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Thursday, 23 May 2013

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	Bookmarks	Hits
	Alessandra Papazzo for Studio Ginepro Design - Puckman Shelf As evidenced by Silvio Berlusconi and Memphis Design, the Italians clearly have a sense of humor. Studio Ginepro Design continues the tradition by finding inspiration for its furniture and lighting pieces in pop culture. The “Puckman” bookcase by Alessandra Papazzo, one of the group’s most sought after creations, pays homage to Pac-Man, the beloved, instantly recognizable and ubiquitous 1980s arcade superstar.	15
	Ann Sacks Bath Furnishings It’s difficult not to envy Ann Sacks. Her eye for design is as impeccable as her marketing acumen. Not satisfied with an ever-growing, innovated line of artistic tile, she and her partner in design, Kohler, have expanded even beyond her sinks and faucets to offer a gorgeous line of bath furnishings – i.e., soap dishes, trays, tissue holders, waste baskets – that wash one’s bath in elegance and carry her vision throughout such a personal space.	454
	Appenx So much of the time signage is an afterthought on interiors projects. This fact is most unfortunate since wayfinding is so critical to the ultimate success of a building and the safety of its visitors. It is possible that signage gets pushed to the end of the specification line because designers have a difficult time finding product that agrees with their aesthetic sensibilities, making choosing a chore. Enter Appenx. Between their Outsert line – which combines a variety of tiles and lettering applications – and their Dot-Dash line – which offers a range of options, including the super fun DOT-SOCK graphic add-on – specifiers are sure to find a creative way to tell people where they are and where they need to go. Bonus: Appenx’s interior offerings satisfy ADA requirements, as well.	393
	Architexture – Tattoowall We hope that the art of handpainting frescoes never fades, but in a world of tight turnarounds and even tighter budgets, Architexture offers up this revolutionary, patented alternative. What sets Tattoowall apart is that the desired graphic or pattern is transferred directly onto any surface of any size rather than printed onto a paper, film or fabric and subsequently applied. Plus, the substrate can have up to 0.2 inches of texture, eliminating the extra time and expense of achieving a perfectly smooth surface.	4
	ArtQuiver Self-described as a “next-generation art gallery,” ArtQuiver offers to-the-trade programs for interior designers featuring reduced pricing, free shipping, and a lifetime return guarantee. Over 70 emerging contemporary artists list original artwork with this online resource, and American Art Collector magazine has declared that they are the “successful combination of the traditional gallery with the power and reach of the internet.” They are worth a look.	168
	AVTEQ Business today demands faster connections and easier operations when it comes to audio-video needs, and AVTEQ’s solutions are making videoconferencing more flexible than ever. Their fixed furniture and mobile carts can accommodate your project’s multimedia challenges without detracting from workplace, educational or medical facility aesthetics. Highlights include: integrated screen mounting systems in credenzas that eliminate wall-mounted displays; and freestanding collaboration centers combining a worktable, screen mounting system, equipment storage and videoconferencing camera shelf.	26
	Bass Industries Home theaters have become de rigueur in upper- and upper-middle-class homes, so the market for furnishing these multi-media hideaways has exploded. Bass Industries is capitalizing on this desire to recreate the movie-going experience at home by offering anything and everything one would ever need. From seating and furniture to candy showcases and ticket booths, they’ve got it covered. If the aforementioned isn’t enough, they even offer cinema signage and movie poster marquees to expand upon the theater motif. Hooray for Hollywood!	52
	Beaufurn Though their name is abbreviated (Beaufurn = Beautiful + Furniture), their selections are not. This commercially-oriented manufacturer out of North Carolina offers a wide selection of pieces for hospitality settings – dining chairs and tables, bar chairs and stools, banquet chairs and booths, as well as all weather dining and lounge pieces. They even have a nice group of seating appropriate for Assisted Living applications. It’s a bon jour with Beaufurn.	8
	Bendheim Since the 1920s design professionals and contractors have been integrating Bendheim’s specialty glass products into commercial and residential interiors. From defined use items such as color coated switch plates and magnetic glass marker boards to flexible application offerings such as customizable back-painted glass (including metallic options), laminated wood veneers, and Optichroic® glass, Bendheim has a glass for every application.	54
	Berco This St. Louis, Missouri-based furniture manufacturer started out specializing in high-grade tables for the workplace, and since they were founded in 1969, Berco has expanded its offerings to include classroom lecture hall desks and stands, multi-media support furniture, mobile tables and write-on boards. Recently they introduced the Anywhere® media tower that is height-adjustable and connects wherever collaboration is needed. Their 30-year warranty and emphasis on sustainable practices – such as recycling their waste aluminum and steel cuttings – make them an attractive spec.	3
	Big Mango Trading Company If you cannot afford a trip to Bali this year (yeah, neither can we), we have the next best thing: a trip to Big Mango Trading Company…or at least their website. Their offerings will make your senses soar even more than their name will make your mouth water. Our favorites include elaborate lounging beds, roughly carved Buddhist statuary, intricately detailed door panels, and beautifully variegated cuts of petrified wood along with unusual vessels and urns that can be used in either indoor or outdoor environments. Who are we kidding? We pretty much love it all.	376
	Bolon This Swedish company invented woven vinyl flooring and has been manufacturing it for 30 years. (And you thought it was relatively new!) If you are looking for the texture and warmth of a natural material but desperately need durability and low-maintenance for high-traffic areas, then woven vinyl is an option. Plus, Bolon offers 50+ patterns and designs, so you’re sure to find the right fit.	422
	Camouflage Modern Functional Wall Art We’re suckers for anything that balances the decorative, the practical and the amusing, and this wall element scores well in every category. The steel “blobs” that alternate in depths from 1.5” to 2.25” are powder-coated in white, black, plum, dark grey, lime and dark green. Not only do they provide a handy place for you to hang your bag, trench and scarf, but they turn any space into a happy place.	543
	Carnegie Surface iQ Created as a replacement for vinyl wallcovering, this PVC-free, chlorine-free, plasticizer-free, heavy metal-free, formaldehyde-free and dioxin-free 54” wide material exceeds Type II vinyl performance. Not only is it durable, cleanable and helps specifiers earn coveted LEED points, but it’s attractive too. Introduced in late 2007, Carnegie has recently released six new patterns, which translates to over 60 total new SKUs. Let freedom ring.	313
	Clayhaus Artisan Ceramic Tile Based in Portland, Oregon, Clayhaus pays homage to the sensibilities of the Bauhaus movement through simple shapes, clean designs and pure colors. Their color palette includes more than 50 hues in gloss, crackle and matte finishes. Through reclaimed clay content, handcrafted production methods and proprietary glaze recipes that are lead-free, Clayhaus stands apart from its competitors. Our personal faves: the 1" x 4" Offset and the 3" Ogee Cloud Mosaic.	185
	Clear Future Markerboards In our opinion, the world can never have enough markerboards. Who doesn’t yearn for a clean, smooth surface upon which to scribble and sketch one’s ideas when working out a solution or brainstorming with colleagues? So cast out the clunky, ugly, and junky and usher in the sleek, discreet, and modern age of the Future.	557
	Collette Collins Design Renaissance woman Collette Collins creates incredible works of furniture art “bringing the natural beauty of the outdoors into our interior spaces.” This artist/designer/fabricator accomplishes this feat by integrating an array of both salvaged and original materials – wood (including exotics), leather, rubber, bamboo, and fabric – to assemble elegant, contemporary, dynamic pieces with influences of Asian and Scandinavian cultures. The former film industry set designer is dedicated to sustainability and “ensures that no scrap of material goes unused.” If you are looking for something artistically unique, yet satisfyingly functional, Collins is your source.	439
	Copper Sinks by Native Trails In the midst of The Year of the Swine Flu, the public is looking for any germ-killing advantage it can find. Early 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that copper has antimicrobial properties, making it capable of killing bacteria and viruses. The studies show that this beautiful metal kills 99% of bacteria within two hours of contact and even inhibits the life of the H1N1 virus. It’s just one more reason to incorporate a copper sink (or two) into your next design project. Native Trails, the country's largest producer of hand-hammered sinks and tubs, has some excellent copper offerings that will make even you’re your most germaphobe client loosen his death grip on the hand sanitizer.	297
	Cork Mosaic by Habitus Habitus Architectural Finishes offers a diverse array of commercial and residential architectural finishes from around the planet, but it was their Cork Mosaic that caught our fancy. Recycled from industry by-products and mounted on sheets for easy application, these little cork dots add both visual and tactile texture to walls. Inherently water resistant, they are suitable for bathrooms and kitchens. Other cork perks include anti-slip, anti-static and anti-bacterial properties. The pièce de résistance is that the product comes in a great deal of color options, negating the idea that cork always has to look like…well…just cork.	604
	Designtex Though this division of Steelcase has been around for quite a while, the company’s image has just received a facelift by the renovation of their website. The old standby proclamation of “New & Improved!” is not an exaggeration in this case. Those of you who used to know Designtex primarily for their wallcoverings, upholstery and panel fabrics now will have clearer picture of the breadth of the company’s capabilities, which include extreme performance textiles, surface imaging solutions, architectural panels, and both handmade and stock rugs through Loophouse.	317
	Digital Print by Lumicor Lumicor is already well respected for its über-cool selection of resin-based panels offering design professionals options such as embossed geometric patterns and suspended botanicals. Now they’re diving into the printing technology pool, allowing designers to expand their repertoire. Whether for the application of intense, color-drenched images of a company’s product line in their corporate headquarters or more understated, subtle healing images blanketing a hospital’s waiting areas, Lumicor can rise to the occasion. Bonus: You even have the ability to dictate whether your image panels are translucent or opaque, offering even greater flexibility in application.	455
	EcoSmart Fire Simultaneously life-saving and life-taking, fire has always captivated us with its dangerous beauty. We enjoy taming and placing it into our interior environments just as much now as we did thousands of years ago, albeit in a much more modern way. And thanks to EcoSmart Fire, it’s safer, easier and more beautiful than ever thanks. Their vent-free, open fireplaces are powered by clean burning bio ethanol, a renewable liquid fuel produced from agricultural by-products. Producing nothing but heat steam and carbon dioxide, these pieces of fire “furniture” are a simple, nontoxic method of introducing a little heat into your next client’s interior.	185
	FireInvent Design There is more to fire safety than Stop, Drop & Roll, and if Smokey the Bear had a wife who preferred nesting to camping, she would inform you that fire hazards in the home abound: cooking crises, faulty appliances, frayed electrical cords, fire-curious children, and unattended candles. We know that we need to take precautions, but the aesthete in us stupidly resists because we dislike the look of those ugly extinguishers and equipment hanging around. Luckily, FireInvent has recognized our neuroses and is producing “designer” fire safety wares to integrate more pleasingly into our homes, increasing the odds that we’ll actually use them and avoid burning them to the ground. What a concept.	432
	Forms & Surfaces LEVELe Elevator Interiors If you need to outfit the interior of an elevator, make it easy on yourself and go with LEVELe Elevator Interiors from Forms & Surfaces. Already known for their elegant doors, pulls, columns, railings and site furniture, Forms & Surfaces offers equally sleek options in their standard components of wall panels, bases, and reveals, as well as lighting options that include downlighting and/or LED perimeter lighting. The wall panels consist of extruded aluminum frames surrounding insets with a decorative face material on a fire-rated substrate. Looks like they’ve thought of pretty much everything.	81
	Gallotti & Radice The Italians know how to live, and they have the baffling knack for being able to make even the simplest of things sexy. Gallotti & Radice, an Italian manufacturer that has been around for decades perfecting its craftsmanship and technique, uses a simple palette of metal, wood, glass and crystal to create uniquely elegant pieces for both residential and commercial applications. Their sleek shapes include the usual suspects of tables, shelves and mirrors, but display cases, serving carts and media stands as well.	345
	Great Grabz As Baby Boomers age, more and more interior designers are going to be called upon to help clients adapt their existing or plan their new homes to accommodate the mobility limitations that come with age. Ironically, most homeowners wouldn’t be caught dead with a bathroom full of grab bars. That’s where Abbie Sladick comes in. Frustrated by the lack of stylish choices out there, this Certified Graduate Remodeler and Certified Aging in Place Specialist started designing her own. Now her designs that “allow people of all ages and abilities to maintain their dignity and independence” are available to all of us. Hallelujah.	240
	Hettich International We’re geeks for gadgets and organizational tools, and this company apparently is too. They’ve pretty much thought of everything when it comes to outfitting (or even retrofitting) your cabinetry and casegood furniture to work more efficiently. With Hettich’s handiwork, drawers glide more smoothly, doors close more quietly, and interior cabinet spaces store more tableware, cutlery and provisions. Though it’s hard to choose, our favorite has to be their ingenious OrgaWing system. As you pull out a drawer, two “wings” providing additional storage unfold from the sides. Just watch the video on their website to get the picture.	547
	JP Lining & Fabric Co. This Arizona-based company offers a variety of drapery linings, including TempAssure™, which not only block out light, but reportedly increase the R-Value of a window by as much as 300% over those with unlined drapes. Preventing thermal loss by trapping air and forming an insulating barrier, TempAssure Drapery Linings help increase an interior’s energy efficiency. And if you have clients with chemical sensitivies who must avoid dyes and bleach, consider the Prima Sateen option made out of 100% sustainable cotton.	12
	Lascaux Tile Company We’re not ashamed to say it: We have a tile addiction. Perusing showrooms and browsing online photo galleries is to us like a shopaholic’s trip to Neiman-Marcus or a foodaholic’s trip to Dean & Deluca. If you share the same affliction, a reliable place to get your fix is Lascaux Tile Company. When gazing upon their intricate Islamic and colorful Spanish collections, we get a “high” from being virtually transported to exotic locales not otherwise allowed by our diminutive bank accounts. We think you’ll feel the same.	189
	LiquidMotion Tiles I’m not ashamed to admit it. When I was single, I used to have a rotating mirror ball permanently installed in my condo’s living room. (It made vacuuming and dusting tolerable.) However, I’ve always fantasized about having an actual dance floor in my house, and if I do, I’m definitely installing Liquid Motion Tiles. These high tech tiles are manufactured in Milan, Italy, by B.lab Italia, who applies the technology to table tops as well in conjunction with TechDesign. When pressure is applied, the colors morph and patterns adjust, creating an interactive, lava lamp like experience for the user, making them perfect for trendy clubs, sizzling hot bachelorette pads, and trust fund baby vacation homes.	163
	Lumisty Film Want to make people look twice? Just use Lumisty Film once. When applied to clear glass, this mind-bending product alters its transparency depending on where the viewer stands. Head on, it’s completely clear. Move a foot or so over, and that same section of glass becomes partially translucent. Move even further away, and what once was crystal clear is completely obscured. Saunter back to your original viewpoint, and – voila! – all is revealed once again. Having a hard time imagining it? Think of it as a hologram for glass. Lumisty Film’s "peek-a-boo" effect will add interest to retail storefronts, intrigue to corporate conference rooms, and excitement to voyeurs’ homes.	247
	Mansour Modern – Hyde Wallcoverings Don’t be fooled. Even in a weak economy, luxury is far from dead. Known for their wide range of globally produced handmade rugs – e.g., Oushak, Serapi, Aubusson, English Axminster, etc. – Mansour is now offering their Hyde Collection of wallcoverings. Produced from branded hides, these unique “tapestries” are made to order, either from patterns and colors found in the Mansour Modern Collection or inspired by your own creation. The incredible part is that lead-times are only about four weeks for something that is virtually a one-of-a-kind piece of art.	223
	Marlite – Myriad Sometime back we put the spotlight on Vivian K. Mosley, a graphic designer behind the Marlite curtain responsible for many of their innovative products. Once of our favorites is their Myriad Wall System as its kit of parts truly affords specifiers a myriad of design options. Applicable to single- or multistory feature walls, panels come in a variety of sizes. They can be translucent and back-lit, reinforce a company’s brand with graphics and photography, or simply enhance the interior wood veneer, marble, or even faux finishes.	2
	md-c: Modern Digital Canvas Printing technology has come a long, long way in a short amount of time, and md-c is happily taking advantage of it. When you don’t have the budget for original art, they can help you punch up your client’s commercial or residential interior via sharp digital printing on cotton canvases that don’t even require framing due to their frame-wrapping methods. In addition to reasonable pricing and solid customer service, md-c offers up a wide variety of abstract and impressionist imagery, so you’re sure to find a workable concept.	276
	Moroso Furniture manufacturer Moroso upholds the Italian tradition of sensual, striking design. Best known for their wide range of seating, which includes sofas, benches, armchairs, lounge and waiting area pieces, Moroso also features tables, bookcases, storage pieces and beds designed by a multitude of respected designers from around the world. Luckily they offer 2D and 3D CAD files of their diverse product line, making it easier for designers to visualize how some of their more interesting forms fit into a spaces.	35
	Mottega Finding the right lamp is a tricky – if not frustrating – thing. Mottega has made the process just a little bit easier though by allowing you to “build” a specification online by choosing just what shape, color, base, and shade is needed for your particular application. And if you didn’t think that it could get better than that, when you purchase particular shape styles, money goes to support breast cancer research. Get clicking.	171
	Murals Your Way When it comes to murals, we’ve come a long way from the limited (and, if we remember correctly, slightly out-of-focus) beach and jungle scenes of the 1970s. Due to amazing advancements in the technology – and associated cost – of graphics software, photographic techniques, printing and materials, today’s design professional has some incredible out-of-the-frame options for incorporating vibrant imagery into interior environments. Murals Your Way offers a wide array of stock image options, but they have ability to use imagery you or your graphic designer creates as well, allowing truly customized applications for your client.	183
	Neptune How fitting that this Canadian company out of Québec is named after the Roman god of the Sea because they offer a wonderful array of baths, faucets, sinks and showers. We are particularly enamored with the Zen line, which features both single- and double-faucet-wide sculptural basins, elaborately outfitted showers, and bathtubs from which you just might never emerge. Within the Tao line, the Macoa tub is particularly decadent with its 60-inch-square girth, while the Ruby tub’s oval sleekness fits neatly within more modestly sized bathrooms but still allows the bathing addict a satisfying soak.	328
	New Holland Church Furniture Have you ever thought about where religious institutions procure their pews, altars and pulpits? Someone has to manufacturer it, and New Holland Church Furniture is one such someone. Out of Pennsylvania and in business for almost 100 years, New Holland Church Furniture produces reverent pieces for both churches and synagogues, including standard, radius and custom pews, baptismal fonts, collection plates, and communion rails and tables. Ask them for something unique, and you shall receive.	142
	Nova Display Shelving is a tricky thing. You don’t want it to dominate, overshadowing the items that you are trying to highlight in the first place, but you need it to be sturdy and flexible enough to last over time. Nova Display has figured this all out and is the epitome of sleek functionality. Their cable display system is modern, industrial, and virtually disappears, and their rod display system is elegant, minimally intrusive, and surprisingly heavy-duty. Plus, they have low-voltage light fixtures that attach directly to the systems, as well as coordinating floor display stands when fixed partitions aren’t present. In a nutshell: Nova Display’s products are perfect solutions for anything from museum stores and corporate executive offices to hip salons and contemporary habitats.	616
	Nusa’s Plasma Elegance A resource for handcrafted furnishings for both hospitality and residential projects, Nusa sources lines not only from the United States, but also from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Plasma Elegance is their highly useful line that exclusively offers attractive storage pieces that conceal flat screen televisions. (Other lines include Clay & Wood, Carlo Innovative Furnishings, and Baal Creations.) According to their website, “All products offered through Nusa are exclusive designs manufactured under safe and fair-wage work conditions.”	293
	Orley Shabahang The family of the latter half of Orley Shabahang has been a vendor of carpets since the 16th Century, and the current Mr. Shabahang has been importing and selling antique and semi-antique Persian carpets in the United States for almost 40 years. In 2001, however, they decided to offer new, more contemporary creations, but with the techniques of the traditional art. Annually, they produce approximately 300 carpets, which range in price from $1,000 to $50,000 and are made with natural dyes – i.e., henna, saffron, pomegranates and the like. Soft, strong, sexy and sustainable – they’ve got it all.	145
	Oscar Nunez for fusca - Comic Shelf What do designers do when they can’t find just the right piece for a project? Create it themselves. Oscar Nunez did just that for Cancun, Mexico-based fusca Architecture, Interiors & Design Studio with “Comic,” the lacquered MDF form reminiscent of the thought bubbles found in comic strips and books. Watch where you hang it, though. Depending on where one is sitting, one might say more than he or she intended.	8
	Parterre Flooring Systems Vinyl flooring has come a long way, baby. It’s always been known for is affordability, ease of installation and durability, but it used to be that specifying vinyl flooring meant hitting your project with an ugly stick. Technological advances and consumer demand has turned that around, though. Parterre has been leading the way in the commercial and residential solid vinyl flooring market since the first George Bush was in the Oval Office, and they have had two decades to perfect a broad selection of products that authentically replicate the beauty of natural wood and stone, as well as metallic surfaces and other specialty finishes. Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, Parterre makes environmentally safe, asbestos-free, recyclable product constructed of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled content, so it’s more than a pretty face.	73
	Patterson, Flynn & Martin No, we’re not touting a law firm here. A division of the famous textile house F. Schumacher & Co., Patterson, Flynn & Martin is instead a manufacturer of To The Trade high-end floorcoverings such as hand-knotted, hand-tufted, and historic reproduction rugs. Offering both contemporary and traditional options, PFM employs guest designers like Kelly Wearstler and Michael Smith to create collections exclusive to the company. As would be expected from a purveyor of this high caliber, custom options are also available. Hmmm… Perhaps PFM could also stand for Pretty Frigging Marvelous.	376
	Persuade High-Efficiency Toilet by Kohler If you are skeptical about water-saving toilets, join the club. Though the idea of conserving aqua is an attractive one, a poorly performing toilet is certainly not. Enter Kohler’s Persuade. This dual-flush residential toilet relies on effective technology to make both its 0.8 gallon flush (for No. 1) and 1.6 gallon flush (for No. 2) perform as well as the traditional model does with a water-guzzling 3.5 gallons.	551
	Pharaoh Manufacturing Game Room Furniture People love to play games, and with the emergence of the Man Cave, there’s more and more demand for tricked out game rooms in everyday residences. But let’s face it – game room furniture has a tendency to be on the cheap, cheesy and tacky side. Enter Pharaoh Manufacturing. They offer coordinating game sets – i.e., billiard, poker, craps, roulette, and blackjack tables, along with bars, bar stools, mirrors, lighting, and cue racks – that won’t make you cringe. You can even customize pieces to your client’s liking (though that can get dangerous if they want to stray too far off the mark).	167
	Rich Brilliant Willing From the company name, you can tell that founders and fellow graduates of the Rhode Island School of Design, Theo Richardson (Rich), Charles Brill (Brilliant) and Alexander Williams (Willing), have a sense of humor to accompany their talent and ambition. Their deceptively simple lighting and furniture for both working and living support their philosophy of the value of intelligent, clever design created in a responsible fashion with high-quality materials.	28
	Roca’s W+W [Washbasin + Watercloset] It’s a sink and a toilet all wrapped into one. Before you get disgusted, give it a go! Um, maybe we should say give it a look. It’s sleek, it’s modern, it’s a bit space age…but most of all it’s conserving up to 25% on normal water consumption by using wastewater from the integrated sink is used to fill the cistern of the toilet. Try it – you’ll like it!	343
	Rock and Royal Their name truly says it all. This company offers the ultimate in luxury and glamour with a wink to the outrageous (in both form and price) by fabricating custom chandeliers in forms that are both punk (skull and cross-bones) and pop (champagne bottles). Out of The Netherlands, artist Hans van Bentem designs and fabricates these eye-catching light fixtures for both private, wealthy clients and hotel groups around the globe.	363
	Royal Botania Established in 1992 by two friends in Antwerp, Belgium, Royal Botania initially concentrated on manufacturing high-quality teak furniture in sleeker, more modern styles than what could commonly be found coming out of Indonesia. They have since expanded their outdoor furniture collections, including new materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, and synthetic fibers, and have introduced both outdoor lighting and bathroom furniture lines. As their distribution is worldwide, they take care to create products that can withstand the harshest of conditions, whether in chilly Canada or sweltering Saudi Arabia.	41
	Schluter Systems You can spec the most beautiful tile in the world, but if it is installed poorly, it will, quite frankly, look and perform like crap. (Pardon our French.) Julie Lumbert, Allied Member ASID, reminded us about this company’s top-notch solutions for protecting tile edges, transitioning from tile to other materials, installing tile on less-than-ideal substrates, guaranteeing proper drainage, etc. The list goes on and on. If you’re dealing with tile, you should be specifying Schluter.	310
	Soelberg Industries – Textüre3D Whether sculpted in undulating waves, defined shapes, or Escher-like patterns, these three-dimensional panels sing out like sexy sirens, beseeching you to touch them. Made up in glossy solids, shiny metallics, or wood grain (smooth or textured), the array of options will make your heart skip a beat. Don’t let their beauty deceive you, though. Textüre3D qualifies for LEED credit in multiple categories related to recycled content, responsible forest management, and low emitting materials/ indoor air quality.	429
	Soleil by Workrite Another bastion of ergonomics, Workrite, has added to its inventory of adjustable monitor display arms, keyboard trays and workcenters and is now including highly flexible, long-lasting, energy efficient lighting. Soleil is a fully rotational and adjustable desktop task light that’s perfect for putting a little light on whatever subject you choose, and its sweet LEDs sip only nine watts of juice, lasting an average of 20 years / 50,000 hours. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, the fixture’s base and body are produced from up to 60% post-consumer recycled materials and will be recyclable after its owner has decided that that’s been enough of that. Oh, and did we mention that it’s attractive as well?	571
	Spiral Cellars Wine isn’t just for elitist snobs any more – it’s a budding hobby for everyday people. These days Jane and Joe Smith from Anywhere, USA, are just a likely to know something about Argentinean Malbec, Oregonian Pinot Gris or Australian Syrah as they are to know the difference between Budweiser and Coors. The cost of having a place to store a developing wine collection is still a bit pricey, however, so Spiral Cellars has come up with an efficient, economical way to integrate top-notch wine storage into almost any home. You have to see it to understand it, so check out their website.	436
	Stanton Carpet’s Anywhere Collection – Faux Naturals Your client may love the natural flooring look, but it’s not always a practical product depending on where it needs to be installed. Fibers can get crushed in high traffic areas and can definitely be hard to clean, leading to their early replacement. Not so sustainable, huh? Get that natural look with Stanton Carpet’s Anywhere Collection. This non-toxic polypropylene is long lasting, easily cleanable, color fast, anti-static and anti-microbial, so it’s appropriate for all sorts of environments. Plus, the product uses much less water for dyeing during the manufacturing process, so you can fill good about the spec.	457
	Switch Mouse by Humanscale The ergonomically obsessed Humanscale has done it again with their Switch Mouse. Not only is this computer tech gadget fun to use, but it will also help you and your clients avoid pains in the arm like carpel tunnel syndrome. It’s named “Switch” because both Righties and Lefties can use it comfortably. Furthermore, the mouse helps cut down on repetitive motion by featuring a four-way scrolling dish, and the entire gadget adjusts in size so that it will fit any user’s hand proportions perfectly. Try it once, and you will consider this mouse anything but a pest.	1474
	Takara Belmont A beautifully appointed salon is an oasis to its clientele. Besides the primping, pampering, and perfect cut, the right equipment, functionality and aesthetic is what keeps customers coming back to drop their dough. If you are designing a salon or looking for a firm to consult with you on creating one, then Takara Belmont is your go-to resource. They’ve got the equipment and the know-how to know how to use it.	346
	The Wallpaper Maker Sometimes you search and search for just the right wallcovering for that lobby entrance, that spa changing room, that multifamily fitness center or that hospital waiting room, but nothing works. Something is always a little off: the pattern’s design, the overall scale, the visual weight, the material construction, or the combination of colors. If you are running into this problem and you need to create something utterly unique for a particular environment, then visit The Wallpaper Maker, as they can create customized commercial-grade wallcoverings and murals for your most challenging client.	356
	Trove – Wood Veneer Moody and ethereal, Trove’s hauntingly beautiful imagery appears on cloth-backed, book-matched wood veneers such as FSC certified bamboo and birch, but they are also available with paper backing for application on doors, millwork and furniture. With the ability to produce sizes up to 10’ high and 3.5’ wide, their large-scale botanical patterns and ghostly flora have room to breathe. Since Trove manufacturers with low VOC primers, adhesives, and matte UV sealers, their wood veneer allows us and the planet to breathe as well.	2
	Troy Adams Design Fusion has worked for cuisine, and it definitely works for design. Troy Adams has drawn upon his background as a carpenter and customer cabinetmaker to create FusionDesign, finding inspiration from Asian detailing, European efficiency, and American practicality. From his Stainless Tansu Stepped Cabinet to his Hidden Screen Media Cabinet (pictured here), he knows how to blend in the Zen.	497
	TRUFIG We are a community attune to aesthetics. We pay attention to the details…how materials come together and how even the subtlest of undertones of color coordinate. So why in the world has it taken so long for someone to improve the look and integration of switch plates, outlets, system controls and the like into the interior environment??? TRUFIG has done just that with a flush-mounting system allowing obtrusive wall accessories to blend seamlessly into the wall.	355
	Vancouver Gas Fireplaces Along with water, metal and earth, fire is a basic element. Integrating fire – along with its strong symbolism and much-needed functionality – into an interior’s design is one way to make it really crackle and pop, and Vancouver Gas Fireplaces can guide you so that you and your client avoid getting burned. Who knew that there were so many ways to think about and interpret a fireplace? Some of their offerings take the traditional hearth from sweet-n-cozy to downright sexy-n-sleek. And with options from freestanding to outdoor to eco-minded to custom, if you can imagine it, chances are that they can do it. Hot stuff.	367
	Viking Portable Induction Cooker What do you get when you mix half a cup of the Food Network with access to exotic ingredients, an economic downturn and amazing new technology? The perfect recipe to make dinner parties and family meals “in” again. Viking has been focusing on the latter on that list, and they have gone beyond the gadget to produce a portable induction cooker. Perfect for those facing an excess of guests to feed and/or a lack of countertop or cabinet space, this little gem uses magnets to heat up quickly and efficiently – and with very easy clean up due to its glass ceramic top. So get creative and show off your culinary skills tableside, fireside or poolside.	557
	Vipp Vipp. It’s such a happy, peppy little word that represents a manufacturer of happy, peppy little products. Their rubber and stainless steel accessories – e.g., towel bars and hooks, soap dispensers, toilet brushes and holders, trash bins, etc. – are sleek and industrial, yet approachable and tactile. They warmly invite you to touch them instead of repelling you with a cold presence. Plus, they are highly functional, which should actually be the point (though too many vendors prize beauty over brains).	332
	Washi from Precious Pieces We here at P&C are a sucker for anything influenced by the Japanese aesthetic, so we were delighted to find out about washi. Sustained from a rich national tradition, today this parchment paper can be incorporated into architectural elements such as LED-lighted wall inserts, freestanding room dividers and operational elements like pivot, pocket and sliding doors. Precious Pieces also offers Washi Art suitable for framing, as well as washi-covered lighted orbs that evoke the idea of the delicacy known as a 1000-year-old egg. Though the concept is ancient, the look is fresh.	375
	WausauSELECT Owned by Wausau Tile, WausauSELECT is a new collection of contemporary site furnishings in metal and concrete. These new planters, tables, benches, snuffers and waste containers come in fresh, bright colors with visually interesting patterns and sleek lines and fill a more contemporary niche than the more traditional precast and metal pieces that they’ve been offering to architects and designers as specification options for years. It’s fun stuff.	531
	Weil Studio Instead of sourcing art to add to space after it’s built out, how about integrating the art as part of the interior’s build out from the beginning? With her innovative phototransparencies, photographer Amanda Weil can help you do just that. Laminating her imagery – which includes blossoming flora, dense rainforests, and verdant fronds, as well as trippy and pixilated abstracts – in between crystal clear safety glass, interior surfaces such as sliding partitions, fixed walls, reception desks and tabletops come alive. Though custom installation up to 49" x120" are possible, Weil will only use her photographic images, and since she has some stunning ones from which to choose, that shouldn’t be a problem.	504
	WOKmedia - Between Lines Shelf Designers Wolfgang Kaeppner and Julie Mathias are commissioned globally for their art installations, but product design is also part of their repertoire. The Shanghai, China-based duo embraces the idea of reining in chaos, and their 270 cm (106.3 in) long, laser-cut stainless steel letter band titled “Between Lines” can be shaped (and reshaped) to suit the end-user. Thanks to a black rubber coating, books are lovingly embraced by the same letters they contain.	7
	Zongkers Custom Furniture & Cabinetry Nebraska produces good, Midwestern stock – and we’re not talking about the cattle. Owner, Omahan, and all around good guy Dan Zongkers has run this custom millwork shop for almost 20 years now, and in that time he has perfected a wide variety of woodworking techniques, allowing him and his team to craft pieces as diverse as audio-visual laden boardroom tables and contemporary paneling for corporations, reverential alters and baptismal fonts for churches, and inlaid dining room tables and intricately carved cabinets for homes. Lately, he has been letting both his inner child and sports nut run uninhibited by creating NFL and college football team themed beds that will make any little boy’s jaw drop. It’s one dedicated way to shout “Go team!”	472

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IIDA and InterfaceFLOR are proud to announce the winners of the 2012 Student Sustainable Design Competition. The First Place prize was awarded to Grace Kirby, Student IIDA, Ashley Lauria, Student IIDA, and Julie Warren of Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design. The Second Place winner was Stephen Peck, Student IIDA from Miami International University. Special Recognition honors went to Abagael Warnars, Student IIDA and Daegeon Cho, Student IIDA of Savannah College of Art and Design-Atlanta. The People’s Choice Award was given to Erica Riha and Ashley Olsen from Iowa State University. GO HERE to check out the winning projects.

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Created by a couple of Milwaukee interior designers with a quirky sense of humor, a healthy dose of sarcasm and a heaping serving of caring. Check out Enough Said to find fun t-shirts with a message.

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