EDGAR MUELLER: Sidewalk Illusions
May 21st, 2011 § Leave a Comment
Artist Feature vol. 5
This German born artist has been recognized as the master street painter among artists. He uses his knowledge and technique in classical painting to create realistic 3D images on public sidewalks throughout Europe. Mueller‘s work brings the fantastic themes of classical art into our everyday modern world by provoking these incredible encounters on city streets. Imagine walking to your car after work and finding yourself in the middle of one of these incredible settings!
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BEST OF: Statement Rugs
May 5th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
Make one of these rugs yours or use the inspiration to scope out other possibilites. Either way, a new fun rug is sure to bring some new life into your home this Summer!
Gan Rugs - Siracusa
byHenzel - Second Session
Dot - Grid Printed Cotton Mat $39 (3' x 5')
Carpet 2 Series by Verner Panton $3,199
Executive Rug Multi-Bright $539 (5 x 7)
Dead End Rug $299 (5' x 8')
Luminaire - High Tech Crochet Rug
Driade - Birds by Ed Annink
Draper Stripe Persimmon and Cream Rug $200 (5' x 8')
Trapeze Rug $679 (5.5' x 7.5')
Riviera Rug by Christian Lacroix $1,895
Cormac Rug $79.95 (5' x 8')
Moroso - Sardinian Rugs by Patricia Urquiola
Stockholm Triangel $449 (7'-10" x 5'-7")
Gan Rugs - Mangas Largas
Junior Pink Tonal Square Rug $650
Blanco Hairhide Rug $899 (5' x 8')
byHenzel - Deluxe Mulberry Silk
Supernova Hydrus Area Rug $635
Emma Gardner Design - Fishtail
Karim Rashid Rugs - Abstract 002
Swing Rugs by Patrick Norguet $2,559
MILAN: Salone del Mobile 2011
April 23rd, 2011 § 1 Comment
Baccarat in Milan Salon Del Mobile 2011
Baccarat in Milan Salon Del Mobile 2011
EVERY YEAR IN MILAN THE MOST INNOVATIVE AND INFLUENTIAL PERSONALITIES of the design world gather for a week to contemplate the newest creations, trends and technologies. This year the event hosted by Baccarat and Veuve Cliquot was held April 12-17th. Baccarat displayed their new collection of crystal chandeliers amongst whimsical cloud installations (as seen above).
So what did all the big names in Italian design bring to the table this year?
Moroso displayed the Biknit Seating collection by Patricia Urquiola: “an exaggerated stitch pattern, an expanded, intense aesthetic transforms a weave into a visible, dramatic design.” They also showed her Klara collection of wooden chairs, Tokujin Yoshioka’s Memory chair and Doshi & Levien’s Impossible Wood chair among several other novelties.
MOROSO Biknit by Patricia Urquiola
MOROSO Klara by Patricia Urquiola
Artemide showed off Karim Rashid’s newest lighting creation, the Nearco pendant, alongside Guido Matta & Enrico Girotti’s Nuboli lamp (a translucent ceiling pendant in the shape of a cloud).
ARTEMIDE Nearco by Karim Rashid
ARTEMIDE Nuboli Lamp
Zanotta presented their 2011 Novelties at the show including the steel asymmetrical Lama Chair by Ludovica & Roberto Palomba alongside the twisted Elica 2576 Table that comes in a white or black high gloss finish.
ZANOTTA Lama Chaise
ZANOTTA Elica 2576
Domitalia brought to the table some beautiful new seating options with the New Retro chair by Fabrizio Batoni Design, the Playa chair also by the same designer, and the glow-in-the-dark outdoor Baba chairs by Radice Orlandini Designs.
DOMITALIA New Retro Chair by Fabrizio Batoni Design
DOMITALIA Playa chair
DOMITALIA Baba chair
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
DE CASTELLI Shrouded dresser
RAW EDGES Plaid Bench
CASAMANIA Loop Chaise by Sophie de Vocht
MAGIS Zartan Chairs by Philippe Starck with Eugeni Quitlet
Philippe Starck collaborated with Eugeni Quitllet to create the entirely natural Zartan chair. Made of a new technology using “liquid wood” the chair is molded much like polycarbonate but fuses only with other natural materials such as fibers, wax and fish oil to create a “strong, non-toxic alternative to petroleum-based plastics”. The chair is envisioned in 5 varying finishes: bamboo, flax, hemp, jute and rattan.
SPAZIO ROSSANA Flat Table Peeled by Jo Nagasaka
Balloon Bowls by Marteen de Ceulaer
Belgian designer Marteen de Ceulaer came up with an innovative method of creating bowls by pouring dyed plaster into a balloon then placing another balloon inside it, blowing it up and allowing the plaster to dry. The result is organic as the bowls have an array of varying color, sizes and shapes in a smooth finish and irregular edges.
CASAMANIA Rememberme chairs by Tobia Juretzek
Another response towards sustainability was brought by designer Tobia Juretzek with his Rememberme chair made of old garments that would otherwise have been discarded and unused.
FUTURE TRADITIONS Paper Chairs by Lei+Christoph+Jovana
FUTURE TRADITIONS Xuan Lamp
FENDI Installation by Rowan Mersh
Watson Table by Paul Loebach
* Photos of objects in Other Highlights are (c) of Design Boom
GET THE LOOK: Beach House in Bahia
April 16th, 2011 § 1 Comment
April 2011 Brazilian designer Sig Bergamin opened his beach house in Trancoso, Bahia to Elle Decor. There they found a crisp white backdrop on the floors, walls and exposed-beam ceilings. Bergamin took this blank canvas and introduced layers of color, pattern, style, and textures. Borrowing pieces from all corners of the world, the house manages a laid back vibe while engaging curiosity. The bones scream traditional Caribbean while the furnishings range from ethnic (African, Middle Eastern and Asian) to classic modern and nautical – inspired decor.
Want to get the look?
Check out my collection of items inspired by the project by clicking on the board below! Want to buy some of these goodies to really transform your space? Olioboard connects you directly to each manufacturer so you can do just that! Personally I’m really loving that blue ikat lounge chair and those beautiful bird prints!
DESIGN TRENDS: Technicolor
April 10th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
So color is back! And I don’t just mean specks of it here and there. I’m talking technicolor with a full spectrum of hues from hints of yellow to bold greens and faded lavenders.
Color can be introduced in the most subtle manners. To create a visually interesting and layered look play with blending different styles, textures, shapes and finishes that incorporate a balanced range of colors.
Don’t know which colors go well together? Paintings are amazing inspirations for color combinations and thus a great place to start!
Click here for inspiration!
WILD BEASTS: ” Les Fauves”
January 27th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
Mme Matisse: Madras Rouge, 1907 Henri Matisse
Before ever knowing what I was looking at, every time I have ever seen a work by Matisse I have been overwhelmingly intrigued. Though the artist tends to have painted traditional subjects such as portraits, landscapes and still lifes (as opposed to creating pure abstractions), his use of un-naturalistic vibrant colors and “undisguised brushstrokes” produces something entirely unique. Though I personally enjoy some abstraction, the distortion of reality to express emotion draws me in as it introduces new possibilities to the world I see around me. Is my skin really tan? Is the sky always blue? Is the grass always green?
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- A photo professor of mine once said poetically, “In 1st grade they took away all your joy”. They taught us to make stick figures represent people. They taught us the colors of the objects around us. They taught us symbols to facilitate identification. The problem is, they also took away our full capacity for seeing. From then on we started to see the world not with the infinite details of existence but through the filters we use to facilitate labeling and definition. To define is to kill all the other possibilities.
FAUVISM reminds me to look beyond the symbols.
Nasturtiums with the Painting "Dance", 1912 Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse (1869 – 1954), the leader of the Fauves, focused on creating images based not on three dimensional space but rather on color planes. He came to these ideas after exploring the works of Post – Impressionists such as Van Gogh and Cezanne as well as Neo – Impressionists such as Seurat and Signac. Meurice de Vlaminck was another Fauve recognized for his exuberant interpretations while Andre Derain was another major Fauve that practiced a more restrained style.
Other important Fauvists were Kees van Dongen, Charles Camoin, Henri-Charles Manguin, Othon Friesz, Jean Puy, Louis Valtat, and Georges Rouault. These were joined in 1906 by Georges Braque and Raoul Dufy.
Often compared to German Expressionism, Fauvism also uses color to express emotion though it’s German cousin tends to focus less on “formal aspects of pictorial organization”.
Though most of the Fauves painted in this way temporarily as they later transitioned into another style (many moving into Cubism with Picasso and Braque), Matisse remained loyal to this view throughout his lifetime and continued to uphold and develop the values of Fauvism in his work.
Still Life with Vegetables, 1905-6 Henri Matisse
La Musique, 1939 Henri Matisse
The River Seine at Chatou, 1906 Maurice de Vlaminck
Andre Derain, 1906 by Maurice de Vlaminck
Promenade Among the Olive Trees, 1905-6 Henri Matisse
Click Here for more on FAUVISM.
