Top 10 Materials in Tangerine Tango

Pantone’s Color of the Year 2012 Tangerine Tango

In celebration of the color of the year, here are 10 interior products to energize your latest interior design project.

1. Contract Carpet  |  Shaw Contract, Vertical Edge Tile in Paprika Margin. 

 

2. Resin Panels  |  Lumicor, Luminous in Sunset.

 

3. Residential Wall Covering  |  Graham and Brown, Trippy in Orange.

4. Contract Textile  |  Luna Textiles, Urban Grid Varick. 

5. Surface Material  |  Icestone in Persimmon.




 6. Rubber Tile  |  Johnsonite, Folio Tile in Tangerine Tango.
 

7.  Vinyl Wall Covering  |   Lentex Contract, Belvedere in Mango Tango distributed by MDC.

8.  Vinyl Wall Covering  |   Lanark, Scandia in Folkloric, distributed by DL Couch.

  

9. Laminate  |  Pionite in Summer Heat Wave.

10. Solid Vinyl Tile |  Johnsonite, Karim Shapes.
 

Polka Dot Interiors: Product Round Up

Whether you decide to go all out or just want an accent of the polka-dot trend that graced runways for Fall 2011, I've rounded up fun interior products, from floor to ceiling and everything in between, to get the polka dot party started. Polka Music optional (and strongly discouraged).

STYLING

Polka dots are a classic pattern that can work with any style; traditional, contemporary, or modern. Polka dots bring an interior to life by creating movement and adding a touch of whimsy. In subdued colors, polka dots can be soft. While contrasting colors pack a bold, graphic punch. Keep in mind dots on white backgrounds pop more than a dots on dark backgrounds.  And remember, polka dots aren't limited to pattern, it can also be a texture. When designing with polka dots, pay attention to scale and color. One false move and a sophisticated space becomes a child's room.

FLOORING

{L to R} Contemporary Woolen Rugs Design for Home Interior Decorative by Alessandra Design; Masland Contract Metal Mesh in Zinc; Mannington Commercial Create LVT (just used this on a project and can't wait to see it installed!); Masland Contract Translucent, also shown in Zinc.

TEXTILES

{L to R} Mokum Textiles Foundation; Maharam Plural; Knoll Textiles Wide Angle; Mokum Stop; Knoll Ondo Drapery; Mokum Circulate; Maharam Repeat Dot; Mokum Staples (Check out a zoomed image of Staple, the negative space is created by tiny "staples");  Maharam Layers Vineyard.

WALL COVERING

{L to R} Selina Rose Textile Surface Design Felt Acoustic Panel in Scale (take a look at Connect while you're on her site); Source One Wave Eclipse, Vives Porcelain Wall Tile in Senkel Negro; Knoll Pause, Flavor Paper Pleasure Dome, Hand Stenciled and Painted Wall.

RESINS & ARCHITECTURAL PANELS

{L to R} 3-Form Capiz resin panel; Modular Arts Interolocking Rock in Ohm; Bull Wall Panel by Skulpturfabriken; Interlam Sculpted Wall Panel POP005; 3-Form Groovy; 3-Form Mega Cirque.

FURNITURE & MILLWORK

{L to R} Pantone Hotel designed by Michel Penneman and Oliver Hannaert, Herman Miller Action Office Sliding Door Storage Unit with Debossed door; Bubbles mirror, Calligaris; Custom Polka Dot Credenza, Saarinen Tulip Stool, Knoll Studio; Martini Table, West Elm; Emmental hanging staircase by Biljana Jovanic.




CEILINGS & LIGHTING

{L to R} Lighting concept for ceiling by PSlab; Armstrong Soundscape shapes; Unknown

If you like Polka Dots, check out artist Yayoi Kusama's work!



Is this a trend you plan to embrace for your interior projects?  Share your thoughts & opinions!

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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.

Kinetic Light Emitting Wallpaper and Wall Panels

Dutch designer Jonas Samson is lighting the way for vertical surfaces.  He recently announced his newest addition to his product collection: a customizable, animated Light Emitting Wallpaper. (See product stills, below.  All images courtesy of Jonas Samson v.o.f.)

When I saw this product I had a million questions.  Gad Bros, business partner of Jonas Sampson v.o.f.,  was kind enough to answer all of them.  (Thanks Gad!)

Light Emitting Wallpaper is still in the prototype phase. The wall paper is not sold commercially and they expect it to take about 10-15years before there will be a material which will make it possibly to make an wall paper in this size for everybody. 

But don't be sad! Samson already produces a similar product Ecco Luce, a wall panel with integrated LED lights, that is currently on the market. Ecco Lucce is manufactured in The Netherlands, but available all over the world.  (See image, below) 

Ecco Luce is a single panel (120mm x 300 mm) and can be be combined with other Ecco Luce panels. Ecco Luce panels are about 5-6cm and studies are currently underway to reduce the panel thickness.

Panels are available in different finishes (glass, wallpaper, wood veneer), can be built with fire rated components, and can be placed attached to an existing wall or free standing.

Ecco Luce has an on/off switch.  When it is off, it appears to be a normal wall. But when turned on, patterns of light project through the wall.  Panels do not require an additional L.E.D. driver, they include a specially made computer based interface. There is currently a "regular" option but design possibilities include static, dimmable or motion activated images, RGB colors, and remote controlled operation.

Samson believes in products should work without having to hire a technician to install it. Installation is a snap since panels (free standing or wall mounted) are delivered complete.  Wall mounted units only need to be attached to the existing wall and connected to an electrical source. Free standing panel systems come complete with feet and and when they arrive at the job site, you only have to attach it to an electrical contact and assemble it if it is a multiple panel unit.

There are no standard designs. Panels are designed on a custom, project by project basis.  Price will vary based on size, complexity of the animations, finishing materials etc.  Once the design is finalized, lead time from contract to delivery is about 3 months.

Ecco Luce has been successfully installed at an exhibition in Milan.  The next installation is set to debut April 15th at Amsterdam's Schipol Airport train station on April 15th.   If, like me, you won't be able to see the installation in person, check out this animation to see an example Ecco Luce in action.

Found! Bold Large Scale Graphic Surface Materials

My design radar went berserk when it clocked Lars Contzen's irresistible collection of wallcoverings.  I was so taken with the fresh, graphic quality of his designs, I immediately emailed one of my wallcovering reps and suggested they add Contzen's wallcovering collection to the lines they distribute. (Well, it may have been more like begging than suggesting.) His first two collections feature large scale graphics in bold eye catching colors and I can't wait to see the third collection slated for release this fall.

 

Floating Foam Wallpaper. Copyrights: Lars Contzen, Germany, http://www.larscontzen.com.

Equally irresistible are Contzen's laminate, glass panel, flooring and furniture designs.  I love the idea of combining laminate panels and flooring to blur the division between the walls and the floor as seen in the installation photo below. 

Copyrights: Lars Contzen, Germany, http://www.larscontzen.com.

Check out more of his designs at www.larscontzen.com and if you'll excuse me, I have some more suggesting (begging) to do....