The Design Tourist explores the latest looks & trends in kitchen and bath design from Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. Check out new design ideas and product launches revealed at KBIS from Wellborn Cabinet Inc. including coplanar doors, three-toned wood cabinets, glass face cabinets, frameless cabinets, the retro-mod look and much more.
The 2018 NKBA Kitchen and Bath Industry Show and NAHB International Builders’ Show offer a first look at the latest design trends and product innovations for the home. App-driven appliances and smart home connectivity continue to blur the boundaries between the real and virtual world as all-knowing Alexa sits in the cloud overseeing our devices via Amazon’s Echo and Google Home. As smart products and appliances get smarter, what was once a “trend” has now settled into a new state of being.
I just recently built a new home where I can boss around all its inner-workings with the command of my voice and the omnipresent Alexa. My smart home assistant controls my thermostats, lights, refrigerator, oven, doorbell, security cameras, smart TVs, and knows my favorite playlists and podcasts. Sleek, tubular Echo devices sit in each room at attention and in perfect sync with my home’s modern decor.
What I can say about this synergistic relationship between design and technology is that it’s creating a fresh, exciting aesthetic in the home where sleek digital touch screens replace knobs and buttons, color changing LEDs illuminate in lieu of incandescent bulbs and new silhouettes recalibrate rooms. Case in point, this Real Rain overhead shower panel from Kohler powered by its DTV+ technology with pre-programmed spa-like experiences that can be customized and controlled by a digital touch screen and voice.
or voice controlled lighted mirrors such as The Verdera with Amazon Alexa embedded to provide all the functionality of an Amazon Echo, like shopping, playing music, or receiving traffic updates.
The Verdera Lighted Mirrors by Kohler with Amazon Alexa
The Verdera Lighted Mirrors by Kohler with Amazon Alexa
Without belaboring the marvels of smart home technology baked into almost every household item, here’s what’s pinging my design radar at KBIS/IBS 2018:
Rose Gold Finishes:
Maybe all that Millennial pink from 2017 fabrics and accessories is seeping into metallics or perhaps we desire a warmer alternative to the ubiquitous chrome and steel. Whatever the root cause, Rose Gold is having a moment in home decor, especially in fittings and fixtures. At KBIS/IBS, I saw a lot of Rose Gold and I have to say that it plays perfectly with one of the latest trends, mixed metals.
Rose Gold Faucet sits in the mix of brushed Gold, chrome and other finishes at the Kohler booth
Rose Gold, Brushed Gold, Brushed Brass and Oil-Rubbed Bronze are among the trending mixed metals dictating the latest designs. These faucets are from Kohler.
Basket Lighting:
A tisket a tasket, the basket is now lighting de jour. Basket light fixtures configured in clusters with random shapes and styles were everywhere as statement-making focal points casting interesting visual grids from LED bulbs within. These woven shades crossover just about all style genres from modern to farmhouse chic, and industrial to transitional when paired with supporting accessories and furnishings.
Picture Sinks:
Picture this: a sink with a scenic vignette, a Kodak moment captured on a porcelain bowl. This is one of my fav design finds at KBIS/IBS for its attempt at making the sink centerstage in bathroom design. Feast your eyes on this colorful butterfly-floralscape from Kohler #ArtInOddPlaces.
picture sink by Kohler
Patterned Sinks:
I like the etching in this line of patterned sinks— the subtle artistry at work creates a visual surprise upon closer inspection. What I’m seeing is an appreciation of the sink as a canvas for art, something that is happening on a larger scale in the design world as furniture manufacturers commission or license artworks to imprint on credenzas, coffee tables, chairs and more, liberating art from wall space.
etched patterned sinks by Kohler
etched patterned sinks by Kohler
etched patterned sinks by Kohler
Appliance Art:
SMEG is on board with this whole idea of the appliance as canvas, debuting its Dolce & Gabbana designed line. Art in unusual spaces is a direction I suspect more designers will take their work in 2018 since authentic spaces dictate many of the trends.
Dolce & Gabbana Appliances by SMEG
Dolce & Gabbana Appliances by SMEG
Glass Panels with Texture, Fabrics, and Patterns :
Large format glass panels with unique patterning, fabric or textures underneath clad vanities, walls and furniture to emote the look of shiny but preserved patinas and antique mirrored surfaces.
Vetrite glass panel surfaces with textural, fabric and patina layers underneath
Steampunk Kitchen:
The latest trend report from NKBA says contemporary, transitional and farmhouse style kitchens are the top three popular style. Industrial aesthetics are waning, according to that same report, but at the show, I saw an interesting twist on the farmhouse-industrial style that nods to Steampunk influences. The Litze collection by Brizo marries mechanic motifs with knurled faucet heads to create an aesthetic in its own category.
The Litze collection by Brizo
Knurled faucet heads from the Litze collection by Brizo
Vise grips as bookends add a Steampunk element to this kitchen design by Brizo
Now, on to my unique design finds including this Fontanina faucet by NASONI with a built-in spout on the head that serves as a drinking water fountain. This was definitely a show stopper for its innovative design that promotes its health and wellness (big buzzwords in kitchen and bath products at the moment) NASONI says “Now you can remove the possibility of sickness and ill-health, throw away your rinsing cup and the bacteria that it houses, and enjoy the health rewards of a water fountain solution in the bathroom.
I’ll share more design finds and trend takeaways from 2018 KBIS/IBS that center around storage solutions in my next blog post. Meanwhile, subscribe to my youtube channel for regular episodes of The Design Tourist for what’s new and next in design.
Man Glam Design Finds with just the right dose of testosterone discovered at ICFF, The International Contemporary Furniture Fair, the highlight of NYCxDesign. Click on the link to read the full article.
Learn how to make the most of your storage space in this article written by Karen LeBlanc for Interior Appeal Magazine. Click on the link below to read the full article.
Note To Success, How Pretty Paper and the Handwritten Letter is Making a Comeback. Click on the link below to read the full article by Karen LeBlanc appearing in Interior Appeal Magazine.
At the Architectural Digest Design Show in New York, I met up with design guru Todd Bracher to talk about his collaboration with Humanscale and his installation for DIFFA Dining by Design. Bracher is an industrial designer and product designer. Humanscale designs and manufactures ergonomic products that improve health and comfort at work.
The Design Tourist host Karen LeBlanc and Industrial and Product Designer Todd Bracher check out his Vessel Lamp on view at The Architectural Digest Design Show as part of DIFFA’s Dining by Design. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
Bracher often lends his skills to create various design show installations. At the Architectural Digest Design Show, he created a dining vignette for DIFFA’s Dining by Design, an event that raises money to fight HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness.
Dining installation designed by Todd Bracher for Humanscale as part of DIFFA’s Dining by Design. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
“This is a project for Humanscale, a design studio that is all about the transparency, honesty and sustainability in their products. We wanted to create a greenhouse installation that implies what the architecture of a greenhouse structure looks like but calls on the imagination to complete the scenario. This idea of having a warm table to sit at and enjoy conversation and a meal. We have chairs that I designed for Humanscale ergonomics that allow you to sit for a long time enjoy yourself. I designed the lighting above, called the Vessel fixture, also by Humanscale. We are using the physics of light to control and manage light from an LED that produces a magical illusion effect that looks like an empty glass of water with light appearing on the surface of the table,” explains Bracher.
The Vessel Lamp for Humanscale designed by Todd Bracher is lit by LED technology hidden within an optic crystal for a beautiful and even throw of light.
Bracher designed the vessel lamp with an LED embedded into an optical crystal that produces a beautiful even dispersion of light. The light engine is hidden, which is quite an engineering feat to do. “The real reason behind it, is that it provides an incredibly even throw of light on the surface and no glare to the eye,” explains Bracher.
The Vessel Lamp designed by Todd Bracher for Humanscale. Todd demonstrates how the LED light source is concealed above a high-quality quartz cylinder. Light is refracted downward through a finely tuned, solid body and appears as though it is emanating from an unseen origin. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist.
The LED light source is concealed above a high-quality quartz cylinder. Light is refracted downward through a finely tuned, solid body and appears as though it is emanating from an unseen origin. This effect, called total internal reflection, provides balanced, high-performance surface illumination.
The Design Tourist host, Karen LeBlanc and Industrial and Product Designer Todd Bracher, check out his Trea multipurpose chair, which mimics the instinctive recline of the human body without resorting to manual controls. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
Bracher teamed up with Humanscale to create the Trea multipurpose chair, which mimics the instinctive recline of the human body without resorting to manual controls.
Designer Todd Bracher demonstrates how the Trea chair back reclines when you sit in it and adjusts to any size person seated in it. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
“I designed the Trea chair so that the chair back actually reclines when you sit in it and adjusts to any size person seated in it. Most chairs you sit in are either beautiful or comfortable but we wanted to make a beautifully comfortable chair,” says Bracher.
For the latest design finds and trends, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel so you don’t miss a single episode of my design travels and as always, subscribe to the blog for interviews with tastemakers and trendsetters in art, architecture and design.
Design Ideas to Update Kitchen Style with Natural Stone
My new contemporary kitchen gets its surface style from natural stone. As a decorator, stone is my go-to material for its one-of-a-kind design— its unique colorations, patterns, timeless appeal and durability. My kitchen color palette is gray and white, so I naturally gravitate towards marble; however, the countertops, in particular the island top, are both workhorses and showpieces so I needed to select a stone that can stand up to food prep and daily dining.
Madreperola quartzite from Brazil is a creamy and gray slab. Photo credit: MS International Inc. Quartzite is a very hard metamorphic rock that originated as sandstone. Through a process of high heating and pressurization sandstone is transformed into quartzite, an extremely strong and durable natural stone. Quartzite is ideal for any countertop surface due to its strength and long-lasting composition. Consider quartzite countertops for their strength, beauty, and overall durability.
I was able to render the look of marble with the durability of granite by choosing quartzite. Quartzite is generally harder and denser with the classic marble veining. My kitchen floors are marble tile in a classic white with gray veining conveying a crisp, airy, contemporary style that compliments the rest of my interior design choices. My signature decor style tends to mix different types of stone in living spaces from flooring to fireplace surrounds and wall inserts.
Natural stone works well with any kitchen—traditional, modern, rustic, transitional, industrial, and all the stylistic iterations in between, making it an ideal choice for a kitchen makeover. Here’s how I use natural stone as my creative muse in home decor and design for surface style in the kitchen.
Range Niche:
I like to create a focal point in the kitchen with a stone clad wall and niche that frames the range hood as a functional and sculptural element. In this kitchen by Artistic Tile, the niche wall framing a stainless steel range hood is crafted of Calacatta Gold marble subway tile that complements the Calacatta Gold marble slab of the island top. The flooring is Ash limestone.
Luxury kitchen rendered in Calacatta Gold marble and Ash limestone floors from Artistic Tile. The mix of natural stone creates textural and visual dimension for a one-of-a-kind design. Photo credit: Artistic Tile
Sink:
Natural stone such as soapstone is a sanitary choice for kitchen sinks because it’s non-porous so it doesn’t trap bacteria and it never stains. This Soapstone sink crafted by Vermont Soapstone, seamlessly blends with the adjacent countertops for a monolithic look. This deep sink’s apron front showcases the veining and colorations.
Traditional High Backsplash Soapstone Sink custom crafted by Vermont Soapstone from 1.25″ thick soapstone slabs. Photo credit: Vermont Soapstone
Pocket Office:
A built-in niche to charge cellphones, accommodate a laptop or other smart device is on the must-have list of today’s kitchen renovations and new construction. Now more than ever, the cook is connected to technology, consulting smart devices for recipes and in need of a place to organize household paraphernalia. Ripano Stoneworks designed a pocket office in this kitchen with a granite desk top that matches the perimeter counters for style and function.
Natural stone works well as built-ins and furniture features in a kitchen. This pocket office in the kitchen has a quartzite desk top from Ripano Stoneworks. Photo credit: Ripano Stoneworks
Wine Storage:
A wine rack designed to match kitchen counters and cabinets adds a custom touch with natural stone. This one from Ripano Stoneworks showcases a quartzite top and wood storage rack that looks as if it’s an extension of the adjacent countertop and base cabinets.
This wine storage rack showcases a quartzite top that matches the kitchen counters. Natural stone has many uses as design features including fireplace surrounds, bar tops, desk tops, fireplace surrounds. Photo credit: Ripano Stoneworks.
Backsplash:
Natural stone is easy to clean and decorative as a kitchen backsplash with a wide variety of creative choices from semiprecious stones to travertine, marble, limestone, granite and quartzite. This stunning backsplash by ROCKin’teriors is backlit to bring out the translucent beauty of agate, a semi precious stone
Backlit agate backsplash by ROCKin’teriors in this kitchen makes a dramatic focal point. I love to use semiprecious stone slabs in decorative applications that are backlit to tease out their translucent beauty. Photo credit: ROCKin’teriors
Kitchen backsplash crafted of Danby Imperial marble with matching counters cues a crisp, clean, elegant look. Photo credit: Artistic Tile.
Kitchen Island:
Natural stone is a popular choice for the island countertop tying together the look as a focal point and command central for the cook. The latest kitchen island designs incorporate a countertop with an overhang for seating, a sink, dishwasher and/or a cooktop. The island countertop can either match or contrast with the perimeter counters.
Calacatta marble from ROCKin’teriors defines the transitional look of this luxury kitchen with its rich gray veining that plays off the white cabinets. Photo credit: ROCKin’teriors
Island countertop crafted of soapstone from Dorado Soapstone. This natural stone is siliceous – nonporous so it is unaffected and unharmed by acids contained in everyday substances like wine, lemon, and vinegar making it an ideal choice for food prep areas. Photo credit: Dorado Soapstone.
Calacatta Gold marble creates a wraparound kitchen island top and oversized backsplash in this contemporary kitchen. Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Stone.
Flooring:
Natural stone is a timeless, trend-proof choice for flooring and provides the durability to endure high traffic areas. To preserve its look and luster, natural stone, unlike porcelain and ceramic tile floors, can be polished, resurfaced and resealed extending its life. There are many different finishes for stone flooring to choose from. Polished is a smooth, glossy, highly reflective surface. Honed is a smooth, satin-like matte finish. Brushed is a slightly rough surface with an aged or antique look. Tumbled is a smooth surface that looks weathered and scuffed. Bush-hammered is a fairly smooth, non-slippery surface ideal for outdoor applications. Leathered is a suede-like appearance and feel with a soft non-reflective shine. Flamed is a rough texture and relief with a non-slippery surface ideal for outdoor applications. Sandblasted is a textured surface with a matte gloss so the stone looks weathered.
Travertine floors add a warm counterbalance to the Marron Cohiba granite counters. Photo credit: Arizona Tile
Calacatta Gold marble floor tile with decorative inserts create an elegant floor medallion in this kitchen. Photo Credit: Artistic Tile
Perimeter Counters:
The latest kitchen styles mix stone materials, colors and patterns in counters and island tops. This kitchen by Stoneshop pairs Silver Pearl leathered granite on the perimeter counters with Mont Blanc honed quartzite on the island top.
The latest kitchen styles mix natural stone colors and patterns for surface style. This kitchen by the Stoneshop pairs Pearl leathered granite on the perimeter counters and Mont Blanc honed quartzite on the Island top. Photo credit: Stoneshop
Matching granite perimeter counters and island top in this kitchen plays well with its traditional style. Photo credit: Granite America
Matching island top and perimeter counters cue a transitional look in this kitchen. Photo credit: Flemington Granite & Architectural Supply.
For more design ideas with natural stone, check out www.usenaturalstone.com
Thanks in part to MIA+BSI: TheNatural Stone Institute for sponsoring this post.
Light by Pandemic Design Studio from the Industrial Evolution Collection on exhibit at ICFF. Photo by: The Design Tourist
Forbidden Fruit light fixture by Pandemic Design Studio from the Industrial Evolution Collection on exhibit at ICFF. Photo by: The Design Tourist
Tree of Souls light fixture by Pandemic Design Studio from the Industrial Evolution Collection on exhibit at ICFF.
Fire Fly Desk Lamp by Pandemic Design Studios on exhibit at ICFF.
The Node Wall from The Node Collection by Pandemic Design Studio on exhibit at ICFF. Photo by: The Design Tourist
Individual ceramic node from The Node Collection by Pandemic Design Studio on exhibit at ICFF.
The Node Collection by Pandemic Design Studio on exhibit at ICFF. Photo by: The Design Tourist
For the latest design finds and trends, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel so you don’t miss a single episode of my design travels and as always, subscribe to the blog for interviews with tastemakers and trendsetters in art, architecture and design.
Textile designer turned metalsmith, Annie Kantor, owner of AJK Design Studio, elevates unsightly air ducts and metal vents to the level of artistic elements with her collections of laser-cut metal grilles, panels and ceiling squares. I discovered Kantor’s work at ICFF, The International Contemporary Furniture Fair, a compilation of what’s best and next in contemporary design and luxury interiors. Annie Kantor is one of several designers that I singled out to explore the depths of her creativity in my series Inside Design Minds. Let’s meet Annie and her muse.
Metal laser cut panel by AJK Design Studio
AJK Design Studio booth displays Annie Kantor’s latest metal grille and panel designs on view at ICFF. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
AJK Design Studio booth displays Annie Kantor’s latest metal grille and panel designs on view at ICFF. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Metal laser cut panel with lotus flower design by AJK Design Studio
Metal laser cut panels by AJK Design Studio
Metal laser cut panels by AJK Design Studio
Metal laser cut panels by AJK Design Studio
For the latest design finds and trends, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel so you don’t miss a single episode of my design travels and as always, subscribe to the blog for interviews with tastemakers and trendsetters in art, architecture and design.
Kiel Arto Design is a new company repurposing automotive steel into designer, one-of-a-kind tables. I’m intrigued by the artistic process that uncovers a rich patina by removing layers of paint and coating. Let’s go inside the design mind of Kiel Arto and meet their muse and makers.
Kiel Arto Coffee Table
What inspired you to focus your craft on creating designer tables from reclaimed steel?
One of our partners, Peter Kalnins, wanted to try something different. Everyone knows that old cars get scrapped, crushed and re-melted. This uses a lot of energy. Having always admired clever ways of reusing materials, Peter realized that painted auto body steel had a hidden beauty and potential. Automobile roof panels, which are rusting away in scrap yards, have numerous layers of color that can be exposed to reveal something beautiful. The layers consist of bare steel, rust protective coating, primer, paint, clear coat. By gradually exposing these layers a painting can be made on the steel, and this then becomes a functional, practical piece of art – a table (or a wall tile, counter top, a decorative panel).
Kiel Arto Dining Table on view at ICFF, photo credit: The Design Tourist
Introduce us to your muse?
The car roof really gives the artist his inspiration. Once the roof is removed, he looks for dents and scratches as a starting point. This urban patina is part of the history and story of the car. He gradually removes the layers of paint, follows the color patterns and combinations to create the design that eventually appears.
How do you envision your pieces used in a living space?
We envision our tables being used by people who appreciate functional art and are sensitive to the environment. There is much art that is viewed from a distance, our tables are art that should be used, touched, and be part of your daily routine. The three different lines and varied functions of our tables (coffee, end, bar-height) offer a broad range of use in homes in offices. Our wall tiles, wall panels and counter-tops take the idea a step further in the interior environment. Art comes in many forms but these are truly functional in nature.
Kiel Arto Coffee Table
Share the brief back story of your design studio and how it came to be?
Peter Kalnins, one of the partners, had three beliefs that were the basis for making the tables and establishing the company: 1) Materials must be honest and have integrity. Automotive body panels are not plastic pretending to be wood – this is factory painted steel that deserves a second life.
Kiel Arto Table collection
Saving this material from the crusher is good for the environment. Working to protect the environment is what responsible humans should be doing. 2) Tables need to be sturdy and truly functional. Everyone knows a coffee table that has a “shimmy and shake” problem. You can’t put a coffee mug on it, because 2-year-old Johnny will bump the table and the coffee will spill. Tables must be rock solid and should not dictate how you use them. 3) Art can be not only something you look at, but also something you can use, touch and enjoy in everyday life. As his background is engineering and architecture, Peter approached his friend and artist Kristaps Gulbis about creating art from reclaimed automotive steel to set into tables. Together they designed the tables and worked out the technical aspects of these table lines.
Kiel Arto Dining Table on view at ICFF. Photo Credit, The Design Tourist
What’s new and next for you?
Within the last 12 months, we have launched the company and designed three lines of tables. We are going to Dwell on Design in LA at the end of June and ICFF in Miami in October. We have our tables in 3 galleries already two in Chicago and one in Riga. We hope to find more like-minded galleries interested in carrying our products. We hope to find our way into homes, offices and hotels in the US.
For the latest design finds and trends, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel so you don’t miss a single episode of my design travels and as always, subscribe to the blog for interviews with tastemakers and trendsetters in art, architecture and design. For more luxury design finds, read the related blog post below:
What’s new and next in luxury interiors. Cool products and design finds from the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City.
Automotive Inspired Furniture:
Sleek, sexy yet masculine, the coveted Lamborghini sports car becomes the muse for a furniture collection by the lifestyle company Tonino Lamborghini. Arm chair drivers can immerse themselves in Lamborghini’s signature red and gray quilted leather patterned sofas and chairs.
Sofa and coffee tables by Tonino Lamborghini, inspired by the sleek styling of the Lamborghini sports car. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Founded in Italy in 1981 by Tonino Lamborghini, heir of the Lamborghini family, the collection draws inspiration from his family heritage and experience in mechanical and automotive engineering that manifests in a range of luxury design products.
Chair by Tonino Lamborghini, inspired by the sleek styling of the Lamborghini sports car. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Kiel Arto Design transforms old autobody steel into alluring patinas that adorn the tabletops of its debut collection. Opened less than a year ago, the company envisions its tables being used by people who appreciate functional art and are sensitive to the environment. “There is much art that is viewed from a distance, our tables are art that should be used, touched, and be part of your daily routine,” says artist Kristaps Gulbis, who teases out the hidden beauty of painted auto body steel in a collection of tables, wall tiles, wall panels and counter-tops.
Reclaimed autobody steel creates alluring patinas on the tabletops of pieces by Kiel Arto Design. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
Using automobile rooftops and embracing the dents and scratches, he creates an urban patina by gradually removing the layers of paint, following the color patterns and combinations to create “a painting that becomes a functional, practical piece of art.”
Reclaimed autobody steel creates alluring patinas on the tabletops of pieces by Kiel Arto Design. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
“Automotive body panels are not plastic pretending to be wood – this is factory painted steel that deserves a second life. Saving this material from the crusher is good for the environment,” says Kalnins.
Table made of reclaimed automotive steel by Kiel Arto Design.
Table made of reclaimed automotive steel by Kiel Arto Design.
Knitted Up:
Knitted, knotted and crocheted patterns nod to handmade craft rendered in contemporary silhouettes. The Cabaret collection of sofas and chairs reminds me of an oversized knit sweater with its knotted and weaving technique. Designed by Kenneth Cobonpue, the Philippines based, award-winning designer brings a new face to modern design using natural fibers and materials.
The Cabaret High Back Sofa and High Back Lounge Chair by Designer Kenneth Cobonpue. One of my favorite design finds at ICFF.
The Kabuki Floor Lamp by Kartell creates its lace patterning via an injection moulded process that produces a perforated surface dispersing light in a gorgeous grid.
Pod Chair crafted of woven sisal and other fibers on exhibit at ICFF. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
Memphis Group Tributes:
Several collections caught my eye for their playful nod to the no rules approach to The Memphis Group design movement. Le Point D, a french furniture company, debuted the Couchino sofa by Margaux Keller, who “plays with everyday rules to surprise people.”
The Couchino sofa by Margaux Keller from Le Point D on exhibit at ICFF. One of my favorite design finds for its playful nod to The Memphis Group. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist.
Furniture designer Annie Evelyn appeals to my material fixation with a collection of chairs that invent new tactile experiences. At first glance, the orbs appear to be sculptures but upon closer inspection, they are soft seating that resemble bean bags. Evelyn crafted the Oshibana Chair out of handmade paper flowers, silk flowers, foam and wood.
The Oshibana Chair by Annie Evelyn plays with our concept of the chair and the typical materials used in construction of seating. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
The Scale Lounge, also by Annie Evelyn, takes shape from foam, fabric and nickel scales.
The Scale Lounge by Annie Evelyn is both sculpture and seating. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
On The Fringe:
Design na Pele (DNP) champions Brazilian leather internationally and brought to ICFF a swing chair made of leather fringe by designer Marta Manente who says , “With these projects, we aim to amaze by the audacity of updating traditional techniques and applications of leather in furniture.”
Leather fringe swing chair by Brazilian designer Marta Manente on exhibit with Design na Pele. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
The Thing Stools from Konekt Furniture add a dash of fringe with horsehair and material mix of brass banding and velvet upholstered tops. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
Warp Lounge by Walker Nosworthy renders a high-tech take on fringe with its dangling cables. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
The Right Angles:
Luxury design has all the right angles on beauty with current looks celebrating the sharp, angular forms of triangles, diamonds, trapezoids and more. StickBulb’s X Collection of lighting fixtures create graphic and structurally closed shapes inspired by hexagonal and tetrahedral forms in nature.
Reclaimed wood light fixtures by StickBulb illuminate in triangular formations. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
The Bolognese Stool or Table by Tino Valentinitsch for Spolia skillfully combines marquetry with modern angular shapes. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
Ginger Brown is a French company that debuted a desk and table that was all angles. The table mimics the form of a gemstone and the asymmetrical desk defies the typical rectangular top.
Asymmetrical furniture that draws beauty from its angles by French furniture company, Ginger Brown. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
Unusual Woodwork:
Wood takes on surprising forms such as bathtubs, bikes and light fixtures in some of the latest luxury products.
Wooden Bicycle and bathtub at the M Brace Interiors booth. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
London based designer Donald Baugh, debuted his collection of wooden light pendants with each interior painted in a dense acrylic pigment for a visual surprise. Using a variety of wood species including walnut, oak and sapele, Baugh sculpts soft organic forms that glow within.
Omar Pendants made of wood by Donald Baugh. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist
Eclipse and Omar Light Pendants made of wood by Donald Baugh. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist.
For the latest design finds and trends, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel so you don’t miss a single episode of my design travels and as always, subscribe to the blog for interviews with tastemakers and trendsetters in art, architecture and design.
Get a handle on the latest styles for kitchen and bath hardware with Amerock as the trendsetting company shares some of the latest looks in kitchen and bath style from faceted to farmhouse chic and crystal to champagne gold. For more, check out www.Amerock.com
Simpson Door Company debuts several new interior and exterior doors that elevate the curb appeal and interior style of any home including on-trend pivot doors, weather-resistant designer doors in fashion forward colors and updated flush doors. Join The Design Tourist Karen LeBlanc as she takes you inside The New American Home, the official show home of the International Builders Show to experience the design potential of custom Simpson Doors and check out the company’s latest launches for making a grand entrance.
Join The Design Tourist Karen LeBlanc as she explores the latest kitchen and bath trends with Wellborn Cabinet Inc., including the tri-tone kitchen and Wellborn’s new Aspire Cabinetry, a seamless, no handles collection of soft open and close storage that speaks to the latest looks in modern kitchens.
Armstrong Flooring launches its new Vivero Collection of Flooring made of cultured diamond particles in 33 True-to-Life Colors. Vivero with Diamond 10 Technology is 100 percent waterproof so no swelling or buckling with planks are exposed to water. Watch as The Design Tourist Karen LeBlanc puts Vivero with Diamond 10 technology to the test against other competitor products. Check out some of the latest looks in flooring from rustic vintage timbers to exotic wood species.
The Design Tourist, Karen LeBlanc brings you a first look at Silestone by Cosentino’s N-Boost Technology that creates quartz surfaces with more luster, saturated color and stain resistance. Check out some of the latest marble and stone looks the new Eternal Collection of quartz with N-Boost that modifies the surface of the material at a molecular level and discover the hottest trend in surface finishes. For more, check out www.cosentino.com
ITALdoors debuts new Italian-made modern doors for the interior and exterior including several that appear on HGTV shows and on the pages of interior design magazines. The Design Tourist, Karen LeBlanc explores these design potential of these Italian designed doors to elevate the look of any living space. For more go to http://www.italdoors.it
Learn the art of Material Mixology from Wilsonart, a trendsetter in surface style for the kitchen and bath. Check out design ideas and the latest looks for countertops, cabinets and cladding. Join The Design Tourist, Karen LeBlanc, on location at The National Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, KBIS, for an insider’s look and what’s new and what’s next in home style.
Rising Design Star & HGTV Personality Bobby Berk reveals his new collection of fashion-forward shower doors for Coastal Shower Doors. Berk talks with The Design Tourist Karen LeBlanc about his inspiration for these functional works of art that turn the shower door into the focal point in the bath. Coastal Shower Doors is a trendsetter in crafting design elements for the bath. The Insider Collection is a collaboration with Bobby Berk and the first in a series of future collaborations with designers for Coastal Shower Doors. Learn more at http://coastalshowerdoors.com
Pantone’s 2017 Color of The Year Greenery Celebrates Color’s Curative Powers:
Greenery, Pantone 2017 Color of The Year, image credit: Pantone
The word “green” as it relates to the home, typically signifies environmentally-friendly features as opposed to its literal meaning as a color. In 2017, green returns to its literal roots in home interiors as Pantone’s Color of the Year—Greenery 15-0343 to be precise.
Fabric furniture manufacturer Taylor King presents a selection of upholstery to commemorate “Greenery,” the PANTONE® Color of the Year 2017, image credit: Taylor King
It seems that we all want a little greenery in our lives to calm our minds and soothe our physical surroundings. In a recent Pantone webinar announcing the 2017 Color of the Year, Laurie Pressman, Vice-President Pantone Color Institute, observed that yellow-green captures the current consumer’s mood to revive, restore and renew. “Greenery conveys a message of health and represents consumer desire to express unique identity and connect with others and a larger purpose,” says Pressman, who calls green “nature’s neutral.”
Pantone’s 2017 Color of the Year, Greenery in home interiors, image credit: Pantone
Pantone describes “Greenery” as a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring, the flourishing foliage and the lushness of the outdoors with fortifying attributes that signal consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.
This hippy vibe and holistic, new age sounding rhetoric surrounding Pantone’s 2017 Color of the Year as “symbolic of new beginnings” and “a life-affirming shade,” (Pantone’s own words) is enough to make more mainstream tastes shy away from the shade.
Yellow-green goes in and out of fashion throughout the 60s and 70s, image credit: Pantone
Day glo interpretations of yellow green in the 60s and 70s. image credit: Pantone
Since the 1920s, yellowish green has cycled in and out of style in fashion and home interiors. In the 1960s, consumers embraced psychedelic yellows and bright greens inspired by pop art. The 70s popularized yellow greens in day glo colors. The recent Spring 2017 fashion runways debuted plenty of bright yellow-green couture.
Bemz cover for Klippan 2 seater sofa, fabric: Brera Lino Leaf, designer: Designers Guild image credit: Bemz
We can reminisce and wax poetic about the color green, but in reality does it translate to walls, furniture, fabrics and decorative accents in today’s home? The answer is yes, but not in ways you would expect.
Moss wall accented with square and rectangular tiles image credit: Mosa Tile
Instead of green painted walls, homes are integrating living walls and moss walls as design elements. People also are getting their green fix from consumer products in shades of green ranging from coffee makers to luxury cars.
consumer products in yellow green, image credit: Pantone
luxury cars in yellow green, image credit: Pantone
“Green is emblematic of its time, crossing all areas of design to express the mood and attitude of consumers. It gives us the confidence to take bold steps to find purpose and passion and redefine success and what makes us happy,” says Pressman.
Fresh off the heels of Pantone’s 2017 Color of the Year announcement, upholstery and occasional furniture manufacturer Hancock & Moore unveils their array of sofas and accent seating in Greenery. Dubbed as fresh and revitalizing, the zesty green color is shown in different fabrics and leathers for an eclectic look.
Bemz cover for Klippan 2 seater sofa, fabric: Brera Lino Leaf, designer: Designers Guild image credit: Bemz
2017 brings high expectations for the color green and its transformative powers aesthetically, physically and spiritually. I, for one, intend to add a dose of green hues for good jou-jou and a home interior refresh. For the latest design news and design travel, subscribe to The Design Tourist Magazine