February 19, 2007

Going Soft

Aguiniga Design

The Midas touch might be good for some things (okay, most things), but all the karats in the world won’t make your average folding chair more comfy.

It takes the Tanya Aguiniga touch to do that. A resident of Atwater Village, the designer’s hand-felted home furnishings will have you cuddling up to the most unexpected things.

Take a load off on the Forest Roll, for example. It looks like a log but opens up into a fuzzy mat with knots carved out for headrests or seats. There’s also a flock of small bird sculptures in magenta, gray, blue, and green.

And, of course, the chairs. More than 40 hours are spent conditioning wool with soapy water to form the colorful snug shell. No, they can’t be stacked or tucked away anymore, but it won’t matter — they’re so special, you’d really miss them if they were gone.

After all, you’re a total softy.

Available at ReForm School, 4014 Santa Monica Boulevard, at Sunset Boulevard, Silver Lake (323-906-8660 or reformschoolrules.com). To see styles, go to aguinigadesign.com.