NeoCon 2002

NeoCon World's Trade Fair June 10-12, Merchandise Mart, Chicago

edited by Alexa Yablonski -- Interior Design, 5/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

Architex: Inspired by today's fashion trends, the Tweed Temptations line—Jackie Oh, Diva, Cocoa, Vespa, and Dungarees—is as stylish as the names of its fabrics suggest. 800-621-0827; www.architex-ljh.com. circle 326

Pallas: Challenged to make a truly elegant vinyl wall covering, Lori Weitzner created the Intaglio collection, including Crossings, Pleats Please, and Velveteen. Each boasts a subtly textured depth and quiet selection of colors. 920-468-2600. circle 327

Interface Flooring Systems: Velluto's understated look is intended as a happy medium between bare concrete slabs and overwrought carpet designs. Available in 36 colors. 706-882-1891; www.interfaceinc.com. circle 328

Maharam: Shift, so named because of the way light plays off the surface, shines in 32 iridescent colors. 800-645-3943; www.maharam.com. circle 329

Bentley Prince Street: Restoration offers a subdued style with flecks of subtle color running throughout. Designed for maximum flexibility, Restoration is available in 15 colorways. 800-423-4709; www.bentleyprincestreet.com. circle 330

Versteel: The company's funky new Tim table may not shake or rattle, but it rolls, tilts, and folds. Fourteen top sizes, transfer cart, and link leash available. 800-876-2120; www.versteel.com. circle 359

Zero: Twister, a shelving unit that enhances the Zero exhibition system, adds versatility while maintaining a high sense of style. 212-925-3615; www.zerous.com. circle 360

Lightology: We love the bold look of Blown-Up, a triple-cased blown-glass shell—and the incandescent light it gives off. Available in white, black, or cream glass. 312-944-1000; www.lightology.com. circle 331

Davis: Designer Justus Kolberg successfully marries high-tech aesthetics and craftsmanship by pairing aluminum and wenge in Davis's new Verso desk collection. 336-889-2009; www.davis-furniture.com. circle 332

Nienkämper: The invitingly undulating form of Kurve comes courtesy of designer Karim Rashid. Made of hard birch plywood with an upholstered center, the chair offers ergonomically correct lounge seating with a bit of bounce. 800-668-9318; www.nienkamper.com. circle 333

Source International: New from Jorge Pensi Design of Barcelona, POL is about as elegant as beam seating gets. Available in multiple shell and frame colors, POL adds high-end style to event and waiting-area design. 800-722-0474; www.sourceseating.com. circle 334

Brayton International: Coming to the aid of couch potatoes everywhere, Lazlo offers a headrest pillow that fits between the back cushion and sofa back to provide better neck and head support. Available in one-, two-, and three-seat versions, with a matching ottoman in two sizes. 800-627-6770; www.brayton.com. circle 335

HBF: Designed by Clodagh, the Lumbra seating series features a mix of metal and microfiber in two stately styles, one with a flexible mesh back, the other with classic upholstery. 212-686-3142; www.hbf.com. circle 336

ICF Group: For those of us who just can't sit still, Lammhults enhances its Atlas chair by adding a swivel seat. Available in satin chrome, polished chrome, or powder coat. 800-237-1625; www.icfgroup.com. circle 337

Dauphin: The lightweight and versatile Open End chair by Martin Ballendat is designed for easy portability and stacking. Available in plastic, upholstery, or transparent Trevira CS. 800-631-1186; www.dauphin.com. circle 338

Teknion: Designed to meet multiple demands, the slim Argus chair offers optional features such as lumbar support and seat-depth adjustment for sitters of different shapes and sizes. 877-835-6466; www.teknion.com. circle 339

Haworth: With a steel-tube frame and an upholstered back available in silver or black, Look combines simple, straight lines with robust curved arms reminiscent of baby booster seats. The range of seating options includes mid-back task, high-back executive, side, and lounge chairs. 800-344-2600; www.haworth.com. circle 340

C&A Floorcoverings: Oceana, the latest collection to come out from Jhane Barnes for C&A Floorcoverings, features two-toned ripples and is made from Antron Lumena yarn. 800-248-2878; www.powerbond.com. circle 344

Jhane Barnes Textiles: Formerly owned by Bernhardt, Jhane Barnes Textiles inaugurates its independence with two new coordinating upholstery fabrics. Shown here, Wavelets features rippling curves, offered in eight colorways. 888-465-4263; www.jhanebarnes.com. circle 345

Len-Tex: Horizontal ribbing and colored threads create the luxe look of Kona Silk. The fabric is available in deep purple, Chinese red, and cobalt blue as well as softer, earthy tones. 603-445-2342; www.lentexcorp.com. circle 346

Donghia: Eclipse's jacquard weave, inspired by tie-dyed Japanese shibori textiles, uses a special weave structure for a similar effect. 212-925-2777; www.donghia.com. circle 347

Crossville: The company has added six mixed colorways and one solid, Zeolite, to the Cross-Colors line, for a seemingly endless array of mix-and-match possibilities. 800-221-9093; www.crossville-ceramics.com. circle 348

Abet Laminati: The company once again teamed up with Ettore Sottsass to create Monitor, a collection of high-pressure laminates inspired by the glow of the computer screen. The line includes 10 digital designs, and custom orders can also be accommodated. 800-228-2238; www.abetlaminati.com circle 349

Wolf-Gordon: Karim Rashid's digitally manipulated Flexuous wall covering relies on translucent inks to create a three-dimensional design. 800-347-0550; www.wolf-gordon.com. circle 350

Tufenkian: Designer Barbara Barry plunged into the past to come up with her new Tibetan rug design, Rhythm, evocative of the 1940s jazz scene. Made from silk and wool, the carpet is available in soft neutral tones such as slate. 212-475-2475; www.tufenkiancarpets.com. circle 351

Innovations in Wallcoverings: Solar, the new metallic wall-covering collection from Innovations, is space-age in style, earth-friendly in delivery. Available in gold or silver. 212-807-6300. circle 352

Rodolph: Zola, a new gros point fabric, emerges in 11 colors, ranging from a soft yellow neutral to bold orange and blue tones. 707-935-0316. circle 353

KnollTextiles: New to the Screenplay collection, Analogy and Metaphor differ from their predecessors by incorporating polyester yarns both vinyl-covered and uncovered. The fabrics are suitable for upholstery and wall covering (with backing). 800-343-5665; www.knolltextiles.com. circle 354

Armstrong: WoodWorks Vector ceiling panels, available in white maple, cherry, and beech veneer finishes, have a perforated surface and come with optional acoustical in-fill pads. 877-276-7876; www.ceilings.com. circle 355

Momentum Textiles: Sustainability can be stylish with EverGreen, the first line of recycled upholstery from Momentum. Made from Terratex, a recycled polyester, the collection features a soft, neutral palette and fresh patterns. 800-366-6839; www.momentumtextiles.com. circle 356

Soft Touch

It's easy to sink into Keilhauer's new Felt chair, designed by Brent Cordner. Constructed of steel, wood, leather, and felt that has been cut, stacked, and folded, the piece exudes the appeal of simplicity—and subtle squishability. 800-724-5665; www.keilhauer.com. circle 325

Création Myth

Swiss manufacturer Création Baumann is known for technological innovations in contract fabrics that are equal parts unusual and elegant. No surprise, the company's latest introductions for drapery and panel applications are stunners. Chamois, the first Trevira CS microfiber product for the contract market, looks and feels like soft suede and is highly effective in blocking light, due to a dense construction that renders extra coatings obsolete. For glamour seekers, we recommend Glitter's shimmering effect. Scott, on the other hand, is less about making an impact and more about versatility: The fabric is woven of alternating thick and thin yarns in several fashionable colors, and its texture could work in any number of settings. The diaphanous Special Effects (for drapery application only) rounds out the collection. 516-678-6770; www.carnegiefabrics.com circle 341

Product 19

Talk about a tall order. With the new #19, Allsteel set out to design nothing short of a perfect chair. We think that aiming high pays off. Designed by Marcus Koepke, the piece boasts significant technical advances: No fewer than 40 patent applications were filed during its two-year incubation period. The intuitively interactive chair comprises 18 components—the 19th one is the user—and provides ergonomic advantages without heaps of adjustments. The Plexus lumbar support increases tension and stiffness in the back material; the Tria seat cushion combines a base foam and gel plus a thermally responsive fabric; and the Avatar tilt mechanism promotes circulation. The chair's environmentally conscious materials and production processes also impressed us. (The solid cast-aluminum frame and base are 100 percent recyclable.) And did we mention that #19 is a real looker? Allsteel's new star was included in the presenters' baskets at this year's Academy Awards. 563-262-4800. www.allsteeloffice.com circle 342

A leader in the field of ergonomic office products, Humanscale enters the task-lighting arena with the Diffrient Light. This sleek lamp was designed by Niels Diffrient, the man behind the company's much lauded Freedom chair. By tapping new technologies, the Diffrient promotes performance and usability while preserving superior design. Besides boasting a minimal profile, the fixture features a 26-watt quad tube, miniature fluorescent bulb, and in-line electronic ballast, which provide plenty of light while keeping cool and conserving energy. Made of anodized aluminum, the Diffrient is available with single or double arms and in desk and wall-mount versions. 800-400-0625; www.humanscale.com. circle 343