Dutch designer Piet Boon has designed a new series of Concrete Wallpaper in cooperation with NLXL that will launch at this year’s ICFF in New York. NLXL previously collaborated with Piet Hein Eek on the scrapwood wallpaper collection that we love so much.
Studio Guilherme Torres came onto the RL House project towards the end of it being completed when the owners longed for a new look that was anything but traditional. Located in Curitiba, Brazil, the two-bedroom (plus an office) apartment is now full of personality with its mostly blue and green decor.
Kartell’s Salone del Mobile stand showcased an iconic range of products, deconstructed. Every phase of the creative process was on show, from initial sketches, through prototyping to the final manufactured products.
Innovation, a Danish company founded in the early 1970s that began by making beanbags, now supplies convertible beds, sofa beds and other seating to the furniture industry. Convertible furniture isn’t easy to make – in addition to looks, wear and tear, you have to think about the mechanics, functionality, easy of use, and even how the fabric lays and moves as each part moves. That’s why Innovation, which came to the US in 1991, is a leading supplies of these products. It was by far one of our favorite companies showing in High Point not only because of the clean lines and modern styling but also the fact that so many of the pieces were – surprisingly – also beds. And even better? Most of them are in the fairly affordable range of $799-$2600 retail. It was in their showroom that we spotted our “Best in Show.”
Designed by Per Weiss in 2010 after a trip to Milan, the SLY Z10 is a small sofa with removable back pillows that converts into a queen-sized bed. It immediately caught my eye with its dark gray fabric (a big trend from High Point this year) and contrast red stitching. I especially love that the stitching on the seat and back was made in a cross pattern to give the feel and look of tufting without actually having any buttons.
The Grand Canyon and Yellowstone are great and all, but considering going farther back in time this summer with a trip to China to see the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the Terracotta Warriors. Said warriors are in Xi’an, where Swisstouches has recently opened a new property, its first in China, Swisstouches Hotel Xi’an. Designed by global hospitality design firm HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, which has offices in 13 countries, the 318 room hotel has a contemporary Swiss sensibility, a first for the ancient metropolis. Today’s Destination Design takes a look at this fresh example of East meets West.
Provide Home presented a brand new, exclusive collection of furniture by Canadian designer (and Design Milk fave) Christian Woo. Crafted from sustainably harvested hardwoods and finished with hand rubbed oils, each piece is lovingly made with a deep knowledge and understanding of the wood being used. I could regurgitate his gushing bio but honestly the proof is in the pudding — I’ve seen his work up close and I can say it’s probably some of the best most precise and well-made furniture I’ve ever seen. Sturdy and healthy, these pieces are timeless heirlooms.
It’s an exciting time of year for us at Design Milk. Starting Wednesday, Caroline and I are headed to NYC for Design Week and the International Contemporary Furniture Fair. Make sure to follow us during the show for live updates:
- Twitter: @designmilk
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/designmilk
- Instagram: @design_milk
- Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/designmilk
And please stop by Bobby Berk Home in Soho on Saturday 5/19 for the first official “Design Milk Presents” event: Reinvention; Writing History in Aluminum.
Italian architect and designer Stefano Pugliese presented a series of furniture at SaloneSatellite – Furniture Family Made in “Chitaly.” If you didn’t guess, Chitaly is a combination of Chile and Italy, the two places in which this series was made.
Built overlooking a lake in Finland, this Micro Cabin, nicknamed “Nido,” was designed and built by Robin Falck to enjoy once out of the military. It took a while to design and Falck consulted with a couple of architects to get everything right, but the results are phenomenal.
FABRIKAAT, Dutch for “to make by hand,” was an exhibition at Milan’s Ventura Lambrate, looking at design and craft in garden spaces.
