Hot Mesh by Blu Dot
Heat things up with the Hot Mesh Collection by BluDot!
Something that we take great pride in at Hold It Contemporary Home is that we not only show the latest designs and fashionable trends in furniture – we take the time to learn the history and background of the brands and collections that we carry. A perfect example of this is the Hot Mesh collection by BluDot. This is not only an eye-catching and comfortable all-weather furniture collection – it has a story to tell.
Watch the video & read on!
How It’s Made: Blu Dot Hot Mesh Chair from Surface Magazine on Vimeo
The Hot Mesh collection is the outcome of nearly two years of sketching, brainstorming, prototypes, and dedication. The in-house design team at Blu Dot, led by designer Brad Bray, were inspired by the traditional Thonet Chair, a popular outdoor café chair design that has been around since the 1850’s.
Thonet Chair design, circa 1850
Their goal was to create a modern, budget-friendly, and stackable indoor/outdoor chair using a similarly simple design to the Thonet Chair. You can see from the photo above it is made with few pieces and it easily assembled. The mesh seat offers comfort and the clean lines are easy on the eye. You may recognize the design of the chair as seen throughout the world at street cafés and casual restaurants.
Photo taken at the Blu Dot headquarters in Minneapolis on Mar 30, 2017. Photo by Ackerman + Gruber, @ackermangruber
After many sketches, brainstorming sessions and several rounds of prototypes, the group landed on a simple design consisting of two round steel tubes. The next hurdle they faced was how to fill the space to create the seat and backrest. The team wanted a look that was airy and offered a clean line of sight through the chairs, but also offered sturdy support and was comfortable to sit on.
Final mesh design outcome
They ended up using their neighbor’s laser cutting machine (from Laser Level Advisor) to create the custom mesh pattern seen in the collection. The geometric look is fresh, modern and supportive – everything the team was hoping to achieve.
When it came time to give their masterpiece a name, it came as a sort of inside joke from the phrase, “hot mess”… you’ll have to watch the video for the full scoop!
The Hot Mesh chair is a part of our 2017 Outdoor Collection. Sign up for our newsletter to stay in-the-know when more fabulous products like these hit our showroom floor!