(2). Blend it: Not only should the artwork affect you internally and emotionally, it must help create a space that surrounds you externally. Aside from within the walls of a museum, art is rarely upholstery cleaning nashville independently. Meaning, there are usually other elements that will affect your perception of the piece. Whether it is furnishings, accessories or the people who occupy the space, the art you choose should be a reflection of that and be able to pull it all together.

(3). Hang it: What good is wall art if is not on the wall? Here are a few tips for hanging your artwork:

(a). Bigger is often better by creating more of a statement. Go with small prints on narrow walls large works for large surface areas.

(b). When hanging above a desk, try to get the frame about five to ten inches above the desktop. Also, when hanging wall art over furniture, it should, generally, not be longer than the piece of furniture.

(c). Hang art so that the center point of the piece is at eye level for the average person. However, with high ceilings, it is often times good to go up a bit, if you are trying to emphasize the height. Bring the print lower if you want to create the feeling of a smaller space.

(4). Mat it: A white or subtle cream mat is what you may often see in stock or default fine art prints because it brings the most amount of focus to the artwork itself. However, when actually decorating with art, you might choose something that gives the artwork a leather cleaning and whole look, emphasizing colors and surroundings. To create maximum impact with your prints, consider choosing a mat that contrasts your wall color: light mat with a dark wall and dark mat for wall painted with a light color.

(5). Frame it: Usually, when selecting a frame, you want to avoid choosing a color that is too similar to the color of the mat you chose. Again, like mat and wall colors, it is a good idea to find a mat and frame option easily distinguished by the eye. A dark mat and a dark frame can leave the eye confused as to where one starts, and the other begins. furniture cleaner and selecting mat and frame colors that are evident within the painting itself, can provide a cohesive and complete look. Like a well-dressed suit, you can think of the mat and frame like a sharp shirt and tie combination.

Taken From www.corsavoo.com/interior-design/

Resembling a curio cabinet in style and function, wine cabinets can vary in size from compact to medium and larger. Many styles of wine cabinets boast hand-painted detailing, dark rich finishes, accessory drawers and hanging racks for wine glasses. Ornate iron scrollwork motorcycle accessory carvings are other popular decorative touches that give a wine cabinet a distinct appearance. Corner wine cabinets typically have the features that other types of wine cabinets have, but are specifically designed to stand in a corner of a room.

Wine carts combine the function of a wine rack with the convenience of a kitchen cart. While they generally hold a very limited number of wine bottles, wine carts have the added appeal of mobility. A wine cart can be conveniently wheeled from the kitchen to any place where it’s needed. amp; upholstery cleaning carts range in style, from ones meant especially for the kitchen, complete with a knife block and paper towel holder to classically styled ones. More formal wine carts offer a number of stylish features, such as mirrored tray tops, shelves and drawers.

Whether you purchase a wine rack, a wine bar or server, a wine cabinet or a wine cart, keep in mind that it is an accent piece of furniture. You will want to select a style and color that will upholstery cleaning boston ma blend with your current decor while adding its own character to your dining or entertaining area.

Wine furniture is gaining in popularity simply because it is a stylish way to store and display wine. Wine furniture, including motorcycle accessory racks, is designed to accommodate any sized collection, from large to small. I hope these general guidelines will help you find the perfect wine cabinet or wine rack that will make entertaining more enjoyable.
Taken from www.corsavoo.com/interior-design/

Solid wood furniture needs to be waxed regularly with natural beeswax. The traditional thick ‘paste’, lightly applied with a soft rag, is best, but a natural spray-on is also good. Silicon spray is not suitable as it does not feed or nourish the wood, but merely puts a slippery, shiny surface it.


Timber should be dried as close as possible to the moisture content of the room that it is going into. This will minimise movement in the timber. Cells will expand or shrink across their girth as they take on or lose moisture until they balance with their surroundings, and reach ambience (this is why doors stick in the winter).

If the room is very damp, then the wood will swell, ‘blowing’ joints apart, while if the moisture is too low, the wood can shrink causing tension in the timber and possibly splitting.

Hot coffee cups, red wine glass rings and watermarks from vases which mark polished surfaces are normally repairable, but cigarette burns and sharp edges can sometimes cause irreparable damage. Highly-skilled furniture polishers can remove small marks and scratches, wine rings and water marks, and it is better to find a professional rather than attempting to remove the mark yourself and then ending up with a much bigger problem. You should ask your furniture maker how long-lasting the surface finish he uses is, or what he would recommend to increase the durability. Although not as durable, there has been a recent trend of going back to the natural finishes, such as oils and waxes, rather than using the manmade lacquers, which tend to be sprayed on.

Furniture should be kept away from direct sunlight, as it will cause the wood to fade or even shrink. A table left in direct sunlight with a fruit bowl in the centre for some time will end up with a darker area under the fruit bowl.

If a sideboard is put in front of a window, then it’s worth drawing the curtains or blinds during the brightest part of the day.

Inevitably, furniture will age, taking the odd knock and dent as it becomes an antique, gaining patina from a build-up of wax polish mixed with dust, creating darker areas in the corners and lighter areas in the high spots.

You should also be aware that over time, light woods will darken, and dark timbers will lighten.

Taken from www.euroweeklynews.com/news/

There is a great diversity of opinions about how patio furniture should be cleaned and maintained. Following are some tips and observations on outdoor furniture care from a patio furniture sales and repair professional. With proper maintenance, residential owners and community associations can prolong the life of their vinyl strapped outdoor furniture. Application of these care and maintenance tips can also reduce repair and replacement costs.

• Kola trees
• Eucalyptus
• Horehound and other plants in the mint family
• Hickory and other nut husks
• Galls (swelling of plant tissue due to parasites) of tamarisk trees and shrubs
• Bark, galls and foliage of most species of oak trees
• Golden-yellow color pigment in autumn leaves
• Bark of Eastern hemlock, cinnamon, witch hazel, cinchona and cascara sgrada
• Red mangroves
• Bark & foliage of sumac and other trees and shrubs in the cashew family

If you see yellow or brown stains on decks, pump houses and outside walls, stains may also occur on nearby outdoor furniture if care is not taken. Colors
Years ago, when they took the lead out of gas, they also took it out of vinyl. Without the lead in the vinyl, previously good vinyl colors like browns and beiges suddenly seemed to stain worse than usual. They stained quickly and very badly in commercial settings. Today, we know that some colors react much worse than others to chemical staining due to the interaction of the color pigments with chemicals found in the commercial environment. Red pigment seems to be the source of the worst problems. Most browns and beiges and all peach, rose, mauve, red, burgundy and orange shades are most susceptible to staining and degrading. Blues, greens and yellows are less susceptible. White and off-white are the most durable of all colors. When choosing vinyl strap colors, keep in mind that the darker a color is, the hotter it gets, the more it will fade and the quicker it will break down. It is generally best to choose pastel colors rather than dark colors. However, there are some benefits to using very dark colors: they hide stains better and they get so hot, they force people to use towels. Using towels
Many condominiums have signs that clearly require all people using the pool furniture to lay on towels. These signs are an excellent idea and should be expressed in the strongest terms: “Do not lay on the furniture without a towels.” If firmly enforced, this practice may double the life of new vinyl. Pressure cleaning
Perhaps the most efficient method of cleaning commercial patio furniture is with a pressure-washer using plain water under low pressure. Mild disinfectant or detergent may be used, but do not use chlorine or harsh cleaning solutions. A mild disinfectant called “quaternary ammonium chloride” is used in pressure-wash solutions and is effective in cleaning and disinfecting patio furniture without harm, if properly used in moderate amounts. Clean with mild soap and warm water
Absent a suitable pressure washer, outdoor furniture should be cleaned with a soft brush, using mild soap and very warm water. Dawn is the best soap because it has emulsifiers that break down the stains common to outdoor furniture and is relatively scum free. After a few years, when the finish is worn and plain soap and water will not clean the vinyl any more, begin to add small amounts of household bleach. Start with a capful or two of bleach per gallon of filtered water, working up to half and half during the following year or so. When a half and half solution no longer cleans the vinyl, it’s time for new vinyl. The top surfaces of outdoor furniture, especially chaises, are most critical, and should be cleaned weekly or biweekly. Simply wipe down the top surfaces and rinse with filtered water. Once every four to six weeks, wipe down the bottom and back surfaces to control mildew. Wax the frames
Just as your car benefits from annual applications of wax, so will the frames of outdoor furniture. Lightly wax the arms, legs and other non-strapped areas of the frame with high grade, non-abrasive car wax. Do not use compound wax and be sure to wipe off any wax that gets on the vinyl straps. Commercial cleaning solutions and chlorine
It is a common misconception that pool chlorine, household bleach, chlorine based cleaners, and other strong solutions and solvents are good for cleaning stained vinyl. These chemicals are fatal to the vinyl’s finish. They will clean well for a time, but they clean by removing layers of the finish along with the staining material on top of the finish. After a while, it becomes impossible to clean the vinyl. It becomes stiff and hard, loses its memory, and begins to crack and break. This is an inescapable process that is accelerated two to three times or more by the use of harsh chemicals. Pool chlorine is about 4 times stronger and much more caustic than household bleach. Outdoor furniture should never be cleaned with pool chlorine for any reason. Do not throw furniture in the pool
Never throw your furniture in the swimming pool unless a hurricane is imminent and there is nowhere else to put it. Prolonged exposure to pool chlorine will severely damage the finish of the furniture and will cause corrosion of the aluminum inside the tubing. Even with great care, it is impossible to avoid scratching and chipping the furniture. Following these simple rules will result in extended life for the associations outdoor furniture. Annual costs will decrease substantially, the furniture will look good, and the residents will be happy. Look ahead for future articles on the selection and maintenance of umbrellas and sling furniture, as well as what to look for in commercial quality specifications for new outdoor furniture and refinishing.

If it’s a clean break, a little wood glue can make the repair area stronger than the original piece. If a chunk has been gouged out, or the wood is shattered beyond reassembly, you can often fix it in one of two ways:

1) Cut a new piece of the same size and the same wood species, if possible, and mechanically fasten it with dowels, screws, glue, or whatever means is most effective. Carpenters call this replacement piece a “dutchman.”A piece that’s slightly oversized can be sanded down to match the original, and if the cabinet is stained or painted you may be able to do some artistic retouching to blend it all together and make the repair nearly invisible.

2) Use an epoxy wood repair kit to fill the damaged area, and then sand and stain or paint to match. This material works amazingly well and the repair is often as strong as the wood. An added benefit is that the epoxy filler is also waterproof, so it can be used where the original wood damage was caused by wet conditions.

If the damage is to an area that’s prominently visible, it may be difficult to do a “seamless” repair. Small nicks and chips can be filled with plastic wood filler. This is sold in colors to match most wood stains, and it’s available in putty consistency or in wax-like sticks. Experiment blending and color-matching in an unseen area before attempting a repair on a cabinet face.

Taken From www.hometips.com.

During a HouseCall to Augusta, Georgia, Ron found himself in a situation where he needed to repair a damaged cabinet because there was no time to replace it. Fortunately the cabinet was going to butt up against another cabinet when it was installed so the repair would not show from the outside.

There was also enough room to put a ½” panel of birch plywood inside the cabinet. This would conceal the damage from the inside as well.

1. Remove broken pieces Begin by gently removing all of the loose pieces of the broken cabinet panel, which will eventually be glued back together again.
If possible, carefully remove the drawer glide or any other hardware that might be in the way, to provide a little more working room.
To get the broken pieces to fit back together again, it is necessary to carefully grind the broken edges using a rotary tool. Do this to both the cabinet and the loose pieces.
2. Reassemble broken pieces Before applying glue, do a test fit to make sure the pieces will go back together properly.
Apply a bead of carpenter’s glue to the edge of each piece and then insert it. Very gently tap each piece into place with a hammer taking care not to break them any further. With the pieces restored, temporarily clamp the side of the cabinet to hold everything together while the glue dries.
3. Wood filler Even if the broken side will not be seen, you still might want to use wood filler to help conceal the broken edges. Select a wood filler that matches the cabinet color as closely as possible and then fill the crack and gaps. Acetone based fillers dry very quickly.
When the wood filler is dry, it will turn a chalky white and the excess can be sanded off, creating a smooth surface. It is not necessary to repair the crack from the inside because the birch panel will conceal and strengthen the damage. You can re-stain the cabinet to make the scar even less noticeable, but if the side of the cabinet will not be seen, staining is not necessary.
4. Inside panel repair Measure and cut a ½” birch plywood panel to fit the inside of the broken cabinet. This will conceal the fracture lines from the inside while also strengthening the sidewall. Apply a generous amount of glue to the back of the birch and then attach it to the inside of the repaired panel. To keep it in place while the adhesive dries, use flexible sticks that are slightly too long so they will bend and wedge up against the panel on the inside of the cabinet, holding it in place.
Once the glue has dried and the drawer hardware is replaced, no one will suspect that the cabinet was once damaged.

Taken From www.ronhazelton.com.

ecycling, reclaimed products take stage
LAS VEGAS — The furniture industry’s green wave kept rolling at this summer’s Las Vegas Market with product introductions and smaller, more nuanced moves.

Some of the more subtle touches included round metal trash cans in the World Market Center’s three buildings that greeted attendees with large “Relax, We Recycle” stickers on their side.

“It’s a simple, effective message. It kind of had a ‘rest assured, don’t think about it’ connotation,” said Dana Andrew, vice president of marketing and public relations for the WMC. “They can be confident that what goes into cans can be filtered and recycled on site.”
Andrew said more than 100 cans were labeled with the “Relax” message. WMC can recycle up to 80% of items disposed on campus through its recycling center.

Exhibitors carried the green theme into their show spaces. Youth, dining and occasional table supplier Powell, for example, used low-VOC — volatile organic compound — paints and flooring made from recycled tires as part of its new Powell Kids gallery program.

Broyhill will cut its Reclamations collection, a four-piece occasional table group made with reclaimed solid pine tops. Emerald Home Furnishings released a green story in its Oslo dining group, featuring reduced-emission particleboard, bamboo veneer and water-based finishes.

The market’s Living Green Pavilion, whose last location was at the offsite MGM Grand exhibition space, debuted as an onsite exhibitor here with an impressive space taking up most of the Building C’s fifth floor.

With ample space to show their product, Sustainable Furniture Council members did well in the Living Green Pavilion, said Susan Inglis, the council’s executive director.

“That property has been tremendously committed to plugging green,” Inglis said.

Inglis said the market’s contacts have been helpful. For instance, she cited a WMC-sponsored seminar, “Let’s Go Green! But How Green and at What Pace?” by Charlotte Matthews, vice president of sustainability for The Related Cos., the exhibition’s developer.

The council also began released details about its green market research study for sale through the organization, she said.

Inglis said one of the highlights of the market was the inaugural One Good Chair contest, which received 300 entries.

“The designers really had a grasp of what sustainability means. It was about form and about beauty but it was very much a matter of course that they were applying sustainable practices,” Inglis said.

Anthony Majewski, general manager of monkey pod, farmed teak and mango wood furnishings source Natural Fine Furnishings, said that in a tough economy, eco-friendly product may suffer somewhat because retailers are looking for sure sellers. But presenting a consistent message to retailers at markets should help when a recovery occurs, he said.

“Overall we hit a couple home runs and made some money,” Majewski said. “At market because you’re dealing with the wholesale retail customers, you have to be present to keep your name in front of those major consumers.”

Also, he said many buyers flew in for short visits with strict schedules on who they would visit before leaving. He said that underscored the importance of pre-market work, like e-commerce marketing, scheduling appointments and getting retailers’ attention before the event.

Taken From www.furnituretoday.com.

This week, we’re turning over a new leaf. Although we’ve talked a lot about creating a West Coast look for your patio that blends subtly with the B.C. landscape, we don’t want to run the risk of making the aesthetic a caricature of itself.

Some people — and yes, I’m occasionally guilty of this daydream — are more switched on by pungent, exotic locales: the Thailands, Moroccos and Indonesias of the world.

Unfortunately, few of us are often jetting off to those places, but, with some intelligent selection of seating, tables, textiles and plants, we can have the best of both worlds: the spice and fantasy of a faraway destination and the great luxury of proximity. Here are a few principles for turning your deck into a tropics-inspired sanctuary.

SEATING: GO DEEP

The chair as we know it in the West was once an object foreign to Asian cities such as Bangkok, Mumbai or Bali. There, you’ll be more likely to find seating that’s deep and close to the floor, and for your outdoor space, you’ll want to mimic this design.

For your main sofa, consider something long and deep, with a low centre of gravity–the furniture equivalent of a submarine, not a double-decker bus.

To accomplish this, you want a seat lower than 17 inches, with a depth of 30 inches or more (48 inches is ideal if you can afford the space). Use a bunch of those cylindrical cushions called bolsters; they’re easy to move around and pile up for maximize comfort.

TABLES: DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

A smart pairing for deep seats are tables in dark, earthy woods and woven textures. Go with teak, mango and rosewood — all are available at local import stores and many have elegant hand-carved details. They’re rustic, yes, and supposed to be — but you still need to oil them regularly. Even a well-cared-for table will crack and fade in the elements. Regard this as a boon: an air of faded glory gives much to a space. When in doubt, think of Havana.

An alternative to store-boughts is custom-making your own furnishings in cedar. Cedar has a couple of big advantages in our climate: being indigenous to the West Coast, it’s full of natural pesticides and anti-fungal agents. It also has one big problem: its orange hue, which is an ugly match for a backyard mood aiming for ethnic exoticism.

I don’t often do this, but here I’m advising you to take the Rolling Stones’ advice: Paint it black. For a rich look, I favour a couple of coats with a dark semi-transparent stain — General Paint’s Black Pearl and Oriental Teak are two good ones. Through the years, a few light sandings and restainings will give your cedar table the gorgeous patina of an old leather coat. Some pieces of furniture, like some people, reveal their true dignity only when they’re beaten up a bit.

TEXTURES: SPICE UP YOUR SPACE

Colour and pattern are the chilies in this exotic recipe. When your seating and surfaces are in place, layer on the bright, beautiful textiles and fanciful accessories. Decorative cushions come in all shapes and colours, of course, so your options are wide open. If you’re going for a Moroccan theme, say, choose embellished cotton in a palate of burnt reds, oranges, and yellows. Remember, though: Left outside, natural fibres fade quickly, and anything not clothed in outdoor materials needs to be taken inside when the weather turns.
If you’re not keen on a patio set-up and tear-down with each vagary of the weather, you may want to custom-order pillows and throws in outdoor fabrics. These, you’ll be able to leave outside from late spring until early fall without thinking twice.

For accessories like lighting and dishware, go sparkly, shiny, and ornate. Choose lanterns of pounded metal and rich stained glass, plates with baroque patterns and sumptuous mosaic motifs, and baskets woven from sea grass or rattan as a home for books and magazines that, like you, will come inside when the day is done.

PLANTS: BOLD AND BRIGHT
Plants are the living backdrop for your backyard oasis, and the exotic look requires tropical — or tropical-looking — foliage. The keys here are strong forms and bright colours; there’s no room for wispy grasses. If green is what you want, fatsia and banana plants are an excellent choice; for an eruption of colour, go with canna lilies or tiger lilies.

To incorporate true tropical plants you have a couple of options. The first is to pick up West-Coast-friendly tropicals from your nursery and plant them as annuals. You’ll need to plant them in early summer and they’ll last until the first freeze. Plants in the pineapple family do particularly well in a south-facing backyard with partial shade.

The second option is for avid plant people only: incorporating palms and other delicate tropicals into your yard. The trouble with these is the labour — at the end of the summer, you’ll have to either protect them or dig them up and bring them inside for the winter.

A little escapism never hurt anyone, did it? While we should be proud of our burgeoning tradition of West Coast design and architecture, there is certainly room in that movement for flights of imaginative and decorative fancy. As much as they are spaces, our homes are also ideas — and we’re free to make of them what we will.

Taken From The Vancouver Sun.

THE Midvalley Home and Furnishing Fair is back again with the theme “Fairytales do come true”.

Home lovers can shop at the 25 participating tenants on the ground floor and the lower ground floor of Midvalley Megamall till Aug 17.

The lounge section located at centre court, ground floor has everything ranging from Harvey Norman’s recliner sofa sets to Siew Chong’s Clocks.

Magical: Large table lamps accompany Harvey Norman’s LazBoy chairs at Mid Valley’s ground floor Centre Court.

Celline, G.D.O and Decorplace also have booths in the same area.

“Our products are called the Lazboy chairs and sofas. The price ranges from RM3,000 to RM10,000,” said Jason Tan from Harvey Norman.

Any living room needs the perfect accessories and tenants like Khazanah, Kohimaran Oriental & Lifestyle Gallery, E-Tree Home and Home Treasures provide shoppers with colourful items at the North and South courts.

Welcoming: A poster of the Home and Furnishing Fair with its fairy tale.

“We are featuring three things, wedding decorations, interior landscape and floral design courses as well,” said Steven Yee from E-Tree Home Sdn Bhd.

No home is complete without its kitchen gadgets. For this purpose the Dine area at the South Court ground floor is equipped with cooking gadgets of all kinds from Metrojaya.

Next is the Sleep area at the centre court, ground floor as well. Mattresses, pillows and bedroom necessities from Getha, Lady Americana, Aussino and Friven & Co can be found here.

For the cooks: The Dine area at the South Court ground floor is equipped with cooking gadgets of all kinds from Metrojaya. The larger-than- life cup and saucers fashioned after the Alice in Wonderland fairytale.

Home entertainment systems are not to be forgotten and the Play section at the North Court, ground floor leaves no stone unturned. The latest machines from Sony Centre, Best Denki and HSL Circuit City greet shoppers on a large chessboard set.

The D.I.Y section on the lower ground floor gives shoppers the opportunity to buy tools and gadgets from Ace Hardware and World of locks.

Each area is accompanied with unique decorations and life-sized materials from the magical story of Alice in Wonderland, making it an interesting shopping experience for the entire family.

Customers who spend RM350 and above in a single receipt from any store in the Megamall can take part in the Daily Instant Dips. Mastercard holders are eligible for the dip with a minimum expenditure of RM300 and above in a single receipt.

Designers at the 20th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York this month were asking hard questions about their use of materials and were veering away from fashionable all-bamboo or all-bio-fuel solutions.
Sustainability is a balancing act. It does not mean we have to abstain from using nature’s resources; we just must use them sparingly.
Some designers are beginning to minimize the amount of materials they use. Some have begun to modify manufacturing techniques to use less energy; others are enlisting traditional craft centers around the world to produce objects that are more in keeping with their ancient traditions.
Disseminating these ideas through a product’s design is the new goal of design, and it was visible throughout the fair and exhibitors’ showrooms in the city.


At the Vitra furniture showroom in the Meatpacking District, “Super Normal,” a traveling show of everyday kitchen tools and household objects selected by British designer Jasper Morrison and Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa, was much admired for the basic perfection and unself-conscious design of the objects.
“People are looking for something straightforward. Design has to be about simplicity, not fashion,” says Morrison. “I am interested in normal.”
At Surface magazine’s Conversation Series at the Tribeca Grand Hotel - one of the many events in Manhattan and Brooklyn during the fair, which coincides with New York’s Design Week - two speakers, who both work on international projects, also addressed green issues.
Israeli designer Dror Benshetrit discussed the willingness of the crown prince of Abu Dhabi to entertain all kinds of unexpected ways to preserve the environment. Benshetrit described the sunken luxury eco-resort he designed for him on a Persian Gulf island, camouflaged to look like an undulating green carpet. Benshetrit’s way of keeping nature in balance is to make the island seem untouched by development.
Dutch architect Winka Dubbeldam, on the other hand, crafts art installations that explore abstract notions of space, which then get used in her buildings.
“Until now you never thought of building technology and traditional handicraft coming together,” says Dubbeldam. “I have to see things built as models.”
“With laser cutting (used for building models as well as furniture), materials are stretched to new possibilities. It is the future,” she said.
The quirky, arty Dutch design collectives Droog and Moooi have begun to ask such questions, too: Is it OK to compress a day’s worth of office paper waste in plastic or resin and call that furniture?
Probably not, because of chemical pollution in the plastics, but limiting waste or recycling it may be the right direction, they say. A recent example of their green thinking: An experimental chair has seat warmers so the whole room does not have to be heated.
Seating from Kartell, Molteni, Magis, Blu Dot and Plank was shown in a new layout at the Jacob Javits Center, where the furniture fair is held each year. In a distinctive red and white section, reserved by Italian firms, designs from Milan’s furniture fair, which at first glance did not seem green, proved to be space-saving designs.
Nearby, San Francisco designer Yves Behar premiered his C furniture line for HBF, which won an award at the fair. The angular C-shaped chair, sofa and table are made with recycled wood frames, soy-derived foam and natural-fiber upholstery.
XS, a clear plastic armchair-shaped case filled with discarded bottles, newspapers and other recyclable waste, also turned heads. Designed by California College of the Arts student Nick DeMarco, it was produced under the aegis of Bevara Design House and Wal-Mart, which will produce and distribute it. The plastic bag armchair will be shipped flat for about $60 and can be filled with whatever the user discards.
“The concept of the chair is to encourage recycling without reprocessing,” says DeMarco. Instead of shipping trash across long distances and using large amounts of resources to turn old plastic bottles into new ones, the idea is to continue using them as they are.
At a conference sponsored by Metropolis magazine at the fair, people sat on new Steelwood chairs designed for Magis by French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. As their name suggests, these beautiful (though not entirely comfortable) chairs have a clearly visible steel seat with wooden legs that are simply attached, making them easy to dismantle and recycle.
Also at the conference, Behar presented the latest version of his design for the XOXO laptop, made for children in developing nations.
It will be small, use less energy (just 2 to 4 watts) than its predecessor and may be solar powered, and it should cost less in 2010 than it did in 2007. It will also fold like a book, turn into a horizontal laptop or unfold into a board game.
Pablo, a San Francisco lighting company, won this year’s best lighting award at the fair. One of its two new designs is Peter Stathis’ Link LED lamp, which uses fewer components and less energy than any other task lamp of its kind. The body is designed so its component parts double as nuts, bolts and hinges, and because the lamp is extremely low voltage, it conducts power to the replaceable long-life LED ring shade through the arms of the lamp. Each part is easy to dismantle and is replaceable and recyclable. “Cradle-to-cradle design,” says Stathis.
Emily Pilloton, founder of Web site Project H Design ( www.projecthdesign.com), which supports humanitarian product designs and greener gadgets, promoted such ideas as the Hippo Roller, a colored plastic drum for transporting water that can be rolled like a lawn mower.
In South Africa, with this intriguing new gadget, “men now do the water fetching, and women’s literacy rate is rising” because they have more time to learn, says Pilloton. “Sustainability has a human element. It is not just about green materials.”
Spanish rug designer Nanimarquina, an exhibitor who was also featured at the Conran Shop’s Rojo exhibition by Luis Eslava, has been in business for 20 years, working mainly with traditional craft shops, many of them in India.
She has worked with designers of similar sensibility, such as Tord Boontje and Hella Jongerius, who work with South American artisans. Nanimarquina’s recent line of round rugs made in India pay homage to the traditional street decorations of India called rangoli.
“Activism is needed in design studios, not just college campuses,” says Pilloton.
Lulan Artisans, a Charleston, S.C., company is on that track. Lulan’s Eve Blossom showed handwoven silk fabrics, made in various Asian countries, alongside chocolates made in South Africa, presented by Cameron Sinclair of Architecture for Humanity in Sausalito.
Lulan has helped to rejuvenate small weaving centers whose master craftsmen were languishing, and Sinclair, typically involved in rebuilding communities in areas devastated by war, earthquakes or tsunamis, has turned his attention to small industry that can help underdeveloped communities as well.
Areaware of New York showcased a snappy eco-idea, Strida, a collapsible lightweight, greaseless bicycle designed by Mark Sanders, which commuters can use. It is also available through Design Within Reach, Warm Planet Bikes and Zinc Details. It saves energy, uses fewer metal components than other collapsible bikes and connects the dots for consumers interested in sustainable design.
Southern California exhibitor Orange22, known for simple powder-coated aluminum benches, began a new series in 2006 called Botanist Blank Canvas, for which well-known artists and designers are invited to create patterns or cutouts on simple bench shapes.
A few are auctioned to raise funds for charity.
This year’s Blank Canvas designers, including San Franciscans Behar and Claude Zellweger of One & Co., and Karim Rashid, Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Milton Glaser and others, have chosen to support Surfrider Foundation, Architecture for Humanity, Diffa, Rochester Institute of Technology and International Rescue Committee - an indicator that more and more designers are ready, as Pilloton envisions, to vivify and sustain cultures and communities through design around the globe.
Zahid Sardar is the Chronicle Design editor. E-mail your ideas to him at zsardar@sfchronicle.com.