It’s Sunday which means it is time for our weekly design intell series! Design Confidential curates a weekly selection of relevant and noteworthy design news headlines from around the world.Check out the links below for news, trends and home decor/design resources you may have missed this week. Enjoy.

Products

Creation Baumann 2010 collection

Abraham Moon introduces 7 new wool collections and sample books

Furnibloom 

Walcot House’s Disc Finial has been revived with a wonderful selection of new colors and textures  

 Wallpaper for Windows  new Deco Wave window film   

Innovation + Technology

Homestyler Partners with Dwell

Target Launches New Social Media Push

Design Destinations

Polo/Ralph Lauren Does Monticello

Why Design Now?  at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, New York

2010 French Sculputural Preview  to the French Salute to Edith Wharton 2011 The Mount, Lenox, MA

Design Events + Competitions

Sketchbook Project 2011  Tour

‹‹SYSTEMS: THINK FORWARD›› INNOVATION COMPETITION 2010/2011

C.F. Stinson’s Sta- Kleen dry erase upholstery fabric

Suzanne Tick’s Memory Glass for Skyline Design

Dietiker’s new chair- Ono- in an inspired color palette by Arik Levy

If you want to see the best of NeoCon. Read NeoCon Live’s daily postings. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Neocon Day 1

NeoCon Day 2

NeoCon Day 3  Don’t Miss Apartment Therapy’s post about NeoCon ideas you can use at home!

Knoll Textiles- I can’t miss the new Knoll Luxe Rodarte collection.

Lowell

Keats

Maharam always delights the eye.

 Designtex too!

 B & B Italia to see the Patricia Uriquola Outdoor Collection- Crinoline.

Mecho Shade will show their sloped shades.

Bergamo Fabrics introduces Aligator Viscose.

Perennial fav- Maya Romanoff shows the  Meditations collection of hand made paper by Nepalese artisans.  The luxurious texture and shimmer of Meditations wallpaper may look glamorous, but it’s also a feel-good product: Production of the handmade lokta paper employs Nepalese artisans, requires minimal energy use, and offers a portion of profits to Aid to Artisans.

Tricycle unveils the Ample Sample winner and I need to get the inside scoop if they are branching out into more industries.

This year’s winner is Steven Rothe’s Cynch Stool. Rothe, a designer from Minnesota with 11 years of experience who works for Meyer, Scherer, & Rockcastle, Ltd., explains, “The Cynch Stool’s aesthetic was driven by the goal of creating a piece of furniture that was crisper, softer, and streamlined, while not being overly heavy to allow for easy mobility of the object.”The design for Cynch is a classic combination of form and function.  With a clean and minimal aesthetic, this stool is able to meet realistic stresses while weighing less than 30% of a comparable design of solid carpet tile.  By using less total resources on top of a design that already takes advantage of almost 100% of every tile, Cynch allows the design waste stream to go further.  And by being held together with mechanical fasteners and straps, the stool is completely recyclable at the end of its life span.  The Cynch design offers minimal cutting, a simple assembly process and a lighter yet attractive stool, making it a cinch.

Herman Miller- the list goes on…. Plus, I know I’ll find a gem or two hidden in the temporary suites or find a great new source from the new exhibitors.

Monday, June 14th, Susan and I will be presenting a seminar in the Fine Design Residential Seminar Track titled: High Impact Materials for High Income Projects at 2:30-3:30 on the 15^th floor.

While I am there, I’ll be checking out the Guerilla Truck Show at Fulton Market- it’s the sixth year where young designers back up 18 wheelers to a loading dock and for 4 hours showcase their newest work. Participating groups include Strand Design, Object Society, Studio Murmur, Object Design League, and Uncommon. Object Society in it’s second annual show, offering more exciting new furniture and designed objects from even more of Chicago’s best independent designers. In the auxiliary gallery, Object Design League will be showing work from their 2010 workshop: Bags, based on the popular Midwestern game Cornhole. The public is invited inside to play our special “Bags Course,” featuring 15 designers’ interpretations of games with projectiles and targets.

 If yousee me in the booths. Stop and say hi!

I first saw Irish designer Rachel O’Neill’s (she studied at the University of Iowa) work 2 years ago at imm Cologne as part of the British Design Students booth. Rachel creates large scale wall hangings and lighting from custom dyed velcro. Who knew?! Some combinations include feathers and metallic finishes.  I loved the idea of taking a common material, in this case- velcro- and turning it into something else. The results are as you will see are completely unique and original. This year she surfaced again at ICFF with some stunning lighting concepts. Love the play on light and shadow.  What designer/workroom/installer hasn’t become frustrated by a jumbled mess of velcro? Now we know what to do with it.

 1.Units by TheMacBox allow users to convert area, length and width among other units. According to Examiner.com, designers and architects can simply plug in numbers to quickly convert a drawing that is in meters to feet, for example. By eliminating the need for formulas, Units by TheMacBox will save time and ensure accuracy.FREE

2.Architect’s Formulator by Multieducator Inc. contains over 200 formulas in the areas of Electrical, Carpentry and Plumbing, as well as Concrete and Excavations. Unlike other applications, this one costs about $10.00, but some would agree that the app is worth the price since it practically eliminates the need for having to reference bulky manuals.

3. iHandy Level iPhone App – very handy for leveling pictures on the wall, checking that a table is level, etc. FREE

4.Mark on Call by M.O.C. Interior Design, LLC helps with space planning, includes a pre-loaded material palette and allows users to save a library of finishes to “skin” onto surfaces in a virtual room. Version 2.0 is now available. $ 2.99 That lets you:

Take pictures of actual finishes, fabrics, rugs, and flooring from your favorite manufacturers and “skin” them onto ANY item or surface in your room using your iPhone camera or images from your photo library and publish and share them with other users.

 Access Presets Palette offering pre-loaded color, pattern, wood, and stone options; apply our user-friendly color wheel; or import custom colors and patterns

 Utilize new Rooms Gallery to backup & publish your room designs, move rooms to another floor plan, create room templates, & collaborate with other designers, clients, friends, family, or other app users.

Talk about design mobility-you can actually consult and share room plans with your clients!

5. My MOST favorite is reQall. reQall is a voice-enabled memory aid that seamlessly integrates your mobile phone, email, text messaging and IM into a powerful organizer, reminder system and productivity assistant.  God knows I can use a little more memory! reQall lets you capture your ideas, tasks and commitments before you forget, and it proactively keeps you well-prepared.  A colleague turned me on to it and I tested it on a trip home from Indy last week. When I get behind the wheel my head clears and my to- dos come into focus. I LOVED this- I speak into the phone; it turns my recording into text; creates a list organized by categories like need to buy, Notes, To Dos, Call, etc. that I can access and then sends me a reminder! Busy designers will love this- no texting yourself a note. FREE

If  you have an iPad… here’s a fabulous new app. I have been coveting this design series after seeing it for several years ago at a show. Phaidon hasn’t wasted any time in transforming its encyclopedic Design Classics collection into an app for Apple’s new tablet device. Originally published as a three-volume set (and tucked inside its own carrying case), Phaidon Design Classics features 999 of the most innovative, beautiful, and influential products created in the last 200 years, from early-1800s Chinese bonsai scissors to the sleek line of brunch equipment (kettle, coffee maker, and toaster) designed by Jasper Morrison for Rowenta. $19.99 ( orginal three book set- $175.00)

Last but not least, if personal design shopping is part of your design service package try Red Laser. Just used it pricing a TV for a client. Not only did it price it, but listed the cheapest prices within 5 miles and online.  $.99

Bright Blind by Mongoose

Made of electroluminescent (EL) sheets, Makoto Hirahara’s Bright Blind simulates a window where none exists. In all other respects, the artificial blind functions in exactly the same way as a regular blind – i.e. turning the plastic stick controls the brightness, etc. Great for dark rooms and basements.

As of this writing, this piece is made by hand, so it’s available – but will take some time (and money) to create.

Anyone who follows design knows, there are tons of great products out there. Much as we’d like to, we can’t possibly buy or sell them all.  In the spirit of Gen C, where design is democratic and everyone can be a designer, Bright Blinds comes to us via In The Pipeline. In the Pipeline allows you to be a virtual member of their buying team; tell them which designs you love and help them choose which products to sell. You comment on any of the designs and vote for your favorites.  Submit your email and if the prototype gets manufactured they will notify you so you can be one of the first to call it your own.

Upon further investigation; it looks like it’s been around for awhile as it was submitted to the site a year ago. Let me know what you think.  Manufacturers, here’s another shout out about innovative blinds. Anyone listening?

It seems the DIY world exists even in the couture world of Paris.  Sweat Shop is a ‘sewing café’ that provides up to 10 sewing stations with a large communal table anchored at the center for pattern cutting and textile preparations.  Situated by the St Martin canal, Sweat Shop aims to create a fashion version of a wifi café; SINGER sponsored the sewing machines which are available by the hour for anyone interested to make their own pillow case or merely patch up a torn dress. 

In a city like Paris renowned to house ateliers for some of the world’s most prolific fashion designers, more of the right kinds of ‘sweat shops’ such as these need to start mushrooming.  The brainchild of Martena Duss, a make up artists for brands such as Celine, Yves Saint Laurent and Margiela shows, Sweat Shop adopts an antique look for the interior design of the retail space and an apt modern mantra; ‘Less buying – more trying’.

Design Confidential says: STEAL THIS IDEA

WOW! I love everything about this idea- from the name; to the concept; to the look of the cafe. Workrooms-this is a great way to use fabric odds and ends, keep your machines busy and create a new revenue stream. Think Starbucks for sewers or those DIYers who want to learn. This could be a whole new business for you …. 

I have just added this to my list of must sees for our September Trip to Paris.

[via Man Make Home, PSFK]

One of the highlights for me at Paris Deco Off was Jacob Schlaepfer. For me, Jakob Schlaepfer epitomizes the best of both design worlds. They call their textiles “industrially hand crafted “and it is so true- innovative, ingenious design done by the hand of master artisans. Known as the purveyor of haute couture fabrics since 1904 to such fashion houses as Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs, Vivenne Westood and Christian Lacroix (That is a whole other story!),  They entered into interiors in 2008 with couture worthy textiles that… well; you have to see it to believe it!   

 I was honored to be invited to experience their 2010 decor line at Galerie Alain  Blondel in the Marias and they did not disappoint.

Artisitc Director Michele Rondelli and Creative Director, Martin Leuthold led us on a mouth watering tour of their third edition interior collection. Each new piece was better than the last. This collection was meant to be experienced by all the senses.

Vada Tulle and Vada Gardinio Blackout

In 2008 they introduced a world first in by Vada Pleats and Vada Giardino. Never before has printing been carried out on three layers of tulle simultaneously. The effect is as beautiful as it is striking, since the three layers give the fabric a 3D look. The collection is supplemented with the flame-retardant Buonanotte fabric for black out draperies, which can be printed with all the motifs in the collection.

Phanton in Motion

Phantom – the world’s lightest textile for windows needs to be thrown up in the air to see how it float swirls around you like smoke rings. Weighing only 10 grams per square meter, this polyester fiber enhanced with metal floats with every movement of the air. Introduced in 2009 and winning several prestigious textile design prizes; they built on its success with a printed version- Secret Garden.

 

 

Secret Garden

Detail Secret Garden

 “The technical perfection of the material, which shows most spectacularly in movement, has here been made entirely subservient to the poetic effect achieved,” commented one member of the Textile Design Jury.

Pollock Wall Panels

Playing with pollock

 

 

 

Pollock must be played with. This textile is like a incredibly beautiful etch-a sketch. Invention is in Jakob Schlaepfer’s blood: it has been  more than thirty years since the St Gallen manufacturer developed the first industrial procedure for applying paillettes(sequins) to fabrics, revolutionizing the entire textile industry. Now a new process has made these same paillettes interactive: by stroking them you can turn them over, from one face to the other, from one colour combination to another,from bright to matt, from plain to printed, from glittering to iridescent – with more than 200 combinations the possibilities are simply endless.  Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood and Marc Jacobs, were so enthralled they included the fabric in their new collections just off the runway.

Korsakow close-up

Korsakow is …how do you explain Korsakow-? It is embossed foam tipped with gold or silver leather and applied by hand to transparent black tulle).See what I mean you just have to see it to believe it!

Aluminum Sheer

A layer of aluminum is sandwiched between contrasting chiffons in this sculputural curtain.

Design Confidential: Tell me a little about yourself?

Helena Karelson:I was born in Estonia and now live and work in London. I recently graduated from Kingston University with a Product and Furniture Design degree

DC: What inspires you as a designer?

HK: I am fascinated with light and the relationship between form and shadow.  In fact this series was born from that fascination. When the slats are in the horizontal position light filters through the irregular gaps, projecting a rich tapestry of sunbeams into the interior space. In the vertical position the light from behind the window frames the blinds perfectly in a subtle, warm glow.

DC: Have you played with this category before?

HK: I did another series titled Warm Glow. These are  window blinds that bring warmth into our everyday life. When the light comes through the blinds, the yellow side of the blinds, reflects onto the white side, resulting a warm glow. The First edition of Kontuur blind premiered at this year’s D&AD New Blood exhibition, where it won the prestigious Best New Blood award.  Kontuur window blinds also won the New Design Britain Award.

 DC:  I understand that the Kontuur blinds’ inspiration was your fascination with light and shadow, why did you choose blinds as the medium.

HK: I realized that there have not been many innovations in that medium for a long time and the classical blinds have become a boring window covering solution. I saw the potential to design something interesting and beautiful. I was right, Kontuur window blinds have had and continue to have a lot of interest in them. I have got so much good feedback from everybody, including designers, architects, manufacturers, stylists and buyers from all over the world.

DC: No Kidding!

DC: Have any blind manufacturer shown interest?

HK:It is a prototype. Many blind manufacturers in UK and Europe have shown interest.

DC: Where is the interest from U.S. manufacturers? – hey guys!

Each slat is carefully designed to leave no waste post-manufacture, which, combined with the use of environmentally sound materials ensures that it can be enjoyed without the worry of its environmental impact weighing on your mind.

Wouldn’t you like to see this in our blind offerings?

Not only are Smart Energy Glass windows available in several colors, but they can switch between three modes: dark, bright and privacy, which scatters the light passing through. Even better, the glass serves to collect solar energy, which can then be used directly or fed back to the grid.

 But it also occurred to me that this could also be an opportunity for window covering maunfacturers. How cool would it be if the energy stored in the glass could be used to power motorized blinds, shades or draperies. Somfy and BTX please take note!

Users can control the darkness mode of the windows at will, depending on light conditions and energy concerns. Privacy mode generates the most energy, while bright mode is the least productive. Corporate logos can even be incorporated into the glass, Peer+ says.

Peer+ is currently working on its first pilots in the Netherlands, and is seeking further projects for testing.

See the video below

Smart Energy Glass from Peerplus on Vimeo.

Via PSFK