10 Designers You Should Know

Renzo Piano is one of my favorite architects. His work amazes me because it is so intricate yet so simple at the same time. He knows how far to go and where in his designs and that definitely shows. His work includes the Centre Georges Pompidou in France, which is featured in my blog on buildings. What is even more important is that instead of having his own 'style' like Frank Gehry, Piano really keeps his clients in mind and designs for his clients, not himself.

Frank Gehry likes to push the limits of design. His buildings are crazy, abstract, and out there. He has worked on many museums and public buildings. Although I may not enjoy all of his designs, I appreciate everything he does because he knows how to get people thinking. A building doesn't have to be straight up and down. Gehry turns everyday buildings into extraordinary pieces of art.

George Nelson is very much like Alavar Aalto in that he is known for modernism. His work is now sold along side design 'gods' such as Charles and Ray Eames. Nelson studied architecture at Yale and graduated in 1928. His work includes a myriad of product design including vintage clocks and bubble lamps.

Alvar Aalto, the 'father of modernism,' was a Finnish designer. He was even acclaimed by Frank Lloyd Wright as a 'work of genious.' One of his most famous buildings he worked on was the Viipuri Library. His work is beautiful and all designers should know of Alvar Aalto if they know what's good for them!

Luca Nichetto is a designer from Venice. He is known for product design and he works with glass and makes chairs. His work is sleek, modern, and colorful. I really love his designs and I think they can appeal to all generations however his designs seem to attract younger hipsters mostly.

Michele de Lucchi is an Italian designer born in Ferrara. He is known for product design of lamps and furniture. He also does art exhibitions, writes, and everything in between. Lucchi dabbles in different areas you could say and he is a multi-talented Italian designer.

Jean-Marie Massaud is a French designer. I couldn't find his biographical information because it was all in French. But Massaud designs modern chairs, bookshelves, and other items that are like pieces of art that could be placed in a museum.

Maurizio Galante is a furniture and fashion designer. He is known for doing over the top fashion and very interesting furniture. If one could picture Couture fashion transforming into furniture design, you would have Galante's work.

Friso Kramer is a dutch designer who in the 1940s was part of a group that helped reshape war torn Europe after WWII with beautiful designs. He has worked on everything from office furniture to oil heaters. One of his most famous pieces is the Revolt chair which is now on a Dutch post stamp.

Geoffrey Mance is the new Chihuly of lighting design. His work is very reminisent of Chihuly's because of the colors and the blown glass in many of his lights. His lights are fun, colorful, and unlike most boring lights, are pieces of art.