We’ve been on many a design jaunt, but no festival has been as intense, rich and exciting as the Salone del Mobile and its citywide celebrations–a dizzying design whirlwind, Italian style. Last week, D-C jet-setted to Milan to join in on the fun. The influence and popularity of Milan’s Design Week and the #iSaloni was evident right upon arrival. Fortified by Alitalia lasagne and the ironic Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies the airline served for breakfast, we hopped into a cab. The driver’s first words were “You are here for Salone del Mobile?” We said we were. He was very knowledgeable, telling us all about the Fair, as well as about the #Fuorisalone (events outside the fair) and how everyone in town was buzzing about the Design Week. “The city really comes together,” he said. While one can draw comparisons to the design shows and festivals in U.S. cities, we realized there’s rarely the same enthusiasm from the general population as there is in Milan for this event.

Now, onto our design finds! We are lucky to have a friend who lives in Milan. She showed us the ropes and helped us navigate the city. For Part 1 we’ll focus on Fuorisalone fun. Here are some highlights:

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO

Coming to a Sephora near you? Thousands of colorful and shiny lipsticks make up this cheery entryway installation.

“Autoban” with Deborah Milano and Gruppo Pozzi. Lighting by iGuzzini.

In the courtyard of the university, the structure below is composed of natural fir beams and posts. The external bas reliefs show plaster faces, hands and noses of classical statues, as well as eyewear. Some of the eyeglasses let you peek inside, where mirrors reflect animated images. The videos, produced by Safilo with the filmmaker Mario Greco, “narrate the world of eyewear and technologies in an ironic, surprising way.”

“Sguardi Indiscreti” by Michele De Lucchi with Safilo and lighting by iGuzzini

MOST (MUSEO NAZIONALE DELLA SCIENZA & DELLA TECNOLOGIA)

We loved MOST, because, as with many venues in Milan, it showed the contrast between classical and modern design that makes the city so magic. The Museum is full of gorgeous old ships, trains and aircraft, as well as Leonardo Da Vinci’s flying machine. During design week, installations and pop up shops were also scattered throughout the building:

“My nose, My Stekkerdoos,’ by Lensvelt, Studio Job

One of several designers set up in the museum, Fatima Fazal is the creative force behind the “Heart Part Cutlery Kit,” a cool, reusable utensil, which can be used as a fork, spoon, and knife and is made in India of biodegradable polystyrene…

Raw-Edges’ BLOOM has been commissioned by the British Council to showcase the works of Granta‘s eighty Best Young British Novelists. A clever combination of room divider and book loom, it’s formed of a light wooden frame and string book supports.

The TEMPORARY MUESEUM FOR NEW DESIGN is a yellow splashed industrial compound of new products and interactive displays.

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Qui Est Paul?

Tagina. Dot-to-Dot. Ceramic Pixels for Architecture[...]

Now, to the TRIENNALE!

Massimo Iosa Ghini’s SPORE and ARIA Lights for Leucos

The Talented S. Iosa Ghini (far right) with Guests

After the Triennale, we headed to Effeti  for the latest in kitchens & custom bouquets on the fly.

Effeti’s Floral “DJ”

Then we popped over to Sicis‘ “Le Bois Vivant” Party with Vanity Fair & Architectural Digest

Finally, on our way to a delicious dinner in the Brera area, we took in the gorgeous sights at the ACCADEMIA DI BRERA

Architects lend an interesting sensibility to furniture design, applying their unique philosophies on the built environment to the world of products. This year, many of the industry’s brightest architecture stars launched new furniture collections at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan from April 9-14. Here’s a look at some of our favorites:

“Tools for Life” by OMA

Photo courtesy of OMA © Ilan Rubin

Joining the ranks of venerable design masters like Saarinen and Mies van der Rohe, Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas unveiled an 11-piece collection of kinetic furniture by his innovative firm, OMA, for Knoll. Approaching each piece like a high-performance instrument, the Tools for Life collection includes height-adjustable tables and chairs and a counter made of swiveling stacked blocks. According to Knoll, the collection “offers a contemporary interface between furniture and people, supporting the ebb and flow of work and social life, while adjusting to the different needs of both.”

“The Wing” by Studio Daniel Libeskind

Photo © FIAM

The Wing mirror collection, designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind for Fiam, features the architect’s signature style of fragmentation. Two parallel lines near the top and bottom of each mirror create a chasm in the flat surface, also causing a break in the viewer’s reflection. The mirrors are available in a multitude of shapes for horizontal, vertical and slanted hanging.

“Liquid Glacial Table” by Zaha Hadid Architects

Photo © Jacopo Spilimbergo

Much like the firm‘s buildings, the Liquid Glacial Table brings movement to a static object. Using clear polished plexiglass, the designers play with surface complexity and light refraction while demonstrating various forms of flowing water including ripples, waves, and whirlpools. The table is available in dining and coffee table versions through David Gill Galleries.

“Studio Seating” by UNStudio

Pictured: Studio Twin

No stranger to furniture design, Dutch architects UNStudio have created a new line of minimal, versatile seating for Swedish brand Offecct. Allowing the user to choose between open and private arrangements, the series includes Studio Easy Chair (a single seating element with a wing on its right or left side), Studio Twin Beam (a pair of seats linked by a small table) and Studio Twin (a pair of seats with a solid base that mirrors the backrest). The frame is made from laminated wood with upholstery in fabric or leather.

From Zona Tortona to the Brera Design District, our editors are on site and making the rounds, Fuorisalone. While it is nearly impossible to hit all the events in/around Milan this week, we’re up for the challenge. Here’s a few on our radar…

“Caution: Architects at Play” – a new board game for grownups, PLAY5 was conceived by architect Danilo Premoli. @ Refin Studio, Foro Buonaparte 68. Click for instructions and to register.

Leucos’ “LIGHT YOUR HEART” – renowned designers including Arik Levy, Karim Rashid, Massimo Iosa Ghini, Patrick Jouin and Roberto Paoli, to name a few, re-interpret THE GREAT JJ light to raise funds for Città della Speranza. @ Galvanotecnica Bugatti, Valextra, Bikkembergs, Tie-ups, Pescheria da Claudio, Sanmarcouno, Fabiana Filippi, Lovethesign and Cesare Paciotti, & more.

EDIT by DesignJunction – a major destination for contemporary interior design, creativity and culture featuring more than 30 leading international brands. @ La Pelota Via Palermo. Free entry.

Retro/Perspective: 10 Years Tuttobene - A platform showcasing 17 emerging Dutch design talents as well as 10 more established designers and Tuttobene alumni @Arsenale, Via Tortona 31

Next PechaKucha mini-event in 19 hours + 53 minutes (10 April @ 17:30PM)

MOST - Design destination founded by British designer Tom Dixon. A curated creative hub promoting forward-thinking culture, commerce and creativity against the extraordinary backdrop of historic exhibits based on technical innovation. Click to register @Milan Museum of Science and Technology, Via Olono 6B.

http://instagram.com/mostsalone/

Brera Design Night – Held on April 12, the sleepless night will feature showrooms & special events that will animate the streets, squares and institutional buildings.

 

 

(Photo by Jude Dornski)

Last week’s 12th annual Architectural Digest Home Design Show could not have been a bigger treat for designers and design enthusiasts alike (myself included)! The four-day event brought the best in home design from more than 500 premium brands to New York City’s Pier 94, drawing top professionals, discerning consumers, and  press from all over the Western Hemisphere.

We want to say we sauntered and skipped through aisles of beautiful colors and exquisite craftsmanship, but the truth is, we were stopping at every booth!—so there was little rushing about involved. And as difficult a task as it was, here are some our favorites:

Royal Botania x D’Apostrophe

The Royal Botania / D’Apostrophe booth was a favorite for people wanting to relax—and where better than on the NINIX Lounger?

NOA Living

Probably the most colorful booth at the entire show, NOA Living’s beautiful pieces in the Ethno-Modern style immediately caught the eye. 100% wool or wool/silk blend carpets, antiques, and the most comfortable and fluffy stools—the Fufu!

Palo Samko

This Brooklyn-based woodworker truly has a way with materials, seamlessly blending leather and wood—and he also is great at organizing things neatly.

Analog Modern

We also met Peter Buley of Analog Modern, who created this sculptural and functional coffee table. He never tries to find the perfect piece of wood for a particular project, instead letting whatever wood he has—discarded or otherwise—drive the design.

Moonish Co.

And while we’re on the subject of wood… Moonish Co’s magnetic wooden tiles are a great way to easily add color and style to a stark wall. Handmade in Brooklyn.

Catherine Latson

If your style is delicate, artist Catherine Latson creates sculptures and other art pieces by twisting, twining, and braiding nature.

IN.SEK DESIGN

Ashira Israel, one of the few female fabricators we saw at the show, made this awesome Musical Platform out of Concrete, Resin, Steel, Walnut Veneer, Ebony.

We then ventured to the show’s reFRESH pavilion…

Miele

Miele presented us with a sleek, clean, all-white-everything look—that is, until we opened their new refrigerators to find… food organized neatly!

EcoWalls

We thought it was impossible to have a fresh herb garden (or any thriving garden, period.) in New York City until we saw this:

Fulgor Milano

We thought these cooking ranges had a touch of Mondrian artistry in them… function doesn’t negate beauty!

Hansgrohe Axor x Oborain

Hnasgrohe and its designer brand, Axor, had paired up with Oborain at the show. Oborain’s Cove, a new outdoor shower design, featured Hansgrohe’s sustainably focused Croma Green Showerpipe. We also LOVED the Axor Urquiola Single Hole Faucet—those handles!

(Kiel is very popular.)

And finally, DIFFA! All of the vignettes in the Dining by Design space are luxurious and amazingly well-done, but “Midnight Garden” was one of our favorites. It had a fantastical nature at night theme featuring “Moon Blossom” from Beacon Hill‘s upcoming Midnight Garden collection.

We also couldn’t help but be attracted to the glittering arrangement by Michael Aram, whose handcrafted table and house wares have always been a big favorite of ours.

And after four days of design, it was time to relax on some Technogel, which is really, really amazingly comfortable.

Here’s hoping that Monday’s March snow marked the end to this long, cold and windy winter. We’re ready for spring! Next week, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House hosts its annual benefit at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The evening will honor Caroline and Thompson Dean, past Neighborhood House Board Chairs. It is sponsored by VERANDA Magazine and organized by Honorary Design Chairs Bunny Williams and John Rosselli with Design Chairs Dara Caponigro, David Duncan, Carolyn Englefield, Lindsey Harper and Christopher Sptizmiller.

Entitled “High Society,” the extraordinary event includes cocktails, a silent auction, dinner and dancing. The 45 tables, each decorated by a different, renowned designer, will follow the evening’s theme.   Individual tickets start at $1,000 and tables range from $10,000-$25,000, with proceeds benefitting the 119-year old settlement house, which provides an extensive array of effective and integrated human services to New Yorkers in need. Last year’s event raised over $1.3 million. Let’s aim for $2 million this year!

When: Wednesday, April 3. Cocktails & Silent Auction at 7PM, Dinner at 8:30PM followed by Dancing

Where: Cipriani 42nd St, NYC

Event Contact: Virginia Pitman, vpitman@lenoxhill.org

Today is the last day to pre-register for free as trade for next week’s Architectural Digest Home Design Show.  The word on the street is that this will be a show not to miss. Over 500 exhibitors are coming from near and far to launch new collections that range from hi-tech kitchen appliances to hand-crafted wallcoverings, hands on demonstrations, there is something for every discerning design lover.

Be on the lookout for top trends in color (keep an eye out for black/white, emerald) and technology as well as new takes on traditional techniques.

The recently released trade day seminar series includes a keynote presentation featuring Architectural Digest EIC Margaret Russell and celebrity designer Nate Berkus.  It is followed by 3-days of programming by the New York Times. The design fair, produced by Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. (MMPI), hosted by Architectural Digest, and co-sponsored by The New York Times, opens with a trade-only preview on Thursday, March 21. It is open to the public from Friday, March 22-Sunday, March 24.

Use the code ADBLOGGER for $5 off the online ticketed price.

PechaKucha presentations have won over audiences with their concise and creative concept. It’s a simple one: 20 images are presented for 20 seconds each. Originally founded in Tokyo in 2003, PechaKucha has since become a worldwide phenomenon and made fans of creatives everywhere, and New Yorkers will soon be able to catch one for themselves! MAD and WantedDesign are teaming up to present a PechaKucha entitled “Design, Materials and Process: a US panorama” on Tuesday, March 19th.

The evening will showcase a range of designers participating in May’s WantedDesign, including Trove designer Randall Buck. A multi-media artist who works in time-based media, Buck envisions patterns from an architectural perspective. He believes that engaging technology helps to push his designs beyond conventional manufacturing limits and creates tactile, distinct, and inspired designs. As Trove, Buck and fellow Co-founder Jee Levin have elevated the category of wallpaper with their signature large-scale patterns by interpreting the wall as an open canvas.

The event is free, but space is limited, so be sure to RSVP here!

While we snapped a few shots at last night’s event at the NYDC, our instagram photos are no match for these pro shots from Matthew Carasella Photography. The installations by Jamie Drake FASID, IIDA, Drake Design Associates; Arthur Dunnam & Heather Moore for Jed Johnson Associates; Amy Lau - Amy Lau Design; Amanda Nisbet, Amanda Nisbet Design; and David Rockwell - Rockwell Group were so well done, we just had to show them in all their glory. From film to opera, the 5’ x 4’ scenes drew inspiration from five of Lincoln Center’s disciplines and a Vera List Art Project print. Each were created using furniture from the showrooms of the The New York Design Center.

The Vera List Art Project was launched at Lincoln Center in 1962 by philanthropist and art collector Vera List.  A pioneer in the fields of contemporary patronage and art education, Vera created a program that initially commissioned contemporary artists to create posters for Lincoln Center’s events. This initiative took the art out of Lincoln Center and into the streets, where it could be appreciated by the general public. The exhibit in the 1stdibs at NYDC gallery will feature limited-edition prints by contemporary artists ranging from iconic figures such as Chuck Close to emerging artists Matthew Brannon and Jill Moser. Other artists in the exhibition include William Kentridge, Guillermo Kuitca, Philip Taaffe, Dan Christensen, and Terry Winters. All limited-edition prints will be on exhibit the entire month of March and will be available for purchase. Proceeds support Lincoln Center’s innovative cultural programming.

Symphony by Arthur Dunnam and Heather Moore, Jed Johnson Associates

Ballet by Amanda Nisbet, Amanda Nisbet Design

Opera by Jamie Drake, Drake Design Associates

Film by David Rockwell, Rockwell Group

American Songbook by Amy Lau, Amy Lau Design

It’s been a pretty historic day and I am looking forward to an historic night as I head off to celebrate “An Evening with Lincoln Center” at the New York Design Center.  The event lets guests view limited-edition prints from leading contemporary artists, participate in the “Lincoln Center Behind-the-Scenes” silent auction and enjoy live performances by The Julliard School. The evening also features tableaus inspired by Lincoln Center, designed by: Jamie Drake, FASID, IIDA – Drake Design Associates; Arthur Drunnam & Heather Moore for Jed Johnson Associates; Amy Lau, Amy Lau Design; Amanda Nisbet, Amanda Nisbet Design; and David Rockwell, Rockwell Group. The exhibition will be on display at the NYDC through March 28^th. All limited-edition prints will be on exhibit and for sale the entire month of March in the 1stdibs exhibition gallery at NYDC. All proceeds support Lincoln Center’s innovative programming.