Building Materials

Staff -- Interior Design, 10/31/2004 12:00:00 AM

Vivendum

Designer Eric Morvan's Outline door, a swinging, hollow-core panel, stands proud even when closed. From Lualdi Porte's Zenit collection, the door is offered in a choice of 20 enamels and four woods—from Italian walnut to bleached oak—and has pivot hinges, a slab handle, and a horizontal lock, all in brushed stainless. 23/25 Greene Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-334-4544; vivendum.it. circle 730

Morse Industries

BumpIT bumpers install securely on walls without predrilling or special tools, and the interlocking cleat mechanism prevents sliding afterwards; end-caps for the two systems are interchangeable. In 10 colors, with custom color options available. 25811 74th Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032; 800-325-7513; morseindustries.com. circle 731

Instyle Contract Textiles

The surprisingly lightweight Wovin Wall system of decorative wood, laminated aluminum, and propylene tiles quickly transforms any wall or ceiling, supplying texture and graphic shadows. The flat-packed modules snap into an aluminum framework to conceal unsightly cables or lighting hardware. 735 Grand View Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94114; 415-515-9851; wovinwall.com. circle 732

Nathan Allan Glass Studios

Nathan Allan, the artist behind these new shimmering glass veils, fabricates decorative cable-hung architectural glass feature walls, using tempered panes both clear and colored (in either translucent or matte). Some 44 heat-formed textures mix or match. 12011 Riverside Way, Suite 110, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada V6W 1K6; 604-277-8533, ext. 225; nathanallan.com. circle 736

UltraGlas

Reversible slumped-glass tiles in the Taffeta line are finely gridded with a linen texture that can be exposed or used face-down. The 31 colors are permanently fused into the glass, ensuring durability when used around pools, in kitchens, or as flooring accents. 9200 Gazette Avenue, Chatsworth, CA 91311; 800-777-2332; ultraglas.com. circle 733

Cooper

Switch plates are flipping for the Aspire collection's partial-hourglass shape and subtle, two-toned (matte and low-gloss) finish. Matching slide dimmers, electronic dimmers, and telephone- and data-connection points are also offered, along with one- to six-gang, screwless switch plates in white, silver, or ivory. 45-31 Court Square, Long Island City, NY 11011; cooperwiringdevices.com. circle 734

Du Verre Hardware

Austrian-trained master metalsmith Heinz Pfleger's Forged 3 pulls are sand-cast in India of solid brass. The variously sized circles, bars, and squares all feature bas-relief stria in a choice of two finishes: dark antique brass or brushed nickel. 188 Strachan Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6J 2S9; 888-388-3773; duverre.com. circle 735

Armstrong

New Faux Coat custom finishes for this manufacturer's 2-foot-square TinCraft embossed-look acoustical ceiling tiles layer color for an antiqued, hand-painted look. The blend of the factory-applied custom hues over the white primer coat can be much more regular—and affordable—than faux finishing by hand. P.O. Box 3001, Lancaster, PA 17604; 877-276-7876; armstrong.com. circle 742

Móz Designs

Decorative Metals are .040-gauge aluminum sheets with 80 percent postindustrial content. A Durafilm topcoat protects six new paint colors—salmon, black pearl, cabernet, chocolate, indigo, and plum—against scuffing, graffiti, and sun damage. Also available with polyurethane coating for exteriors. 711 Kevin Court, Oakland, CA 94621; 510-632-0853; mozdesigns.com. circle 737

Valli & Valli

The Fusital Collection's H353 handle, now in use at Milan's luxe-minimalist Bulgari Hotel, was developed by Italian architect Antonio Citterio in partnership with Toan Nguyen. The bent brass lever has a square escutcheon for the European market. 150 East 58th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10155; 212-326-8811; vallievalli.com. circle 738

Paris Ceramics

Glinting semiprecious Stone Mosaics in mother-of-pearl are waterproof and great for showers and backsplashes (but not suited for floors subject to heavy wear). The small mosaic pieces are mounted on 3/4-inch backing-stone tiles and can cleverly interlock, creating visually seamless installations. 150 East 58th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10155; 888-845-3487; parisceramics.com. circle 739

Architectural Systems

Retire your night light with Veluna translucent cast glass, which incorporates a phosphorescent chemical to absorb light during the day, then glows for hours at night. The glass is available as 3-foot-square Aqua Glass (flat sheets) or as bricks about 8 by 4 by 21/2 inches. 150 West 25th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10001; 800-793-0224; archsystems.com. circle 740

Avonite Surfaces

Polyester's translucence adds depth to this manufacturer's expanding Studio collection of solid surfacing. Some new colors include the chunky Tusk, marbled Amber, glasslike Ruby (which can be backlit), and three novel patterns in the Metallics line that incorporate shiny metal-look particles. 7350 Empire Drive, Florence, KY 41042; 949-223-1088; avonite.com. circle 741

Morlen Sinoway

Bryan Kerrigan's sculpted Speed Bump wall-tile pattern pairs 15-by-9-inch stoneware domes with matching spacers and inside and outside corners—all in custom colors. Tiles are less than 2 inches thick and are appropriate for interior or exterior use, with joints that can be grouted or silicone-sealed. 1052 West Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607; 312-432-0100; morlensinoway.com. circle 743

Fedders

Duck the problem of inaccessible air-conditioning ducts with the quiet, high-powered DuctlessMini-Split system. This minimally invasive solution frees up window space. The small blower unit with remote control mounts on an indoor wall, connecting to a compressor situated just outside. Washable anti-mold filters and 24-hour timers are standard equipment. 505 Martinsville Road, Liberty Corner, NJ 07938; 609-490-0999; fedders.com. circle 749

Okamura

The Arc Slide doors of Japanese-designed Wavelet "bathroom booths" offer a curvy alternative to traditional toilet partitions, and allow 4 extra inches of doorway despite a decreased overall depth. The Model UD booth is wheelchair accessible. 203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601; 312-917-6200; okamura.co.jp/english. circle 744

Post Logic Studio

Custom-colored Skin veneer plaster wall panels start as 3/4-inch-thick, 4-by-8-foot fiberboard sheets. A layer of water-based plasters and organic pigments is then applied, which is in turn fixed with an acrylic coating. The matte or gloss results range in appearance from linen to glass. 94 Ninth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215; 718-832-8390; postlogicstudio.com. circle 745

Dessin Fournir

A 1930s Jean Dunand screen inspired the solid-alder Michel mantel from this manufacturer's Los Angeles atelier. The black-brown crackled tetre negre lacquer finish is overlaid with designs in gold, silver, copper, and iridescent gold leaf, then mellowed with stain and a gentle rubbing. 308 West Mill, Plainville, KS 67663; 785-434-2777; dessinfournir.com. circle 746

Cosentino USA

Spanish manufacturer Cosentino's River series of satin-finish Silestone quartz surfacing delivers the shadowing and fluidity of natural limestone. The six earthy colors in the new collection are highly stain resistant, and the surfacing is four times stronger than granite. 13124 Trinity Drive, Stafford, TX 77477; 800-291-1311; silestone.com. circle 747

Steelcase

Powder-coated Pathways privacy wall panels arrive on-site in completely assembled modules. Vertical slots allow work surfaces, storage, and compatible Lightolier lighting to connect flexibly. The walls can be easily broken down for recycling at the end of their useful life. 901 44th Street Southeast, Grand Rapids, MI 49508; 800-333-9939; steelcase.com. circle 748