Furniture inspired by cell mutation? Maarten De Ceulaer's got your back

At first, Maarten De Celaer’s newest project reminded me of multi-coloured, science lab mould growths – a slightly unpleasant reference but aesthetically fascinating. Using the sciences as inspiration, Maarten wanted the pieces in his Mutation Series to resemble transformations of cells, that have germinated into upholstered mutations because of a chemical or nuclear reaction. This approach to furniture design is rarely seen and it’s why Maarten’s project is featured at this year’s Milan Design Week. Achieved by carefully composing patterns with cut-offs of varying foam spheres which are applied to a basic structure, the entire piece then gets coated with a rubber or velvet-like finish. This is a direct challenge to classic upholstery, and I for one am welcoming it with open (and lab coat-protected) arms.