Steam, Lighting and Laminate Design impacts lives #Designhounds 2017

Last Monday, I darted into the city to meet up with #designhounds to embrace what is hot on the New York design scene. I started off at a breakfast with Mr. Steam at the delicious Landmarc and then shot off to the ICFF, North America's premier platform for global design to meet up with Hubbardton Forge and Wilsonart. 

Breakfast with #designhounds : Catherine Avery, Amy Wax, Christine Kohut, Veronika Miller, Michele Alfano, Deborah Von Donop, Laurie Gorelick, Patti Johnson and Martha Orellana

I enjoyed my day and noticed some overlap from brand to brand. I saw how each brand explored how the intersection of materials, design and technology can impact lives on a day to day basis.

NEW-Mr. Steam Linear SteamHead

Martha, Mr. Steam's VP of Marketing spoke about how "wellness should be a way life." There are so many benefits of steam and how we designers can educate our clients to understand how steam can promote a happier and healthier lifestyle. Why not "feel good" on a day to day basis versus the sporadic 'treat yourself' weekend to the spa? 

I have previously met Martha on the Modenus -Blog Tour California where I viscerally experienced the steam experience with TALA clay all over my face. I walked away understanding that there are major health and beauty advantages to steam-bathing that can fit into a well designed life. 

Mr. Steam Blog Tour Cali Image Credit: Chasen West

You know how awesome you feel from a spa steam afterwards! Your pores open up and your skin feels smoother; your muscles loosen up and you unwind; your sinuses clear and you breathe easier. The release of toxins in your body from steam also helps headaches and joint inflammation...the potential of steam is tremendous! Steam is therapy.... 

Mr. Steam's intelligent operating system iSteam offers an array of options with easy touch screen navigation: add music, aroma (aromasteam) , colored lighting (chromasteam) and/or control the temperature in your very own shower. Mr. Steams online virtual spa system makes it easy. Get a simple system or all the bells and whistles. You can see the pricing on their website as you select your options. 

Now Light Benefits....

Not only steam but also light has the ability to transform one's life. Hubbardton Forge, a lighting manufacturer in Vermont USA showcased new lighting collections that incorporate crystals and color. From the ancient Egyptian times of King Tut to the modern masters of Cartier, crystals have been prized for their beauty and their healing and spiritual properties. Light passing through crystals start a vibration within the minerals and will resonate with the faceted patterns of the crystal. I really believe that this reflection and refraction can help us to restore balance and stress in our lives. 

The Artemis LED pendant 

I would say Hubbardton Forge lighting is synonymous with craftsmanship where crystal design is taken to the next level. Each design is specifically crafted to display crystals like they were jewels in a jewelry setting as shown in the Artemis LED pendant above. How beautiful, right?

Solitude LED Pendant

Each crystal in the Solitude LED Pendant rises from an LED light guide so light is reflected and refracted. This pendant can be hand crafted up to 18'-0" long. What a statement this fixture makes over a dining room table!!

Color too affects one's mood and how we feel in a space. I loved The Cumulus light fixture below, its fun, colorful funkiness has some kinetic movement too. Shown as a floor lamp. Go to my instagram to see the video: @michelealfanodesign

Now Laminate... 

Wilsonart, a leading manufacturer of engineered surfacing developed Wilsonart Challenges, an innovative Student Chair Competition celebrating laminate with a "borders, boundaries and mashup theme" for 2017. Each entry from the San Diego State University explores a resolution of life between extremes by using patterns from the Wilsonart Laminate collection. Grace Jeffers, a design historian and materials expert told us #designhounds that the program is incorporated into the students curriculum and there was a winner and 5 runner ups.

The competition itself fosters inspiration, innovation with a hands on opportunity where the students actually build their design.  We saw all the cool designs at ICFF! Besides the students learning and understanding the properties of laminate, they most importantly learned how material emphasizes a message. Design has a way of touching a nerve and impacting lives....

Here were some of my faves:

Megan Acera. Chair:Joyful Frustration. 

Frustration from one's desires results in a happy resolution as evident in her fragmentation and color choice

Matthew John Bacer -winner of competition. Chair:A piece of Tlaltecuhtli.

He reflects on the use of appropriation of a famous stone monolith in Mexico city. The use of and color of laminate looks like real stone.

Anna Karreskog- Chair Waves- using her engineering knowledge, she celebrates the endless succession of San Diego's ocean's waves. 

Thankyou to Veronika Miller of Modenus and #designhounds, Mr. Steam, Wilsonart and Hubbardton Forge for a great day!!

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Products promote partying, and less working in your Kitchen

If kitchens are the heart of the home, then KBIS is defining the way Americans live. At the KBIS 2017 show, top brands showcased their concepts and innovations of every area of kitchen design. I'm seeing more and more how technology is pushing the boundaries of kitchen design and more brands are coming out with products that make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Brands like Thermador, Grohe, American Standard, Wilsonart and Wellborn Cabinet were showing products with personality that help you do less work, and more time to party, enjoy and hang out in your kitchen. 

Grohe Lady Lux Foot Control 

Grohe's mission is to enhance homes with products that provide exceptional quality, technological advancements, and precision engineering. Their new Grohe Lady Lux Foot Control allows you to get the most out of your kitchen with a tap of your foot! The faucet is turned on with a plate under the counter. No hands necessary to operate the faucet! This new hands free faucet controller saves water, reduces the spread of dirt and germs and is great for aging in place as well! You can take charge in your kitchen and pay more attention to your guests! See the video below:

Grohe Essence

Bring some personality and color into your kitchen too. The Grohe Essence new kitchen faucet available in April 2017 offers a nylon hose with multiple colors to choose from. It has a comfortable spout and a dual spray faucet with a useful toggle function making it seamless to switch from spray to regular water flow.  The hose is interchangeable, so get a few colors to change out for your parties!

American Standard  came out with a faucet that dispenses water to your exact measurement. If you are making dinner and talking with your guests, you don't have to think. The kitchen faucet thinks for you! See the video below:

Thermador Culinary Preservation center

It is Thermador's ingenuity and quality craftsmanship that resonates with culinary enthusiasts. They "share the exceptional" by being committed to the cooking experience. The Thermador Culinary Preservation center fits any lifestyle offering ultimate configurations. Side by side you can build in a freezer- refrigerator combination next to towers of wine that has separate zones all built in -  great home personalization making it easier for ultimate entertaining! 

Star-Sapphire dishwasher

The new Star-Sapphire dishwasher offers real dish care solutions! The flexibility to entertain is here without restriction. Their new slim top rack can fit those large spoons and cook tools that you usually have to clean by hand. They call it the entertainers drawer and it will save you time! What I'm also excited about is the blue accent of light which you can use to set a cool vibe in your kitchen. Both of these new innovations enhances the experience of entertaining. 

Ultra Matte Laminate Stone 

Wilsonart laminate can now rival stone head on!  Wilsonart's mission is to give alternate surfacing options that provide customers with choices of design, performance and price. Their new Ultra Matte Laminate Stone finish really looks like stone.  The corner engineering is unbelievable. I love stone but if you cannot afford it this laminate offers performance, scratch resistance and Antimicrobial protection. The technologies built into this laminate will make your life easier just like other solid surfaces! 

Wellborn cabinet

Wellborn Cabinet features product lines that offer cabinetry for every room for everyday living. I fell in love with this modern curio cabinet that can house all of your cooking essentials and bar all in one! These kind of storage solutions help you maximize your total home living space.

The interior blue was stunning against the natural wood shelving and trays!

Thankyou to our BlogTourKBIS by Modenus sponsors - Thermador, Grohe, American Standard, Wilsonart and Wellborn Cabinet  who offered us surprise and delight with innovative solutions for your kitchen!

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Wilsonart, a LAMINATE that isn't for just countertops anymore

Laundry concept designed with Wilsonart laminate 

(AT KBIS 2016)

The Wilsonart brand, a leading manufacturer of decorative engineered surfaces shows us a new perspective on laminate. So much so, laminate has become a viable resource for modern designers. Its eco-friendly and proves endless possibilities in color, texture and application.

Kitchen concept on counters and backsplash

 designed with Wilsonart laminate (AT KBIS2016)

At the International Contemporary Furniure fair (ICFF2016) Wilsonart, one of our sponsors showed us how laminate can be used cleverly...... 

Prelude chair by Stephen Marchio

S1 chair by Scott Pancioli

Geode chair by Zachary Boomer

En Throne chair by Adam Whiiaker

Those are details from students chair designs of the College of Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. They entered the Wilsonart Challenges, an innovative Student Chair Competition celebrating Wilsonart laminate with a story, and an emotion. Their challenge was to "design for delight."  

Grace Jeffers, a design historian and materials expert who helps with the annual Wilsonart Challenges Competition told us 'designhounds' that the program is incorporated into the students curriculum and there was a winner and five runners up. What a great opportunity for rising stars!! We were able to meet this years impressive bunch of designers and talk to them about their inspiration.

Stephen Marcio's Prelude chair was the winning chair. He exposed the corner revealing the basic construction elements. I think he is a deconstructivist at heart although he wouldn't admit it.

Not the winner, but definitely my fave! Runner up Zachary Boomer's Geode chair resembles the geometries of a geode cracked open. The play of light really casts shadows on the laminate angles. The chair construction looks like concrete but Zachary told me it was made up of plaster to look like concrete. Well done!

Scott Pancioli's S1 chair exemplifies Scandinavian furniture with its clean lines. 

Inspired by one of my favorite sculptors Richard Serra, Adam Whitaker's En Throne playfully uses shape and intense color to make a sculptural statement.

Alejandra Bucco's Pie chair wins for fantastical whimsy.

Inspired by nature, Kiho Jeong's Root Bench imitates how children who climb trees can nest in slanted branches. 


Thankyou Wilsonart! 
Congratulations to all, a talented group!


image credits: Dominick Mastrangelo and Wilsonart

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