Top 6: Wallcovering + Technology

I had intended to post this link ages ago and it got lost in my sea of bookmarks.  Although it is months later, these wall coverings are no less remarkable. If you are interested in seeing the future of wall covering, check out Design Boom's Creative and Unusual Wall Coverings and Wallpaper Designs.

There are some unusual and thought provoking patterns.  However, I love products that encourage occupants to interact with their environment, so my favorites from Design Boom's selection are the ones that are influenced by Science and Technology. These wallcoverings are unlike anything you have seen before; they glow in the dark, they are alive, they are react to heat or sound, they are animated. On the downside, I would guess that most of these are still in the prototype phase or one time installations....

Top Six Innovative Wall Coverings

1. iiiiiit's alive!  

I saw this in Contract Magazine or Interior Design Magazine last year.  This Living Green wall covering was used in the inteiror and exterior of Ann Demeulemeester's  store in Seoul, Korea by Mass Studies Architects (also in Seoul, Korea).

2. Afterglow

Glow in the dark paint isn't a new idea. You've probably had glow in the dark stars on your bedroom ceiling at some point in your life and and you've probably seen the safety photoluminescent egress path markers that have been out for a few years. Phosphowall is a bit more sophisticated, by using special phosphorescent ink, this wallpaper glows when the lights are turned off.  Designed by Ich & Kar, France.

Free CEU: The 5 Levels of Gypsum Board Finishing

While surfing around for Impact Resistant Wall Construction the other day, I found a great free (!) CEU explaining the levels of gypsum board finishes and when to specify it.

Register.

If you haven't created an account with Ron Blank and Associates, you should. This is a great resource for all sorts of free online CEUs. Most are worth AIA credits. There is NO CHARGE and when you register it also includes a membership to GreenCE.com which has a few free (hard to find!!!) LEED CEU's!

Watch.

The 5 Levels of Finishing Gypsum Wallboard.  The online course is hosted by Ron Blank & Associates and sponsored by National Gypsum Company.  

The learning objective are:

1. Explain what gypsum is
2. Understand the fire resistance of gypsum
3. Determine the levels of finish
4. Understand industry terminology
5. Know when to specify level: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5

The course closes with a quick 10 question quiz (multiple choice and true/false). You must answer at least 80% correct to receive a certificate of completion.

How easy is that?

If you are not interested in a certificate but are interested in the basics read on for a quick rundown:

 

What's Behind Door #2?

Who isn't intrigued by the idea of having a secret door? Grensgeval, created by Dutch designer Lotty Lindeman in 2006, is a "secret door."  I use quotes because it doesn't exactly blend seamlessly into the surroundings and has a much more modern spin than the push latch bookcases you would read about in a Nancy Drew book.  Found via Dornob.

The door is flush with the surrounding walls when closed. Typical doors can only swing only one way because the hinge is located either on the left or the right.  This door has what I will call "articulating header hinges" which allow the door can swing in or out of the room AND left or right.  The articulating header hinges also allow the door to act as a partition or space divider or as a hidden walk way when fully extended.

Oh my Blog!

Yay! U-verse installed and I will spare you all the drama. But the great news is that Design Elixir is up and running again.  Sorry for the long delays and sporadic posting before/ during/ and after the move.

It's been a while, but I still have plenty of inspiring products, spaces, and firms to share with you.  In addition to sharing my study efforts for the NCIDQ.  One of my readers requested a tutorial on how to render in Photoshop,  hope to have that up by mid-August.  Although my blog is mostly focused on commercial interior design, I may post some residential projects and doodles as I search for inspiration, interior and exterior, for the new home.

Also, don't be surprised if Design Elixir has a new look by the end of summer. I love the new Blogger templates and I am eager to update my blog's, once I figure out how to customize the templates.  You know how designers are, we have to customize everything.

Design Elixir will be back to it's regular programming this Monday.