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Cumberland Introduces Ini Archibong through Designers Speak
Grand Rapids, Mich. – Cumberland announces that it has partnered with Ini Archibong, a recent graduate of the environmental design program at Art Center College of Design, as part of its Designers Speak program. The program is designed to offer a platform for designers to express themselves in products that speak of true American furniture design and their own hearts, as well as to market needs. Cumberland and Archibong were introduced through the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF); the ICFF Studio is the design industry's “matchmaking service” to pair culture and commerce. The Studio is unique in pairing talented, up-and-coming designers and their prototype products with made-to-measure potential manufacturers. A one-of-a-kind forum for identifying and supporting those who are solving tomorrow’s design problems today, ICFF Studio celebrates emerging designers and their ready-for-prime-time projects. It also provides a must-see exhibition of the stuff of youthful invention, a behind-the-scenes look at the shape of design’s next frontier.
The manufacturer and designer look forward to the addition of Archibong’s Solitaire Table to Cumberland’s enduring product collection. The concept underlying the Solitaire Table is the solitaire diamond as a timeless, simple, and elegant accent for the sophisticated woman. With brilliant beauty to stand alone, the diamond is never so ostentatious as to overpower the beauty of its wearer, who is the main attraction. As the solitaire diamond is a perfect accent for an elegant lady, the Solitaire Table is in an interior of refined taste. A side table can be elegant, but should not overshadow the hallmarks of a space.
A defining attribute of the Solitaire design is its exquisitely sculpted base. Inspired by delicately crafted jewel settings, it demonstrates that elegance need not be sacrificed to achieve structural function. Subtlety is key to an elegant accent piece. The Solitaire’s elements come together apparently effortlessly, creating a naturally seamless appearance fit for any luxurious setting. Its simplicity releases the Solitaire Table from time; as with other enduring treasures, the beauty is in the details.About Ini Archibong
Born and raised in Pasadena, California, Ini Archibong discovered his passion for the arts at Polytechnic, a highly academic college preparatory school. Polytechnic emphasizes multidisciplinary education; its expansive art programs allowed Archibong to explore woodworking, 3D digital art, enameling, batik, and sculpture, as well as ceramics, his main artistic focus.
After high school, Archibong continued his studies at University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. Realizing that he could not ignore his creative passion, he opted to focus on fine art and architectural design. He worked for two years at George Architecture in South Pasadena, where he learned the essential skills of the trade and strengthened his application to the Art Center College of Design. In 2007, he was accepted into Art Center’s Environmental Design program, with both an Edwards Entrance Scholarship and an Art Center Outreach Grant.
During internships in San Francisco and New York with Eight Inc., Archibong was directly involved with designs for the Mankas Lodge in Inverness, a proposal for the Norwegian National Museum of Art in Oslo, and concepts and design for Nokia’s flagship stores launching in 2011.
Interested in the intersections of engineering, fine art, and architecture, Archibong is influenced and inspired by the work of Alphonse Mucha, Santiago Calatrava, and Buckminster Fuller. Archibong received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Design from Art Center in 2012.
About Designers Speak
A national multiphase program launched in 2005, Designers Speak invites design leaders across the United States to design products that speak of an American story. Through this program, designers from the East Coast to the West Coast are stepping out, taking the lead, and shaping design. Each phase represents a reinvention and a fresh start, making it possible for Cumberland to introduce timeless, classic furniture – not too trendy, not too modern, and not too traditional – that resists categorization and can adapt to various interiors.
About Cumberland
Founded in the 1950s, Cumberland was purchased in 1998 by Grand Rapids-based contract furniture industry entrepreneur Scott F. Gilmore. Even before Gilmore’s leadership, Cumberland was well known for its elegant tables, desks, benches, and office and lobby seating. Today, Cumberland’s products reflect a cohesive design sensibility that can still give design partners freedom to create distinctive products. The result is Modern American Classics that are always in style, fresh and interesting, whether envisioned last century or today.
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