Posted under Travel, Trends by admin on Saturday 29 May 2010 at 4:02 pm

The line between beautiful furniture and functional sculpture is blurring and it is a trend that is leading to loads of fascinating furniture.

This Bloom Chair is a perfect place to start. Created by Philippine designer Kenneth Cobonpue, this gorgeous chair in yellow micro fiber, is really a functional piece of art.

This Ruché Sofa is by Inga Sempé for Ligne Roset. Ruché, which means gathered or pleated, brings together the unusual and the traditional. In Sempé’s own words, “The unusual thing … is its solid wood structure, and the great traditional element is the quilting, the very heart of its savoir-faire. (These) combine to produce a harmonious union of rigorous straight lines and soft, welcoming curves.” Got it Inga, Love it!

This white and black Arthur table was created by Dirk Wynants, springing from his idea to bring together interesting people, good ideas and great food, just like King Arthur did with his energetic Knights of the Round. This sculpted table,  made of high pressure laminate, is perfect for everything from family dinners to executive meetings. There is a  central circle that swivels like a lazy susan, and for outdoor use, you can install a parasol right into the middle of the table.

Spanish designer Jaime Hayon has introduced his newest design the Lounger for his Showtime Collection with BD Barcelona. This sculptural chair contrasts between classicism and modernity, and is available in fabric or leather.

I love this next chair – Jaehyo Lee’s fantastically sculptural Pine Chair.

Says Lee, a prolific Korean sculptor and artist, “My art is about the material. …. I simply want to show the nature of my common raw materials like wood and nails.”  This is an amazing piece!

This Squiddy table (made of alder wood) is all sculpture and all fun!  Designed by the very creative Canadian Judson Beaumont this collection is in keeping with Beaumont’s history of great sculpture=great furniture.  Some people think it is creepy but I only see fun and creativity.

This Loft Wing Fan is fanning made personal! Designed and made-in-the-USA by Sandy Ignon, all that is missing is someone to feed you the grapes.

Made of high strength carbon fiber and available in custom colors, this innovative fan is as eco-friendly as it is beautiful, using only 15 watts of electricity.  Ahhhhhh….

Posted under Travel, Trend Setters, Trends by admin on Wednesday 18 November 2009 at 12:40 pm

It is a tough job, but someone has to do it. Luckily one of our designers Nicole, was up for the task. On her recent trip to New York, Nicole took a tour of some of her favorite restaurants in the Big Apple, analyzing the interiors and telling us all about it.New York Sweetie Pie Restaurant

Sweetiepie

This place is worth a trip to the Big Apple all by itself! I originally found Sweetiepie’s while flipping the pages of Elle magazine. The place was absolutely charming.  There was so much detail in the design.  The incredibly adorable stylized pink banquette,huge antique mirror, garden chairs and the oversized bird cage in which you can host a tea parties of course, were original and inspired. 

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The bathroom even had a half door, which is to be opened by a key (a la Alice-in-Wonderland) for the kids. (more…)

Posted under Don't Look Here, Travel, Trend Setters, Trends by admin on Monday 29 June 2009 at 9:00 am

Maybe it is my recent conversation with Sara Baldwin and all the great products on the market these days, that got me thinking about mosaics and tiles in general.  Then, of course, there was our recent trip to Italy,  ‘ la Costa Amalfitana’  in particular -  the place most people associate with this kind of thing – where I saw some remarkable mosaics and tile designs.duomo-small1

Lots of things that fall into the categories of ‘ breathtaking’ and ‘fabulous’ .  Lots of incredible traditional designs and beautifully executed floors and fountains and duomos from antiquity to the Middle Ages and Renaissance. 

Surprisingly though, we were most taken with some of the MODERN designs.  Yep, modern!  In Italy!

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(Surprising public flooring design in Vietri-Sul-Mare)

Even in towns that are like 3000 years old we saw an inventive use of modern compositions and contemporary applications of this versatile art form. 

Juxtaposed by the ancient or just merely really old, these designs were so refreshing, we loved them!

  

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(Lots of designs draw on the sea and the coast’s important fishing and trading history that goes back thousands of years)

 

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(This was part of the stations of the cross that meandered through the alleys of the old part of the city)

 

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(A modern take on a traditional theme)

  

 

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 (The incredible Ceramica Solimene  where the ancient art of ceramics takes place in the beautiful modern building) 

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 (Troy in an old alley leaning on a long wall covered in modern designs)

I did succumb to one wonderful application of mosaic from the late Renaissance at the Villa D’Este.  The Villa is just outside Rome (or really outside if you take the bus-ugh!) and is world famous for its fabulous villa and beautiful gardens. 

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In one section the ceilings have a 3-D relief where roses are formed in mosaic and while it isn’t the most elaborate design ever, but I love the concept and it was gorgeous.  You feel like you could just pick them off the ceiling…

I love imagination!  Invent!   Create!