Designed by Australian-based industrial designer, Jason Ju, for DesignByThem, the Sundae collection serves to challenge the status quo. Creating a refreshing narrative of the space in which work meets leisure, the Sundae collection proposes a new lounging style. The latest addition to the wider DesignByThem range, Sundae celebrates functional charm with a distinct personality – one that looks beyond the boundaries of commercial design and hits closer to the comforts of home.
Established in 2007 by Nicholas Karlovasitis and Sarah Gibson, DesignByThem celebrates the work of Australian designers through an extraordinary collection of furniture, accessories and lighting products. Based in Sydney, the company is known for its unique Australian perspective, timeless aesthetic and distinct playfulness.
For the team, Sundae is a collection with an inviting character, designed for both commercial and residential spaces, by means of blurring the boundaries in-between. As the company’s design and production coordinator, Jason received the opportunity to develop the Sundae range, in collaboration with Nicholas and Sarah, in 2019.
Curved and organic in form, the aesthetic of the Sundae-range opens itself up naturally – expanding into the perfect form to relax.
The initial idea for Sundae was to create a lounge collection that was modular, dynamic and comfortable. Curved and organic in form, the aesthetic of the Sundae-range opens itself up naturally – expanding into the perfect form to relax. A steel skeletal substructure forms the Sundae range with a plywood base structure and together, it gives the lounge strength and longevity for years and years. A spring system is integrated within the seat to provide maximum comfort and support for the individual.
The minimal steel structure successfully keeps the voluminous shape through advanced foam layering techniques and specific layers, densities and craftsmanship. From this, the construction of the Sundae range is unique and intelligent – transforming the traditional lounge chair into a feat of exquisite craftsmanship and creative thinking.
The material palette extends to hand-picked fabrics from Kvadrat Maharam, including Colline in white to perfectly display the product’s detailed and delicate boucle features. The neutral colour speaks to a sense of sophistication and tranquillity – a notable feat of the Sundae collection. By combining this with Kvadrat’s Coda 2 fabric in a warm, earthy and homey tone, Jason and the team at DesignByThem were able to bring in another layer of texture and vibrancy to balance out the hero pieces. Designed with sustainability in mind, all the products across the collection are made from high quality, low VOC commercial grade green-star rated foam, ready to be recycled after use.
A steel skeletal substructure forms the Sundae range with a plywood base structure and together, it gives the lounge strength and longevity for years and years.
“Being able to design alongside the DesignByThem team has to be my favourite thing about the Sundae Range,” says Jason. “I think the biggest thing that stands out is the scalability of the design. The range can be scaled from an armchair to as many seaters as you want without a heavy usage of materials.”
With a design philosophy that focuses on detailing and refining aesthetics, Jason was passionate about designing a product that is refined and inspiring all the way through – something that is embodied across the DesignByThem collections. “I wanted the individual to have an instant connection with lounge visually,” he says. “Whether in a residential or commercial setting, the Sundae is designed to be a statement piece as well as an invitation to relax. To fit in the DesignByThem range, it had to have personality.”
Featuring an armchair, lounge and ottoman, the Sundae collection from DesignByThem is the complete package – ready to welcome you home in its comforting embrace.
DesignByThem
designbythem.com.au
