Building Materials
Staff -- Interior Design, 5/31/2005 12:00:00 AM
Vetroarredo
We're sweet on this Italian manufacturer's glass blocks in delicious pastel lilac, yellow, pink, and aquamarine. The colored blocks, whether in a retro wave pattern or a modern, frosted finish, ensure privacy. And a new 18-inch block format called Pegasus dramatically minimizes the appearance of mortar joints. Dept: Vanagb, P.O. Box 1812, Cranberry Township, PA 16066; 724-242-2121; vanagb.com. circle 661
Tre-Più
The clear-anodized aluminum jambs of Antonio Citterio's Pavilion partition system and Planus Due door incorporate an elegant shadow line. The door is 23 to 36 inches wide in clear, frosted, or colored glass; gray or brown oak; or colorfully lacquered wood. 150 East 58th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10155; 877-878-7374; tre-piu.com. circle 662
Ceramiche Grazia
Domino is a flexible system of 13-by-20-inch wall tiles, borders, and corners. The range of coordinating neutral colors—from pure white to cream, pink, yellow, and soft green—allows monochromatic or subtly contrasting installations. 71 Via Radici in Piano, Corlo di Formigine, Modena, Italy 41040; 39-059-558-154; ceramichegrazia.it. circle 663
Marazzi Group
Designed with Dal Lago Associati, the Diamanti, Punti, and Trame tiles in this manufacturer's Muri collection are high-tech porcelain bas-reliefs. The chiaroscuro patterning slowly shifts as the sun moves and shadows play across the tiles' three-dimensional surface. 39 Viale Regina Pacis, Sassuolo, Modena, Italy 41049; 877-832-8324; marazzi.it. circle 666
Armstrong
Add standard acoustic panels atop Metaphors coffer frames in the traditional bead pattern to enhance exposed T-bar grids in lobbies, conference rooms, and restaurants. The frames' low profile especially suits installations with limited plenum heights. P.O. Box 3001, Lancaster, PA 17604; 877-276-7876; armstrong.com. circle 664
Valli & Valli
Get a grip with this source for finely finished Italian hardware. The minimalist A2025 satin stainless-steel pull, one of four new designs this year from veteran collaborator Antonio Citterio, is incised with a tactile micro-grid of grip-enhancing diagonal grooves. 150 East 58th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10155; 877-326-2565; vallievalli.com. circle 665
Complete Tile
Metal Mosaic tiles are brushed 1- or 2-inch copper or stainless-steel squares. (Or try 1-inch copper penny tiles.) The dots, diamonds, cornices, and field tiles in the companion Pewter line are finished in gunmetal, antiqued bronze, aged brass, or darkened copper. 42 West 15th Street, New York, NY 10011; 212-255-4450; completetile.com. circle 667
Rex Ceramiche
Water-jet-cut Edera Noir porcelain stoneware tiles in Noir, Anthracite, Gris, and beige feature frosted-glass inserts suitable for backlighting. Formats range from 6 to 24 inches square; a 1-by-2-foot rectangle is also available. 30 Via Viazza, Fiorano Modenese, Modena, Italy 41042; 931-249-8242; rex-cerart.it. circle 668
Sonoma Cast Stone
Bamboo Stone 6-inch-square concrete tiles are molded with the abstracted imprint of Asian bamboo. For backsplash trims or full walls, the 1/2-inch-thick tiles are dramatic in deep black. Natural bamboo tones are among the hundreds of other colors offered. P.O. Box 1721, Sonoma, CA 95476; 877-939-9929; sonomastone.com. circle 671
Hunter Douglas
Provenance shades are wood slats, natural reeds, bamboo strips, or other grasses woven with multiple 100 percent polyester yarns for increased strength. An optional Micro pleat shade situated directly behind the wood one lowers independently to facilitate light filtering or room darkening. 2 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458; 800-937-7895; hunterdouglas.com. circle 670
Architectural Systems
Two-inch-long rectangles of South American Cattle-horn veneer are embedded in resin atop medium-density fiberboard. The handcrafted surface sells in panels up to 8 feet long, or as tiles from 8 to 12 inches square. 150 West 25th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10001; 800-793-0224; archsystems.com. circle 669
Componance
Clear-anodized C-13 supports are shot-blasted aluminum connectors for glass plates. They can be used to assemble exhibits, furniture, guard rails, or point-of-purchase displays. Machined aluminum buttons fasten the connectors through 1/2-inch holes drilled in the glass panels. 1220 Homer Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6B 2Y5; 604-685-8046; componance.com. circle 672
Abet
Wengé-pattern laminates in a trio of dark shades feature this manufacturer's smooth "nutshell" finish. The high-performance surface has a barely-there three-dimensional natural-wood-grain texture and also delivers the advantages and durability of a laminate—making it suitable for horizontal surfaces like countertops and desks. 60 West Sheffield Avenue, Englewood, NJ 07631; 800-228-2238; abetlaminati.com. circle 673
Berman Glass
Esto is a 27-inch pattern of random horizontals on a lightly brushed clear-glass background. The glass is available in sections up to 80 by 132 inches, and in various thicknesses. It can be tempered, laminated, curved, shaped, drilled, notched, slumped, carved, sandblasted, and colored. 1.1244 Cartwright Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6H 3R8; 888-505-4527; bermanglasseditions.com. circle 674
Construction Specialties
Acrovyn 3000 handrails, crash rails, and corner guards are green in more ways than one: No toxic PVCs are used in their manufacture. And yet the look faithfully reproduces original Acrovyn in terms of both texture and color—while maintaining peerless impact resistance. P.O. Box 380, Muncy, PA 17756; 888-621-3344; c-sgroup.com. circle 676
USG
Climaplus ceiling panels are perforated aluminum overlaid with a nearly smooth and highly reflective white acoustical facing. The finished panels, specially engineered for sound control, fit into concealed suspension T-bars to create a seamless white plane overhead. 125 South Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60606-4678; 800-874-4968; usg.com. circle 675
Carlisle Brass
The elegantly tapered, gently curved Amarillo lever is available from this traditional British hardware manufacturer in either a satin-chrome or bright-chrome finish. Part of the exclusive Italian-inspired Serozzetta collection of modern hardware, the levers ship with a discreet 2-inch-diameter escutcheon. Parkhouse Road, Carlisle, England CA30JU; 44-1228-511-770; carlislebrass.com. circle 677
3form
Ithemba panels from the Varia 05 collection encase tribal beadwork in environmentally friendly EcoResin, a plastic formulated with 40 percent recycled content that may be used outdoors with the addition of a UV protector. Other panels incorporate natural capiz shells or nubbly tiger thatch. 2300 South 2300 West, Suite B, Salt Lake City, UT 84119; 800-726-0126; 3-form.com. circle 678
Poliform
Designer Dell'Orto-Cattaneo's elegant new swinging or sliding Havana wardrobe doors are gray oak or wengé. Three heights, four widths, and optional mirrored inset panels lend flexibility, as do end-unit modules and corner solutions. 150 East 58th Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10155; 888-765-4367; poliformusa.com. circle 679
Cambridge
A rigid and durable new look for decorative surfaces, Plaza is a dense stainless-steel mesh slightly less than a 1/4 inch thick and up to 50 inches wide. The panels of tightly spaced wires add durability to elevator cab interiors, to facades, and to walls. 105B Goodwill Road, Cambridge, MD 21613; 866-806-2385; architecturalmesh.com. circle 680
SensiTile
Total internal refraction—the same principle that makes fiberoptics possible—endows these weatherproof tiles with an inner glow. Colors and shadows hitting the surface ripple and blend into an internal light show that requires no additional power input and lasts the life of the tiles. 1604 Clay Avenue, 3rd Floor, Detroit, MI 48211; 313-872-6314; sensitile.com. circle 681
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