5 minutes with Sebastian Herkner

You’d be inclined to think so; this year alone, Herkner’s name has appeared top-of-the-bill at the likes of Thonet, Pulpo, Zanotta and Dedon, applying his creative talents to everything from outdoor sofas and glass side tables to bathroom tiles and whisky tumblers.

Find more bathroom tile inspiration here.

Yet put all these pieces together in one room and you probably wouldn’t suspect that they share the same designer; Herkner’s style is at once traditional and forward-thinking, full of colour and flair yet also refined. It’s perhaps this eclecticism that won him Designer of the Year at Paris’ Maison et Objet this January.

Herkner says, 'There is a sensitivity and identity to my work that emphasises the function, the material and the detail. I transport and interpret characteristics from various contexts of society and culture and implement them in new artefacts. This character infuses the most everyday objects with respect and personality. In this manner, seemingly contrary things can experience esteem.'

The ultimate object of our affection? The Kontur LED light for Spanish brand Vibia. Half bent metal shade, half elegant black frame and 100 per cent a kitchen island lighting must-have.

See more of Sebastian Herkner's work at sebastianherkner.com

Find more of our design heroes in 'Designer Profiles' here.