ICFF

Phew, I'm exhausted but here's my second installment on ICFF 2008.

(The first is here, and for even more, check out my blog, http://www.greenmodernkits.com/casa-ti1.htm.)

Lessee... Let's start with...

Orange22.

http://www.orange22.com/ http://www.botanistseries.com/

Sweet John Huang emailed me about their project.

Beautiful products! I love how they nest together, how they maintain a continuity of form while embracing different personalities, and with recyclable materials.

And note:

"When we began thinking about the Botanist™ Blank Canvas project back in 2006, we knew we wanted to produce more than beautiful furniture. Botanist is about entrusting our colleagues – each of whom we admire, to do what they love and give back in the process. Botanist is simply a unique business model that serves as a catalyst to empower design for positive change,”

Dario Antonioni, founder of Orange22.

Botanist Blank Canvas matches each designer’s royalty to a charity or foundation of their choice. Collaborate, create, and give back... responsible design."

I deeply appreciated learning about what causes these designers care for, and thank them for all that they do to help others. From their web site:

"Designer: Kahi Lee

What was your inspiration?

I call my design "Unlock the Cure". Cancer has affected far too many people in my life and I'm committed to doing something about it. The cure is out there, we just need to find the key. The light-reflective and luminous quality of the metallic finish symbolizes hope and optimism.

Why is it important for you to give back?

I want to give back to the Cancer Research Institute because they are leaders in supporting the development of strategies to treat and prevent cancer. Giving back is important to me because I think we all have a duty to try to leave this world a little bit better than the way we found it.

Name of line: Albero

Designer: Joe Ricchio with Kara Larsen

What was your inspiration?

The concept is my expression of the beauty of life. I chose a delicate and elegant branch with dew dropping off of it to represent earth, water and life.

Why is it important for you to give back?

DIFFA: Design Industry Fighting Aids. I have been donating to them for many years for a variety of reasons: 1 ) Larry Pond was the Director of Design at Stendig and introduced my first chair, he began DIFFA and has since died of AIDS, 2 ) I have a family member that is HIV positive and 3 ) I believe it is simply a good choice.

"

"

rECOlector's CH07 by Eugenio Menjivar

I enjoyed meeting Eugenio Menjivar and his wife, who were very kind to walk me through the details and ideas behind their lamps.

rECOlector's CH07 takes typical egg cartons of 100% recycled paper, the metal stands are reused from objects found in junkyards, and uses water based colors to create soft lamp shades inspired by dancers.

InModern / EcoTots

InModern.net / EcoTots.comInModern / Ecotots: ICFF 2008 - see post here: http://www.buildinggreentv.com/keywords/furniture/3619

What I like about the surfin collection is that I could picture a child loving the pieces and recalling them fondly years later; yet there was something extremely stylish and not cutesy or overly-bright about the design and in the colors they chose.

I enjoyed meeting Jay Slifer, vice president of design. We hung out awhile and instead of talking shop we caught up on our kids. : )

Molo Design

Molo Design's Softlight & Softwall & Softblocks & Softseating...

I love it. Of course it's dramatic.

My only hesitation is... regardless: cloth or paper...

How do you clean it?

Sorry, I'm a mom,I have to wipe everything. But I love the possibilities...

Here are my pictures:

Animavi's Artisan Screen

My pictures or the pictures on their website do not do justice to the subtle, gorgeous translucency of this wall screen.

Imagine resin panels that give the touchable urge of softly ground glass / candy, grounded in a safe, solid base to define your living space.

I've asked the designer to email me some better pics, but in the meantime see it here: http://www.animavi.com/

"The Animavi Artisan Screen is one-of-a-kind metal artistry. Inspired by hand-crafted jewelry, its true function, to redefine space, is complimented by its flexibility to take on both linear or serpentine form. Set of seven bases.

See its eco-profile here.

Features:

• Freestanding screen comprised of 7 hand-crafted steel bases
• “No tools” installation
• Welded construction, threaded connecting points
• Each base unique with patina in three optional finishes
• Vertical post/finial connection point supports a 7’ plank

Versatile configuration options:

• LINEAR: Two solid steel rods connect base pieces
• SERPENTINE: braided steel cable connects base pieces
• Steel is clear-coated - indoor or outdoor applications
• Multiple planking options available, colors per manufacturer choice."

Modern Outdoor ModernOutdoor.com

Environmentally conscious outdoor furniture that is sleek and modern. I really liked the etra chaise lounge in white, the talt lounge, talt barstool with bar height table, and LOVED the talt low sofa and low lounger chair in white with lime fabric!

I also really liked the talt bench and table together as dining... Amoeba Light

http://www.thesimplelight.com/gallery_1.html

I'm going to be honest. I love the form, it's beautiful.

But... Would the design really work as well with a typical florescent or LED light?

I was really surprised more lighting people hadn't made the jump to green light bulbs...

If you missed New York's International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), then let me know if you want to hear more of what I'll quickly post tonight.

Everything is more individualized on my blog, http://www.greenmodernkits.com/casa-ti1.htm, and honeychile', I have days to go of posting everything I found. This is just the initial mixed bag, in no particular order.

Material ConneXion

http://www.materialconnexion.com

The Be-All, End-All of Green Material Sourcing. "Material ConneXion is the world's leading knowledge base for information about new and innovative materials. Through our comprehensive innovative materials libraries located on three continents and our project-specific custom materials research group - the Advanced Material Solutions Team - Material ConneXion provides all disciplines of design development: product, packaging, architectural, interior, apparel and more, with both a creative and competitive edge."

Design Glut

http://designglut.com/

Design GlutDesign Glut's cigarette holders, shaped like guns, when used visually convey that when smoking you are killing yourself! I have several people in mind to whom I'd love to send these!

"SLOW FOOD TRAY

The Slow Food Tray reclaims a fast food tray and encourages healthy, high-quality, sustainable meals.

SMOKING GUN

For the die-hard smoker, this accessory will underscore just how bad-ass you are. For those who would like to quit, perhaps this metaphor will help supress your cravings."

Ango World: Chrysalis lamps

Grrrrr. I get so frustrated when my practical mom-sense collides with... beauty.

Fine, just tell me how to dust it. I love it. It glows.

http://www.angoworld.com/ http://www.angoworld.com/product/floor.htm

It's a lamp that evokes cocoons.

Pictures don't do it justice.

It made me glow.

Black Valley Design Collective http://www.bvdcollective.com

"Black Valley Design Collective is a group of former industrial design students and their professor, that has a common goal, create something amazing. Although we borrow our name and image from Black Mountain College, we do so with reverence. Starting in the fall of 2007 at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, we came together to do some unique designs. Even now we work as individuals, but come together to gain insight and understanding from each other. We approach projects with an innovative thinking and insight that comes from seven different personalities and backgrounds, allowing for amazing results."

I might horrify them when I say this, but when I looked at their recycled fork and knives lamps they really reminded me of chandeliers with antlers... except, dude, they were made with repurposed utencils.

Strangely, there is something earthy about their plastic pieces... beautiful.

MOD West Furniture

http://www.modwestfurniture.com/

I spoke to Holly about her system, and was impressed by how her product can turn into so many things, without tools, that really could benefit people with a fast, mass need for furniture.

I also loved her enthusiasm for allowing the consumer to choose whether they would finish in high-end, or as lo- as having people make their own (inflatable) cushion covers.

"The components can be made out a variety of materials, ideally molded out of lightweight, inexpensive, renewable, and recyclable materials. These components could be easily flat-packed with all needed materials to configure beds and/or tables.

The lightweight, durable materials, combined with economical packaging, save enormous energy and resources. The sizes of readily available materials played a key part in the design. For example, the sizes of all hard and soft surface materials (cushion foam, plywood, recycled plastics, and composite resins) are generally available in 24-48" widths. The interior of the design's standard triangle was scaled to conform to those standard sizes in order to conserve materials and reduce waste. The system contains hard-surface triangles (i.e., a table) and soft-surface triangles (i.e., a cushion). An inflatable cushion, now in development, will provide multi-functionality with even fewer components.

The Mod West Furniture System can be produced as a high-end product or a low-end product, an indoor or outdoor product; think chrome/leather vs. plastic/inflatable. The design is aesthetically pleasing and its functionality can transform indefinitely in both residential and commercial settings. The system can grow and evolve with its users as demand grows. There are dozens of additional modules which seamlessly add on to these base components."

Maruja Fuentes's Leaning-Molds

Wall systems made for public spaces, Maruja Fuentes's Leaning-molds are made of recycled plastic. They were quite comfortable and I thought the green was particularly nice. The pieces fit together, but it's not really practical to stack them in height rather than length.

Artecnica's Design With A Conscience Project

http://www.artecnicainc.com/

First I saw these stunning women running around in black, slinky, witchy apron dresses.

I coveted one; and I wanted to be them.

I saw their Witches' Kitchen, by Studio Tord Boontje.

But was it modern? Regardless, I walked by, admiring. (It really is beautiful, and yes, I would love it in my own home.) Then I backtracked, and discovered their Design With A Conscience project.

"Artecnica’s Design With Conscience campaign infuses social and environmental responsibility into design. Artecnica promotes, directs, and sponsors collaborative exchanges between leading designers and artisan communities to create meaningful design that challenges people to adopt a deeper, more sensitive way of thinking about objects."

The Anemone lamp is great, I liked the way it could be configured in many ways and rolled around...

(Note: They really seemed to have a wonderful company culture and genuinely having a great time. It was a discernable difference from dwe-ACHOO - excuse me!- um, another place I had just left that wouldn't even hand me a post card when I admired their curtain designs: "Are you a retailer?" No, I just sell affordable modern house kits and furniture. Does that make me a retailer? They looked at me like I was an idiot. I guess I am... )

In honor of my friend Justin who I'm sure knows allllllllllllllllll about this already, I am still going to upload my pictures of one of the sylphs showing off their fantastic WirePod by Joris Laarman!

The WirePod is "art" that uncoils to stretch into a power pod- with four "arms" available to plug into electrical products as needed. Geez my office seriously needs this...

A Quick Note On Parties...

Hands down, Hard Core Design (Hardcoredesign.net) was the best. Do you think I'm biased towards the Finns? ; )

I couldn't understand why Design Within Reach was packed to the gills with tumultuous crowds yelling over each other... when they could have been across the street contemplating art.

I walked into Hard Core Design... and saw "Pentagon Design: Touching, Tactile Surfaces (Tikkurila), The Animal Farm... Touching, Tactile Surfaces (2006) is composed of live sized animals. Painted with new, innovative paint products, the installation intends to emphasize the touch and feel of the painted object. The “animal farm” invites the visitors to pet the animals and experience the different structures and surfaces of the paints. The aim is to show that today’s paints are much more than just colors, they can be functional and interactive: they may be magnetic, they may be used as blackboards, or the paints may resemble a rough concrete surface."

And Janne Kyttanen's Palm Chandelier, Mikko Laakkonen's Latva Coatrack, Janne Kttanen's Onisuka Tiger Shoe...

...Let me know if you want more... you can find more on my blog and even then I've only uploaded about 30% of it! : )

Latva Coatrack: Latva Coatrack

ICFF 2008: ICFF / Meatpacking partiesMeatpacking Design Week: Meatpacking Design Week

Want more? Part 2 is here...