Market
At Kartell, the buzz began with the colorful, glossy plaid polycarbonate panels used to adorn the company's booth—which never seemed to be anything but packed with admirers. Interest in plastics carried through to the whopping 20 products introduced by a handful of headliners. Although the medium was always the same, there seemed to be no other parameters. The designs ranged from lighting to indoor-outdoor chairs, tables, and trolleys.
Among Philippe Starck's several contributions, his Hi Cut chair, an otherwise simple shape in colorless, black, or white polycarbonate, is distinguished by the faceted strip across the top of the back. Choose red, orange, green, purple, or gray. While Starck is a stalwart at Kartell, Tokujin Yoshioka was launching his first collection for the company. His Ami Ami chair, named after the Japanese term for weaving, flaunts a seat and back of woven-textured polycarbonate. An accompanying side table has a similar top, set on aluminum legs.
Three other big European names also offered designs. A Frenchman, Patrick Jouin, created the Thalya chair by rendering a gently curved form in colorless, smoke-gray, brown, green, purple, and red polycarbonate, then edgily scratching up the surface. Spain's Patricia Urquiola went feminine with Frilly, a transparent polycarbonate chair that stands out for its continuous vertical ribbing and a pretty palette that includes yellow, ocher, turquoise, red, and pink. And Italian Antonio Citterio introduced the collapsible Spoon table, its top clad in white plastic laminate and supported by aluminum legs wrapped in orange, white, blue, black, or gray polypropylene. 866-854-8823; kartellus.com. circle 414
For its German-made P'7340 kitchen, Porsche Design brought in masculine, brushed-pine or brushed-oak fronts and 40 percent lighter, honeycomb-cardboard-core carcasses that lower energy use across the supply chain. Green features include wood lacquered with a water-based coating, and aluminum and glass that can be recycled. 973-812-8900; poggenpohl-usa.com.
For this Swedish firm, designer Johan Carpner has developed Storm, a wall-to-wall carpet with woolen and antistatic nylon pile in 6½-foot widths. The carpet's expressive geometrical repetition creates a soft pattern, while its yarn generates a grid, bringing to life the circular movements of the motif. 212-421-0220; kasthall.com.
For unfettered simplicity, look to the Della coffee table. Its clean planes intersect to provide hidden storage as well as open display areas beneath its floating Starfire glass top. Mounted on a solid oak base, it comes in oak, maple, and macassar veneers, and can be customized as anything from a console to a dining or bedside table. 312-492-9400; niedermaier.com.
A contract-grade design ideal for schools, public spaces, and health-care installations, Andrea Ruggiero's upbeat Tempo combines a swivel stool and a tablet-style work surface. The tablet is laminated wood, while the steel base comes in polished chrome. Upholstery options are wool or leather. 46-504-41500; offecct.se. circle 427
As an interior designer, Kathy Taslitz does much of her work in Chicago. But for her furniture debut, she chose Los Angeles. The first of several launch parties took place at the estate of Martin Katz. (For the uninitiated, he's the jeweler who drapes the likes of Sharon Stone and Kate Winslett in diamond brooches or vintage necklaces of heartbreaking beauty.) The association was pitch-perfect—her Pieces of Ourselves collection's 14 designs are as intricate and finely wrought as any gem worthy of the red carpet.
"About three years ago, I started sketching," she says. "I threw away typical ideas of a table or chest and concentrated, instead, on the interplay of the urban and natural worlds." Take her Calm dining table, with its polished nickel-plated aluminum top supported by a rugged, branchlike blackened-bronze base. Her Fallen Leaf occasional table, a curving sculpture balanced on its stem, is rendered in blackened bronze, while the Old Leaf occasional table combines a blackened-bronze exterior with a polished-bronze interior. Taslitz primarily works with luxurious materials: not only nickel and bronze but also Macassar ebony and mirror.
The painstaking fabrication process requires up to 12 months, and five to seven artisans work on each piece. From an initial sketch, Taslitz determines materials. It's followed by a scaled computer drawing. Next, she sculpts a full-size wax or clay prototype that, in turn, becomes the basis for a plaster mold. Then the foundry takes over. Most pieces are limited to editions of nine to 24. Three are limited to 16 editions per year. And all have a story to tell. 312-787-7899; kathytaslitzinteriors.com. circle 431
First came the signature washbasin, available in more than a dozen versions. Then the D-Code family flowered into a veritable bouquet of functional bathroom sanitary ceramics in related shapes. The collection's single- and dual-flush Wall-mounted Toilet is now approved for U.S. installations. The existing collection includes two bidets, a urinal, and a full range of tubs. 888-387-2848; duravit.com.
For a quick refresher course on just how alluring the illusion of depth can be, consider Espace. Silhouettes of large-scale vines overlap to create layers of botanical mystery. The pre-trimmed paper measures 20½ inches wide. Offered in chalk, platinum, white gold, Gesso, Tigereye, and scarlet. Cowtan & Tout, 212-647-6900; cowtan.com.
For an elegant structural solution, Ayse Birsel and Bibi Seck looked no further than nature. Their Motive conference and training tables are supported on bases inspired by tree roots (larger tables have pedestals) and branches (smaller tables have a single outboard leg). All seamlessly accommodate countless configurations as well as wire management, and power and data access. A range of finishes is available. 828-328-2064; hbf.com.
For horizontal applications, don't gloss over 51-by-120-inch sheets of HR LAQ phenolic-backed plastic laminates that resist scratching and abrasion. These veneers come in two dozen high-shine colors ranging from bright to neutral. Expect lacquered-esque faux wood grains to be available soon. 800-228-2238; abetlaminati.com.
A bit head-in-the-clouds, Interior Design Hall of Fame member Gaetano Pesce's Nubola takes its lead from a cumulus formation. The velvet-covered back and arms feature typically Italian tufting, with deep pillowing and accentuated pleats. A companion armchair is also offered. 39-031-743100; meritalia.it. circle 423
African landscapes inspired the Gaborone dining table. Its walnut base comprises two carved panels pierced, in the center, by a beam and finished, at the bottom, with solid brass. The top—also walnut but with an espresso-dark finish—measures 42 inches wide by 82 long. Or add one or two leaves to extend to 106 or 122 inches. 415-437-2284; jiunho.com. circle 438
Feathery, futuristic Unagi is one of five ultra-brushed motifs available on this manufacturer's 4-foot-wide, solid aluminum surfaces, available in lengths of up to 10 feet. Created in partnership with BRM Design, the panels contain as much as three-quarters recycled aluminum content. 800-807-7341; chemetalco.com.
Fine Tibetan Rugs from the Modern & Custom Collection offer a repertoire ranging from the updated Orientalist florals of Lhasa to the pared-down calligraphic simplicity of Concepts. Area rugs are handwoven in satiny Tibetan wool and Indian silk. A vast palette is available for the choosing, in 8 by 10, 9 by 12, or 10 by 14 feet, or in custom sizes. 212-481-4949; warpandweft.com.
Finishes offered for the Optima series ETF-800 wall-mount, hands-free electric faucets include nickel and chrome, of course, but also brass, satin copper, and polished copper. The quick-release sensor and solenoid connections are actually modular, while LED troubleshooting lights indicate the need for maintenance. 800-982-5839; sloanvalve.com.
For a classic look graced with modern technology, try the Fortis collection of conference room furniture. Spanning crendenzas and tables, mobile carts, visual boards, and lecterns, this collection offers clean lines in a rich palette of materials, including an array of woods and metal trims, or stone (marble, granite, and limestone). 800-401-7877; cumberlandfurniture.com.
Explore the panoramic possibilities of the Horizon system. Its MDF storage modules can form the building blocks for any office or residential landscape—reflected on the units' mirrored sides. With or without metal base frames, the modules come in a wide range of lacquer and wood veneer finishes. 773-227-4988; janehamleywells.com.
Extra-large buttons on Maestro wireless dimmers raise or lower room lighting levels using a radio signal—no need for sophisticated programming! The range is 100 feet, and the remote control can clip to a car's visor in HomeLink-compatible vehicles, so that you arrive to a fully illuminated home. Choose from among seven gloss and 20 satin finishes. 616-282-3800; lutron.com.
Fantasies high-pressure laminates deliver wallpaper looks, along with durability and versatility for walls, backsplashes, furniture, countertops, and shelving. Their assorted sizes range up to 8 by 10 feet. Tessuto features a monochromatic floral pattern, Royal mingles taupe with beige, and Kiano is an abstract. 57-1-644-9898; lamitech.com.co.
Fight free radicals with the deliciously tart yet stunningly sweet summer berries of the Fruit Naturals range. Luscious choices include bilberry, mulberry, and persimmon. Fourteen colors of the wool and nylon blend cut pile are offered in both 13- and 16-foot widths for seamless installation. 44-1254-296-829; contemporarylife.co.uk.
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