Milan 2016:Â each of the splotchy metal Last Stool Splatter seats by British designer Max Lamb for furniture brand Hem is patterned by hand.
The stools are formed from a single sheet of metal, which is spun at a high speed and shaped – a process described by Hem as "emblematic" of Lamb's style. The furniture is then lacquered, before being speckled with enamel and set using heat.
The Last Stool is the latest in Lamb's series of material experiments that he has used to form seats. The design is made in enamelled steel, brass or copper, and features a ribbed section providing grip for easy lifting and stacking.
The stools feature a groove that forms an indented ring just under the seat, and taper outwards with a raised lip encircling the base. The furniture comes in cream, white, green and black editions – each of which features unique markings.
Lamb also experimented with speckled patterns in a collection of furniture made from multicoloured engineered marble, and a bathroom suite created from the same material.
The Last Stool Splatter collection was created for Hem's Ice Cream Social showcase, which will take place from 12 to 15 April 2016 at Via Varese 12, Milan during the city's annual design week. The exhibition will bring together new pieces by Philippe Malouin, Karoline Fesser, DeFORM and Form Us With Love.
To compliment Lamb's patterned stools, the furniture brand has also partnered with Italian ice cream maker Gelateria Rigoletto on four custom flavours, designed to match each version of the furniture.
Hem was launched in 2014 when online retailer Fab acquired design brand One Nordic. Last year it acquired the rights to over 200 products by Discipline and expanded its customisation service to the US, then was sold to a private investment company in February 2016.
Lamb graduated from London's Royal College of Art before setting up his own studio. His recent work includes an installation of 131 preserved logs and a range of furniture that had hidden storage compartments.
The designer has also created hand-carved crockery made using stonemasonry tools, and a collection of furniture made entirely from standard wooden dowels.