in the room.
Ways to introduce equine decor
And here’s that Horse lamp. It’s certainly the statement piece in the room.
Ways to introduce equine decor
Smoke chair
The Smoke chair is Maarten Baas’ burnt masterpiece. The designer charred and torched furniture before coating their skeletons to transform them back into useable pieces of furniture.
The Smoke chair is Maarten Baas’ burnt masterpiece. The designer charred and torched furniture before coating their skeletons to transform them back into useable pieces of furniture.
Cork stools
Jasper Morrison’s stools are made from 100 per cent natural raw cork. They can be used individually or together as side tables, stools or ottomans.
Jasper Morrison’s stools are made from 100 per cent natural raw cork. They can be used individually or together as side tables, stools or ottomans.
Eden Queen square carpet
Moooi introduced Moooi Carpets in 2015 to make environments even more beautiful and inspiring. This carpet, Eden Queen, is printed from the Liquid Birch image by designers Broersen and Lukács.
TELL US
Do you have Moooi furniture or lighting in your home? Upload a picture to the Comments section.
MORE
See more stunning ceiling lights
Moooi introduced Moooi Carpets in 2015 to make environments even more beautiful and inspiring. This carpet, Eden Queen, is printed from the Liquid Birch image by designers Broersen and Lukács.
TELL US
Do you have Moooi furniture or lighting in your home? Upload a picture to the Comments section.
MORE
See more stunning ceiling lights