A Cabinet Inspired by the Tea House of Katsura Imperial Villa

"USM Modular Furniture," created by "USM," is a custom-made system furniture developed and launched in Switzerland in the 1960s. It can be designed by combining parts of various sizes and shapes to suit spaces and purposes, such as living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, kids' rooms, and libraries.

A rich variety of colors is another major feature of this product. The panels for the cabinet-type "USM Haller" are available in 14 colors. And with the introduction of new colors in April this year, the color variations for the top surface of the table-type "Haller Table" will increase to a total of 55 colors. The reliable quality and timeless design of these products are loved by interior fans worldwide, and it has been added to the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

USM Beige

Golden Yellow

USM Beige

The "USM Modular Furniture Showroom" in Marunouchi, Tokyo, is the only direct store in Japan for USM. This year marks its 5th anniversary. To celebrate, the anniversary program "USM Color Renaissance" has been held since March. The facade of the USM Modular Furniture Showroom expresses Japanese beauty through displays that change with the seasons. The company, which considers "color" an important element, calls this "a new challenge to color, which has infinite possibilities."

The direction for this project is handled by "Maruwakaya," which is highly acclaimed for its supervision of various works that translate the beauty of Japanese traditional culture into contemporary products. Representative Maruwaka Hiroyuki states, "Together with USM, we will re-examine the charm of 'color' and offer a new aesthetic sensibility to our lives today."

The cabinet, also used as the main visual, features a checkerboard pattern that dramatically changes its impression from the conventional solid color image. This is inspired by the sliding doors of the Shokintei tea house at the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto. It is said to express the compatibility between USM products and Japanese traditional culture.

USM Modular Furniture Showroom Facade

USM Modular Furniture Showroom Interior

Kyoto Dye House "Sometsukasa Yoshioka"

This is not the only element that adds color to the display. Plant-dyed fabrics from "Sometsukasa Yoshioka," a dye house in Kyoto that has been in business since the late Edo period and is now in its fifth generation, will also be featured. The colors, representing the four seasons, will brilliantly showcase the fusion of cultures.

What kind of synergy will be created by the collaboration between Swiss-born designer furniture and Japanese traditional culture? The displays, which will unfold over the next year, are a must-see.

USM Color Renaissance
Period: March 2014 onwards (Spring), June onwards (Summer), September onwards (Autumn), December onwards (Winter) (scheduled)
Location: USM Modular Furniture Showroom
1-1-2 Marunouchi MY PLAZA 1F & 2F, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Business Hours: 10:00 - 19:00 (Weekends 11:00 -)
Closed on public holidays. Reservations required on Mondays only.
Tel. 03-5220-2221
http://www.usm.com/ja-jp/


Maruwakaya
"Maruwakaya Inc." crafts contemporary Japanese culture. It derives contemporary value by embodying universal "beauty" and the "moment" of now into tangible and intangible things. They engage in "monozukuri" (craftsmanship) with Japan's finest, from traditional crafts to collaborations with cutting-edge industries, including "Kitajima Shibori Seisakusho." They led "Kutani Ware Kintsugi Skull Sweet Jar" (Collection of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa), "Ueda Chōemon Kiln x Jaime Hayon" (Exhibited at Salone del Mobile), and "PUMA AROUND THE BENTO BOX." In May 2014, they will open a new store "NAKANIWA" in Paris, France.
www.maru-waka.com


Sometsukasa Yoshioka
A dye house in Kyoto, continuing from the late Edo period, now in its fifth generation. They extract beautiful colors from plants such as gromwell (murasaki), safflower, madder, indigo (tadeai), and dwarf-daylily (kariyasu), nurtured by nature, and dye natural materials like silk, linen, and cotton in faithful adherence to ancient methods. Using these traditional techniques, they also dye artificial camellia flowers used in the Shuni-e ceremony at Todai-ji Temple, and are involved in events for ancient shrines and temples. Supported by water drawn from 100 meters underground and hands that carefully engage with nature, they repeat slow and quiet days, cherishing the past.
www.sachio-yoshioka.com