New York Design Week: WantedDesign and ICFF Highlights

So much amazing design, so little time! ICFF has morphed into a total city design diversion. There is no way you can see everything, but I managed to squeeze in a few days to view the latest offerings of the international design world. See my favorites below...

WantedDesign took over the Tunnel space. Modko, who make the best cat litter box presented their newest designs on lightboxes.

Quebec designer Tat Chao (left) super-glues glasses and pedestal bowls together to create one-of-a-kind table bases and candlestick holders.

The Effeti Showroom had me salivating over its streamlined space...the cabinetry and accoutrement were quite special. From left to right: The yellow inside the cabinets can be custom applied in any color; tools fit beautifully inside; architect Kelly Solon show us how the corner shelf pulls out. If you are doing your kitchen over, head to the showroom to see the indoor grill and wall of hideaway surprises.

My favorite countertop material, Caesarstone showed off its latest colors.

Raison Pure NYC presented a funky tea party diplay. GOLD tea cup by Will Kang.

Britto Charette Home’s animated porcelain vessels with GOLD interiors caught my eye.

GOLD edged porcelain dishes by Daniel Levy have a zen-like quality.

gt2p GOLD vases from Chile, the Royal Mahuida collection.

Tom Dixon’s Eclectic collection uses marble and brass elements.

Glamour exudes at THG Paris fixtures that pair with Christofle and Baccarat brands.

Raimond Puts’ magical lights at Moooi.

Garden without having to stoop! These planters from Hurbz would work well on a terrace or backyard. They can be anchored to a wall, and have a clever drainage system.

Oxidized maple creates an elegant sideboard. The wood is silky to the touch. Tod Von Mertens hand makes this and some lovely matching dining room tables.

Gorgeous gaming: love this white ping pong table from RS Barcelona.

Cowhide and leather make for an elegant backgammon board by Gilles Caffier. For serious players!

Tibetano creates beautiful carpets using cowhide assembled in classic patterns. Lovely to touch. I would like to see these as a table runner, perhaps under glass.

More cowhide, brightly colored from Britto Charette Home.

This was my absolute favorite item. From Wiener Silver Manufactur, this tray can switch out its center, depending on your mood. Designed by Marco Dessi.

Art Preview: Textual Intercourse

Artist Darren Jones’ playful sense of humor is on display at Deep Space New York this weekend.  Check out the artist’s statements and pieces starting with Friday’s Vernissage (from 7:00 to 9:00), or Saturday and Sunday (from noon to 6:00). Deep Space is located at 220 east 17th street between 2nd/3rd Avenues, buzz 1G. View by appointment after this weekend. 212-253-8244.

ICFF: Top Picks from the Show

In mid-May Manhattan got a dose of furniture and accessories design influx from around the globe. As usual, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair did not disappoint. View highlights below...

Salt and Pepper grinders from Nick Munro. Can be purchased through the website, or at Bloomingdales. He also has a wonderful smoked glass ice bucket to dress up the bar.

Puff Buff, designers from Poland, created this airy, bubble-like structure out of inflatable spheres with  LED light points inserted. I want one!

Be-jeweled sinks from Linkasink. The jeweled stopper can be attached to the top of existing drain pieces and removed and cleaned in a dishwasher. Novel!

Porcelain Dinnerware from Daniel Levy in soft pastels. I like the contrasting shapes.

Marc Trotereau, on the left, stands below his green light frame. He devised a way to weld 3 pieces of wire together, see his lights on the back wall, center photo. Also in this booth, Pierre Ospina created a sensual, organic pole lights, wrapped in silicon, with LED bulbs seen in close up on the right.

Trove Wallpaper features some very cool designs and some innovative manufacturing methods. The “paper” on the right is made from powdered marble and limestone, thus saving trees from being cut. Their eco-friendly process also uses no water (so no wastewater pollution). The surface is smooth, like suede, and cool to the touch.

Al-Hamad Design featured a super geometric parallelogram duet. I love the spirit of this.

The Luxury Planter Collection’s Sorbet Collection in gorgeous pastels. Planters are stainless steel coated in automotive paint.

Lightweight aluminum planters from Phase Design help to support and frame plantings.

Stickbulb lights by Rux Design take a single unit and position it in a variety of ways.

Dishes from Tse & Tse went from vintage to modern. From France.

Comical and colorful lamps from Ameico.

Glass-blower Tracy Glover poses beneath her dreamy light.

John Beck blasts his sheet of steel before forming it into the Beatty Light. The bullet holes create pretty pinlights for a subtle effect.

FFerone Glasses: The Revolution Collection

Place your beverages on a different kind of pedestal. The award-winning glasses and bowls from Felicia Ferrone’s Revolution Collection create perfect geometric worlds for wine, water, soup, or ice cream. Flip each one over to get a different capacity (one way to assert portion control!). The pieces are hand-blown borosillicate glass, made in the Czech Republic, a material which is oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe. Items can be purchased directly through the website, via an ultra cool interactive photo. Wine glasses, $84 for a pair, Champagne Flutes, $79 for a pair. Photo above shows part of the collection, photo below, Felicia Ferrone at the Gift Show standing before her design.

Scottish Artist Rory Donaldson: Shared Roadway Ahead

Before you head out for dinner tonight, stop in at the Winkleman Gallery to see Rory Donaldson’s new series of photos. I am a proud owner of two of Rory’s pieces, and am extremely excited to see the new work, which he calls the “RDX series.” Rory is pushing further the concept of digital photography, so much so, that you could not imagine his work was not done by hand. This painterly technique, complemented by his extraordinary sense of color is astonishing to view, provoking a thoroughly emotional response. When the pieces are viewed up close, you see the remnants of the original photos, which come as a total surprise. I had a preview of some of the pieces in their early stages, and was blown away by the creativity behind each one. To learn more about how Rory goes about creating these beautiful abstracts, go to this link. SHARED ROADWAY AHEAD opens tonight from 6:00 to 8:00, at the Winkleman Gallery, 621 West 27th St. between 11/12 Aves, on the ground floor. If you can’t make it tonight, the photos can be seen through April 21, 2012, Tuesday - Saturday, from11:00 am to 6:00 pm.

HOLIDAY HELPERS FOR YOU: Hand Writing

Say “Thank You” or drop an attention-getting personal note this holiday with Trina Turk’s collection for Dempsey and Carroll’s Blue Ogee. The clean, geometric shapes and fresh colors say “winter” and “holiday” without going the traditional route. Handmade cards feature a raised blue diamond on thick paper with beveled blue edge. A box of ten cards with gorgeous lined envelopes goes for $65. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these cards benefits PS Arts, a non-profit organization committed to improving children's lives through arts education.

Sale: lighting from Artemide

Light up your space for the holidays. Artemide presents the Holiday Collection with savings of UP TO 30%. Nesso (pictured in red) would certainly make the scene festive, as well as Castore, the beautiful hanging globes.

when: From November 1st through December 31st 2011
where: available in all Artemide showrooms and dealers. Click here to locate the nearest Artemide point of sale.

redecorate!

Summer is spruce-up time, some ideas to get you going...

Hamptons pop-up: GREY AREA
For those who will be out at the east end of Long Island and looking to add a few choice pieces, head to GREY AREA from July 23rd to the 31st. The new online store for artist-designed objects is bringing its wares to Watermill, NY in the Old Stone Boys Club, a vintage car club garage on Montauk Highway. They will be open everyday from 11am to 7pm at 938 Montauk Highway. Join them for opening cocktails on Friday, July 22nd from 4pm to 9pm. The Saturday Shindig on July 23rd goes all day: featuring live music, artist food truck, a kissing booth and more. Get a peek at some of the unique and conversation-starting pieces at this link.

red collection: a picker’s paradise

Another spot to stop at along the way to the East End is Red Collection’s giant space in Riverhead. (It’s a consignment shop, so you can unload a few items too.) I have been going to their location in Greensboro, North Carolina for years, and was delighted to hear about the new New York spot. They have a fantastic selection of furniture and accessories with prices that are extremely fair. Photos of some of their offerings can be seen online at their blog. Located at 54 E. Main St.

wallpaper without commitment: Tempaper

Perk up your walls almost instantly with Tempaper, a line of repositionable wallpapers created by three women set decorators. The patterns are bold and fresh and come in brights, neutrals, and fun designs just for kids (although, I do like the giant houndstooth myself!) It’s super easy to handle, just peel a few inches of the backing off, position and press on the wall. An especially great idea for the summer rental house, as it removes absolutely cleanly in seconds. Made in the U.S.A. and sold in double rolls 20.5" wide x 33' long (covering 56.37 square feet). Photo above by Tara Striano shows the Etta pattern in subdued Pearl colorway. I put up Damsel, in hot pink, back in February for a party, then decided I liked it enough for it to stay on the wall (photo below). To apply to the counter, I just removed about 4 inches of the backing from the each end. Buy it online, or see which stores have it at this link.

yolo eco paint

The makers of Yolo Colorhouse paint, Virginia Young and Janie Lowe, took every aspect of the environment into account when creating their line of paints. But what I really love about their collection is that it makes choosing a color simple. They put their years of experience in painting murals, and painting homes into their color choices, knowing what works and what does not. Surround yourself with colors inspired by nature with The Earth’s Color Collection, whose colors coordinate perfectly from room to room. The Color of Hope palette takes color’s most basic properties to elicit different moods: creativity, imagination, nourishment, and more. See the line on their website, where you can “test” how the color looks in a room by clicking on the swatches. In New York, you can order from The Green Depot. Happy painting!

John Beck: American Attitude

I came across John Beck’s furniture line at the recent ICFF show, and was impressed by his individualistic style and amazing use of steel. Each piece exudes a straightforward, masculine swagger, a little bit rock-and-roll, along with a touch of humor. Take the Beatty Light, which starts with a sheet of steel, then is blasted with a shotgun—and ends up looking pretty amazing. I adore his series of limited edition tables, with weathered graphics, as seen in Table 2, which can be custom ordered. Thanks to Brian Cummings of RGG Photo for supplying the photos. At the show (top photos), I admired the steel sliding door, and AntiTrunk tables, with numbers or graphics, which can double as stools. You can see, and purchase, more pieces at Bobby Berk Home website.

EAT OUT SERIES: part two

Going on a picnic or to the beach? Bring along these stylish and functional pieces.

let’s dish: French Bull
I don’t believe in using disposable dishes. They’re not really nice to eat off of, especially if you are not seated at a table to stabilize the situation. French Bull has a super cool line of plastic melamine dishes that you can take out with you and not worry about breakage. They even have a handsome carrying trolley to tote your set. The ROSE collection will add a cheery blast of color to your gathering. $11 for the 11” plates, $8 for the 8” plates, available on the website.