The difference an inch (or two) can make…

Saturday, March 19th, 2011

Equivalent to 1/12th of a foot and 1/36th of a yard, inch is one tiny measurement that is frequently used with respect to spaces and all the decisions related to furnishing them; the inch is especially prevalent when determining proportion, spatial fit and open space dimension.  However, the inch can also be quite meaningful and powerful.

Italian modern sofas and sectionals are, in general, quite low to the ground which for many people (especially tall people) who really like the design, this presents a small issue.  This is where the “tiny” inch shows its true vastness; a slight elevation of the sofa’s or the sectional’s legs doesn’t just raise it higher off the floor, but also doesn’t alter its stylistic value.  One Italian leather furniture manufacturer that offers such level of personalization is Gamma Arredamenti with 38 differently sized and shaped metal legs and 50 options for wooden legs.

Metal leg selection by Gamma Arredamenti

Metal leg selection by Gamma Arredamenti

Wooden leg selection by Gamma Arredamenti

Wooden leg selection by Gamma Arredamenti

Color blocking enlivens the life not just the look

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

The most talked about fashion trend this season is color blocking, and it is of no surprise, giving that fashion and design march to the same drum beat, designer living room furniture by leading European manufacturers have personified it in the form of designer sofas and modern sectionals.  Luscious and luminous, these mouth-watering seating options are no longer the peccadillo in the sphere of trendy modern design, but rather the gateway to rapt, edgy and invigorated interior décor that juxtaposes the gusto of color with sophisticated minimalism.

Alphabet by Piero Lissoni for Fritz Hansen

Alphabet by Piero Lissoni for Fritz Hansen

Rift by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso

Rift by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso

Affair by Cor

Affair by Cor

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The trend of visual trickery

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Mirrored surfaces have been a popular source for reflection, adaptability, versatility and modernism, embraced by the in-crowed of pop culture.  Take for example Norman Foster’s Reichstag Mirrored Dome in Berlin, Germany or Julien McDonald’s mirrored gown worn by the uber fashionable Heidi Klum to Elton John’s Oscar viewing party.  The trend was also recently picked up by the Brazilian designer Andreia Chaves who created the Invisible Show Series.  Even the automotive industry borrows the power of mirrored surfaces to enhance the wow factor of a newly introduced car as was done by Opel when they unveiled the Vauxhall Tigra model.

Modern designs featuring mirrored surfaces

The world of modern furniture design is no different and mirrored surfaces are becoming quite a pervasive statement among leading designers and Italian furniture manufacturers that define what modern interiors of tomorrow will embody.  Producing true visual hocus-pocus, modern furniture with mirrored surfaces reflect light, assume the chromatic spectrum of its surroundings and most importantly, offer exceptional visual that most definitely necessitates a second glance.

Gotham dining table by Cattelan Italia

Gotham dining table by Cattelan Italia

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For the love of multiples

Saturday, March 12th, 2011

A modern furniture trend that seems to be rock solid, for it continues to pop its peppy nature at every international furniture exhibition including this year’s Maison & Object, is the love of using occasional tables in repetition.   Particularly applicable to modern coffee tables and end tables, the draw towards repetition proves to be ohhh so irresistible.  With the end goal to yield a dramatic, dynamic and functional realization, this nonsectarian trend breaks down into several categories including height variation, color/shape deviation and structural wholeness.

Theo end table by Cattelan Italia

Theo end table by Cattelan Italia

Pantheon end table by Tonin Casa

Pantheon end table by Tonin Casa

Repetition of the same shape, color, and texture but variation in height is depicted with Cattelan Italia’s Gliss, and Theo end tables and Pantheon side table by Tonin Casa each of which, when repeated as a duo or a trio combo achieves volumetric dynamics, and dramatic styling that allows the visual impression to linger vertically. Read More

Infinity is not just for lovers and mathematicians

Friday, March 11th, 2011

Personifying the ancient symbol of perpetuity into a sensationally rattling sculptural magnum opus, Infinity designer occasional table collection by Stefano Bigi for Porada adapts both the shape and the meaning of this principle with compelling base and minimalist glass top.  Paralleling the theory’s adaptation in cultural spheres like fashion, jewelry and art, Stefano Bigi brings the realms of eternity into the world of modern design with his spectacular, though-provoking interpretation of dynamics featuring sinuous lines that create an illusion of material pliability where in reality the tables are as solid as can be being made of chrome, solid wood and glass.

Infinity designer coffee table collection by Stephano Bibi for Porada

Infinity modern coffee tables by Stephano Bibi for Porada