Milan 08: London-based Chauhan Studio will launch four new telephones for SunCorp Communications in Milan during the furniture fair next month.

The range consists of phones called Colombo One, Colombo Two (above and top), Big and Sandy Eco (below) - a "green" phone made of recycled plastic and which comes in recycled packaging.

Chauhan Studio, which consists of designers Tej and Sach Chauhan, will show the products at Via Tortona, 31, in Milan's Zona Tortona district, from 16-21 April.

The following information is from Chauhan Studio:

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Chauhan Studio launches new and exciting product designs at the Salone del Mobile 2008.

Chauhan Studio has designed four new telephones, Colombo One, Colombo Two, Big and Sandy Eco with telecommunications giant SunCorp Communications.

The Colombo Family:

Colombo One (below) and Colombo Two (above) are new cordless telephones. The designs follow the principle of the studio to create products that are visually timeless, without blindly following current trends. Their intention was to create a family of products that are quietly beautiful and timeless in their execution. The challenge for them was to figure out how to re-establish a visual relationship between earpiece and mouthpiece, whilst incorporating all of the technology required of today’s modern telephones such as digital displays and multi-function keypads.

This was achieved by grouping two areas on the phone with colour and form that’s intuitive both visually and when in use; the earpiece part of the display and the mouthpiece part of the keypad. The result is a design that looks unique and modern yet comfortingly familiar at the same time. They have used shapes and lines that will always work well with one another and therefore age gracefully.

Colombo One stands upright on its base, reminiscent of the early Ericofon of the 50’s and 60’s. The slightly angled earpiece /mouthpiece relationship is a modern take on the classic old generation receivers. Colombo One inspired Colombo Two, which in contrast lies face down in it base. The shape unhindered by having to be freestanding, the handset can be acutely angled for both usability and character. Both designs prioritise comfort. Each design will be available in three colours: white, black and one accent; “Bobby Trolley Green’ for One and ‘Special Orange’ for Two. The Colombo family is intended to be a comfortable, well-dressed and a happy one, visually accessible and affordable, designed to appeal to a broad target audience. Colombo Two will be available in May 2008, followed shortly by Colombo One and also Three, a corded product currently in development.

Big:

Big (below) is a DECT telephone designed with size in mind; while being a very desirable design in its own right, the keys and display are all “oversized” to help those with poor vision or limited dexterity. Designed as a visually simple unit with a clear graphical layout, the intention is for Big to appeal not only to those who require the enhanced usability, but to a “cooler” audience too as the design is quite neutral and willsuit any environment.

The bases can be wall mounted. This is usually a challenge; making something that looks good on the desk doesn’t always look that great when wall mounted and vice versa. This problem was addressed by changing the orientation of the bases, so that they sit “lengthways” on a desk with the handset facing forwards. This way, when wall mounted the base doesn’t protrude from the wall too much and by hiding the wall mount bracket, it also appears to float. Again, the design doesn’t use superfluous surfacing and details and therefore will age well. Nice big keys and nice big display.

Big will be available to buy in April 08.

Sandy Eco:

Sandy was originally launched in 2005 and here we have a new version; Sandy Eco (below). Now made from 100% recycled plastics, the design retains its original ethos of simple clean lines and affordable price point. It will come in a simple recyclable gift box with recycled Quick Start Guide with full instructions available online. Sandy Eco also features an Eco mode, which transmits less power to the base when not in use and a Code of Conduct energy efficient power supply. It’s a telephone for the home and designed as such, big and comfortable and with a neutral colour palette to suit any environment. The new Sandy Eco will be available in April 08.