Designer Inspiration/Trends, Favorite Technology/Media

Light Fair 2011: The Best and Brightest

Judy and I attended Light Fair International last week in Philadelphia.  We had a great time exploring the exhibition floor to get the scoop on the latest in lighting technology.  We sifted through the the huge number of products to bring you our selection of the Best and Brightest from Light Fair 2011.

1. Warm light and cool light. The most important offering at this year’s fair was a new techology in LEDs that allows them to emit a warm light.  We saw almost every company take advantage of this new development, and most products are available in cool or warm versions – gone are the days where your only choice for LEDs is cold white light! 

2. IBISS by Tech Lighting. This handsome new fixture immediately became one of our favorites.  The two flat LED panels are completely adjustable, allowing you to shine light up, down, or on a wall.  It can even be attached to a track system. 

3. Railtones by Tech.  This favorite isn’t a light at all!  It’s a wireless speaker that can be attached directly to a track light system- what a great idea!  It  interfaces wirelessly with your home stereo or computer.

4. Aurora by Pure Lighting.  This breathtaking down light is for the minimalist in all of us.  The flush- mounted faceplate is integrated into the surrounding drywall, giving it a truly trimless, knife-edge appearance.  Some models can be adjusted to give off almost any color.

 

5. Calculite by Philips.  This elegant LED down light is among the smallest around – only 1.75″ in diameter.  But it packs a punch, and has an impressive beam spread.  The innovative installation system involves just one screw, and allows for a large selection of trims and lenses.

6. Loira Sconce by Cantalupi.  This gorgeous gold-plated sconce by Cantalupi speaks for itself.

7. LED lights by Cantalupi.  Like the sconce above, these Italian fixtures speak for themselves.  Small and inconspicuous at only 2 inches across, they can be used almost anywhere – even under water.

8. Softline by Edge Lighting.  A tiny strip of LEDs was mounted on the back of what looks like a measuring tape, giving off a diffuse upward light.  I love the simplicity of this fixture.

9. LED lightbulb by Philips.  Much of the show was dedicated to lightbulbs that could replace older incandescent and fluorescents.  This candelabra bulb was the best-looking among them. 

10. LED Circa Pendant by Phillips.  This pendant, made with hand-blown glass, is beautiful AND environmentally friendly.

11.  Modular Flourescent by Bartco.  These fixtures can be arranged in almost any configuration you can dream-up.

 

12.  Mini Star By NSL.  Flat under-cabinet LED lights are an simple and attractive solution for kitchens.  They give off a lot of light with almost no heat.

13. V Rail LED.  A great alternative to step lights, this underlit railing will never get hot to the touch thanks to LED technology.

14. Wine Rack with mini-LEDs by MP Lighting.  This is a great example of how LEDs can go almost anywhere – look closely and you’ll see the tiny downlights above each bottle.  Imagine all the possibilites!

-Robert

Design Lines Special Events, Designer Inspiration/Trends, Kravet/Lee Jofa

Blogfest 2011: Lee Jofa Heritage Collection with Iconic Interior Designers on Long Island

Next stop on the agenda – May Studios on Long Island. The Blogfest 2011 crew was spoiled with a once-in-a-lifetime treat! Lee Jofa  celebrated the launch of their new “Heritage Collection” by having 6 iconic interior designers design vignettes using fabrics from the collection. This party was hosted by Traditional Home.

 

Suzanne Kasler, David Easton, Diamond Baratta Design, Eric Cohler, Suzanne Rheinstein, and Thomas O’Brien were all in attendance. These designers were all gracious and autographed our very own “Inspired Styles” book published by Assouline.  

 

 

(Above left) Thomas O’Brien’s vignette and (Above right) Hilaire with Thomas O’Brien

 

 

(Above) The Rosebank Print and vignette designed by Diamond Baratta Design.

 

(Above lef) Jennifer Powell of Kravet speaks with Eric Cohler about his vignette while (above left) is a glimpse of David Easton signing books for fellow attendees of the event.

Tomorrow we’ll have a review of the Ace Hotel, plus more on the events at Blogfest including a kickin cool tour of Kravet and Lee Jofa’s headquarters in Manhattan.

Stay tuned!

images: 1. Mayo Studios & the rest are personal

Design Lines Special Events, Designer Inspiration/Trends, Kravet/Lee Jofa

Blogfest 2011: Lilly Pulitzer & Barbara Barry In Kravet & Lee Jofa Showroom

 

After a day of battling the fog I finally arrived in NYC for day two of Blogfest 2011. Blogfest attendees received an up close look at the new Lilly Pulitzer home furnishings line with a preview and picnic in the Lee Jofa showroom.

(Above) Hilaire with Susan from Bridget Bear Designs & Faith of Faith Sheridan Design Group, Inc. inside the Lee Jofa Showroom.

 

I can’t get over the blues! I love the blue checkered pattern on the walls and all the pop of orange.

 

 

Growing up in the interior design industry, I have always heard of Barbara Barry and seen her breathtaking designs – but I never thought I would have the opportunity to hear her speak let alone meet her.

 

 

(Above- left) Mrs. Kravet & Scott Kravet speaking with Barbara Barry after her presentation. (Above – right) Jennifer interviewing Barbara inside the Kravet Showroom.

 

 

Barbara Barry introduced her new line of Kravet fabrics called “Indochine,” and we even tasted Barbara’s new delicious tea from Tea Leaves called “Citrine.” My it was quite the event!

 

 

Thank you Barbara, for your gracious spirit. You are a true inspiration!

Tomorrow, we recap our visit to Long Island with Lee Jofa’s Heritage Collection and my do I have a treat for you!

A Closer Look Series, Designer Inspiration/Trends

A Closer Look: Heart Felt

Sharon Parker is an artist who works out of Artspace in downtown Raleigh (if you haven’t been there you should really check it out during First Friday!).  She makes vibrantly-colored sculptures and wall-hangings out of handmade felt.  I was amazed to learn that she makes it all from scratch, using raw wool that is worked and dyed to perfection.  I think the results of her labor speak for themselves!

 

 

But Felt is not only for artists!  Designers are increasingly using the material in a wide range of projects from headboards to impromptu rugs.  One of the most unique applications can be found in the Fluff Bakery (pictured below), where Lewis Tsurmaki Lewis layered strips of felt on end to create a unique wall covering.

Felt comes in a lot of thicknesses, and in a broad range of colors if you are buying in the thinner range. The basic colors are grey and white, and many have a pleasantly warm, creamy consistency. 

Check out this great chair by Cappellini, executed in purple felt!

 

And check out this rug by Mary Ann Williams – it must feel amazing underfoot.

 What can you imagine doing with this unique material?

-Robert

image 1,2,3: by the author

image 4: Lewis Tsurmaki Lewis

image 5&7: Apartment Therapy

image 6: Cappellini

Design Lines Special Events

Light Fair International

Today, Judy and I are headed to Light Fair International 2011. We are excited to see the latest in lighting technology on display from companies around the world. Tomorrow, we will take advantage of the seminars at the fair, where we will learn about topics ranging from the newest LED fixtures to how the human eye percieves color.

We know that what we learn in the next two days will help us to better serve our clients, and we are looking forward to sharing highlights with you!  So stay tuned!

Robert

A Closer Look Series, Designer Inspiration/Trends

A Closer Look: Modern Art in Traditional Spaces

Opposites attract.  Believe it or not, this can also be true when choosing art for your home.  Modern art can look fantastic in a traditional home.  The key is to carefully place the artwork, making the juxtaposition of styles look intentional and well-considered.   Here are some excellent examples to inspire you:

1. A painting by Joseph Albers hangs above the mantle in a dining room.  I love the pop of color.  Albers was a famous colorist and once taught at North Carolina’s Black Mountain College.

2. A painting by Joan Mitchell, one of my favorite artists, hangs above the couch in a room designed by Peter Marino. 

3.  In this example, a painting by Fernand Leger hangs in a traditional room.

4. Here’s a great example, which was taken from the set of the movie Meet Joe Black – a beautiful Marc Rothko painiting hangs on a paneled wall.  Somehow, it works beautifully!

 

5. And finally, a cozy scene from a house with a giant canvas on the wall (by Egon Schiele?).

Where can you see modern art in your home?

-Robert

image 1: Apartment Therapy

image 2, 3: Architectural Digest

image 4: Sweet Sunday Mornings

image 5: Traditional Home


Designer Inspiration/Trends

It’s All About The Hats At the Kentucky Derby

If the British can wear hats to the Royal Wedding, then we Americans can certainly wear hats to the “most famous 2 minutes in sports” – the Kentucky Derby.

The idea and tradition behind wearing a hat to the Kentucky Derby is full of Southern tradition and really more fun than anything. It is all about you and your personality. Who doesn’t want to dress up and wear a gorgeous hat, right?!

 The video explains how hats are an extreme fashion statement and an excuse to dress with style.

Here are a few classic hats we found that are just gorgeous! I tend to like the black and white ones the best. Which hat is your favorite?  

media: 1. Video 2. The Saturday Post 3. Lovely Little Things 4. Daily Diva Dish  5. Style Hive

A Closer Look Series, Flowers

A Closer Look: Art in Science

I recently spent some time at the archives of NC State University searching for art to adorn the walls of the new Chancellor’s house.  The University has a rich history in science, and many of the images I found were made for scientific purposes.  Although they weren’t always intended as art, I was pleased to find that many of them could look beautiful as decorative pieces.

Above is an image by B.W. Wells (1884-1974), a naturalist who created hand-colored glass slides to aid in scientific presentations.  NC State has a large archive of his work online.

One of the classic examples of scientific illustration are prints of birds by John James Audubon, like the one above found in his book Birds Of America.  Below: a framed Audubon print adds interest to a paneled room.

 

Similar in aim to Audubon’s work and even more colorful, are illustrations like this one by E.A. Seguy.  His book on Butterflies, Papillions,  can be found in the NC State archives.

NC State’s website also features a series called “Inside Wood” featuring microscope images of wood fibers – these bold, textured images would look perfect as large-scale black and white prints.

Every year, Princeton University hosts a contest for the best “Art of Science.”  Here’s last year’s winner, a photo of a Plasma Accelerator:

 

Scientific images are a source for artwork that can be refreshing and beautiful.  Can you see it on your walls?

-Robert

image 1, 4, & 5: NCState Archives

image 2: Telegraph UK

image 6: Princeton Art of Science Competition