ICFF 2009

Running out the door so I am throwing in my twitter stream (read from the bottom up) and slideshow of yesterday's ICFF- comments are on the slideshow pictures.




greenmodernkits
Rt @leadwithpurpose @greenmodernkits how bout plastic water bottles have u seen this ppt? http://www.wainotgogreen.org/about 1 hour ago from web

Off to the farmer's market with Claiborne, then more coffee, then more #icff...about 2 hours ago from web

Ouf. Were we *really* out until THREE? #icffabout 4 hours ago from web

You have never eaten until you eat @ macelleria.about 15 hours ago from TwitterBerry

@mediajorge @ dwr 142 woosterabout 17 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Am @ bludot w/Cass & claiborne waiting on V- check out cassie - www.cassguy.com ; )about 17 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Today's takes, now off to parties. http://tinyurl.com/qq2w5d #icffabout 19 hours ago from web

@claibornem headed your way it's taking forever b/c everything is running as local this wkend. Ergh!about 21 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Forgot beretta in purse. Nypd randomly searching bags @ penn station. Hm knife laws in nyc, anyone?about 22 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Hissing @ the vinyl people, heading back to brooklyn. Where is Akemi? Hmmmmmabout 22 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Rt @Lizzykewl @greenmodernkits somehow companies need to be convinced it's in their best interest to package things differently, esp. foodabout 22 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Poor @rvamedia. Last week a chickun was named in her honor, & now I am bringing her a pic of a dead rabbit perched on furniture at #icff.about 22 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Love greenplay's grouploop - not whimisical but SO... Happy sturdy imaginative. #icffabout 23 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Jigsaw puzzles pinned up as wallpaper. Dusting horror.about 23 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I hate felt. But anne kyyro quinn's work is BEAUTIFUL!!! #icff love it!about 23 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Vinyl weave company naming products w\"grass" / "bamboo" in names... I asked if it was sustainable: "YES some have used it for 4 yrs!"about 24 hours ago from TwitterBerry

@mediajorge I obviously don't know how to answer this phone. I'm walking towards bludot.about 24 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I have entered the aisle of gimmick. And whoo-eee boy is there... Flash. Mirror stuff. Running away!about 24 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Pratt & md institute college of art: A + on reuse, sustainable ideas. #icffabout 24 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Struck by how many people are still using plastic. #icff1:38 PM May 16th from TwitterBerry

 

Modern Design ICFF 2009 Part 1: Finnish Design, Chris Ruck, Gaia & Gino and fun.

I am in New York Ciiiiitay for the annual New York Design Week and ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair). These past weeks have been hectic, but ICFF is even more so: a building full of great modern furniture design, and each year it becomes more and more environmentally friendly. You can see what I ran across last year, here.

And after trudging through miles and miles of fab furniture, no matter how tired, there are also... THE PARTIES. ; )

But first I headed over to Brooklyn to see my fabulous culinary cousin, Claiborne, and her family. They live in A BARN in Cobble Hill, and I am looking forward to spending some time getting to better know Brooklyn. Their house has an open floor on the first story, bedrooms together upstairs, and an apartment (where I'm staying) downstairs.

Check out their windows! This is where they used to haul up the hay, and you can clearly see on that wall beneath that it opened for the carriages, and apparently where I'm sleeping they used to store... bananas. Talk about an elegant reuse of existing space!

Then I was off to the Meatpacking district to see V. at her restaurant, threaded through the Finnish design installations (in shipping containers!) to The Standard, where her sister Bona joined us...

We meandered over to a party for Chris Ruck of Ruckercorp at their happy loft in the lower east side, on Baxter Street. Chris takes scraps and creates modern, clean (but *sturdy*) furniture out of the would-be-waste-wood! (Say that fast three times, I dare ya.)

His girlfriend was wonderful- it was a cozy party of kind people, I wish I had met Chris but he was on the rooftop. We headed that way but stopped at the ladder... I guess this is where I mention my fear of heights?

Off we went to Gaia & Gino in the East Village.

I loved the fireflies...

I loved the basset hounds...

I loved the bowls made of nuts and fruits...

And we walked...

...and stopped by Momofuku for delicious pork buns (check out how they not only list the menu but the farms from which the food was purchased), then breezed through Freeman's before settling down on Ludlow for Mexican.

And I am about to walk it all off (hopefully) aaaaaaaaat.... ICFF! Onward!

(See tons more pictures here- I will add lots of comments later but am running off to ICFF now, already 2 hours late...)

 

Prefab House Kit News: A Mad Dash Through May...

It's been quiet on the green building / house kit front here, as we have been dashing about getting ready for Sister's wedding this weekend. It has been raining for days, in torrents, and the wedding is supposed to take place outdoors, in my parents' Gillette garden (officially the smallest Charles Gillette garden, I believe!). Theoretically, it is supposed to be one of those spring garden weddings that people remember fondly- the bride's parents 1801 home, the lush spring garden, the "at home" easy grace Virginians love.

I predict hailstones and tornadoes, with the Bridge Ladies standing off to the side under the flapping tent, my family's own Greek Chorus.

So keep your fingers crossed...
And if we get through it, I am scheduled to then fly off to Manhattan, where I commence covering modern design and furniture at ICFF.

When I return, it's back to the zero energy house kit... and the interior walls begin!

In the meantime, here is some nice new press on Green Modern Kits from R-Home! They were kind enough to include us in their "Hot List!" (Why do I still feel like sech a dork then?)

Click to enlarge / read the text:

 

Who I am not

Thinking back to New York... and who I am not.

The first clue was when we strode into one bar and the bartender announced,
"Aaaaaaand here comes Sex In The City!" which I thought was a clever reference to the fact that we were several girls walking in together.

And people looked at me funny. I attributed it to the fact that I have pastel, cotton candy pink hair.

But when, as we walked in to a design party, the stranger grasped my hand, flustered, and told me he loved my work, V. turned to me: "He thinks you're CYNTHIA NIXON!"

I didn't know who Cynthia Nixon is, but immediately understood: One of those Sex In The City girls, and not even the one I would want to be!

Ok this is bad: I just inserted the Cynthia Nixon image into this post and Amy, who works next to me, burst: "OHHHHH MY GOSH YOU DO LOOK LIKE HER!"

I DO NOT!

But for some reason, every decade I somehow become compared to a mass pop culture person, and never ones I admire!

When I was ten everyone compared me to Marcia Brady.
In the Nineties I was Brenda from 90210.
And now I'm some Sex In The City chick for the next ten years?

Dag it!

Can't people just look at me and think,
"Oh there goes some random weird girl who looks like... herself."

 

ICFF: Modern Outdoor

ModernOutdoor.com

Environmentally conscious outdoor furniture that is sleek and modern. I really liked the etra chaise lounge in white, the talt lounge, talt barstool with bar height table, and LOVED the talt low sofa and low lounger chair in white with lime fabric!

I also really liked the talt bench and table together as dining...

 

ICFF: Jussara Lee

http://www.jussaralee.com

It wasn't just ICFF with green building materials and products. In the Meatpacking District, fashion designers took the opportunity to make their own green statement.

Jussara Lee is a Brazilian fashion designer who created gorgeous organic couture without dyes- Oh I wish I had pictures!

What touched me is that she hand wrote a four page letter explaining what deforestation, monoculture, and the fever over ethanol production were doing to her beloved country.

 

ICFF: Animavi's Artisan Screen

My pictures nor the pictures on their website do not do justice to the subtle gorgeous translucency of this wall screen. Imagine resin panels that give the touchable urge of softly ground glass / candy, grounded in a safe, solid base to define your living space. I've asked the designer to email me some better pics, but in the meantime see it here: http://www.animavi.com/

"The Animavi Artisan Screen is one-of-a-kind metal artistry. Inspired by hand-crafted jewelry, its true function, to redefine space, is complimented by its flexibility to take on
both linear or serpentine form. Set of seven bases. See its eco-profile here.

Features:

• Freestanding screen comprised of 7 hand-crafted steel bases
• “No tools” installation
• Welded construction, threaded connecting points
• Each base unique with patina in three optional finishes
• Vertical post/finial connection point supports a 7’ plank

Versatile configuration options:

• LINEAR: Two solid steel rods connect base pieces
• SERPENTINE: braided steel cable connects base pieces
• Steel is clear-coated - indoor or outdoor applications
• Multiple planking options available, colors per manufacturer choice."
  

 

ICFF: Quick note on parties

Hands down, Hard Core Design (Hardcoredesign.net) was the best.
Do you think I'm biased towards the Finns? ; )

I couldn't understand why Design Within Reach was packed to the gills with tumultuous crowds yelling over each other... when they could have been contemplating art.

I walked into Hard Core Design... and saw

Pentagon Design: Touching, Tactile Surfaces (Tikkurila), The Animal Farm...
Touching, Tactile Surfaces (2006) is composed of live sized animals. Painted with new, innovative paint products, the installation intends to emphasize the touch and feel of the painted object. The “animal farm” invites the visitors to pet the animals and experience the different structures and surfaces of the paints. The aim is to show that today’s paints are much more than just colors, they can be functional and interactive: they may be magnetic, they may be used as blackboards, or the paints may resemble a rough concrete surface.

And the Palm Chandelier, Latva Coatrack...

For some reason I suddenly can't upload images so I might just post directly on building green tv...

 

ICFF: Part Two of Off Topic Rambling On What I Did When No One Was Looking

Part One Is Here.

But now it's a new day, another afternoon at ICFF (er, I awoke a little later than I had planned), and an evening ahead with my dear friend V.

It was raining; V. was running late, so I ducked into a store with gorgeous clothes in the window.
I mean, I was soaked.

No seasoned shopkeeper could NOT look me up and down and surmise: "There is no way this girl is a client of OURS!" I was wearing jeans and a black tank top. Oh no, this shop was filled with feminine, incredibly cut, celebratory clothes.

Instead of shooing me out, the manager and I struck up a conversation. I mentioned the dresses in the window had caught my eye- they were certainly costumes!

She explained the designer had created them for a ballet based on Marie Antoinette. They were incredible, and I was truly grateful for her kindness and enthusiasm to show a rumpled stranger the designer's beautiful clothes.



With that, I left to meet V., and we had a delicious late lunch at Macelleria. I went to get my bag, and when I returned I found V. chatting with a nice man eating at the bar. She introduced us; and for some reason his name sounded oddly familiar, as if I had just seen it... ?

We spoke about the ICFF, green building... he liked my hair... as we turned to leave I noticed the book on Marie Antoinette by his side... and I realized where I had seen his name- it was on the shop I had just left! "Ha, I just left your store! I was wondering why the name Charles Nolan sounded so familiar!"

It was late afternoon, but the Meatpacking Design Week Parties weren't to start for at least another hour so we headed over to Soho House for a nice Bloody Mary.

Their Bloody Mary's are really nice & tasty. Really, really good.

We lounged around awhile, and then it was time to head out for another evening of fun.

But that tale will have to wait- until later tonight!

Part 3 arrives... soon.

 

ICFF: Material ConneXion

http://www.materialconnexion.com

The Be-All, End-All of Green Material Sourcing.

"Material ConneXion is the world's leading knowledge base for information about new and innovative materials. Through our comprehensive innovative materials libraries located on three continents and our project-specific custom materials research group - the Advanced Material Solutions Team - Material ConneXion provides all disciplines of design development: product, packaging, architectural, interior, apparel and more, with both a creative and competitive edge."

 

ICFF: Design Glut

http://designglut.com/

Design Glut's cigarette holders, shaped like guns, when used visually convey that when smoking you are killing yourself! I have several people in mind to whom I'd love to send these!

"SLOW FOOD TRAY

The Slow Food Tray reclaims a fast food tray and encourages healthy, high-quality, sustainable meals.

SMOKING GUN

For the die-hard smoker, this accessory will underscore just how bad-ass you are. For those who would like to quit, perhaps this metaphor will help supress your cravings."

 

ICFF: InModern's surfin collection

InModern.net / EcoTots.com

What I like about the surfin collection is that I could picture a child loving the pieces and recalling them fondly years later; yet there was something extremely stylish and not cutesy or overly-bright about the design and in the colors they chose.

I loved meeting Jay Slifer, vice president of design. We hung out awhile and instead of talking shop we caught up on our kids. : )

P.s. For some reason I'm having trouble uploading photos- this will have to do until that issue is fixed...

 

ICFF: Amoeba light

http://www.thesimplelight.com/gallery_1.html

I'm going to be honest.
I love the form, it's beautiful.

But...

Would the design really work with a florescent or LED light?
I was really I was really surprised more lighting people hadn't made the jump to green light bulbs...

 

ICFF: Fold chair by Terhi Tuominen

http://www.terhituominen.com/

Simple, elegant, organic... and it stacks.





"The characteristic feature of the wood comes in its geometrical folds. With precision to the fine detailing acute angles are used to create the 3-dimensional surfaces given to the seat and backrest. Ultimately this results in an ultra smart, lightweight stackable dining chair."

 

ICFF: Ango World: Chrysalis lamps

Grrrrr. I get so frustrated when my practical mom-sense collides with... beauty.
Fine, just tell me how to dust it.
I love it.
It glows.

http://www.angoworld.com/
http://www.angoworld.com/product/floor.htm

It's a lamp that evokes cocoons.
Pictures don't do it justice.
It made me glow.

 

ICFF: Mater Design

"Class? Who likes Mater Design?"

"I doooo!"

For their code of conduct alone, and simple, great design!

http://www.materdesign.com/

 

ICFF: Orange22 and inspiration

http://www.orange22.com/
http://www.botanistseries.com/

Sweet John Huang emailed me about their project.

Beautiful products! I love how they nest together, how they maintain a continuity of form while embracing different personalities.

But note:

"When we began thinking about the Botanist™ Blank Canvas project back in 2006, we knew we wanted to produce more than beautiful furniture. Botanist is about entrusting our colleagues – each of whom we admire, to do what they love and give back in the process. Botanist is simply a unique business model that serves as a catalyst to empower design for positive change,”

Dario Antonioni, founder of Orange22.

Botanist Blank Canvas matches each designer’s royalty to a charity or foundation
of their choice. Collaborate, create, and give back... responsible design."

I deeply appreciated learning about what causes these designers care for, and thank them for all that they do to help others.

From their web site:

"Designer: Kahi Lee

What was your inspiration?

I call my design "Unlock the Cure". Cancer has affected far too many people in my life and I'm committed to doing something about it. The cure is out there, we just need to find the key. The light-reflective and luminous quality of the metallic finish symbolizes hope and optimism.

Why is it important for you to give back?

I want to give back to the Cancer Research Institute because they are leaders in supporting the development of strategies to treat and prevent cancer. Giving back is important to me because I think we all have a duty to try to leave this world a little bit better than the way we found it.

Name of line: Albero

Designer: Joe Ricchio with Kara Larsen

What was your inspiration?

The concept is my expression of the beauty of life. I chose a delicate and elegant branch with dew dropping off of it to represent earth, water and life.

Why is it important for you to give back?

DIFFA: Design Industry Fighting Aids. I have been donating to them for many years for a variety of reasons: 1 ) Larry Pond was the Director of Design at Stendig and introduced my first chair, he began DIFFA and has since died of AIDS, 2 ) I have a family member that is HIV positive and 3 ) I believe it is simply a good choice.

"

 

ICFF: Black Valley Design Collective

http://www.bvdcollective.com/

"Black Valley Design Collective is a group of former industrial design students and their professor, that has a common goal, create something amazing. Although we borrow our name and image from Black Mountain College, we do so with reverence. Starting in the fall of 2007 at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, we came together to do some unique designs. Even now we work as individuals, but come together to gain insight and understanding from each other. We approach projects with an innovative thinking and insight that comes from seven different personalities and backgrounds, allowing for amazing results."

I might horrify them when I say this, but when I looked at their recycled fork and knives lamps they really reminded me of chandeliers with antlers... except, dude, they were made with repurposed utencils.

Strangely, there is something earthy about their plastic pieces... beautiful.

 

ICFF: rECOlector's CH07 by Eugenio Menjivar

I enjoyed meeting Eugenio Menjivar and his wife, who were very kind to walk me through the details of their lamps.

rECOlector's CH07 takes typical egg cartons of 100% recycled paper, the metal stands are reused from objects found in junkyards, and uses water based colors to create soft lamp shades inspired by dancers.

 

ICFF: Molo Design's Softlight & Softwall & Softblocks & Softseating

Molo Design's Softlight & Softwall & Softblocks & Softseating...
I love it.
Of course it's dramatic.

My only hesitation is... cloth or paper... how do you clean it?
Sorry, I'm a mom, I have to wipe everything.

But I love it.

Here are my pictures:

 

ICFF: The wonderful world of Artecnica: Part 1

http://www.artecnicainc.com/

First I saw these stunning women running around in black, slinky, witchy apron dresses.
I coveted one; and I wanted to be them.

I saw their Witches' Kitchen, by Studio Tord Boontje.
But was it modern?
Regardless, I walked by, admiring.
(It really is beautiful, and yes, I would love it in my own home.)

Then I backtracked, and discovered their Design With A Conscience project.

"Artecnica’s Design With Conscience campaign infuses social and environmental responsibility into design. Artecnica promotes, directs, and sponsors collaborative exchanges between leading designers and artisan communities to create meaningful design that challenges people to adopt a deeper, more sensitive way of thinking about objects."

(This has actually been blogged about on another blog well, so visit this link to see pictures.)

The Anemone lamp is great, I liked the way it could be configured in many ways and rolled around...

In honor of my friend Justin who I'm sure knows allllllllllllllllll about this already, I am still going to upload my pictures of the sylphs showing off their fantastic WirePod by Joris Laarman!

(Note: They really seem to have a wonderful company culture and having a great time.
It was a discernable difference from dwe-ACHOO - excuse me!- um, another place I had just left that wouldn't even hand me a post card when I admired their curtain designs: "Are you a retailer?" No, I just sell affordable modern house kits and furniture. Does that make me a retailer? They looked at me like I was an idiot. I guess I am... )


The WirePod is "art" that uncoils to stretch into a power pod- with four "arms" available to plug into electrical products as needed.


Geez my office seriously needs this...

 

ICFF: Mod West Furniture System by Holly Everett

http://www.modwestfurniture.com/

I spoke to Holly about her system, and was impressed by how her product can turn into so many things, without tools, that really could benefit people with a fast, mass need for furniture.

I also loved her enthusiasm for allowing the consumer to choose whether they would finish in high-end, or as lo- as having people make their own (inflatable) cushion covers.

"The components can be made out a variety of materials, ideally molded out of lightweight, inexpensive, renewable, and recyclable materials. These components could be easily flat-packed with all needed materials to configure beds and/or tables. The lightweight, durable materials, combined with economical packaging, save enormous energy and resources.

The sizes of readily available materials played a key part in the design. For example, the sizes of all hard and soft surface materials (cushion foam, plywood, recycled plastics, and composite resins) are generally available in 24-48" widths. The interior of the design's standard triangle was scaled to conform to those standard sizes in order to conserve materials and reduce waste. The system contains hard-surface triangles (i.e., a table) and soft-surface triangles (i.e., a cushion). An inflatable cushion, now in development, will provide multi-functionality with even fewer components.

The Mod West Furniture System can be produced as a high-end product or a low-end product, an indoor or outdoor product; think chrome/leather vs. plastic/inflatable. The design is aesthetically pleasing and its functionality can transform indefinitely in both residential and commercial settings.

The system can grow and evolve with its users as demand grows. There are dozens of additional modules which seamlessly add on to these base components."

 

ICFF: Maruja Fuentes's Leaning-Molds

Wall systems made for public spaces, Maruja Fuentes's Leaning-molds are made of recycled plastic.


They were quite comfortable and I thought the green was particularly nice.


The pieces fit together, but it's not really practical to stack them in height rather than length.

 

ICFF: Brion Experimental's Placentero lounge chair

Of course everyone is going to be talking about this.
I mean, seriously, what a gimmick!

But I can tell you: it looks stylish, and even though it is quite tipsy (or was it I?) it IS comfortable. I could imagine having one to curl up in, one foot on the floor with my dogs splayed about, rocking gently as I read...

http://www.brionexperimental.com/english/home_eng.htm

 

ICFF: Akemi Tanaka

It was great to see Akemi!!!!!
Honestly, her craftsmanship just stands out and she deserves all of her success.

Looks like she doesn't have her new products on her web site yet (get on it, girl!) so I'll post the pictures I took here:
Is this the cutest mod cat bed you ever saw??? It's called, appropriately, "Curve."

She also had two new pieces:

Sachi, below, and Ori.

Both pieces spring open easily to reveal adjustable height shelves and various spaces to accommodate your "need to hide this away but keep easily in reach" stuff!



...And just sent a cute pic of her own cat enjoying Curve!