Design that’s good enough to eat
Clever kitchenware by Flemish designers is rewarded with a Henry van de Velde label
Trends on the table
This year’s list of Henry van de Velde labels also features two kitchen-related designs: a set of stackable pots by Jeff Stubbe for Beka and tableware by Roel Vandebeek for Serax.
While some claim you make the best dishes in old pots and pans, kitchen supply shops are packed with new designs and inventions. One of those is Nest, a series of stackable pots designed by Bruges’ Stubbe for cookware brand Beka, based in Oostrozebeke, West Flanders. “Beka wanted to create something new and gave me carte blanche,” Stubbe explains. “I decided to tackle a common issue in the kitchen: the lack of storage. I know that stackable pots and pans aren’t new, but the available range reminded me a bit of camping cookware. That’s why I designed a line of high-quality stainless steel pots with or without a glass lid.”
Stubbe had noticed that people are paying more attention to the tools they use in the kitchen. “The many cookery shows on television have definitely played a part in this trend,” he says. “And this allows cookware companies to serve something new every now and then. But it’s not all about how it looks; we’re developing new materials and non-stick coatings as well. We’ll be launching a new range soon, made of 100% ceramic material.”
Dream achieved
With the Nest collection, Stubbe received his first Henry van de Velde label – the annual design award given out by Design Vlaanderen. “As a student in product development, this was my dream,” he says. “I never thought I would get one so early on in my career, so I couldn’t be more satisfied.”
I know stackable pots and pans aren’t new, but the available range reminded me a bit of camping cookware
When Limburg-based designer Roel Vandebeek was asked to develop a series of dishes for tableware company Serax, in Kontich, Antwerp province, it was quite the challenge. “Plates are an important part of dining, but it’s hard to make a difference,” Vandebeek explains. “I had to look for something new, something with an extra dimension, and came up with a series of plates that communicate with each other.”
The Facing Food collection is a set of plates, mugs and bowls, all shaped like an imperfect circle. A little black dot on the creamy white china gives the tableware its distinctive look. “No matter how you arrange them on the table, it will always look like they’re looking or talking,” Vandebeek says. “You can set the table in such a way it looks really obvious or go for a rather subtle approach and surprise your guests. The interaction of the user and products plays an important role.”
Vandebeek recently took his creations to interior design fairs, where the collection received very promising reactions. “Facing Food is now available in shops; let’s hope the customer reviews are equally enthusiastic,” he says. “If all goes well, the collection will grow with other items such as salt and pepper shakers.”
Winning a Henry van de Velde label should definitely draw some extra attention to his collection. “I rarely enter design competitions, but Henry van de Velde is one of the most important in Belgium and such a recognition in Flanders,” he says. “The van de Velde label is an important trump card abroad as well.”
View the winning designs at De Loketten, Brussels, from 22 January to 1 March
