ICFF: THE ROUNDUP

Once a year, New York City welcomes furniture and home decor designers and manufactures from around the world to showcase their new creations at ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair). So yesterday afternoon I headed over to this great spectacle ready for a design overdose. My expectations were surpassed. I was excited to see a lot of new talent among the veteran design houses, especially in wall coverings. The variety of materials and interpretations in wallpapers, tiles and finishes was quite extensive—actually more than I've seen in previous years. Another biggie was lighting (or maybe it was just me since I have a weakness for everything that illuminates). But seriously, the array of alternatives and designs was glorious. Last but not least, I was very happy to see a great deal of attention paid to the outdoors with a gorgeous and stylish selection of furniture and accessories for the patio and backyard. Overall, I spent a delightful afternoon drooling over such wonderful and inspiring work, but the cherry on the cake was running into design guru Karim Rashid. The fair will be open until tomorrow, so if you happen to be in this part of town, I recommend you stop by and see for yourself what's new and happening in the world of design. If not, here are a few of the many things that really caught my eye. Enjoy!

Click to read more ...

SIMPLY BRIGHT

Sometimes it is the simplest things that are the most beautiful. It just takes a splash of good design and a drop of creativity to create that one piece that screams perfection. The Flask falls into that category. This limited-edition pendant lamp, designed by Florian and Sebastian, Schneider impresses through its simplicity. All it takes is a metal lampshade, an electric cord and a bulb and voilà, you've got a super chic fixture for your home. Flask was designed to hang either straight down or on a 90° angle, and it comes in white, sulfur yellow and mint green. Happy Friday!!

Click to read more ...

JUST BE...

Inspiration via un peu d'air sur la terre

NORDIC LIGHTS

Here's a tale of a small and great idea that gets a chance to be part of the Scandinavian design tradition. Bright Sprout is a wooden fixture designed by Danish Jonas Hoejgaard for Nordic Tales to hide the light bulb sockets on energy saving bulbs. With its clean Nordic design it turns an important everyday object into an aesthetic experience. Like with every other Nordic Tales product, Bright Sprout tells a story. And you're part of the story-telling as you get to choose from seven bright cord colors and the wood finish (soap finished or smoked oak). Besides its coo and minimalist design, the fixture arrives in a special designed packaging, inspired by a nutshell, that can be reused as a vase, pen holder or a fun decorative accessory. These are very cool, especially if hung as cluster.

Click to read more ...

UNCONVENTIONAL SIMPLICITY

Inspired by the classic crystal chandelier, these funky pendants are designed by Czech design duo Peter Mikošek and Michael Vrátníková of BOA Design. The Neoline Collection of chandeliers is designed especially for hotel and restaurant interiors, spaces large enough to allow their avant-garde design to shine. The look of these lamps bears fluid lines with unconventional minimalism and simplicity.

Click to read more ...

A COLLECTOR'S DREAM

As the proud owner of a prop house for the filming industry, Alketas Pazis has one of the most amazing collections of mid-century modern and industrial antiques ranging from the 1900‘s to the 1950’s. Having one of the most extensive collections in Greece, he focuses on a more exclusive European segment of the avant-garde modern movement. The eclecticism of his pieces is what makes his collection so unique. Can you imagine living surrounded by these fabulous treasures? Well, as a matter of fact, this is how he lives, in this residence/showroom that houses his remarkable compilation inspired by public spaces of the past. This is just a sampling of his extensive collection to whet your appetite, so don't hesitate to go here to see more.

Click to read more ...

IT'S AN ILLUSION

This incredibly fun lamp combines the functional elements of a sconce and a table giving the illusion of floating. Illusion Half, the wall version of the original Illusion lamp, is created by the Nordic company Northern Lighting in collaboration with Hareide Design. It's their way of merging two common pieces of furniture in one with an unexpected magical twist. The lamp is a perfect mood maker that works great in an entryway as well as in the bedroom as a night stand. Clever, right?

Click to read more ...

HAPPY FACES

When I saw these adorable floor lamps I simply had to smile. Faces (that's their name) are designed by interior designers Isabelle Gilles and Yann Poncelet of Colonel. I love how simply their design is. The lamps consists of tripod-like base made in solid beech and a shade covered in felt, where they decided to add the right touch of color. Even the fabric that covers the wire matches the color of the shade — how cute is that? The shades can also be tilted to redirect the light to your needs. Happy Saturday!!

Click to read more ...