Outside ZBOX

For over 25 years Stanley Jay Friedman has designed clean, modern furniture for progressive people. It's a passion driven by his enthusiasm for experimentation and thrill with the evolution of design. His barrier-breaking work has earned prominent awards and is esteemed by legions of fellow designers and architects. But it's the average American consumer, not yet comfortable with sleek, modern pieces that Friedman's trying to win over, and with clean designs offering beauty, function and comfort, he's well on his way.

Friedman's latest attempt is ZBOX SEAT. He says,

The inspiration for ZBOX SEAT came from a long ago objective of mine to design a chair in a box format. The challenge was more then just the aesthetic, it was to make this thing comfortable. Of course my other criteria is always 'simplicity'. The chair design was conceived around 2007 and shown for the first time in early 2008.

The box seat invites the sitter to lean back in the supportive surround, a perfect position, one would think, for sipping cocktails with friends. And with this collection, you can host quite a few.  Friedman didn't stop at the ZBOX SEAT; his collection includes a loveseat and sofa. It's all available through Bellini Imports, a Canadian firm, but judging from the collection's rave reviews at High Point, we think Mr. Friedman's cut a big swath out of America's discomfort for modern design. Kudos, sir.