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Sunday, July 31, 2016

MoD Must Haves: Hide your TV at home




MoD Must Haves
stylish, tactile, novel 
for TV lovers




Trying to hide that huge flat screen television? Let me show you the best ways to enjoy your television and your beautiful home at the same time.

We’ve all been in homes where the large flat screen television is THE focal point in the room. In some homes, televisions take up the majority of wall space in the den, the living room, the bedroom and even screened-in porches. All TVs, all the time. Yet in today’s electronic world, most people want access, but they also want to create a haven for family and friends. Here are a few suggestions on how you can have your television AND a calm, beautiful home that people will admire.





Invest in a TV Mirror. When the 'smart' television isn’t on, it’s a gorgeous mirror. You can choose framed or frameless TV mirrors that come in a variety of sizes (32” – 65”). No need to hide anything – it’s always present in whichever iteration that makes the most sense for you and your family.





Hide the television behind closed doors. Add shutter doors on either side that slide shut when the television is off, adding another dimension and focus to the room. 
Bronson Wall Divider by ContempoWall creates ingenious room dividers that incorporates TVs and pivots from one space to another. With the flick of a wrist, one room becomes two. The perfect use of space for the growing modern family!





Consider a disappearing television at the foot of the bed– one that appears when you want it and disappears the rest of the time. TVLiftCabinet is a great resource for finding just the right style for your home. The custom-made cabinets are made in the U.S.A. and are available in a wide variety of sizes and finishes. Plus, they provide great storage for all the electronic gadgets that seem to accumulate surrounding most televisions. Out-of-sight. Out-of-mind. Clutter-free.





Create a gallery wall. Instead of having a flat screen television all by itself, hide the TV in plain sight among paintings and photographs. When it’s off, it’s just part of the gallery.


Having your large television and a cozy, peaceful home has never been easier. Just put your imagination to work.



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Tuesday, June 14, 2016

The story behind MoD Design Guru on "30 bloggers in 30 days" on "Million Dollar Decorating

No cool images of inspiration today...just some big news! I am very honored today to take part in James Swan's design podcast series "30 bloggers in 30 days" on "MillionDollar Decorating." The podcast is devoted to design, decorating and beautiful living and features leading designers, architects, artisans and bloggers too! "MillionDollar Decorating" is one of the top podcasts on the Internet. During their first 8 weeks, they consistently landed in the 10 Spots on ITunes New & Noteworthy list in the Arts category and in the Top 100 across all categories (and 300,000 titles). James made it very easy. He not only brought me back to when I was a kid and how design crept into my life but also asked me questions about my design and blogger worlds. If you want to hear how I started MoD Design Guru and my Studio MODmadeNY (SUBSCRIBE FOR SOME DESIGN NIBBLES), click the  PODCAST !

Thanks,
Michele 

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Plants have Style too

I'll admit, I do not have a green thumb and have no desire to get my fingers dirty in buggy soil. For that reason, I'm always on the lookout for creative ways to bring a little green life indoors.  Indoor plants can bring style, texture, define spaces, ease the lines of angular furniture and merge the separation between indoor and outdoor worlds. There are many modern botanical treasures on the market that can accentuate your walls, furniture and your home with greenery. Let me plant some seeds of inspiration.... 



Air Plants.

Muzz has created the Pod which is a growing vase to hold air plants as well as fresh flowers.  I love all the pockets integrating green life into sculpture. Originally designed for the "Plant for Art Exhibition" at Instanbul's Artane Gallery. 





Separate Spaces. 

Architectural planter systems can be a great way to divide small spaces, such as the Hydroponic Vertical GardenFor the constrained urban dweller who seeks a greener lifestyle, Danielle Trofe Design, a Brooklyn based design studio who takes a socially responsible approach to design developed a vertical garden for the person who doesn't have a  green thumb......its self-watering system simplifies the process of growing your own plants inside your home. Its a simple system -  It distributes water via an internal reservoir using an energy efficient air pump concealed within the structure and uses gravity to deliver water to each of the planter pods. Clay rocks are used instead of soil to eliminate any risk of soil-born disease. Brilliant!


Hydroponic Vertical garden

Artfully Sustainable.

Guess what material these planters are made of? Did you guess mushrooms? Yep, Danielle Trofe's Mush-Bloom planter is totally organic, sustainable and biodegradable!  I really like the shape and texture of each mushroom vase, its charm would add style to your interior.


Mush-Bloom planter

What is so pleasing to the eye is a wall styled with plants.  Woolly Pocket, a family owned company in the USA produces modular gardening pockets great for creating beautiful living walls in your home or backyard. The product ultimately produces artfully suspended plant systems.  There are two types of living wall planters.  There is the sturdy hard vented shell that is equipped with a self watering tank. The other is a Wally made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles, where pockets are soft sided and breathable. The pocket science starts with breathable felt allowing oxygen to get into the roots and extra moisture to evaporate.  Inside every pocket is a military grade totally impermeable moisture barrier keeping your walls and furniture safe. That's so key and perfect for an interior space!!





Plant Lighting.

The idea of combining plant material and lighting was one object that I was mesmerized by at the imm Cologne trade show in Germany.  Designer Miriam Aust  developed the Vase & Leuchte plant light, produced and distributed by the Dua Shop.  With laboratory aesthetics brought into the home,  the designer investigates how a plant can be influenced. I was really blown away by its lighting effects. The incredible light refraction and shadows cast from the hand blown glass and through the roots are very beautiful. 




Vase & Leuchte

Plants integrated with Furniture Design.


Born in a small, lush village in the Rhone-Alpes region outside Paris, designer Pual Bellila needed to to escape the complex city world, and integrate nature into his dynamic environment. Out of his desire tbring harmony and freshness to his space, he created the unique Volcane coffee table and console collection. Its ceramic vase sculpturally houses plants, flowers or small trees like a bonsai. The trees add softness to each piece of furniture.

Volcane coffee table collection


Who needs a bulky vase when you can merge nature right inside your table. Brooklyn based designer Emily Wettstein designed an unique walnut Planter table which integrates plant material via an acrylic vessel which is attached at the underside of the table. I can imagine a wonderful abundance of apples, pumpkins or limes in this curvaceous slot for parties and holiday gatherings. 

Planter table


Sculptural Planters.

The Light + Ladder company creates modern and sculptural ways to decorate with plants. Imagine air plants in ceramic orbs called Spora or pyramidal ceramic sculptures called Ballast. You can hang them or display or on your table top. A grid of the Hive planters is art in itself. Perfect for miniature plants are the Hex Spora, organic shaped ceramic cups that rests on solid maple hexagonal coasters. So fun!

Light and Ladder: Hive, Ballast, Hex Spora and Spora


Have fun creating instantly lush texture with plants in your spaces! You will feel instant gratification of warmth, wellness and style when you introduce plants!


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Saturday, May 28, 2016

Win a free Canvas for your DAD for Fathers Day

Create a Canvas for your DAD for Fathers day! 



You can turn a cute pic from your iphone and turn it into a canvas for your Dad! Its so easy on Canvas factory! Enter to win below. The winner will receive the coupon code on June 7th at 8pm! United Sates only.

Click HERE to enter!


Friday, May 27, 2016

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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Sunday, May 22, 2016

What does a TOTO toilet have to do with Chef Bouley?



Vertical Window Gardens at Bouley Botanical, NYC

Last weekend I participated as one of Veronika Miller's Designhounds, an exclusive group of designers and bloggers who hunted down their fave finds from the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) and Wanted Design in New York City.  TOTO, one of our wonderful sponsors at the show invited us to dinner at Bouley Botanical after a full day of design. This was not just any dinner, it was an experience. 


Image above: Chef David Bouley speaking to the Designhounds at Bouley Botanical.
Credit: Photographer Dominick Mastrangelo


Image above: Bouley Botanical- herbs in the window gardens are used to prepare exquisite meals. 
Credit: Photographer Dominick Mastrangelo


Forager's Treasure of Wild Mushrooms - combines mushrooms, black truffle, almond milk and coconut foam.


This was a special evening with TOTO and Chef Bouley where innovation, good design and food was celebrated. Even a heated TOTO toilet in the downstairs restroom was a big attraction; but be there no mistake, the washlet fit right into the healthy living theme of the evening.  


TOTO Neorest Dual Flush washlet - showing washlet and programming at ICFF



At TOTO, they study the mega trends such as sustainability, smart technology, health and wellness. The intelligent toilet in the restaurant had all the bells and whistles- its integrated personal cleansing system blew our minds. Our table giggled a bit about our own experience with this smart toilet. It responds to users by opening, closing and flushing automatically.  It's integrated washlet personal cleansing system offers warm-aerated water to clean and warm air to dry, significantly reducing the consumption of toilet tissue. Bill Strang, TOTO's President of US operations said "this is good design and good business."  


TOTO NEOREST 750


TOTO sets the market trends in energy efficiency, water conservation and material health and is the leader in products that contribute to healthy, environmentally responsible design. TOTO's eWater + technology is the essence of this smart technology. Using the incoming water supply, a pre-mist wets the bowl surface preventing waste from adhering to the bowl. Also after each flush, TOTO's e Water+ automatically mists the bowl with electrolyzed water which has a slightly acidic ph value, keeping the bowl fresh and clean longer.



 Bill Strang, TOTO's President of US operations
Credit images: Photographer Dominick Mastrangelo



Bouley Botanical created by Chef David Bouley is a "living events space" designed to excite all five senses. As guests, we were all enveloped in pure ingredients. Four hundred edible species of plants are growing in vertical window gardens. Pretty incredible!







Farm to table is fashionable now and Chef Bouley believes there is a connection between food and wellness where food is the cure to disease. Bouley talked passionately about biodyanamics, a holistic approach to growing food and alternative oils to olive oil like coconut and ginger we can all create ourselves. We all wait for his inventive cookbook. I only hope he makes it easy for the home chef to prepare. Stay tuned...about 2 years out. 




All in all, my New York City experience was awesome.Thank you TOTO! Thank you Veronika!  TOTO innovates to make the bathroom experience personally meaningful and Chef David Bouley innovates to make ingredients healthier. All keys to a better life. 



Credit: Photographer Dominick Mastrangelo



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