Rex Kralj unveils new designs and refreshed brand identity

Rex Kralj has unveiled a refreshed brand identity and new designs, marking a new chapter for the contemporary furniture company.

The brand’s latest pieces demonstrates its mission to deliver innovation, functionality and beauty, maintaining founder Niko Kralj’s humanistic approach to modern industrial design, as well as his holistic creative process.

This year, Rex Kalj has collaborated with Tom Fereday and Mikal Harrsen – a first for the brand, which until now has solely relied on Niko Kralj’s original sketches, designs and prototypes. In addition to Fereday and Harrsen’s designs, the firm has also introduced expansions to the current line of classics in its offering.

Each of the 2020 pieces have been developed to meet modern market demands – a direction complemented by the new-look website – and have been made in Slovenia by local craftspeople, who utilise traditional techniques and sustainable production methods.

Fereday’s Zelo collection comprises a stackable chair, an armchair and a barstool – all suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Each product demonstrates both Fereday and Kralj’s passion for geometric shapes and uncompromising comfort. The range is a new iteration of the celebrated Shell chair in wire metal. Conceived in 1956 by Kralj, Shell was originally made out of two plywood panels and can be appreciated for its elaborate craftsmanship and subtle curves.

Zelo also reflects Feredays’ respect for Kralj’s design fundamentals, and is made using the latest in metalwork technique and 3D knitting technology for the cushions and pads. The armrests for the chair, armchair and bar stool are crafted from solid acacia wood.

Elsewhere, Mikal Harrsen’s Ena Table is defined by clean, simple lines and functionality, but with a twist. Harssen’s Scandinavian approach to materials and details made him a natural choice for Rex Kralj to design the new table.

Ena, meaning ‘one’ in Slovenian, stands on a single linear leg in coated steel, with a strategically placed hook for jackets and personal belongings. Constructed with a robust metal frame, the tabletop comes in a number of finishes that can be customised according to the surrounding environment.

Ena’s slender structure is delicate, yet functional, and allows for it to be built in a sustainable fashion, with minimal use of materials. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, the table is designed to suit a range of settings.

In a continued effort to fulfil the potential of Niko Kralj’s original designs, Rex Kralj has introduced extensions to its 1960 Armchair and Bar Chair, as well as the Mosquito Chair and Bar Stool.

The former boasts both geometric lines and smooth curves and is modern yet classical in style. The new products’ textural armrests in plywood add an angular element and maximise comfort. The extended metal legs of the barstool continue the geometrical play, whilst the seat and backrest are organically inspired and serve an ergonomic purpose. The barstool comes in two heights to provide the right comfort for both bars and kitchens.

The Mosquito Chair is celebrated as one of Niko Kralj’s most inventive designs. Developed in 1953 as his own take on Eames’ moulded plywood experiments, it only went into production recently thanks to the efforts of Rex Kralj.

Today, the chair has been re-invented as a barstool, and its original version has been updated with new colour variations that remain true to Niko Kralj’s mid-century palette: vermillion red, leaf green and cobalt blue, all painted on oak. The new versions of the chair retain the original backrest in plywood, and the new barstools are supplemented with a footrest in stainless steel.

www.rex-kralj.com