Up Balloon Coffee Table Round, edition 2015 was made by Christopher Duffy (founder Duffy London) by  putting in practice the concept of levitation and buoyancy.
Made from toughened glass, metal resin composite and toughened steel rods, UP Balloon Coffee Table is a genuine trompe l’oeil (is an artistic technique used in painting to create the illusion of three-dimensional) giving the impression that a mass made of glass is suspended and supported by red, gold and silver balloons. Despite the durability of the materials used, the feeling of weightlessness is obvious.
About Christopher Duffy
In 2002, founder Christopher Duffy, a design graduate from the University of Brighton, made his humble beginning creating products in his kitchen. Having grown out of the kitchen a long time ago, Duffy London now performs their furniture-making wizardry in a spacious studio in east London.
Duffy London’s designs are ideas-based, combining art and function and playing with the concepts of gravity, geometry and illusion. The innovative and quirky designs spring from the mind of Christopher Duffy, however, he also draws from his talented team of designers, artisans and manufacturers to turn these concepts into quality pieces.
Boasting strong eco-credentials, everything is handmade to order by skilled craftspeople in the UK, using sustainable wood and other eco-friendly materials and mediums.
Duffy London’s most acclaimed design is the Abyss Table, a creative replica of a piece of the earth’s seabed. Other noteworthy designs are the Shadow Chair, that appears to defy gravity by standing on only two legs. The incredible UP Tables, which are a playful trompe l’oeil, giving the impression of a glass table top being suspended by balloons. There is the delightful Swing Table, which will transport you back to your childhood.
Christopher Duffy, University of Brighton (BA Product Design)
