Our Top Find From Lagos Design Week Is a Tasseled Armchair

Milan and Paris are often considered the premier design destinations, but right now we’re drawing major inspiration from Nigeria. At this year’s annual Design Week Lagos exhibition, local firms like Aga Concept and Ike Studio made a name for themselves, showcasing their new and noteworthy creations—picture maximal prints galore and tactile materials. Here, we’ve highlighted our top six finds from the show, starting with an iron-based dining table. 

The Small-Space Solve

Inspired by a client’s custom commission for a table that would sit perfectly in his bay window, Tosin Oshinowo created the Irorun table. The base’s cutouts, in star shapes similar to those seen on traditional Yoruba fabric, cast different shadows throughout the day without blocking the view. Although in English the piece’s name translates to “simple,” this statement table makes dining anything but. 

The Interactive Reading Nook

The Mmanwu chair by Aga Concept (the firm’s name translates to “functional piece”) brings a sense of movement to the familiar wingback silhouette. The fanciful furniture is constructed from wood and covered in Aso Oke tassels, a handwoven cloth by the Yoruba people of West Africa. Who said upholstery has to be boring?

The Maximalist’s Cheat Sheet

The series of digital mixed-media works Damola Rufai presented this year were inspired by his architectural background and natural phenomena. In the bold color combinations and geometric patterns he creates using various software on his phone, the possibilities are endless—they can be printed on fabrics or framed for your latest gallery wall.

The New China

A professor of ceramic studies at the University of Nigeria, Ozioma Onuzulike traditionally creates large-scale, ornate tapestries out of ceramic palm-kernel shell beads. But for Design Week, he took his talents to the dinner table with a set of blue and white plates. The ruffled-edge tableware features traditional West African patterns in a glossy finish.

The Conversation Starter

Constructing its unique pieces out of both dead and offcut wood, Tekura is making furniture design more sustainable. For founder Josephine Forson, it’s important to illustrate African cultural elements in her pieces—like the hair pick–style chair. 

The Multitasker

Founded by designer Josh Egesi, Ike Studio creates nostalgic Afrofuturistic pieces of furniture and lighting. Its sleek Ayo bench pulls triple duty as a seat, magazine holder, and plant pot. Salone who?