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Erden: A Symphony of Texture

In 2021, Erden acquired 22 acres of pasture and woodland in rural Illinois, which has since expanded to 92 acres, along with a growing herd of alpacas. Inspired by the patterns and themes found there, Terra – Erden’s fourth collection – explores the communion between man and earth, with raised textures, linear structures, and patterned forms created in a careful balance of the organic and orchestrated. To promote the launch and provide contact for the designs, Brian Erden enlisted his friend and design colleague Jack Andrews, partner of the renowned furniture and lighting collection Caste, to lend his urban sanctuary in the heart of Chicago as the backdrop for Terra’s debut. This collaboration beautifully illustrates how the gravitational force bringing man to the earth is relevant even in the most urban environments.

Between Erden’s rugs with intersecting lines of metal inlay and natural alpacas, playful suri and soumak edges…each woven brings us closer to bringing nature inside.

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Behind the Scenes of Caste with Ty Best

ty best caste designs

Crafted in noble materials including bronze, steel, marble, bridle leather, and classic woods, Caste founder Ty Best’s pieces invoke seemingly contradictory responses: luxurious/simple, complex/comfortable, fine art/furniture. The unique aesthetic has been described as “future primitive.”

Born & raised in Montana, Best left the Midwest to study fashion design in California & later create fantastical window displays for Barneys with the likes of Malcolm Hill and Simon Doonan. With this deep visual arts & sculpture knowledge in hand, Best returned to his home state to continue his creative journey which led to furniture design.

Inspired by his surroundings in Missoula, Montana, the tension between landscapes and seasons has created memorable, provocative work. Best continues to show us that Mother Nature knows…best.

“The rugged terrain of his home state of Montana is one of the many disparate influences he draws on for his powerful yet refined pieces the designer aims to incorporate his daily surroundings into his work. “I get inspired by elements in nature, whether ice formations or the erosion of a rock,” he says. “The daunting Montana landscape has a lot to do with the shapes of my ­pieces.” – Elle Decor