In this episode of The Design Tourist, host Karen LeBlanc travels to Regensburg, Germany, a UNESCO World Heritage to explore the link between the city’s culture and creativity through its architecture, art and handicrafts. We’ll shop the city’s many artisan stores and regional handicrafts at its famous Christmas Markets and learn about Regensburg’s Bavarian history and heritage.
Artist Tim De Vries exposes secrets with transparent epoxy resin. By hiding the items in plain sight, he questions the secretiveness of it all.
Tim De Vries was born in a village in the Netherlands, but the limits of his provincial upbringing, combined with his childhood love of Hollywood movies like Wolf of Wall Street, Back to the Future, and Beverly Hills Cop, led to a desire for a different kind of life. He even dreamed of becoming an archaeologist, like his hero, Indiana Jones. As he grew older, he realized it was not so much archaeology, but the glamorous and exciting lifestyle of a treasure hunter that intrigued him.
The Netherlands are known to most art enthusiasts for portrayals of idyllic landscapes, and painters like Rembrandt who reveled in the depths of light and shadow. These images were rooted in the society of the time. Like these artists, De Vries’ imagery is drawn from the society he lives in, but the world he inhabits is a radically different one from the painters of centuries ago, and his creations reflect this fact.
De Vries’ path as an artist has not been a traditional one. He studied business in Amsterdam, and went on to work in real estate in Ibiza. In Ibiza, he was able to experience the nightlife he had dreamed of as a young man, which inspires his work to this day. Through these experiences, he learned to question both his rural childhood and the big city party lifestyle he has adopted.
Important influences on De Vries’ work include Andy Warhol and Roy Liechtenstein, along with figures like Arman and James Rosenquist. In his early career, artists like these inspired him to make his own sunglasses into a piece of art, which set him on the path he continues on today. He started off with a collection of design objects, and from there learned various sculptural techniques allowing him to manufacture these objects himself.
De Vries aims to shock and surprise, and isn’t shy about it. He uses his art to question why some things are hidden and others are left out in the open, and through this line of questioning, he reveals unspoken social norms. The phrase “hidden in plain sight” has become a touchstone for his creative work. The contradictions in his work reflect the contradictions of the world he observes.
Many of De Vries’ pieces make use of epoxy resin, a clear substance in which he embeds everyday items. These items, clearly visible but impossible to touch, embody his philosophy. What he demonstrates with these objects is that much of what we know about how the world works happens behind closed doors. Although the rules are unspoken, the unspoken is not unknown, and this is the dilemma his work brings to light.
The Hangover Table, a clear table embedded with items referencing his own life, epitomizes De Vries’ aesthetic. Here we see what happens behind the scenes- but isn’t commented on in polite company. The objects collected here reference sex, drugs, and money, mimicking the remnants of a wild night out. A casual viewer might at first mistake it for a real scene, rather than a piece of art, reflecting how De Vries invites the everyday into his art.
Pieces like Cold Cash (2018), and Gold Rush (2018), give the viewer a window into the illicit. Both take the form of transparent briefcases, showing contents of dollar bills and gold bars. Others, like Light Saber (2019), of course a Star Wars reference, are drawn from pop culture.
Much of his work also draws from his memory of growing up in the 1980s. A 2019 piece titled Gordon Gekko Brick Phone is one such example, drawing on a retro aesthetic and Hollywood nostalgia. The bronze reproduction of the now outdated brick phone showcases his sense of humor. It is the immediately recognizable trademark of an era.
He continues to take his inspiration from the world around him, drawing from current events, pop culture, alongside his own experiences and views of modern society, as pointed criticism comes together with nostalgia.
De Vries objects to the unwritten rules of society. Questioning and exposing modern life is a crucial part of his conception of the role of the modern artist.
De Vries also has a message for his fellow artists: the myth of the “starving artist” is just that, a myth. We are all familiar with the stereotype of the artist who suffers for their art- many know the story, for example, of Van Gogh, who died without selling a single painting. Stories like these lead many to believe that the artist must be a lonely, penniless, misunderstood genius, but as De Vries himself will tell you, this doesn’t have to be the case.
De Vries aims to inspire other artists to look beyond the idea that you have to live in poverty to make art. Outside the studio, he enjoys skiing in the Alps, and splits his time between Amsterdam and Ibiza. The sale of his art contributes to his ability to spend time living a life many only dream of.
Filtered through his own experiences and memories, De Vries aims to create work that is exciting and accessible, without sacrificing his conviction that art can expose society’s hypocrisy. In his world, everyday objects tell funny, flashy, and intriguing stories about the society we live in.
To learn more about Tim he can be reached by Instagram @studiotimdevries
Author: Ian Monroe
Collectors bring curiosity to a week of Miami art fairs making emotional connections and purchases.
The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, at PULSE Art Fair in Miami Beach during Miami Art Week.
Miami Art Week takes place Dec. 3-8, 2019 with more than 80,000 collectors, curators and art enthusiasts attending art fairs anchored around Art Basel Miami Beach. The defining trend of this art fair frenzy is the concept of emotional collecting, art purchases propelled by personal connections with works.
Kazuyuki Takishita, an artist from Tokyo, Japan brings his works to PULSE Art Fair with Gallery Art Composition. His art was a PULSE Prize Nominee.
With more than two dozen satellite art fairs throughout Miami Beach and Miami, fair fatigue can set in from sensory overload. PULSE Art Fair in Miami Beach aimed to be the antidote by creating a sensory soothing backdrop for contemporary art on exhibit. “Our theme is Calm in the Palms. We want to be a destination, not an event on the checklist. PULSE is not just an art fair. It’s an experience. I want people to come here, relax, feel the PULSE environment so that they can absorb the artists here to their fullest extent,” says PULSE Art Fair Director, Cristina Salmastrelli.
PULSE Art Fair, one of the first satellite fairs to join Art Basel Miami, celebrated its 15th year with a curatorial theme that stimulates the five senses. The fair’s signature scent by Aroma 360 permeated through the aisles as an invigorating infusion for fairgoers, who were invited to touch the artwork in many of the gallery booths. A soundscape of cicadas created by PULSE Project Artist, Sandra Mohs soothed and focused attention.
Many of the works piqued curiosity and started conversations creating connections between the art and collector. “Emotional collecting is emerging as a strong trend in the art world. The tendency is to think of traditional collections as governed by strict rules that focus art in a certain genre or style, whether it’s emerging artists, print or photography works. In the last five years, more people are coming to our fairs with a curiosity and no rules for collecting. That has led to emotional buying where someone walks in; they are struck in some way by a piece and they buy it. That to me is very exciting,” explains Salmastrelli.
Meguru Yamaguchi, Out of Bound No. 77, 2018 is acrylic, plastic, epoxy, and UV paint on shaped wood board, presented by GR Gallery at PULSE Art Fair
“We must reflect the population that lives here year-round and we need to offer an international experience. We have artists from five continents here, which I’m very proud of because we need to see how creativity in all corners of the globe. When I vet the galleries and artists that apply to exhibit at PULSE, I want to make sure I’m not giving you just one point of view but all,” Salmastrelli says.
Hyperrealistic charcoal drawings presented by Galerie ALB, Paris at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week
Works with emotional resonance include the hyperrealistic charcoal drawings of Galerie ALB by French artist Nicolas Pegon. “It looks like a photo but it’s charcoal drawings from a French artist. We came here to present Nicolas who works in hyperrealism drawings for 10 years now. He takes people’s surroundings, people of his family and he does these mise-en-scene works,” says Anouk Le Bourdiec, gallerist, Galerie ALB.
The Rendon Gallery presented the Casspir Project by South African artist Ralph Zim including this outdoor installation, the SPOEK 1 covered in colorful beads at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week
South African artist Ralph Ziman makes a powerful statement about social justice and violence with The Casspir Project presented by The Rendon Gallery. Ziman covered in beads a Casspir, an armored, all-terrain vehicle developed in South Africa in the 1970s. The Casspirs were used extensively by the South African Police, as well as the South African Defense Force, against civilians in urban township areas from the late ‘70s through early ‘90s during apartheid. Developers of these vehicles named them Casspirs, an anagram combining the name of the designer (the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR) and the end-user (the South African Police, SAP).
The Casspir Project is a multidisciplinary fine art exhibition that encompasses a variety of media including installation, photography, oral history, and documentary film in response to Apartheid’s effects on South Africa’s culture and community.
Sophie Derrick self-portrait on view during PULSE Art Fair. For more go to www.degreeart.com
Artist Sophie Derrick plays with painting and portraiture using the body as both an object and subject.
Sophie Derrick self-portrait on view during PULSE Art Fair. For more go to www.degreeart.com
She photographs the act of painting onto her skin then paints on top of the photographs, creating a layering of the image of paint and painted image, blurring the boundaries between the two.
Port-O-Potty by Zeke Moores presented by Art Mur on view at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week.
Port-O-Potty by Zeke Moores presented by Art Mur takes a disposable, dejected object taken from the street and places it into the artistic context of a gallery space. The artist uses metalsmith techniques to create his Port-O-Potty, usurping the traditional modes of mass production and the disposable materiality that we associate with these objects. Moores uses mechanized assembly line production and objects made to be thrown out and transforms them into a craftsman’s labor of love.
PULSE Art Fair is my antidote to fair fatigue during the art-saturated week of shows and fairs because of its original programming, cutting-edge installations and sensory-rich experiences. I highly recommend this annual art fair during Miami Art Week.
The Design Tourist aka Karen LeBlanc in the Wynwood District, Miami
During the week of Art Basel Miami Beach, the city is electric with creative energy. All around the Wynwood district, street artists are at work painting buildings with new murals for Wynwood Mural Fest.
Street artists drawing the attention of TV cameras as they paint fresh murals in the Wynwood District of Miami for Mural Fest.
Wynwood Walls is like a street art museum, free and open to anyone who wants to walk around and admire the murals. The concept began as a vision for outdoor art space by developer Tony Goldman, founder of Goldman Properties.
Street artist painting a fresh mural at The Wynwood Walls
His concept started with six painted buildings that he commissioned artists to paint in the area which eventually became the core.
Mural at the Wynwood Walls in Miami
Over the next decade, the painted walls proliferated. Each year during Art Basel Miami Beach, new murals are unveiled creating a destination of urban art.
The Design Tourist videographer filming a street artist painting a fresh mural for mural fest in the Wynwood District, Miami
I met up with Zack Lawrence, production manager for Wynwood Mural Festival on opening day as vendors were setting up tents and food trucks in anticipation of huge crowds later that evening.
Street artists painting a new mural at the entrance to mural fest in the Wynwood District, Miami
A team of street artists were at work painting a mural at the entrance to the festival grounds, one of many fresh murals coloring the buildings of the Wynwood District.
The Wynwood District in Miami
“The Wynwood arts district is an area of Miami that was founded originally by artists. They are bringing this graffiti and mirrorless culture into the city in a major way. They’ve purchased a lot of the properties in the area. They own a lot of the warehouses and they collaborate with a lot of the businesses around this area to create this ethos that exists in this neighborhood. It attracts people from all around the world every single year to paint large murals. A lot of these people are world-famous painters and muralists,” Lawerence says.
Mural in the Wynwood District in Miami
“We’re here for the art and we’re trying to plant a flag in the neighborhood that really makes us a mainstay. We want to continue to put this event on, as well as other events to represent the entire collective of artists and businesses in the neighborhood,” Lawerence says.
Mural in the Wynwood District in Miami
During Art Basel Miami, some of the biggest names in graffiti and street art come to the Wynwood District to paint walls that are divided into zones curated by art experts. I met up with one of the curators, Gleason LeRoy, who selected street artists to paint walls in his zones. “So, the zones are actually different collectives that actually have been painting their own zones every year. We came together as one for the Mural Fest to kind of take back the neighborhood from everybody else. It’s not about competing with each other, but to unify and really give it that artists feel,” LeRoy says.
Mural in the Wynwood District in Miami
Art Basel Miami, as the anchor of Miami Art Week, serves as the marketing season for street artists who travel from around the world to paint murals for Mural Fest and capture the attention of more than 200,000 visitors filling the streets.
The Wynwood Walls in Miami
“A lot of these people come with different stylistic choices in different ways that they communicate their message of art,” Lawerence adds.
The Wynwood District in Miami
Art Basel Miami brings together art in all its iterations and the Wynwood District offers that unique opportunity to experience creativity outside the bounds of traditional art fairs and galleries. It’s an outdoor art museum that is free and always open to the public.
Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series
The Artist: Ralph Ziman
The Idea: Humanitarian Art That Reconciles South’s Africa’s Apartheid Past
The Art: The Casspir Project
The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, standing in front of an 11-ton Casspir military vehicle covered in glass beads by South African artisans at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week.
An overarching theme to the creative works that intrigued me during Miami Art Week was about a hyperawareness of social issues. Artwork with a confessional quality that offered insight into the artist’s personal politics resonated deeply.
At the entrance to PULSE Art Fair, I encountered an armored all-terrain vehicle covered in colorful beads by South African artist Ralph Ziman. It was both disturbing and oddly beautiful—an emotionally jarring juxtaposition. The beaded tank is called a Casspir, used by the South African Police and Defense Force against civilians during apartheid. Ziman named it SPOEK 1 and it weighs 11-tons and is covered in 70 million glass beads, arrayed in panels of traditional patterns by African artisans from Zimbabwe and the Mpumalanga province of South Africa, including women of the Ndebele tribe, known for their craftsmanship.
SPOEK 1 and The Casspir Project was presented by The Rendon Gallery at Miami Art Week, December 5-8, 2019 as part of the special projects section at PULSE Art Fair.
SPOEK 1 anchors Ziman’s traveling series, The Casspir Project, presented by The Rendon Gallery. Ralph Ziman’s multidisciplinary fine art exhibition encompasses installations, photography, oral history, and documentary film, examining the human rights issues of apartheid, the over-militarization of police, and state violence.
His art is about making amends with South Africa’s apartheid history by reframing emblems of violence and oppression into art objects. “In Africa, there’s a belief that when you touch something, you take away its power. By covering the Casspir with beads, it became non-threatening. People could come up, put their hands on the tank and by doing so, take away its power to oppress,” Ziman explains.
The Casspir has been transformed into a work of art for SPOEK 1, its surfaces covered in 70 million, elaborate and brightly-colored glass beads, arrayed in panels of traditional patterns.
The name “Casspir,” is an anagram combining the name of the designer (the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR) and the end-user (the South African Police, SAP). Ralph, working with African artists.
Glass beads cover AK-47s as part of The Casspir Project by South African Artist Ralph Ziman. His works were on view at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week.
Ziman also embellishes weapons with colorful glass beads as social and geopolitical commentary. “We originally started with the AK 47 as a response to the arms trade coming into Africa. I was constantly seeing photographs in the press of Somali rebels and pirates. There were AK 47’s everywhere. I thought that it would be great to do this reversal of the arms trade where we make non-lethal, beautiful weapons in South Africa and ship them to the rest of the world. The root of the project is its humanitarian mission to support the families of South African artisans. With every work that sold, the proceeds would amount to a month of living expenses for an entire family,” Ziman says.
The Casspir Project by South African Artist Ralph Ziman also comprises installation, photography and film.
He employs 10 artisans full time working out of his studio in Johannesburg. He discovered these artists selling beads and wire sculptures to tourists on the streets of the city. “They were hustling to make a living. We wanted to create an environment where we could pay everybody a living wage and pay for their kids to go to school,” Ziman explains.
The Casspir was built during the apartheid as a vehicle for the South African police force to patrol and control neighborhoods. “When I left South Africa in the early eighties, it was the height of apartheid, policing involved a bunch of Casspirs with white cops sitting on top with automatic weapons. The Casspir was developed by like the white African military, so while it’s South African, it was very much a white invention,” Ziman remembers.
Photography that is part of The Casspir Project by South African Artist Ralph Ziman. This image shows two Casspirs covered in glass beads.
He bought the 1981 police Casspir from a scrap yard and rebuilt it to factory standards. It took more than 100 artisans three years to cover the tank in colorful beads. “This project is about owning up to our history of apartheid and the Casspir and transforming that,” Ziman adds.
Ralph Ziman was selected for the special project section of the 2019 edition of PULSE Art Fair where he will present SPOEK 1, an 11-ton decommissioned, apartheid-era Casspir vehicle that has been restored and reclaimed
The South African government decommissioned Casspirs after the apartheid leaving their hulls in scrap yards as a relic of their tumultuous past. The United States bought several to use during the Iraq war years, rebranded as the MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected). After the war, these Casspirs were given free of charge to local United States police departments under the Pentagon’s 1033 Program.
“I felt an urgency to do this project because I started seeing these Casspir vehicles showing up on the streets of America, in the news, in protests such as Black Lives Matter. I wanted to tell our joint history with the Casspir,” Ziman says.
Ziman says The Casspir Project aims to subvert the narratives of violence and oppression by celebrating South Africa’s creativity and community.
The Casspir Project was presented by The Rendon Gallery at Miami Art Week
Ralph Ziman was born in 1963 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California.
Learn more about Ralph Ziman’s work and highlights from Art Basel Miami Beach, in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed during Miami Art Week, airing soon.
Design/Miami continues to be one of my favorite satellite shows during Miami Art Week for its immersive installations and focus on design and art objects. Located next door to Art Basel Miami Beach, the anchoring event of Miami Art Week, Design Miami/ held its 15th edition with 33 galleries and 14 Curio presentations from 13 countries. The design show is a refreshing break from the fair fatigue of white-walled booths. Instead, you’ll find works presented in conceptual spaces.
Todd Merrill Studio is an exhibition-based program representing an international group of established and emerging contemporary artists, each sharing an underlying drive to push the materials that comprise their works to their absolute aesthetic limits. Their dynamic, unique, and frequently groundbreaking pieces stand at the forefront of today’s highly coveted collectible art and design.
As a marketplace for collectible design, Design Miami/ invites international design galleries to present curated exhibitions of museum-quality furniture, lighting and objets d’art dating from advent of Modernism (circa 1900) to the present day.
Friedman Benda’s solo installation by acclaimed multidisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham breaks away from the traditional constraints of a fair to transform the space into part domestic setting and part kunstkammer. Arsham developed and realized a fictionalized environment that is in dialogue with his home’s modernist architect, Norman Jaffe.
In my opinion, the show’s standout installation comes from Friedman Benda, a living space framed by glowing walls and furnished with pieces by artist Daniel Arsham.
Daniel Arsham’s Objects for Living presented by Friedman Bena, New York in a room installation with glowing walls.
The immersive installation breaks away from the traditional art fair constraints to transform the space into an imagined domestic setting.
Sofa by artist Daniel Arsham on view at Design Miami/
The project began when Arsham developed a collection of objects in dialogue with his Long Island home and expanded it into a fictionalized environment. In the first hours of the fair, Friedman Benda sold its entire presentation by artist Daniel Arsham.
FENDI presents Roman Molds by Kueng Caputo
Another standout conceptual space was Roman Molds presented by FENDI, a collection from Zurich-based design studio Kueng Caputo. The conceptual space features ten architectural works crafted from Fendi’s soft leather into a structural material, giving it solidity and strength. The designers tried to push the material to look and feel different than usual expectations of leather by molding and forming it into seemingly weight-bearing materiality.
FENDI presents Roman Molds by Kueng Caputo
Louis Vuitton presented Objets Nomades, a collection of limited-edition, collectible furniture in yet another gallery booth inviting visitors to experience the pieces in the context of a living room.
Louis Vuitton presented Objets Nomades
This ongoing series of limited-edition, collectible furniture is imagined by some of the most creative designers of our times.
Louis Vuitton presented Objets Nomades
The show’s entrance exhibit encapsulates the overarching theme for the entire event: the creative synergy between contemporary design, traditional craft and sustainability.
The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, and show co-producer Chris Fletcher filming Pink Beasts at Design Miami/ for new episodes of The Design Tourist airing soon
I’m greeted by large pink sloths hang from the ceiling, Pink Beasts, an art installation by London-based Mexican designer Fernando Laposse. Several of his Pink Beasts were on view at Design Miami/ while many more were scattered around The Miami Design District as part of a 2019 Design Commission.
Pink Beasts, an art installation by London-based Mexican designer Fernando Laposse. The pink landscape of Pink Beasts has been achieved by dying the sisal fibers with the natural dye made from cochineals, a tiny parasitic insect that is native to central Mexico and grows on the Opuntia cactus, commonly known as the prickly pear. Cochineals produce the world’s brightest natural red dye and were used by the Aztecs to color everything from textiles to buildings. The cochineals used in Pink Beasts are from an organic farm in the mountains of Oaxaca and the dyed sisal fibers have been harvested from agave plants in the Yucatán. The entire installation was handmade by a community of Mayan weavers of Sahcabá.
With Pink Beasts, Fernando explores materials and techniques native to Mexico, collaborating with likeminded textile designer Angela Damman as well as local artisans in Sahcabá, Yucatán. The artisans worked together to create creatures crafted of thousands of long, pink sisal tassels. Through the Design District, these hairy pink slots are suspended through the trees and arches. Sculptural hammocks also hang between palm trees, created in collaboration with Damman, featuring long, unbraided sisal manes, updating an otherwise traditional Mayan design.
“The Pink Beasts Project also empowered a community of women in the Yucatan of Mexico to actually make wages off of this. It took over 70 people to make this project become a reality. It’s also about empowering the artisans, ” says Luis Concepcion, who was hosting visitors at the exhibit on behalf of the artist.
By interacting with Pink Beasts at Design Miami/ and in the Miami Design District, visitors are reminded that contemporary design and traditional craft and techniques are not mutually exclusive—there are sustainable and organic ways to produce contemporary design.
The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc with the Balenciaga Sofa by Harry Nuriev in collaboration with Balenciaga and Crosby Studios. The companies and designers teamed up to spread the message of sustainability through collectible furniture made from unused and damaged Balenciaga clothing.
Balenciaga and Crosby Studios team up to spread the message of sustainability through collectible furniture made from unused and damaged Balenciaga clothing. The Balenciaga Sofa by Harry Nuriev in collaboration with Balenciaga draws inspiration from an overstuffed recliner and is made from unsellable clothing and off-cuts from the Balenciaga warehouse. Nuriev is the founder of Crosby Studios. A booth spokesperson tells me Nuriev was very calculated in the placement of each article of clothing in the sofa stuffing.
For Design Miami/ 2019 (December 3-8), Balenciaga has collaborated with artist, architect, and furniture designer Harry Nuriev to advocate for environmental accountability by creating a functional artwork using discarded Balenciaga clothing.
“He had a very thoughtful artistic approach to using the clothing as if drawing or painting to give the sofa a patchwork effect. The sofa is very eco-friendly and sustainable. The cushion casing is made of a disposable polyethylene rather than vinyl or bad plastic,” she explains.
The Balenciaga sofa is a proof of concept communicating ideals about sustainability and consumerism through art.
The beauty of botany is the big idea captured in the resin furniture of artist Marcin Rusak.
Sarah Myerscough Gallery presents White Perma by Marcin Rusak The multidisciplinary artist Marcin Rusak continues to explore the beauty of botanical arrangements, this time bound in off-white resin in the latest variation of his Perma furniture collection.
Rusak’s White Perma collection is represented by Sarah Myerscough Gallery. To create his Perma furniture collection, Rusak bounds dried flowers in off-white resin in and slices the material lengthwise to reveal petals, stems, and buds. Their anatomical intricacies on view appear like veins in marble or cavities in fossilized stone.
Marcin Rusak’s sculptural furniture pieces of flowers in white resin
“The pieces have a lovely narrative because Mark comes from a family of flower growers. His grandfather ran a flower business so he grew up around these wonderful greenhouses. I think his art evokes a feeling of decay or melancholy,” says Freya McLeavy, Sarah Myerscough Gallery. Each piece is a sculptural work as well, playing with the idea of form and function.
Design finds that caught my eye and captured my imagination at Design Miami/ include a collection of sculptural chairs by Functional Art Gallery.
Functional Art Gallery’s stand will reinterpret the Abstract Gallery from Peggy Guggenheim’s groundbreaking 1942–47 gallery Art of This Century, placing contemporary artists in conversation with the historical setting.
The Berlin-based gallery was established by Benoît Wolfrom and Javier Peres in 2018 to promote young contemporary designers to an international audience.
The gallery’s mission is to help shape the discussion between art and design and to further increase the presence of cutting-edge design within the larger art world.
Functional Art Gallery works with artists and designers who push the line between aesthetics and purpose, form and function, perception and intent.
The Nalgona chair by Chris Wolston presented by The Future Perfect, made me smile for its humorous take on the human form expertly designed as functional furniture. The woven chair is crafted of 100% Colombian Mimbre (Wicker) harvested in the Colombian Amazon.
The Nalgona chair by Chris Wolston presented by The Future Perfect
Wolston says the human form of his chair riffs on the iconic shape of the plastic Remax Chair, ubiquitous through Colombia, and the playful humanoid quality found in pre-Columbian ceramics.
Nalgona chairs/ Chris Wolston, 2019/ Colombian mimbre (wicker) and steel/ Courtesy of The Future Perfect
Each year, Design Miami/ commissions several art installations tied to its curatorial theme. This year’s theme was “Water” an extension of its on-going focus on the earth’s elements.
The art installation Roots called attention to “alarming changes in nature and our environment” including disappearing forests and wildlife, polluted air and oceans, rising sea levels are rising, and an increase in extreme weather phenomena. Delta Air Lines and the Sacred Space Miami presented Roots by Atelier Marko Brajovic, curated by Ximena Caminos and produced by Alberto Latorre. The idea behind the art is to stimulate cultural and artistic responses to environmental change.
The Roots pavilion is a self-supporting aluminum branching system wrapped with fine custom-made ropes and was designed by a parametric software mimicking the natural growth of a mangrove rooting system. In the middle of the pavilion, a large deck is used as a collective space for ceremonies and for three traditional Amazonian hammocks from which visitors can experience the immersive documentary SACRED COCA.
For more on the artist and highlights from Design Miami/, stay tuned for new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed during Miami Art Week.
Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series
The Artist: Michael Seri
The Idea: Social Commentary on Our Addiction to Smart Devices and Social Media
The Art: iPorn Dress
Miami Art Week blurs the lines between art, design and fashion for new creative expressions that start conversations, precisely the point of provocative art. Perhaps nowhere was it more evident than in the works of artist Michael Seri and his iPorn dress on view at Art Basel Miami Beach that raises questions about our addiction to technology and social media. Michael designed and fabricated the art installation out of clear plastic embellished with broken iPhone screens and Sim cards with iPorn written in LED lights across the chest. I found Michael in an aisle at Art Basel where he was drawing a crowd with America’s Next Top Model contestant Keenyah Hill who was posing for pictures in the iPorn dress. In this marquee fair known for its blue-chip and high brow art, Michael Seri’s iPorn dress was a refreshing dose of originality and creative edge. I asked him about the big idea behind his art.
Artist Michael Seri and America’s Next Top Model Cycle 4 Keenyah Hill and The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc at Art Basel Miami
“Artists hold a mirror up to society. I’m commenting on what I see around me. This dress is not about pornography at all. It’s about being addicted to our iPhone, Michael says. He wants the iPorn dress to be a conversation starter about how we are addicted to social media and manipulate it for our own self-serving purposes. The shattered iPhone screens that embellish the dress are emblematic of our self-absorbed culture.
“Society is too wrapped up in social media and this need to become famous. People are willing to do anything, no matter how cheesy it is, to sell their soul for the attention, the likes, the followers. That not art. It’s not creative,” Michael says. His gallery, Detritus Designs LLC, based in Brooklyn (Dumbo), New York features idiosyncratic objects that reflect his life experiences and Dada philosophy merging art, design, and fashion in an ironic platform that is both vernacular and open to interpretation.
He deconstructs and re-interprets found objects to represent the cycle of death and re-birth. His art reveals the history of the original object yet places it in a cultural context that is both vernacular and 21st century. “My art creates a distinct but unresolved dialogue that is ironic and open to interpretation,” Michael says.
Art that goes beyond an aesthetic appeal to make a statement, provoke a thought or pose a question is what captures my imagination and challenges my intellect. It’s that type of art that I’m most drawn to at a time when I believe introspection is urgent and necessary. Art forces the question, the thought, the self-examination. Michael’s iPorn dress is both social commentary and ironically Instagrammable porn, drawing countless selfies and smart device videos at Art Basel. At some point the crowds were so thick around the model, Michael commented that he might get thrown out of Art Basel for creating such a disruption. But then again, isn’t that a fundamental purpose of art? Disruption—calling attention and creating a buzz to challenge the status quo.
For more on the artist and highlights from Art Basel Miami Beach, stay tuned for new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed during Miami Art Week.
Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series
The Artist: Andrea Mancuso
The Idea: Stimulate Curiosity by Juxtaposing the Familiar with the Unexpected
The Art: Metamorphosis
In my Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series from my visit to Miami Art Week, I introduce you to the work of Italian Designer Andrea Mancuso.
The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, and the artist Andrea Mancuso who created the art installation Metamorphosis at Design/Miami
One of my favorite shows during Miami Art Week is Design/Miami for its immersive experiences, booths that are each a mise-en-scène, placing art objects and furniture into context. Design/Miami is the only satellite show that is laser-focused on design. There, you will find art, sculpture and themed environments such as the immersive scenography, Metamorphosis presented by Perrier-Jouët.
Metamorphosis presented by Perrier-Jouët and designed by Andrea Mancuso on view at Design/Miami
I’ve never seen anything like it—part sculpture, part art installation. The room is covered with ceramic flower blooms painted in the golden tones of the French champagne house’s vineyards. Milan-based Italian designer Andrea Mancuso created the art installation and tells me that I’m actually looking at 11,000 mounted ceramic pieces evoking the concave shape of the champagne bottles he saw maturing in the cellars of Perrier-Jouët.
Artist Andrea Mancuso, co-founder of the Analogia Project, working on his art installation Metamorphosis for Design/Miami at the Alessio Sarri Ceramic workshop.
“So of course, Champagne ages in bottles instead of barrels and they’re stacked on top of each other in the cellars, creating a beautiful pattern. I use that pattern making irregular shapes and I use the color palette of the vineyards during the harvest,” says Mancuso. He is the co-founder of the Analogia Project, a multidisciplinary practice that uses design as a means to distort reality and to provoke emotional connections with the viewer.
“I used ceramic for the possibilities of colors that I could achieve here. There are 11,000 pieces of ceramics in 15 different shades,” Mancuso says.
concave ceramic circles that mimic the bottoms of champagne bottles readied to be painted and installed in a landscape that evokes the Maison Perrier-Jouët vineyards at harvest time.
Metamorphosis is Maison Perrier-Jouët’s eighth collaboration with the fair and draws inspiration from the Art Nouveau movement’s unconventional observations of nature. “Loyal to the ethos of Art Nouveau, Mancuso’s work for the House unites traditional craftsmanship with modern technology and is infused with Maison Perrier-Jouët’s vision of reinvented nature”, explains Axelle de Buffévent, Style Director at Maison Perrier-Jouët.
Metamorphosis, interprets the Art Nouveau heritage of the Maison Perrier-Jouët merging art, history and design.
Mancuso created the space to evokes the Japanese concept of Engawa -a similar concept to a sunroom – that serves as a communal gathering space. His aim for all who entered the art installation was to stimulate curiosity and interaction by intercepting the familiar with the unexpected.
Andrea Mancuso designed a collection of champagne glasses created with the Berengo Foundation in Murano – each inspired by the six characteristic Cuvée’s of Maison Perrier-Jouët and showcased at Design Miami/.
Based on conversations with Maison Perrier-Jouët Cellar Master Hervé Deschamps, Mancuso also designed six glasses, one for each cuvee that describes the notes and the characteristics of each champagne.
Andrea Mancuso designed a collection of champagne glasses created with the Berengo Foundation in Murano – each inspired by the six characteristic Cuvée’s of Maison Perrier-Jouët and showcased at Design Miami/.
The glasses were crafted by Murano-based glassblowers Fondazione Berengo using the demanding practice of lost-wax casting, an ancient technique of Art Nouveau artists. The same meticulous method was used for the champagne bowl that recalls the iconic anemone flower designed for the House in 1902 by Emile Gallé, a Master of Art Nouveau.
Italian ceramicists Alessio Sarri and Nuevoforme helped create the installation of glasses displayed in six alcoves on stands made using lost-wax casting.
The collection of glasses is displayed across six alcoves, presented on stands made using lost-wax casting. Italian ceramicists Alessio Sarri and Nuevoforme also worked on the alcove display and glasses.
“The Perrier-Jouët non-vintage cuvees are captured with the unbridled growth of blooming nature, with roots and leaves climbing up the stem to embrace the bowl of the glass. Whereas developed nature is interpreted with elegant, structured lines to evoke the Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque cuvees,” observes Hervé Deschamps.
Italian designer Andrea Mancuso, of Analogia Project, created Metamorphosis in the spirit of Art Nouveau. Mancuso’s work for the House unites traditional craftsmanship with modern technology.
Metamorphosis is one of several collaborations with designers and design institutions featured at Design/Miami, a global forum bringing together collectors, gallerists, designers, curators, and critics. The show features the world’s top galleries presenting museum-quality exhibitions of the twentieth and twenty-first century furniture, lighting, and objets d’art. Design/Miami is held alongside the Art Basel fairs in Miami, Florida, each December and Basel, Switzerland, each June.
Learn more about the artists and art objects featured at Design/Miami in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.
Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series
The Artist: Antonio Brasko
The Idea: The Acculturation of Graffiti, Street Art and Fashion
The Art: Brandalism
Artist Antonio Brasko with The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, and videographer and show co-producer Chris Fletcher filming his Brandalism collection for a new episode of The Design Tourist show airing soon.
At the Spectrum Miami, I was drawn to the booth of artist Antonio Brasko and his collection Brandalism, a cheeky mashup of luxury labels and logos with low brow objects such as paint spray cans and boom boxes.
Chanel Boombox by Antonio Brasko, part of his Brandalism collection on view at Spectrum Miami.
Brasko is one of more than 500 leading contemporary artists who showcased their works during the five-day art show and his work stands out for its cultural statement. I asked him about his ideas behind Brandalism.
Supreme Louis Vuitton Paint Spray Cans by Antonio Brasko, part his of Brandalism collection on view at Spectrum Miami
“Brandalism started in 2006. I started using spray cans as the canvas for my work. The collection is inspired by a study about how these fashion brands have tapped into the world of graffiti and street art and they are reappropriated. This is my commentary on these brands. I’m showcasing a different perspective,” Brasko says.
Gucci Boxing Gloves by Antonio Brasko, part of his Brandalism Collection on view at Spectrum Miami
Brasko reintroduces the ideology of vandalism and fashion from an experimental perspective. His fusion of style incorporates spray paint, streetwear and luxury branding. “I want Brandalism to resonate with the culture right now. It’s kind of a mashup of what’s going on in culture, art and fashion and how those cultures collide. My work is a commentary on how street art and luxury brands have intersected so they are almost like one right now,” Brasko says.
Brandalism paint spray cans by Antonio Brasko on view at Spectrum Miami
Brasko started as a graffiti artist with a background in graphic design having produced creative for brands including Adidas, Jaguar, Land Rover, Nike, Intel, Paris Saint-Germain, Wu-Tang Clan, Reigning Champ and more. He started his Brandalism collection with his Spray Paint Art Series and works from his creative design studio in Portland, Oregon. Using classic Montana spray paint cans, Brasko covers each luxury brand logos that represent a bridge between the worlds of street art and luxury brands.
Gucci Boxing Gloves by Antonio Brasko, part of his Brandalism collection on view at Spectrum Miami
I asked him how he picks his luxury brands and objects to create his art. “A lot of the brands have crossover into the world of street art or graffiti. That’s the first criteria when selecting mediums to work with. The second criteria is the color palette. It’s also a study on color. I create a spectrum of colors that tells the story,” Brasko says.
Brandalism Collection on view at Spectrum Miami
Brandalism is conceptual art and it strikes me as a bit of pop psychology, an examination of our cultural obsessions with brand names and attachment to logos as an expression of self-worth. Brasko’s art is provocative because it draws your own thoughts and interpretations about the current cultural moment.
He interlaces emblematic brands and their signature colors with cans and other objects as the basic means of graffiti art conveying its vandalistic ideals and the freedom that it proclaims.
Learn more about the art of Antonio Brasko in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.
With dozens of art fairs and shows Miami Art Week competing for my attention, it’s impossible to attend and experience every art, fashion and entertainment event. Shows extend from Miami Beach, anchored around Art Basel Miami, the mothership of all art fairs, and spread throughout downtown Miami and Wynwood District. My strategy is to experience a cross-section of art fairs that represent everything from blue-chip art to urban art which brings me to Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami, held inside Mana Wynwood convention center, December 4—8, 2019.
The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, at Spectrum Miami and Red Dot Miami, filming and reporting on innovative works and trends in the art world during Miami Art Week.
I attended the Opening Night Preview Party sponsored in association with Jadot and Bulleit Bourbon where I sipped on a , inspired by the iconic Bulleit Bourbon label and whiskey.
3D printed cocktail at the Bulleit 3D Printed Frontier bar
Nearby, I admired the debut of the Bulleit Art in a Bottle Collection.
Bulleit Frontier Whiskey partnered with Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami to create an art project of 12 original works of Bulleit Art in a Bottle
Bulleit Frontier Whiskey partnered with Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami to create an art project of 12 original works of Bulleit Art in a Bottle in collaboration with south Florida artists Jason Skeldon “SKEL” and Elidea. Both artists are known for their unique visions and use of multiple mediums to create something new.
Jason’s art depicts human-animal hybrids who are taking their vocation to new heights, such as mixologists, scientists, architects and tattoo artists. Each character is shown raising a glass of whiskey to toast achievements and their commitments to innovating in new and inspiring ways.
Jason and Elidea’s art pieces are visual representations of what the cultural frontier means to them. Elidea’s Bulleit Art in A Bottle pieces depict the Cuban influence in Miami’s culture.The Bulleit Art in A Bottle Collection is available now at Saatchi Art
What I like about Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami is their commitment to showcasing Florida artists.
An Italian native and Miami resident, Elidea with The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc filming her series The Design Tourist, along with videographer and co-producer Chris Fletcher at Spectrum Miami.
Artist Elidea lives in Miami and creates collages of mixed media working with gold and bronze leafing in layers with different papers and textures to create landscapes.
The bronze and gold leaf layered collages of artist Elidea, the 2018 Spectrum Art show winner and the 2019 Spectrum Miami collaborator with Bulleit Frontier Whiskey’s Bottle Art Exhibition.
Artist Doug Powell based in Winter Park, Florida, works with recycled computer keys to create 3D sculpture and art.
Artist Doug Powell created a sculpture Gube Rubik’s crafted of 8,200 computer keys from a keyboard at ArtBlend , Spectrum
Doug creates the illusion of three-dimensional form through the use and arrangement of recycled, or up cycled, computer keyboard keys.
Florida artist Doug Powell placed his piece “Route 66,” for $16,000 at Spectrum Miami
Florida artist Paul Columbus showcased his Phantom Faces and Collaborations with Jennifer Friedland, at the Spectrum’s ArtBlend. Gator Skull, “Florida Boys” was the show stopper at his booth. The piece is a real Florida Alligator skull harvested from the waters of the Ochlockonee River in Northwest Florida and a limited release collaboration between the artist Paul Columbus and his lifelong friend and outdoorsman Justin Rock. Both are Florida natives with a deep appreciation for native flora and fauna that define Florida landscape.
Gator Skull, “Florida Boys” by Paul Columbus and Justin Rock at Spectrum Miami. The alligator skull is painted and coated in epoxy resin.
Columbus also presented his Phantom Faces collection, paintings of surrealistic faces blended with cubism.
The overarching theme at both shows was about creating awareness and connecting with humanity. At Spectrum Miami, I ran into two strange-looking characters clad in rags roaming the show as social sculptures. They were wearing Ghillie Suits, camouflage garb traditionally worn by snipers outdoors to blend in with their surroundings.
The Ghillie Suits by an anonymous artist in Boston who creates these suits to call attention to the opioid addiction crisis. The Design Tourist aka Karen LeBlanc with two models wearing the Ghillie Suits at Spectrum Miami.
“The Ghillie suit disrupts the silhouette and changes the figure making it invisible,” says Colin Beatty of the craft guild Unaffiliate exhibiting the Ghillie Suit Project. The Boston-based artist who designed the 10 Ghillie Suits featured at the art fair wishes to remain anonymous but says his art is a response to the opioid epidemic. He crafted each suit from the articles of clothing from people who died from opioid addiction. “The artist took their wardrobe, shredded it and made camouflage suits of the people who died of addition to symbolize how they were hidden in plain sight. The artist is calling out the stigma attached to the disease of addiction. The Ghillie Suit is a work of art that serves as a catharsis and recovery.”
Artist Eduardo Cabrer with The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc filming her series The Design Tourist, along with videographer and co-producer Chris Fletcher at Red Dot Miami
The work of artist Eduardo Cabrer calls attention to the single-use plastics problem polluting our waterways and beaches. Cabrer suspends found trash and objects in colored resin creating thought-provoking works that raise questions about consumerism and our throw-away culture.
Artist Eduardo Carber’s resin encased Plasticid collection on view at Red Dot Miami
“It’s about creating an awareness of the excess of plastic that is out there. I find most of the objects that I use in my art on the beaches of Puerto Rico. I found the plastic bags in the streets of New York. It’s a contrast between the process of buying something and the process of disposing of something. It’s just creating that awareness of the eternity of plastic,” Eduardo says.
New Jersey-based artist Zevi G, shared a message of kindness with his interactive art installation featuring the character sculpture Gesture, part of an imaginary world called 456 Land.
The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc posing for a photo op with the bronze sculpture “Gesture” by artist Zevi G at Red Dot Miami Art Fair
The bronze, bow-tie clad sculpture held a rose and stood in front of a wall of roses. As I approached the booth for a photo op with Gesture, someone handed me a real long stem rose and encouraged me to “share kindness.” Part performance art, guests were invited to fill out by postcard with the address of someone they wish to send kindness and Zevi G’s staff will mail the rose to the recipient on the postcard.
Crazy Sugar Montage by artist M VILLASIERRA (Mario Villarroel)
Crazy Sugar by artist Mario Villarroel is a critical reflection of society, in this case, its addiction to junk food. The work is part of Villarroel’s The Second Life collection that seeks to give a new beginning to everyday objects, that lost their value due to their usage. His paintings are collages that he decorates with disruptive memes.
Spectrum Miami featured the works of more than 200 exhibiting galleries and artists from the Florida region, the U.S. and around the globe, informed by the 2019 curatorial theme [IGNITE]. Known for its urban and upscale works of art, the five-day show attracted more than 40,000 visitors and high-net-worth collectors who interact with the specially curated programming, while celebrating the fine art experience with music, entertainment and other special events.
Red Dot Miami, a curated gallery-only contemporary art fair, presented for its 14th year, saw the highly anticipated annual presentation of leading galleries and their artists, informed by [PASSION] as the curatorial theme for 2019. Red Dot Miami featured more than 60 galleries representing over 500 leading contemporary artists from primary and secondary markets throughout the world.
Learn more about the artists featured at Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.
Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series
The Artist: Eduardo Cabrer
The Idea: Art that Calls Out Consumer Behavior
The Art: Plasticidad
Artist Eduardo Cabrer with The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, and videographer and show co-producer Chris Fletcher filming his plastic trash art for a new episode of The Design Tourist show airing soon.
At Spectrum Miami, one of several art fairs held during Miami Art Week 2019, I was drawn to the work of Eduardo Cabrer who encases plastic trash and found objects in colored resin creating thought-provoking art that calls out consumer waste.
Plastic shopping bags that artist Eduardo found on the streets of New York City and suspended each one in resin as part of his series, Plasticidad, on view at Spectrum Miami
The collection is called Plasticidad and consists of debris and found objects suspended in resin, raising questions about the origin and purpose of each object.
Plastic cigarette lighters that artist Eduardo found as trash on the beach and suspended each one in resin as part of his series, Plasticidad on view at Spectrum Miami
Eduardo started making his resin-coated trash art after walking the beaches of his native Puerto Rico with his daughters to collect shells only to discover the beaches were covered in more trash than shells. “We started collecting plastic instead of shell shells and then I had the problem of figuring out what to do with all of this plastic to add value to it,” Eduardo says.
Plastic medicine bottles artist Eduardo Cabrer found and suspended in resin as part of his series, Plasticidad, on view at Spectrum Miami
I’m fascinated by the irony of creating a thing of beauty out of the ugliness of trash. I find Eduardo’s aesthetic haunting, as if his found objects are entombed as a shrine to the follies of humankind.
Fallen Angel by Eduardo Cabrer on view at Spectrum Miami
Middle artwork is “Dial O for Operator” by artist Eduardo Cabrer along with Fallen Angel on the lefthand side on view at Spectrum Miami.
“It’s about creating an awareness of the excess of plastic that is out there. It’s a contrast between the process of buying something and the process of disposing of something. My artwork is about creating that awareness of the eternity of plastic,” Eduardo says.
Trash that artist Eduardo Cabrer found and suspended in resin as part of his series, Plasticidad, on view at Spectrum Miami
Through his art, Eduardo hopes to create an awareness of issues caused by consumer behavior and call out our throwaway culture. “That is part of the challenge to create something that adds value out of something that has no monetary value.”
Spectrum Miami 2019, is an art fair known for its urban and upscale works of art. The show featured the works of more than 200 exhibiting galleries and artists from the Florida region, the U.S. and around the globe, informed by the 2019 curatorial theme Ignite.
Learn more about the art of Eduardo Cabrer in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.
Six years ago, I founded The Design Tourist blog and video series on the idea that as travelers we can experience a culture through art and craft. Creativity speaks a common language. No matter what the language barrier, we can express ourselves working with our hands, which opens our hearts and our minds to a bigger world and another way of being.
As a writer, my art is expressed in words. I’m in awe of the artisans and craftspeople who create things of beauty with their hands and imaginations. I’ve spent the past half of this decade trying to draw attention to artists and another way to travel that immerses you into the cultural fabric of a place where its history, heritage and traditions are expressed in craft.
As The Design Tourist, my goal is to bring you a global dose of design inspiration by exploring the links between culture and creativity. I’m thrilled to see this idea is catching on in the form of Artisan Travel. Several travel companies are leading the movement with programs that allow travelers to apprentice with an artisan, craftsperson or maker.
Artisan Travel is about creating real local connections while discovering a new destination, learning a new skill and culture, history and heritage of craft.
Companies such as The Thread Caravan are helping preserve and promote lost arts, indigenous traditions and handcrafts through travel. The Thread Caravan offers trips for travelers to apprentice with an artisan practicing craft handed down for generations. The company offers regular trips to Oaxaca, Mexico where travelers can learn natural dyes and weaving, fiber art, ceramics or hammock making.
Photo credit: The Thread Caravan
There’s also a trip to India to learn natural dyes and block printing. The Thread Caravan Founder hopes that by connecting travelers with artisans continuing ancient traditions often in marginalized communities, it can foster sustainable partnerships.
Photo credit: The Thread Caravan
“Our trips show participants firsthand the effort that goes into making the goods they purchase, allowing them to cultivate an appreciation for the intricacies of the craft. This knowledge allows consumer values to shift from quantity to quality,” says Caitlin Ahern, Founder of The Thread Caravan.
Photo Credit: Vacation With An Artist
Another company at the forefront of Artisan Travel is Vacation With An Artist (VAWAA) which offers mini-apprenticeships with 69 master artists in 23 countries around the world. Travelers spend time inside a master artist’s studio making something with their hands while learning a new creative skill. VAWAA offers artist apprenticeships are around the world in a wide range of artforms from painting to leather shadow puppet making. Each one-on-one masterclass immerses the traveler into the artist’s daily life.
Photo Credit: Vacation With An Artist
One example is a trip Oaxaca to apprentice with Juana, an award-winning master of traditional Zapotec natural dyeing and weaving. Her family has been weaving in Teotitlan del Valle for hundreds of years and is dedicated to preserving this indigenous tradition.
Photo Credit: Vacation With An Artist
Travelers stay with Juana in her home to learn and experience the rich cultural traditions of the indigenous Zapotec people. Some of the many ways travelers can experience a destination, reconnect with creativity, ignite a passion, and get inspired include paper mache clay sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, street art, Japanese calligraphy, bookbinding, and rattan weaving.
Photo Credit: Vacation With An Artist
Trafalgar tours recently launched a travel initiative to help preserve and promote the work of artisans and support their local communities through its partnership with TreadRight and JoinTrafalgar trips. One trip that intrigued me is the Italy Bellissimo tour featuring a visit to Giuditta Brozzetti Studio in Perugia Italy, where the owner is working to preserve an ancient heritage of woven tablecloths created on jacquard wooden looms. The tour invites visitors to partake in a private demonstration of the medieval art form. It’s the perfect example of this growing movement underway that explores the craft and cultural heritage of a destination through authentic experiences that connect with local culture, cuisine, art and craft.
Photo Credit: Vacation With An Artist
Travel that explores a culture through its creativity and craftsmanship forges real connections and helps promote and preserve fading art forms and heritage craft techniques that have endured for generations. If you are want to be a Design Tourist, I highly suggest starting with one of these Artisan Travel experiences to open your heart and inspire your imagination.
Meet Brad Joffrion, an artist who hails from my home state of Louisiana, known for its culture and creativity. Find out how this former Mechanical Engineer followed his passion for woodworking and turned a hobby into a bonafide brand known as Slab-Worx.
Brad Joffrion is that rare right-brained and left-brained person who achieved success for more than two decades as a Mechanical Engineer before trading in spreadsheets for woodworking tools. After 23 years working with numbers and calculations, Brad took a leap of faith to follow his passion for creating functional art. Brad works wood and epoxy to create eye-catching, ethereal art objects for everyday life including tables, charcuterie boards, countertops and wall art.
To understand the evolution of an artist, I like to explore the backstory—where the seeds of creativity first sprouted. Brad Joffrion drew inspiration from his childhood growing up in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, along the bayou and neighboring sugar cane fields. “In high school, I was the go-to person to draw banners for different events at school. At that time, swamp scenes were sort of my specialty. I grew up fishing in the Atchafalaya Basin and was fascinated with the scenery,” says Brad, whose extended family claims several artists.
His great Aunt Jeanne Leblanc was a painter and his Aunt Kathleen Joffrion designed the 1977 Jazz Fest poster and still teaches and paints with many of her works on display at www.kathleenjoffrionart.com. “My Aunt Kathleen currently does amazing realistic paintings of Louisiana and it’s wildlife,” says Brad, whose artistic path took a detour in college. At Louisiana State University, Brad earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering and subsequently worked in that profession for more than two decades before returning to his artistic roots.
Artists are often faced with an existential struggle between choosing a practical career that provides financial stability versus following one’s muse. It takes courage and requires vulnerability to put a creative work out in the world in hopes one’s art will resonate. “My daily routine was to sit at a computer and fill out Excel spreadsheets and Word docs. Although the money was great, I felt confined and no creative outlet existed. I lost touch with my creative side. The analytical left brain of mine became more dominant. About a year and a half ago, my right brain creative side woke up. I had access to a fully equipped woodshop and I started piddling with band saw boxes which lead to creating cutting and charcuterie boards,” Brad explains.
Bard’s signature style infuses colorful epoxy into his woodworks— an aesthetic he developed by experimenting with the materials. “I started experimenting with epoxy which appealed to my left brain due to the precise nature of epoxy. There are a lot of variables that can affect the curing of epoxy such as environmental conditions, the accuracy of the two-part mixture, mixing speed, etc. There were many occasions where I stayed at the woodshop for 12 hours straight and alone. No music, just me and my creation speaking telepathically to each other.”
The Creative Process:
I asked to peek inside Brad’s design mind to learn about his creative process. “Regarding my design-mind, I make every effort to create something unique for my client— something that can’t be purchased anywhere else. My desire is for each piece is to invoke happy, blissful feelings when it is viewed by someone,” Brad explains. He relies on his intuition in the creative process, letting the material guide him and contemplating what it is trying to tell him.
“With every piece, I do my best to keep the wood in its natural shape as much as possible. Even though I may cover the piece with epoxy resin, you will still be able to see the character of the grain. When I do coat it in epoxy resin, I will normally use a subtle amount of pigment with some iridescence to enhance the viewing of the piece while still letting the character of the wood show through. I never will totally hide the grain. After all, along with its shape, the grain is what gives it character.”
“My wish is to design objects for people with them in mind. For example, the recent black walnut with black epoxy dining table I designed and created. The base of the table tells a story of the couple who purchased it. The husband is a retired airline pilot and the wife was a boat captain for a large pleasure boat. Hence, the base resembles the vertical tail wing of a large passenger jet and there is a compass made of stainless steel accenting the center of the base.”
Brad sources his materials globally to create creating serving boards, wall art, tables, and counter-tops. “My preference is to use live-edge wood slabs where possible. I even do my best to consume the whole piece even the off-cuts,” Brad says.
He prefers to work with black walnut, pecan, spalted wood of any type like maple or hackberry, and olive wood.
“I feel it’s important to share my creative energy with others and pass forward the energy which may inspire them to create something from their soul. There is nothing like bringing joy to people who purchase and view my work. Those reactions bring nothing but bliss to my heart and soul.”
To see more of Brad’s functional art pieces available for sale or custom order, check out his facebook page for Slab-Worx. “I would like Slab-Worx to become go-to place for unique, functional, artistic designs from wood, epoxy, and metal. My vision is to be a stand-out with theme-based creations for my customer akin to what Orange County Choppers does for motorcycle enthusiasts.”
As the weather gets cooler and the leaves turn colors, home interiors cozy up for the colder months. Here’s a look at 5 Fall Trend Takeways for the Home
Metals Warm Up:
Expect to see warmer metals such as copper, brass and rose gold mixing in with stainless steel and colder metallic finishes for an updated look in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room.
Brushed brass cabinet hardware and faucets complement brass inlays in the tile flooring in this powder bath. The home is designed and built by Orlando Custom Homebuilder Jorge Ulibarri. www.cornerstonecustomconstruction.com
Classic gray and white color palettes remain popular and are accented with warmer metals and mixed metal finishes. In this laundry room, notice the stainless steel faucet paired with brushed brass cabinet hardware.
Brushed brass hardware paired with gray cabinets and gray wood look porcelain tile floor in this laundry room. The home is designed and built by Orlando Custom Homebuilder Jorge Ulibarri, www.cornerstonecustomconstruction.com
Matte Black is Having a Moment:
Kitchen by Orlando Custom Homebuilder Jorge Ulibarri, www.cornerstonecustomconstruction.com
Expect to see the continued popularity of mixing mattes and metals in kitchens which is why Matte Black is having a moment. Notice the matte black cabinet hardware paired with white cabinets and stainless steel appliances and range hood. Many kitchen and bath products now offer a matte black version of their product line including the latest from True Residential.
True Residential recently launched a new Ultra Matte Black finish with a textured surface and hardware options of gold, pewter, copper, brass, and chrome hardware. The new hue joins a wide array of available custom finishes in the Build Your True collection which includes Stainless Steel, Emerald, Cobalt, Gloss Black, Matte White, and Antique White.
Transitional Style Mash-Ups:
The transitional style mashup in this custom bathroom pairs Moroccan floor tiles with an industrial mirror and matte black bathroom fittings. The home is designed and built by Orlando Custom Home Builder Jorge Ulibarri www.cornerstonecustomconstruction.com
I’m also seeing the latest interpretations of transitional styling that mixes eclectic and industrial elements throughout. Notice the Moroccan floor tile paired with an industrial mirror and matte black bathroom fittings.
Another transitional style mashup is in this bathroom by Orlando Custom Home Builder Jorge Ulibarri. Notice the industrial-styled vanity lights paired with geometric sleek vessel sinks and modern octagon mosaic floor tile with rustic textured porcelain wood look tile on the backsplash.
Subway Tile Makes a Comeback:
Subway tile is making a comeback in kitchen backsplashes and bathroom wall and shower cladding. This latest interpretation of the subway tile is textural with a rough-hewn effect in larger formats.
This kitchen backsplash features rough-hewn subway tile to add dimension and visual contrast to the white painted cabinets with matte black hardware. Photo credit: Orlando Custom Home Builder Jorge Ulibarri.
NewHomeSource recently asked a panel of experts including yours truly for our trend insights on stylish living spaces. You can check out my interview in its Fall Interior Design Expert Roundup as well as input from other respected designers and decorators.
Sensory Rich Rooms:
A reverence for the artisanal and a desire for soothing spaces drives one of the biggest trends in home decor: the sensory-rich room. This tactile trend emphasizes nature-inspired textures, organic and irregular surfaces and authenticity. The look is grounded in humanity drawing focus to craft-inspired materials such as handwoven objects in natural fibers or handmade pottery and surfaces of raw wood. Think of this as the latest interpretation of hygge, layered with sumptuous materials and touch-me surfaces and an earth-friendly ethos of sustainable choices.
‘Instagrammability’ is a crucial factor for millennials choosing where to go on holiday, more than 41% of people under the age of 33 prioritize ‘Insta-picture-worthiness’ when choosing their holidays.
London. Photo credit: Wego
Searching for the ideal “Instagrammable” travel moment to post? According to a recent survey by Wego, London and Dubai rank among the world’s most popular “Instagrammable” destinations with social-media, snap-happy millennials. The study probes destinations popular for photo ops with millennials and found that London won by a huge margin, with over 118 million hashtags, beating Paris with a margin of 17 million, #Paris’ was posted on Instagram 101 million times followed by Nice with 87 million, NewYork 83 million and Dubai coming in fifth with over 79 million hashtags.
Paris. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Other popular hashtags include Istanbul, Jakarta, Los Angeles, Barcelona, Moscow, and Tokyo.
Barcelona. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
“Instagram is now one of the most important influencers, not only for the destinations themselves but for specific kinds of activities from adventures to wellness retreats, nature, wildlife, cityscapes, culinary experiences, art and much more. Research shows that millennials spend more on travel, life is all about experiences,” says Mamoun Hmedan, Managing Director, MENA and India, Wego.
Barcelona. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Trends for 2019 show that twenty-somethings are heading to places where they can capture unusual landscapes, cultural authenticity and culinary delights. When Wego drilled down into the specifics, Dubai is the most Instaworthy place on the planet for food where 26% of all Dubai hashtags include #food.
The most popular Instaworthy experiences that millennials are looking for this year include outdoor activities in a stunning setting like stand-up paddleboarding New Zealand’s lakes or snorkeling in the crystal-clear seas of Croatia especially now that smartphones can take great photos underwater.
Chiangmai in Thailand also scores highly for Instagrammability this year, thanks to its offbeat unspoiled jungles, elephants, wellness retreats and spectacular golden, silver and even blue Buddhist temples.
Wego’s research shows millennials are loving the ‘Instaworthiness’ of the stunning lunar-like landscapes of Cappadocia in Turkey, the extraordinary volcanic landscapes and wildernesses of Iceland and Hong Kong’s Peak Tram, which gives stunning views of the entire city and bay from the top of Victoria Peak. Further afield, the Hanging Gardens Infinity Pool in Bali in Indonesia has gained huge Insta-worthiness this year, as has Cape Town’s ‘Diving Board’ rock on Table Mountain.
Emerging Color and Design Trends for Christmas
As the holiday season approaches, attention turns to planning parties, events and decorations. The overarching theme for holiday decorating is authenticity and craftsmanship with a generous dose of Mother Nature. One of my favorite sources for holiday décor trends is the Christmasworld trade fair, held in Frankfurt, Germany. After reviewing their trend reports and a few of my own sources, I bring you the holiday materials, themes and motifs trending for 2019 and 2020.
A Celebration of Craftsmanship:
Christmas tree decoration, wooden star with reindeer hanging on the fir tree, beautiful festive background, winter holidays decor
Holiday decorations that celebrate the essence of craftsmanship set the overarching theme for 2019 and 2020. The look curates labor-intensive, handmade decorations rather than mass-produced, disposable, destined for the landfill embellishments. The charm comes form simplicity, a reductionist style.
Naturescapes:
Christmas tree on light wooden background
Mother Nature decorates for the holidays with raw, organic materials paired with rough-hewn and modern surfaces such as coarse wood and veneered wood. Envision wreaths of dried flowers or twigs and leaves paired and table settings and fire mantles adorned with pine cones and sprigs, acorns, twigs and grasses.
Sweet Traditions:
Sweet Traditions is a theme emerging from Christmasworld, a massive trade show of holiday decorations held in Germany. Christmasworld describes it as joyful and personalized with decorations of handwritten messages and hand-drawn images in fresh colors such as peach, red and berry tones. Imagine Christmas stars in various sizes, made from paper and folded, cut, glued and painted all by hand.
Luminous Celebrations:
Christmas tree background
Chistmasworld also predicts luminous, opulent, the iridescent decor will be a trending theme for 2019/20. The look exudes elegance and glamor incorporation dark shades mixed with shimmering metallic colors, iridescent surfaces, sequins, sparkly discs, ultra-glossy finishes, lurex effects, velvet and feathers.
The color scheme includes reds, blues and gold, accented with black, pinks and purples.
Some of Europe’s Most Expensive Cities are Surprisingly Cheap for Travelers
Paris, photo credit Omio
Omio, Europe’s leading booking platform for travel by train, bus, and flight, has released a ranking of Europe’s most budget friendly-cities to visit.
photo credit Omio
The cities were ranked according to the number of free attractions, tours, events, Wi-Fi hotspots, accommodation, and drinkable tap water. The top five budget-friendly destinations include London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid and Amsterdam for their free events and “couch-surfing” options.
London, photo credit Omio
In London, one of my favorite free things to do is stroll around as an architectural tourist, admiring all of the landmark buildings and skyscrapers sprinkled among historic structures. I’m fascinated at how these different architectural styles and epochs exist in harmony. One of my favorite architectural sightings is “The Gherkin” in London’s financial district.
The Gherkin is designed by Norman Foster of the Foster and Partners architectural firm. The 40 story building is located at 30 St. Mary Axe in the St. Mary Axe area of London. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist
The Gherkin is an office building that looks like a stretched glass egg with its elongated, curved structure topped by a dome that serves as a type of observation deck. Another favorite is the iconic Leadenhall Building, designed by architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.
Leadenhall Building in London, designed by architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist
The glass and steel structure spans 50 and is supported by a steel frame rather than the conventional concrete core found in most skyscrapers. The Leadenhall Building’s slender silhouette rises to 802 feet with a tapering profile to respect views of St Paul’s Cathedral and is nicknamed “The Cheesegrater.”
The Leadenhall Building in London is nicknamed “The Cheesegrater,” for its tapering profile. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist
The tower’s design ensures that from this key vantage point the cathedral’s dome is still framed by a clear expanse of sky.
Entrance to the Leadenhall Building located at 122 Leadenhall Street photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist
Entrance to the Leadenhall Building located at 122 Leadenhall Street photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist
Next to the Leadehall Building is another architectural wonder, The Lloyd’s Building, home of Lloyd’s of London Insurance, on Lime Street. Architect Richard Rogers designed the office building clad in stainless steel and glass which took eight years to build.
The Lloyd’s Building on Lime Street. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist
The Lloyd’s Building on Lime Street. photo credit: Lloyd’s of London
Interior view of The Lloyd’s Building on Lime Street. photo credit: Lloyd’s of London
Of course, a stroll over to The Shard is a must-see on any architecture tourism list. The 95 story skyscraper juts into the skyline like a jagged piece of glass, overlooking the Thames. The Shard holds the current distinction as being the tallest building in the UK and the 4th tallest in Europe. For a fee, you can go up to the observation deck for a birdseye view of The Tower of London, the Tower Bridge and cityscape.
The Shard in London. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist
London’s self-guided architectural tour is one of more than 980 complimentary events, including free admission to all national museums. (In 2001, the United Kingdom abolished admission fees to all national museums.) The Omio study also found that Amsterdam offers budget-friendly travel with more than 1,000 free attractions, tours and events.
Amsterdam, photo credit:Omio
Another popular pastime that doesn’t cost a dime is a tour of historic churches such as those in Paris including The Sacre-Coeur, a Roman Catholic Church adorned with the largest mosaic in France.
The Sacre-Coeur in Paris. Photo credit: Omio
Since accommodations tend to be the biggest expense when booking a holiday, Omio also explored the availability of places to spend the night such as couch surfing. The study looked at 38 cities and found almost two million hosts offering their hospitality for free on the CouchSurfing platform. For those committed to exploring Europe on a shoestring, this list of budget-friendly destinations gives savvy travelers an idea of where best to start.
This is a contributed blog post that contains affiliate links
We all, in our own way, strive for success. We may all have different parameters for success, but that doesn’t prevent us from striving for it. Some will stop short of nothing but total domination of the business world, others will simply be happy to be the very best that they can be in their job with no real ambition to ascend the career ladder. Some of us define our success by our health and fitness goals and the extent to which we’re able to push our bodies beyond what we think are the limits of their capabilities. Yet more of us consider our ability to learn and educate ourselves the true measure of success. For some, there is no greater form of success than being a great parent and raising healthy, happy, well-behaved children, while for others success means nothing short of fame and fortune.
However you define success is up to you. Success is (or at least should be) a very personal thing. However, while you may have a clear idea of what success means to you, you may not understand the part that your home decor can play in your success. Whatever your parameters for success may be and wherever you seek it, your home can help you down your chosen path… Or it can hobble your progress. Here are some ways in which your home could be keeping you from success and what you can do about it.
It’s preventing you from concentrating
In an era where more and more businesses recognize the benefits of allowing their employees to work remotely, many of us find ourselves working from home. In this instance, how we maintain our home is intrinsically linked to our productivity and wellbeing. If we don’t segregate a part of the home in which to work and dedicate our thoughts to our work, our productivity can be seriously undermined. This is why it’s so vitally important to have a dedicated space (a home office if possible but even part of a room can work just fine) in which to get your thoughts into “work mode”. This can help you to concentrate on the task at hand while also preventing your work from encroaching on your home life. Quite simply, nobody ever did their best work on the sofa in their PJs. Your decor for your home office should be markedly different for the rest of your home, as minimalistic as possible and with access to natural light (largely believed to be the world’s greatest office perk). It’s so easy to get cheap plants for your home
Your home can also impede your concentration (whether you work from home or not) when you allow clutter to take control. In an era where shopping has become our favorite pastime, the possessions that we treasure at first quickly become clutter in just a few weeks.
Clutter is the enemy of concentration and can prove anathema to your mental health when it is allowed to take over the home. This can prove problematic when working from home but it can also prove detrimental to your well being in another way…
It’s making you stressed
Clutter is one of many ways in which your home can make you stressed. It is visually distracting, prevents you from being able to concentrate in work or in leisure time and prevents you from feeling at home when you’re… at home. Studies have determined a clear link between clutter and stress, which is why the first step to success should be to find a home for all of your clutter (even if that home is eBay).
There are also other, more subtle, ways in which your home can add to your stress and impede your success. Even little things like mismatching colors and textures, an overabundance of the synthetic over the natural or a lack of flow can all make a small but lasting impact on your stress levels that slowly builds up over time. You know something feels “off” but you never quite know what.
Identify and fix the little things which could be stressing you out and add the infrastructure necessary to fix them, whether this is maintaining a clean, tidy and clutter-free home or simply adding an essential oil diffuser to ease your stress through aromatherapy.
It’s wasting your time
Don’t you hate it when you spend 20 minutes rooting through your kitchen cabinets to find a cheese grater? Or turning your desk drawers inside out trying to track down that errant gas bill? It’s frustrating, irritating and a waste of your time. But the good news is that you’re not powerless to prevent it.
Inefficient storage solutions can lead to a lot of wasted time which in turn can impinge on your goals. How often has a lack of time prevented you from giving 100% at work, in business, in fitness or in parenting? Invest in better storage solutions that allow you quicker access to the things you need and you’ll find that not only are you able to cut down on clutter, you’ll shave a few minutes off every day resulting in more free time in which to excel.
It’s wasting your money
Your home can also keep you from financial success by eating away at your disposal income. How many times have you done a double take at your energy bill, checked your usage and asked “how could I possibly be burning through this much energy?”. It’s a position we’ve all found ourselves in but it can be avoided.
Installing energy saving CFL bulbs throughout the home, investing in better windows, checking the state of your attic insulation and installing a smart meter to track your usage are all great ways of clawing back the money that’s so often wasted on energy bills.
It’s making you depressed
We all get down in the dumps from time to time. The pressures of work, family and of course money can get the better of even the most determined of us. Nonetheless, while your home should be a haven of mental health, sometimes it can create more problems than it solves. Make sure that you always have access to plenty of natural light. Keep your home as clean and tidy as your schedule will allow. Try and limit time spent on your phone and other devices and use essential oils to make your home feel calm, serene and cosy. Sandalwood, jasmine, lavender, chamomile and rose oils are all great for helping maintain a cheery and positive atmosphere in the home.
Don’t let your decor keep you from success a day longer. Especially when the fix is usually quick, easy and affordable!
A rare look at pop icon David Bowie’s private collection of art and furniture by The Memphis Group on view at the Modernism Museum. Bowie was an avid collector of Memphis. After his death, his collection was auctioned off and for this exhibit, gathered together for one of the most comprehensive exhibitions of Memphis Group art and furniture. Learn about this movement in the 1980s that broke all the design rules to create its own unique, over-the-top aesthetic as The Design Tourist Karen LeBlanc takes you on a tour of works by Ettore Sottsass, the founder of the Memphis Group and his international group of artists and designers.
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Space Oddities: Bowie-Sottsass-Memphis at Modernism Museum
Must-See Museum Show:
The largest exhibition of Memphis objects ever presented in an American museum
Pictured in this vignette is the Lido Sofa designed in 1982 by Michele De Lucchi for Memphis and the Continental side table designed in 1984 by Michele De Lucchi for Memphis, crafted of laminated wood and plastic. Rug by Nathalie du Pasquier. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist. Both pieces were originally owned by David Bowie.
In the 1980s, a decade defined by big hair, loud clothes and MTV, artistic expression was just as over-the-top, attention-getting and bordering the absurd. During this time, a group of designers began making powerful postmodern statements almost cartoonish and comical in their aesthetic.
Pictured in this vignette are the Palace Chairs, 1983 by George Sowden and the Madras Table, 1986 by Nathalie Du Pasquier. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
These designers were known as The Memphis Group, brought together by Italian conceptual designer Ettore Sottsass.
Members of the Memphis Design Group including its founder Ettore Sottsass pictured with the gray mustache.
The Memphis Group emulated the design thinking of Sottsass who ignored the opinions of critics to create art and objects that flew in the face of 70s minimalism.
The Bel Air Chair designed in 1982 by Peter Shire and the Valentine typewriter designed in 1968 by Ettore Sottsass. This red typewriter is made of ABS plastic. Sottsass created the typewriter before his involvement in the Memphis Group. He designed it in collaboration with British designer Perry King for Olivetti it was groundbreaking for its pop sensibility and bright color. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
The late musician and pop icon David Bowie was a famous collector of Memphis works, many of which are on exhibit at the Modernism Museum in Mount Dora, Florida.
Karen LeBlanc aka The Design Tourist filming a new episode at The Modernism Museum featuring an exhibit of Memphis Design Group Art Objects, many from David Bowie’s private collection.
The largest exhibition of Memphis works in an American Museum, the exhibit includes over 75 works.
The Carlton Bookcase by Ettore Sottsass, is one of 20 pieces on exhibit that once belonged to David Bowie and are now in the hands of private collectors. The pieces are on loan for the exhibit at the Modernism Museum. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Plaza 1981 by Michael Graves The Plaza vanity draws inspiration from Art Deco and old Hollywood. Although the vanity looks luxurious, its made of inexpensive materials—maple veneer over MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) mirrored glass and paint. The small bulbs evoke a starry night over Manhattan. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Sottsass was in his 60s when he founded The Memphis Group bringing together young architects and designers with a shared interest in experimenting with unconventional materials and breaking design rules of modernism and classical forms.
Super, 1981 by Martine Bedin. This light is made of fiberglass, lacquered metal, and rubber. It is one of the most recognizable of Memphis Designs. Designer Martine Bedin envisioned it as a pet on wheels. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Their works were humorous, irreverent and often blended high and low culture. The style appropriated modern iconography, infusing it with space-age futurism, nostalgic nods and bold ornamentation.
Tawayara, 1981 by Masanori Umeda. The iconic boxing ring seating is made of lacquered wood. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Tartar, 1985 by Ettore Sottsass. This desk is part of the Memphis Group collection and is made of laminate wood. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Sottsass collaborators included Martine Bedin, Aldo Cibic, Michele De Lucchi, Matteo Thun and Marco Zanini, George Sowden and Nathalie du Pasquier.
Bertrand 1987, by Massimo losa-Ghini. This desk from the Memphis collection is made of wood and metal drawing inspiration from 1930s streamlined automotive design. The designer referred to this style as Bolidism from the Italian word Bolide a fast moving object. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Together they designed furniture, lamps and ceramics that rebuked modernist doctrine and presented their works in an exhibition in 1981 that launched the movement.
Roma, 1986 by Marco Zanini. This seat from the Memphis Group collection is made of molded fiberglass cast as a single piece. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
The Memphis Group was both revered and reviled for its kitschy, colorful art objects that transcend the boundary between art and design.
Malabar, 1982 by Ettore Sottsass This shelf from the Memphis Group collection is made of plastic laminate wood and painted metal. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
The works resonated in a decade dominated by pop culture’s flamboyant icons—Madonna, Boy George, Micheal Jackson and questionable taste: think neon colored clothing, shoulder pads and purple eyeshadow.
Palm Springs, 1984 by Ettore Sottsass. This table from the Memphis Group collection is crafted of wood and laminate with boldly contrasting colors. Also pictured are First chairs, 1983 by Michele de Lucchi made of enameled wood and metal. Photo Credit: The Design Tourist.
The First chair designed in 1983 by Michele de Lucchi was introduced in the group’s third collection. It is the only Memphis design mass produced. Its ergonomic back and elbow rests have the appearance of orbiting planets. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Max, 1987 by Ettore Sottsass. This shelf from the Memphis Group is made of lacquered wood and reconstituted veneer terrazzo tiles and plexiglass. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
The movement’s shortlived moment in the sun ended in 1985 when Sottsass left Memphis and the group disbanded in 1987.
Magnolia, 1985 Andrea Branzi. This ziggurat-shaped set of shelves is unusual among Memphis objects for its high tech and complex engineering. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
After Bowie’s death, Sotheby’s London sold 100 lots from his art collection in November, 2016.
David Bowie pictured sitting on his Palm Springs Table, part of his many Memphis art objects and furniture pieces he collected over this life.
Other famous collectors of the Memphis Group include fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and Nicholas Ghesquiere, artistic director of Louis Vuitton.
Architect and industrial designer Michael Graves continued to evolve many of the Memphis Group ideals through his work as “The Father of Postmodernism Architecture.” Just days before his death in 2015, I had the privilege of visiting Michael Graves at his home in Princeton, New Jersey. Grave’s signature postmodern design language produced many iconic products over his lifetime and made Target the cool place to shop. I invite you to watch my talk with Michael as he shares thoughts on his legacy and the future of architecture and design.
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Pantone Announces the Color of the Year 2019: PANTONE® 16-1546 Living Coral
The Color of Home Interiors Energizes and Enlivens with Coral Shades
Pantone Color of the Year 2019 Home Interior Fabrics in Living Coral by Kravet Photo Credit: Kravet
Pantone, the global color authority, believes our digitally-saturated, socially-isolated lives need a healthy dose of coral to comfort, connect, and soothe. Pantone announced PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral as its Color of the Year 2019, described as an animating and life-affirming shade of orange with a golden undertone. “With consumers craving human interaction and social connection, the humanizing and heartening qualities displayed by the convivial Pantone Living Coral hit a responsive chord,” says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.
Mug in Pantone Color of the Year 2019 Living Coral by Room Copenhagen
According to Pantone, coral is an antidote to the onslaught of digital technology and social media invading daily life. “We are seeking authentic and immersive experiences that enable connection and intimacy. The engaging nature of PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity and symbolizes our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits,” says Eiseman.
Adobe stock image of models wearing workout clothes in shades of coral.
Each year, Pantone probes our collective psyche and pop culture to find out what colors are resonating in the minds and hearts of consumers. Pantone believes Living Coral embodies our desire for playful expression and represents the fusion of modern life. “Pantone Living Coral is a nurturing color that appears in our natural surroundings and at the same time, displays a lively presence within social media,” says Eiseman.
Adobe stock image of leaf in shades of coral
Expect to see Living Coral color in home interiors and consumer products ranging from makeup to stationery as designers and manufacturers interpret the 2019’s IT color.
Stationery is Pantone’s Color of the Year 2019 Living Coral by Brown Trout
Cosmetics in Pantone’s Color of the Year 2019 Living Coral by Butter London
Pantone suggests for interior décor and furnishings to use Living Coral as a bold statement or a dramatic pop of color to any room setting whether in decorative accessories, tabletop, or on the wall. The color connotes tactility and human connection through accessories such as shag rugs, cozy blankets and lush upholsteries for a warm, comforting and nurturing feeling in the home.
Home accessories by Surya in Pantone’s Color of the Year 2019 Living Coral
Home accessories company, Surya just announced its extensive line of coral-colored living space accents in over 100 Surya accessories across its product categories, including rugs, lighting, textiles, accent furniture, wall decor, and more.
Home accessories by Surya in Pantone’s Color of the Year 2019 Living Coral
“Living Coral is a multifunctional color that can cater to a variety of design styles,” says Satya Tiwari, president of Surya. “We have seen coral tones emerging in our product development research. It bridges the gap between reds and oranges in a playful, lighthearted manner, making it much more commercially accessible across industries.”
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Mother Nature Meets Santa Claus in Holiday Looks For 2019
It’s July, the pivotal month where Christmas is on the brain with countless “Christmas in July” sales, specials and events aimed at getting you focused on the holiday season ahead. So, in honor of all this “Christmas in July” hype, I’m bringing you a look ahead at the trending holiday looks for 2019. For the latest holiday styles and decorating ideas, I look to Christmasworld, a global show for holiday decorations held annually in Frankfurt, Germany.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH / Peter Litvai
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Gift Company
Expect the 2019 holiday season to couple Santa Claus with Mother Nature as natural materials and earthy motifs ground the tinsel, faux snow and bling, bling ornaments. Surfaces and structures lean towards nature with grainy, frosty and bark-like textures. Patterns are inspired by nature, including above all, fir trees, deer, twigs, snowflakes, stars and feathers. Wood makes a strong showing in decorative figures. Envision design elements such as wooden trays, candle holders, lanterns, twigs and coniferous wreaths, and hanging decorations in the shape of animals and fir cones.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Designimdorf
Key color stories venture far beyond the traditional red and green with this trend towards natural themes with blue and green surfacing as dominant colors on holiday decor.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Rui Camilo
There are many iterations of this Mother Nature-Meets Father Christmas. The look mixes animal, plants, insects and sea life in colorful, whimsical scenarios: woodland scenes with deer, squirrels and owls.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Krebs + Sohn
Think jungles populated with peacocks, parrots, monkeys, orchid blossoms and palm leaves; meadows with blooms and butterflies and beetles and insects and underwater worlds swarming with jellyfish, corals, seashells, fish, crabs and seahorses.
Here are some of my favorite trending Christmas scenarios to get you inspired as you plan your holidays.
Warm Holiday Lighting:
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Pietro Sutera
Moving lights, wirelessly controlled by an App, bring the figures and objects to life. Warm golden light is visibly taking over from cold white light.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Pietro Sutera
Transparent Christmas baubles filled with light have the potential to be favorite pieces.
Natural Ornaments:
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Pietro Sutera
Christmas decorations merge with real flowers and blossoms, green plants, twigs and succulents and faux flowers and plants as tree ornaments, wreath designs and mantel swags, all enhanced with the scents of candles, room sprays and scent diffusers.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Rudolph Keramik
The color palette pulls in the colors of autumn leaves— red gold and aubergine as well as cinnamon, grey, beige and white with accents of black.
Folklore Influences:
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Peter Litvai
Folkloric motifs mix with patterns in color palettes of yellow, blue and red to create a richly decorated holidayscape with unexpected, humorous touches.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
Design elements include differently glazed and inscribed ceramics, gift boxes with blue printed and batik patterning, and candles in intense solid colors with gentle grooved designs. In between all this, there are eye-catching elements: paper maché rams and horses painted by Ukrainian artisans, strings of lights in the shape of small lobsters, and a wild band of robbers made of glass that is destined for hanging on the tree.
Minimalist Motif:
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Pietro Sutera
This holiday decor theme is an understated style in pure white, deep black, red gold, and cool grey. It draws influences from Japanese aesthetics to create a calm, meditative atmosphere with delicate materials. Artistically pleated, plaited and folded baubles and stars made of matt white paper make an appearance as tree decorations.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
Design elements include minimal shapes and simple materials such as chipboard, wire and paper, light wood, matt porcelain with perforated patterns, transparent glass baubles and cones dusted with white snow, ornaments with high-gloss silver or black surfaces, and marbled Christmas tree decorations in black and white, radiate calm.
Eclectic Gathering:
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Rui Camilo
Eclectic gathering is a quirky, vibrant look, full of energy, multifaceted, and intensely colored. The color story includes lemon, pink, mandarin, azure and rosé enriched with gold and grounded with black.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
This is a look of contrasts with figurative, fanciful and exaggerated design elements. Christmas baubles in neon colors and ombré-effect patterns, others embellished with sequins and mother-of-pearl work, iridescent bird ornaments, dragonflies dipped in gold, and glass jellyfish dusted with gold adorn the tree work together to create a visual feast.
Vintage Opulence:
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Shishi
This Christmas winter wonderland embraces color palettes inspired by the ocean, precious stones and minerals. Dark greens, dark blue shades, light blues, warm golds, bronze and metallic tones, combine to create a mystical, opulent holiday scape. Envision opalescent ornaments in aquamarine and aventurine shades of green with metallic effects, relief work, and patinas inspired by nature. Christmas decorations that are marbled, veined in gold, sprayed with glitter, and studded with pearls are very decorative.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Pietro Sutera
Transparent glass decorations in the shape of crystals with a shimmering look, and precious glass baubles with seemingly rusted metallic coatings, create a mysterious and sumptuous effect. Gold bowls and ceramic dishes in the shape of large palm leaves are all part of this exalted style.
Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
For even more holiday decor ideas, check out my Holiday Tour of the famed Stetson Mansion:
For even more holiday decor ideas, check out this blog post.
I recently appeared as a guest on the podcast Wives Winedown Wednesday to share the latest home interior trends and decorating tips and tricks. To listen to the full podcast, available on SoundCloud, click below:
While sipping wine with hosts Angela Bell Deems, Mitzi Hoag, and Lauren Graham White, the ladies wanted to hear about the basic direction home style is headed.
Me, Karen LeBlanc, Design Journalist, aka The Design Tourist, with the hosts of the Wives Winedown Wednesday Podcast, Angela Bell Deems, Mitzi Hoag, and Lauren Graham White
Here are the top takeaways from my Podcast design chat:
Making It Personal is the Predominant Style in Living Spaces:
The latest looks are all about personality and authenticity rather than copycat styles torn from the glossy pages of shelter magazines. The overarching trend in home decor is more of an anti-trend— it’s all about creating spaces that tell your story through thoughtfully collected and curated elements and objects rather than meaningless stuff. Fill your home with possessions that have backstories which give them beauty and value that supersede any price tag.
Stylish-ISH is the Design Mantra:
As people seek to personalize their living spaces, there is a lot of design-hacking going on, this riff on established styles. I call this home decor movement “Stylish-ISH” adding a dose of “ishness” that customizes the standard style lexicon: Think “Modern-ISH, Industrial-ISH, Retro-ISH and Traditional-ISH and you get the idea. Modern-ISH is sleekness softened with natural materials and textures.
Retro-ISH brings in vintage elements in a modern-day setting creating a space that hints at nostalgia without looking like a museum exhibit.
Industrial-ISH style takes on a softer, lighter look striking a balance between machination and sophistication with knurled detailing, warm metals, especially rose gold and copper, and glass elements.
My Decorating Formula:
The family room in my personal home embodies my design formula
I also wanted to share with you my formula for decorating rooms: Texture + Color + Metallic+ Organic =Timeless Decor. I think every room should speak to the senses with fabrics pleasing to the touch, plants that ground us in nature, metallic accents to bounce light and brighten the space and natural materials such as wood or stone for timeless appeal.
Deep Thoughts on Design:
As we embrace the idea of our living space as an autobiographical statement rather than a style with no substance, we are drawn to products, materials and objects that tell our story through craftsmanship and traditional artisan techniques rather than mass production. This emphasis on handmade, limited edition pieces circles back to our desire to personalize our homes rather than that “keep up with the Joneses” look so pervasive in the 90s and early 2000s. As I said in the podcast, it’s an exciting time to design and create because there are no rules.” If it speaks to you, then it has style no matter how cray-cray others may say:
2018 © Nickolas Sargent Photography
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I’m always on the lookout for innovative design finds and my latest discovery is the Two Way Chaise Lounge because it offers a better way to sunbathe. Invented by interior designer Kate Clarke, the Two Way Chaise Lounge is designed to raise up or down on either end so you can follow the sun’s rays without having to constantly get up and flip the chair around.
The Two Way Chaise Lounge, a better way to sunbathe. Invented by interior designer Kate Clarke. Each end of the lounge chair flips up or down so you can follow the sun’s rays. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
I’m sure many of you can relate to the aggravation of having to move your lounge chair to follow the constantly changing direction of the sun. The shade inevitably creeps over your perfect poolside spot forcing you to shift positions to stay in the sun. Kate had an ah-ha moment while lounging at a resort’s crowded pool that became the inspiration for her Two Way Chaise Lounge.
The Two Way Chaise Lounge pictured here in the faux wicker frame with optional cushions in navy blue. Photo credit: The Design Tourist.
“One guy lifted his chaise lounge around and hit me with it and I thought to myself— Wow if the lounge chair could go up or down on both sides, that wouldn’t be an issue,” says Kate, who engineered the Two Way Chaise Lounge with several practical features.
The Two Way Chaise Lounge, a better way to sunbathe. Invented by interior designer Kate Clarke. Each end of the lounge chair flips up or down so you can follow the sun’s rays. Photo credit: The Design Tourist
Each chair comes with a pull out drawer underneath the seat that contains a solar charger for electronic devices so you don’t need to be tethered to an outlet poolside. The pull out drawer doubles as a drink stand eliminating the need for a side table. This game-changing invention also provides a stylish, space-saving solution for busy resorts and high volume cruise ships where poolside spots are at a premium.
Each Two Way Chaise Lounge was a built-in drawer that contains a solar charger to charge electronic devices poolside.
I tried out the Two Way Chaise Lounge recently to even out my ridiculous tennis tanlines and found it super easy to use. The chair is lightweight and easy to lift up or down on either side. I really enjoyed the convenience of the solar charger which kept my cell phone battery charged up so I could text and check emails poolside. The drawer comes with an optional lock so I can lock up my belongings and take a dip in the pool, knowing they are safe.
The Design Tourist aka Karen LeBlanc sunbathing with the Two Way Chaise Lounge.
I also appreciate the lounge chair’s sense of style; it comes in a faux wicker frame, aluminum frame and poly wood frame with optional cushions made of Sunbrella fabric and outdoor rated foam in a wide variety of colors. For the resort and hospitality industries, the Two Way Lounge Chair is available in a sling fabric that can be customized with a logo.
The Two Way Chaise Lounge in sling fabric that can be customized with a resort or cruise line’s logo.
Kate has a direct relationship with the factory that produces her Two Way Chaise Lounge and can fulfill a large custom order in only eight to ten weeks.
“I envision the Two Way Chaise Lounge in resorts and cruise ships where space is tight. This solves the problem because it eliminates the need for a side table so the pool area can accommodate more chaise lounges in tighter spaces. It also allows sunbathers to either follow the sun’s rays or stay in the shade by flipping the ends up or down.”
The Two Way Chaise Lounge in sling fabric that can be customized with a resort or cruise line’s logo.
The Two Way Chaise Lounge is a clever design find that offers a stylish space saving solution for the hospitality industry and goes great with any poolscape at home.
Check out the Two Way Chaise Lounge in action in this video:
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Brooklyn has a thriving and prolific community of artists, artisans, craftspeople, and designers that puts it on par with other hubs of craftsmanship around the world. Products bearing the Brooklyn-Made certification are coveted by collectors and design aesthetes interested in authenticity and the backstory of pieces they acquire. Once a year, the borough showcases its maker community in an event known as Brooklyn Designs, now in its 15th year presented by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and co-produced with Novità Communications.
The borough’s rich design heritage, iconic style, and bustling creative community are rooted in time-honored techniques and contemporary style, a mix of old and new in small batch and limited run production. In an age of mass-produced, disposable consumer goods, Brooklyn makers return us to the value of something well-built, by hand with heart. Here’s a look at some of my favorite design finds from emerging designers and established brands.
The Platonic Lounge Chair by Francis Assadi Design Studio
Francis Assadi draws inspiration from his background in film, photography and design and his work with Lebanese craftsmen. His latest collection fuses a love for the modern with the aesthetic sensibilities of various cultures.
The Warren Lounge and Q Table by Token
Token draws on the European Arts and Crafts movement, Chinese landscape painting and Abstract Expressionism to produce unique, atelier-style furniture.
Caterpollar bench and layered oval coffee table by Shuya Design
Emerging brand Shuya Design creates custom furniture that combines wood, marble and other materials in unconventional ways.
Handcrafted furniture designed and built by Ottra. Photographed by John Muggenborg.
Brooklyn is also known for its concentration of architect-turned-product designers including Ot/tra that creates hand-crafted furniture complementing its architecture practice.
Torsion table by Foundrywood
Fitchwork is another Brooklyn contemporary maker standout for its ornamental pendants sintered from powdered nylon.
Array lamp by Fitchwork
Quiet Town, Inc. creates stylish shower curtains using ethical, quality materials including 100 percent, 10-ounce cotton milled in the USA. The co-founders created the company because “they were tired of buying pieces they needed but didn’t love.”
Marfa Shower Curtains by Quiet Town
The 2018 edition took place at the Brooklyn Museum, kicking off the first weekend of NYCxDESIGN from May 12-13.
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I recently toured The 2018 New American Home, the official show home of the NAHB International Builders’ Show known as IBS held in Orlando, Florida. I was joined by interior designer Kate Clarke, President of Homes Reimagined, who decorated the home and specified many of its architectural features.
The New American Home in Bella Collina, Monteverde, Florida photo credit: Jeff Davis Photography
Located in Bella Collina in town of Monteverde, about 20 minutes from downtown Orlando, the 6,662 square-foot home sits on a ridge overlooking Lake Apopka with sweeping vistas of rolling terrain that melt into the horizon. The 3.975-million-dollar show home was built by Legacy Custom Built Homes and introduces an updated, streamlined interpretation of Tuscan architecture to this country club community. Here are the top trend takeaways for a look at what’s new and next in home decor and spatial design.
Garages that Double As Saferooms:
photo credit: Jeff Davis Photography
The garage has always been a multitasking space in the home often serving as a dumping ground for household excess, a game room, hobby shop, or man cave. Now the place we park our cars provides a safe haven in the home. Luxury garages outfitted with air conditioned storage space are designed to double as a safe room with reinforced walls. High-end garages also pay attention to design details such as hidden and drywalled motorized tracks for garage doors.
Stackable Washer & Dryers:
photo credit: Jeff Davis Photography
Large capacity washers and dryers now come in stackable models offering a space saving option to those side by side models. This is new innovation in laundry room design takes cues from urban spaces such as small apartments where space is limited. Until now, stackable washers and dryers only came in small capacity units but this latest design trend gives you the power of large capacity with more space efficiency.
Modern Barn Door Hardware:
photo credit: Jeff Davis Photography
Barn doors remain popular design elements in the home from master closets to laundry room and office doors, popular for their space saving slide, side-to-side hardware rather than doors that require a wide berth to swing out.
As style trends more towards modern and contemporary looks, the rustic barn doors are falling out favor for sleeker barn doors with modern hardware.
A great example is this clean barn door track without the typical wheels by Hafele that updates the look of the sliding door.
Space within a Space:
photo credit: Jeff Davis Photography
There was a lot of buzz at the 2018 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show about this concept of a space within a space in kitchen design. The layout is gaining traction as an alternative to the ubiquitous open plan kitchens dominating today’s floorplans. Envision a cut-out wall that overlooks the dining and family room and that is your “space within a space.” It’s open yet separate. Interior Designer Kate Clarke designed this kitchen and calls it a “pass-through,” where the cook can hand over the dishes through to the dining room.
Pendant Clusters:
photo credit: Jeff Davis Photography
This is a huge design trend in lighting that groups together pendants or light fixtures at various heights and often in various sizes and shapes. The pendant cluster is an updated alternative to the single light fixture such as the chandelier. Progress Lighting provided all of the light fixtures in The New American Home with several installations as pendant clusters such as the foyer and stairway. In the foyer, Clarke notes that the pendants are sold individually and purchased nine and attached them to an anchoring plate to create the cluster lights. Also worth noting is the popularity of hanging pendants everywhere from the bathroom to the bedside.
photo credit: Jeff Davis Photography
Bathroom Divider Walls:
photo credit: Jeff Davis Photography
As Clarke notes, “No one likes to see a toilet when they enter a space.” As a design solution, in each bathroom of The New American Home, Clarke designed divider walls to hide the toilet, keeps it separate from the sink, and provide storage and shelving.
photo credit: Jeff Davis Photography
In this powder room, the separation wall provides storage for towels on one side and toiletries on the other side. Expect to see a lot more of these feature walls in the powder bath as it gains priority in the overall aesthetics of the home.
Free Hanging Closets:
Closet design is evolving to become more flexible acknowledge that people’s storage needs change over a lifetime. Free hanging closets with adjustable shelving are a great design solution allowing you to switch up the configuration to suit your changing wardrobe needs.
Wine Room Under Stairs:
photo credit: Jeff Davis Photography
In The New American Home, a wine bar resides just off the entry, tucked under the floating, glass panel staircase. The wine tasting space is outfitted with a tasting table, Thermador wine refrigerators and refrigerator and freezer drawers. This creative use of space takes the wine room out of hiding in the basement or bar area puts it in the main living area of the home as a design element.
Read the full article that I wrote about my tour of The 2018 New American Home published in the magazine Interior Appeal by clicking here:
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Buster + Punch’s Trifecta of Muses: Motorcycles, Metalwork & Music
Architect and industrial designer Massimo Buster Minale calls himself the Black Sheep of the Design World creating products from lighting to custom motorcycles that blend knurled detailing with rock star chic.
I first met Massimo in 2013, at The London Design Festival where he was launching the Buster + Punch label born of his passion for motorcycles, metalwork and music. Check out our interview where he promises to “Kick Minimalism in the teeth.”
Since then, I credit Massimo’s precision cut metal work, inspired by the knurled detailing of his custom-made motorcycle handles, with popularizing the design trend of knurled detailing evident in kitchen and bath fittings, fixtures, furniture and home decor accessories.
“We have become famed for our diamond-cut knurling technique, which we first used on motorbike handlebars and footpegs back in the day. The reason why we use this across our interior product ranges is for two reasons – firstly it shows that we use solid metal in all our products (you can only successfully knurl solid metal) and secondly it captures our DNA – so no matter how ‘ordinary’ a light pendant or cabinet pull might seem, ours have a special story and feel that is hard to put your finger on,” says Minale.
Today, Buster + Punch is a global brand of interior products including lighting, furniture, and fittings crafted with signature design elements of solid knurled brass, quilted leather, and bronze gunmetal. “Our work is inspired by London’s fashion, music and subculture scenes, where we collaborate with street artists, bike builders, musicians and fashion designers to inject attitude into our crafted products.”
Minale began his creative career as an architect working in for a large firm before starting his own firm, Minale + Mann. “My first love has always been architecture. During the day, I worked for some of the largest architecture firms in London and at night found the time to build custom motorbikes. I became increasingly frustrated with architecture because it is a very slow profession. As an antidote, I threw myself into my bikes, both riding and building,” Massimo says.
Minale’s irreverent approach to design comes from the gut, an outlier attitude that bucks trends and takes risks. His work defies conventions in the interior products industry drawing from a creative symbiosis between custom bikes and home decor.
“Each custom motorcycle reflects the personality and style of its owner. “We will always start by finding out what bikes or cars hold an emotional connection with that customer, then we will check out their homes and wardrobes and then we do the rest behind ‘closed doors’ i.e. we will not let a customer see the bike until it is finished……this is very risky, but gives each design a purity that is rarely found these days. We do the same with our products – we rarely use data or general opinion/trends, but go by our guts and hearts and more often than not this serves us well.”
For a cinematic look inside the design mind of Buster + Punch, check out this new short film, Switch Up, starring supermodel Cajsa Wessenberg with music by British Rapper Ms Banks, playing the role of Buster and Punch’s as Artificial Intelligence.
Expect these three design stories to continue evolving as we create spaces that reflect our personalities and promote healthier lifestyles. For more on what’s new and next in design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.
Expert Insight on The Latest Lighting Trends from Jeff Dross, Kichler Lighting
photo credit: Kichler Lighting
For the latest looks in lighting, I recently spoke with Lighting Trends Expert, Jeffrey R Dross, Kichler Corporate Director, Education and Industry Trends. Here is his take on light styles in 2018 and beyond.
What are the latest lighting styles/designs/materials resonating with consumers in the home?
“Consumers today are still gravitating toward Vintage Industrial styles, but the style is taking on a softer, less industrial look. Some of the unkempt finishes and roughhewn edges are being polished away. This lighter industrial feel works nicely in the more relaxed residence consumers are now creating.”
Running parallel to Vintage Industrial in our “red-state / blue-state” world is Contemporary. More and more consumers, typically younger Millennials or Baby Boomers setting up a new home are seeking out this alternative. Chrome, Polished Nickel and White finishes are king here. Designs are simpler and the look is crisp and new.
photo credit: Kichler Lighting
In the bathroom, clear glass still dominates, but there is some desire to shift from the preponderance of Chrome. Black is emerging as a strong alternative, Natural Brass is showing signs of adoption and the addition of wood (real or faux) has become immediately popular.
Photo credit: Kichler Lighting
What are the latest lighting techniques gaining traction in interior design?
Expect to see more and more lighting effects in the home of the future. Light will be used, but you may not always see the source of the light. Lighting over cabinets, under toe kicks, under counters and behind room objects will deliver comfortable indirect light from an invisible source.
Photo credit: Kichler Lighting
The decorative lighting used will also serve as an aesthetic element in the space. Chandeliers, pendants and ceiling lighting will be more curated, less utilitarian. This will then become an opportunity to feature some magnificent lighting fixtures that magnify the design of the space.
Pendant Cluster by Progress Lighting in the foyer of The 2018 New American Home.
Any unique, fresh ideas for lighting installation and configuration?
We are now in an era where outdoor lighting is coming indoors and indoor lighting is shifting locations, up to and including the exterior. Any preconceived notion of propriety has been set aside and the new norm is no norm at all!
Photo credit: Kichler Lighting
Progress Lighting pendant lights in the master bathroom of The 2018 New American Home
Bath sconces are being replaced with mini-pendants. Mini-pendants in the kitchen have grown in height and width to better blend with the tall ceilings and expanded square footage of the room.
Pendant kitchen lights in the ReNewable Energy Home
The dining room chandelier has shifted to an over-scale pendant and if that is not enough, two chandeliers and two or three pendants are the alternatives.
Chandeliers in the dining room of the 2018 Remodeled Home built by Farina & Sons.
Progress Lighting fixtures in a linear configuration over the dining table in The 2018 New American Home
Rather than bed lamps in a bedroom, pendants are used at each side of the bed, or why not mini-chandeliers!
Hanging light pendants by Progress Lighting bookend the bedside in the master bedroom in The 2018 New American Home
Chandeliers have found their way into the bedroom and Master Bath suite and even outside! The disappearance of multi-story foyers means exaggerated semi-flush lighting is used, or a chandelier hung with no chain or stems nicely fills this space. Finally, aesthetic excess is now on display in Powder Rooms.
2018 NKBA Award Winning Powder Bath
Their small size allows for the use of extravagant products that will wow family and friends, the primary users of these rooms.
2018 NKBA Award Winning Powder Bath
Once these unconventional pieces have found their way into an unfamiliar place, additional creativity can be employed in placement. We are in the midst of a topsy-turvy time for lighting employment!
Any thoughts that you would like to share about emerging trends in lighting?
For the near future, I would keep my eye on Art Deco styling. While this may never be totally mainstream, it will have a sizable impact for a handful of years; much like the Mid-Century trend we now see winding-down. In addition, the Matte Black finish is perhaps the hottest color in lighting right now.
Photo credit: Kichler Lighting
As Oil Rubbed Bronze declines in importance, this, along with the already popular Natural Brass (a lighter, brushed version of brass) will begin to dominate. In that same vein, expect the return of Polished Brass, albeit in a denser, deeper coloration then we used for Williamsburg-style lighting twenty-five years ago.
Unrelated to aesthetics is the growing understanding of how our bodies respond and react to lighting. Science is quickly gaining knowledge about this interaction. Expect to hear more about what our bodies need and how good lighting can help us lead healthier lives. Commensurate products are certain to right behind.
Any other thoughts that you would like to share about lighting for today’s lifestyle?
Photo credit: Kichler Lighting
In the past, most homes and rooms were simply lit with a single luminaire in the center of the room. It was light, but not very good light. Our understanding of what we need has matured and our expectation of design has never been higher. One lighting product does not complete the task. A good lighting solution addresses the “Task” needs of the space, includes overall general or “Ambient” light, then add “Accent” or decorative lighting to add sparkle. The concept of Light Layering will ultimately drive lighting design to new heights.
Expect these three design stories to continue evolving as we create spaces that reflect our personalities and promote healthier lifestyles. For more on what’s new and next in design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.
Hygge:
photo credit: Duravit
The most talked about lifestyle trend of 2017, Hygge is a way of being and decorating comes from the Danes and is firmly anchored in their culture. Hygge ( pronounced “hoo’gah” —who knew?) The style philosophy stands for coziness and peace of mind. The soothing color scheme is typically Scandinavian hues of soft beiges and greys fostering a rest, don’t race; relax, don’t stress ethos.
photo credit: Duravit
Simplicity defines this Nordic interior style. Hygge incorporates lots of ambient light including candlelight and small lamps and sumptuous textures. There is no right or wrong way to create Hygge, the style is more of a feeling that makes you want to curl up with a cup of warm coffee or hot chocolate in front of a fire with a fluffy blanket.
photo credit: Heimtextil
Envision soft, lived-in fabrics; warm, glowing light; simple, classic lines. Surround yourself with objects, furnishings and fabrics that make you feel content and you’ve got Hygge.
Wellness by Design:
photo credit: Humanscale
Health is the new wealth and design that promotes wellness and self-care are shaping today’s living spaces. Changing attitudes and priorities about the way we live and inhabit space is driving a wellness revolution in design at home, at work and at play. Today’s consumer demands toxin-free materials, fresh air, and good lighting at home and at work.
Vessel Light by Todd Bracher for Humanscale
Humanscale, designer and manufacturer of products that improve wellness, calls on the science of biological lighting to create lights that follow the circadian rhythms, to enhance mental and physical well-being. Interior plant walls or vertical gardens purify the air bringing nature indoors. Chairs and furnishings that mimic the biomechanics of humans enhance comfort.
Style-ISH:
The ishness of design is taking an established style and adding a dash of “ish” to make it your own. Think: Modern-ish, Farmhouse-ish, Retro-ish, Organic-ish, Traditional-ish. It’s a riff on stereotypical aesthetics.
Modern-ish softens sleekness with natural materials, textures and curves taking away the style’s harsher, cold edges and injecting color into the typical monochromatic colorscape.
2018 Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York City photo credit: 2018 © Nickolas Sargent Photography
2018 Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York City photo credit: Drake+Anderson
Farmhouse-ish takes country style and gives it an urban or industrial edge.
Contemporary Farmhouse, a Millennial-targeted concept home built by Pardee Homes
Farmhouse chic kitchen in the Contemporary Farmhouse, a Millennial-targeted concept home built by Pardee Homes
Farmhouse kitchen with an industrial edge by Kohler
The look is a chic upgrade from the old world charm of a Tuscan kitchen with creative use of design elements such as woven basket pendant lights clustered in a modern configuration.
Retro-ish brings in vintage elements in a modern-day setting creating a space that hints at nostalgia without looking like a museum exhibit.
Retro-Modern kitchen by Wellborn Cabinet Inc at KBIS 2018
Wellborn Cabinet Inc., did a great job of pulling this look together at the 2018 KBIS show.
Retro-Modern bathroom by Wellborn Cabinet Inc at KBIS 2018
Organic-ish infuses mother nature into decor with lots of wood and stone but without being too rustic, keeping the look sophisticated and refined.
NKBA Best Bath Design Winner 2018
2018 Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York City
Traditional-ish is what we like to call Transitional, not wanting to leave your comfort zone and abandon what’s familiar and timeless yet wanting to update the look for today.
2018 Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York City. Photo credit: 2018 © Nickolas Sargent Photography
2018 Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York City . Photo credit: 2018 © Nickolas Sargent Photography
Expect these three design stories to continue evolving as we create spaces that reflect our personalities and promote healthier lifestyles. For more on what’s new and next in design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.
This is a Contributed Post with affiliate links
Are you redesigning your home for yourself or with the future potential sale in mind? If you’re thinking about a sale, you need to look at what buyers love to see when they view an interior of a home on the market. There are various features and design ideas that buyers are interested in. By knowing these, you can make sure that you get a lot of interest for your home on the market and the offers with the right number of zeroes. Let’s look at a few these features and design ideas.
Hardwood Floors:
There are no prizes for guessing why buyers love hardwood floors. First, they fit in with a minimalistic design and unlike carpet, they don’t intrude or draw attention away from the overall decor of the room. Second, they are easy to maintain and clean, providing the perfect option for couples or single homeowners. On top of this, they look extravagant, stylish and stunning, providing a luxurious feel to any area of your home.
Separate Laundry Room:
Laundry and utility rooms have certainly become more popular with buyers again lately. We are moving away from the concept of an all-inclusive kitchen towards homes that have laundry rooms with washers and dryers built in. If you’re intrigued by this possibility in your property Think Tank Home, have a guide on how to create your own laundry room and design it to fit in your property. At the very least, this will add a substantial amount of money onto the offers that buyers put forward.
Ceiling Fans:
Another feature that buyers are hoping to see when they view your home is a ceiling fan. This is particularly important for the bedroom. This isn’t just about keeping the room a comfortable, cool temperature through the summer months. A lot of buyers love the aesthetics of these fans and think that they add a fresh level of decor to any room. It’s a more elegant option compared to your typical aircon system.
Eat-In Kitchen:
If you’re looking for ways to renovate your kitchen, you should think about focusing on the eat-in options. Families, in particular, are eager to own a kitchen with a breakfast bar or island. While expensive, designing a breakfast bar in your home is a great way or creating this eat-in kitchen style.
Open Floor Plan:
Lastly, if you can afford it, you should think about redesigning a house with closed off rooms into something that is a more open plan. You can do this by tearing down the walls separating the dining area from the lounge. Or, the kitchen from the living room. You do need to make sure that you hire an expert or professional when you complete this type of change though. Otherwise, you could accidentally remove a load bearing wall. An expert can also help provide advice on the best ways to make sure that this type of design looks stunning.
These are just some of the features that buyers would love to see when checking out your home.
Wallpaper Goes Big with Maxi Motifs & Large Scale Patterns for Trending Home Style
William Morris made wallpaper fashionable in the 19th century with his nature motifs taken from British wildlife. Since the mid-1800s, wallpaper has fallen in and out of style. Today, patterned walls are back in a big way with maxi-motifs often inspired by Morris’ progress patterns from the Victorian period.
Salgari wallpaper design from Skinwall
William Morris’ patterns endure today through a variety of licensees manufacturing homeware, bedding and wallpaper and are often emulated by other designers. Victoria & Albert Museum in London holds a large archive of William Morris designs available for license in different product categories.
Gardening set featuring a William Morris botanical print from Victoria & Albert Museum available for sale in the gift shop
The museum recently licensed a series of William Morris patterns to Moda Fabrics to create a line of quilting fabrics.
Taking cues from William Morris’ oeuvre, wallpaper houses around the world reinterpret his radical naturalism born of the British the Arts and Crafts movement to create contemporary wallpaper and textiles. Italian wallpaper house Skinwall is fusing the concepts of pattern and mural to create massive wallscapes in sweeping scenes for feature walls or entire rooms. Here’s a look at some of their latest designs in the Palingenesi collection wallpapers by artists/designers Fabio Iemmi, Michelangelo Bonfiglioli and Gloria Zanotti.
Exotic Gardens:
The garden goes indoors with exotic settings evoking wild forests, jungles, lush foliage and exotic birds.
Peace wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Tropicalia wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Welcome to the Jungle wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Salgari wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Maxi Motifs:
Large stylized florals and foliage update a traditional motif with a pop art edge.
Pure White wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Blue Valentine Pure wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Deco wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Blossom wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
The Magic of Colors wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Dreamscapes:
Wallscapes that infuse an ethereal, fantastical ambiance to a living space stir emotions. These dreamlike designs feature various muses to create striking, theatrical atmospheres.
Persephone wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Precious wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Bubble wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Chinoiserie Amplified:
Large Asian inspired motifs create a contemporary take on Chinoiserie style in the home in bold colors.
Maya wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Moon wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Korean Drama wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Harmony wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Indie wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
For more design ideas, subscribe to my youtube channel for regular episodes of The Design Tourist for what’s new and next in design.
