Recently clients and designers have been steering away from warm yellow tones, and opting more for classic creams and beiges. However, for 2012, leading stone companies advise that blue and grey hues are expected to be most in demand.

Vix Blue Honed Limestone by Mandarin Stone

New Montpellier, by Lapicida Stone Group

The new stone by Lapicida above offers a classic look, but antique finished stones will also always have a prominent place in the market, for private clients wishing to create a traditional, distressed stone floor look.

Silver Green Slate, BAT reception area by Kirkstone

Tudra Honed Limestone, Mandarin Stone

The trends for finishes vary – glamorous polished stone has certainly become more popular over recent times, giving a chic, modern surface feel in residential settings.

Brathay Blue Black slate, by Kirkstone

The striking project shown above is the St Regis Hotel in Osaka, Japan, by GA Design and photographed by Nacasa-san. Honed Brathay Blue Black slate provides a darker shade and is used in the flooring in the spa area in addition to skirtings and cladding for the bar.

Reclaimed stone is also coming to the fore. These products also give a more rustic feel, which may tie in with a feeling of austerity and a move away from glam in the current climate. Antique tiles are recovered and from delapidated properties, and this is also expected to strike an environmental chord, as recycling and upcycling become commonplace amongst consumers.

See also: Stone wall trends: split face and bookmatch

They are often designed and specified for public areas, receptions, atria or break-out spaces, such as the Norah by JDD, while others, like the Remind chair by Nube Italia are suited to cosy residential interiors.

Click on the images to go through to manufacturer websites.
Which is your favourite?

Alcove High Back Love Seat
The Alcove High Back Love Seat is designed by Bouroullec Brothers for Vitra. It is the high-back version of the Alcove, which is also available as a two-seater and a three-seater.
Vitra are holding a Christmas market until 22 December at their Clerkenwell Road showroom where you can check out the Alcove and shop for christmas items.

Available direct from Vitra or from suppliers such as Connections Interiors.
Photographer: Marc Eggimann | © Vitra (www.vitra.com)

Remind armchair
I came across the high-back version of the Remind armchair by Nube Italia on Stylepark. It is designed by Carlo Colombo.

Norah armchair
The Norah armchair from JDD designed by Joseph Duffell and James Mercy, is a contemporary break-out chair for modern offices and public spaces. It is designed to provide a secluded space for a silent moment.

Bespoke chair- MediaCityUK on Salford Quays
A bespoke chair was created specifically for MediaCityUK by student designers Samir Skalli and Miriam Trent, competition winners for the BBC North workplace at MediaCityUK in Salford. The interior was designed by ID:SR. The chair was pictured by Gareth Gardner and featured in FX October 2011 (80-81). The chair has been designed for private phone calls, intimacy, and somewhere to focus within the work environment. Click through to see more on this project.

Kaigan privacy chair
Seen on Core77 blog, the Privacy Chair was designed by Marijn van der Poll for Ahrend. The design has taken inspiration from traditional Dutch wickerwork beach chairs and is intended the contemporary office environment.

Cocoon armchair
Seen on interiorholic, the Cocoon armchair by Russian designer Tompson Tompson described as: Designed to suit public interiors like offices and airports, Cocoon Armchair gives a person who sits in it some personal space as well as comfort. It looks like it would also suit leisure environments such as spas and hotels.

Dedon Orbit loveseat
A seat specifically designed for leisure environments, the Orbit Loveseat by Dedon has a large retractable cloth canopy that offers privacy as well as protection from the wind and sun. The Orbit loveseat is large enough for couples to relax and enjoy together.

More products-ESI.info
Compare designer sofas and soft seating products

Oyster Split Face Mosaics, by Mandarin Stone

Antique English Reverse Face tiles, Lapicida Stone Group

Cream Quartzite Mini Split Face, Mandarin Stone




Bespoke bookmatch tiles or panels are highly popular at the moment amongst owners of high end residential properties in London. A single slab of stone is split down the middle, giving two pieces with matching mirror-image veining and features.

Bookmatch stone panel and stone bowls, Lapicida Stone Group

The trend is not limited to high end properties in the capital, however, as the marble vanity below shows. It, along with bookmatch shower cladding, was produced and installed by Marble Arts, who operate in the North-East and Cumbria.

Bookmatch vanity, by Marble Arts

And although bookmatching is on-trend right now, it isn’t a brand new concept and has been used in residential bathrooms for some years. It’s also being seen in commercial projects, however: Kirkstone’s Silver Green slate has been used for bookmatch wall panels in an office project for Foxtons the estate agent (below).

Bookmatch wall panels, Kirkstone. Architect m.studios

ESI.info references
Stone floor and wall tiles- UK suppliers
Stone wall cladding- UK suppliers

I’ve been looking at Modernist furniture quite a bit lately, and this piece is another good example.

Jack Pritchard’s Isokon company was one of the few British examples of a firm truly devoted to Modernism. In addition to building London’s Lawn Road Flats, in Hampstead, Pritchard employed a succession of continental Modernists to work for his furniture company. These included the Germans Walter Gropius and Arthur Korn, and the Hungarian Marcel Breuer, as well as the Viennese emigré Egon Riss.

image used with permission from ‘halfbeak’ on Flickr. click on the image for more furniture and architecture pictures

Above the original Isokon Penguin Donkey, is seen in an authentic setting, Jack Pritchard’s Isokon house in Blythburgh on the Suffolk Coast. Commissioned by Jack Pritchard and ISOKON, designed by Egon Riss. The Donkey was produced in 1939 in a very short run, so it is a rare item.

The Penguin Donkey was created specifically to carry the new type of paperback book, which for the first time made available reasonably priced, best-quality, international literature to a wide public for the price of a pack of cigarettes (which were themselves relatively cheaper than today). The books were stacked in the side elements (appropriately referred to as panniers) and newspapers and magazines were slotted into the centre. The organic, curvilinear shape of the Donkey, raised on legs rounded in elevation, was made possible by the use of very thin plywood.

As the V&A explains, the Donkey was designed to Bauhaus/Modernist ideals, that art should meet the needs of society and that form and function should work together. That the Donkey was designed for the new (at that time) cheap Penguin Paperbacks also meets with these ideals. Even the design of the Penguin cover is functional yet stylish – covered in the great Penguin By Design 70th anniversary book.

The Penguin Isokon Donkey is reproduced in a modern design, seen below in a photo reproduced with permission from Rich Watts on flickr. Click through for more images of the 70 Years of Penguin Exhibition at the V&A.

The Mark II Donkey was redesigned by Ernest Race, in 1963. Jack Pritchard asked Race redesign the piece to bring it up to date, simplify its form and make it more practical, with a flat top that could be used as a side table.

The original design is available to buy at the Conran Shop and both pieces are available from Isokon Plus.

There is no shortage of interior designers, manufacturers or devotees of good design out there banging the drum for their favourite piece, but there were four chairs that stood out for me in particular. Granted, there are a great many design classics from the 20th Century but the amount of discussion (and imitations) of these four pieces suggests that they stand above the others.

I’d love to hear about which pieces are your own favourites, perhaps I have missed a key piece? Or, alternatively, do we focus too much on the design classics of the past?

Le Corbusier: LC4 Chaise Longue – Cassina

The LC4 is often seen as a Le Corbusier piece, but it was also designed by Pierre Jeanneret (his cousin) and the architect Charlotte Perriand. The design is functional, as it was intended to work in harmony with the body, but its subtlety and proportions make it beautiful at the same time.
It is manufactured under license by Cassina. In 1964, while Le Corbusier was still alive, the company acquired exclusive worldwide rights to make his furniture. Many copies are available today, but Cassina is still the only manufacturer authorised by the Le Corbusier Foundation.

Charles & Ray Eames: Lounge Chair & Ottoman- Herman Miller

Designed by Charles & Ray Eames in 1956 and manufactured by Herman Miller in the USA, and Vitra in Europe.
This piece of furniture is recognised around the world and is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The words ‘iconic’ and ‘legendary’ are often used with reference to this piece but it is hard to argue when it has made its way onto so many film and TV sets over the years.
The design, in its classic form with black leather and rich rosewood (now no longer available) appears warm and comfortable, unlike the more minimal forms typically found in high design. Although the padding is generous, the use of clips on the inside give the plywood backing a clean, pure look unsullied by screws or bolts.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe: Barcelona® chair – Knoll
This piece has outlasted the building it was designed for- the German Pavilion for the International Exposition of 1929 and remains extremely popular today. It’s pure compositional structure epitomises Modern architecture and design and is symbolic of the Bauhaus movement.
It is a large chair, and as with the Eames lounger, features a reclined seat angle.
It is manufactured under license by Knoll. Also widely copied, it has been the subject of lawsuits in the U.S. where companies claimed the design was in the public domain and imitations were legitimate.

Arne Jacobsen: Egg™ Chair – Fritz Hanzen

The Egg™ Chair was designed in 1956 by architect Arne Jacobsen for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. Its curved, fluid shape was a counterpoint to the building’s “glass cigarbox” form, and achieves its purpose as a lounge chair with minimal padding.
Famously, Jacobsen designed the every last element of the building, right down to the Cylinda ashtrays and AJ line of cutlery. The chair was designed for the hotel’s lobby and reception areas with a complementary footstool.
It is manufactured under license by Fritz Hansen.

Links
Designer Andrew Dunning on the Barcelona® and Egg™ chairs.

Cassina products showcased on ESI.info

According to the National Audit Office, violence and aggression towards frontline hospital staff is estimated to cost the NHS at least £69 million a year in staff absence, loss of productivity and additional security. We know designers have what it takes to develop new systems that help reduce violence and aggression in A&E.

Reducing violence and aggression in A&E by design from Design Council on Vimeo.

Read the full article and see the seminar programme on the Design Council website.

Related links
Curtain tracks for hospitals
Security glass partitions
Doors
Reception desks
Hospital flooring

Traditional lighting has reigned supreme for decades but it’s only been more recently that designers have looked outside the lightbox and reinvented a myriad of lighting fixtures – today there’s no shortage of contemporary lighting to choose from. Created like works of art and used as task as well as accent lighting, here are eight modish fixtures that demonstrate the wide range of stylish possibilities.

Spidey-Sense

This one-of-a-kind contemporary lighting fixture resembles an eerie spider with long-reaching “arms” and “legs” outfitted with spotlights.

Invisible and Amazing

Sometimes the most striking of contemporary lighting is the type where you don’t see the fixture at all – up-lighting highlights this sweeping floating staircase.

Mirrored Effects

This dashing duo of pendant lights with black barrel shades looks even more dramatic when reflected in a massive mirror.

Mix It Up

There are several contemporary lights in this space – the arched floor lamp adds visual appeal to the living room while the ceiling light and table lamp are almost space-like.

Punch of Colour

Contemporary lighting in bold hues, like this classic chandelier that has been updated with lavender baubles, always takes centre stage in a space.

All in Black

A melange of modern black ceiling lights grouped together over this glass table makes a major sophistication statement in this dining room.

Standing Tall

A floor lamp in a vibrant hue such as orange complements the bright stripes and tones in this funky couch and area rug.

Chic Sconces

Sconce contemporary lighting, both in bathroom light fixtures along with wall-mounted ones, creates ambience and mood in this mod bathroom.

What do you think of these contemporary lighting inspirations? Comments are welcome! Come over to Arcadian Lighting for more contemporary lighting fixtures!
–
Thanks to Jenn for this post. For contemporary lighting suppliers in the UK, specialising in contract or high-end residential products, you can also compare lighting products on ESI.info.

Image credits: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

Levantina describes the stone as “internationally recognized as the best cream marble. Its chromatic wealth, excellent finish, unbeatable physical qualities and its resistance to impact, combined with a low coefficient of water absorption make it the preferred option among all architects and creators when choosing Ivory Cream.”

While you’d expect this sort of marketing information from the manufacturer, the quarry is certainly enormous (as the picture below shows), and amongst architects and interior designers, it’s fair to say that it’s a popular, well-known material.

I have noticed a great many Crema Marfil products available for sale – is this simply because it is a very popular product?

The rules for sale only require a supplier or distributor to state the country of origin, but there are no regulations relating to product names. A tile branded as ‘French limestone’ might come from a quarry in Turkey or Israel, for example. A product can even be named as Crema Marfil stone when it does not originate from the Spanish quarry. The protected status of Champagne, AOC cheeses or Melton Mowbray pork pies does not exist here.

Crema Marfil, by Lapicida Stone Group

Is there a brand exclusivity issue here? The phrase Crema Marfil may be being used more generically, to denote any cream marble that is like Crema Marfil. Or is this simply copycat products piggybacking on the name of a successful product? Iconic furniture pieces such as the Barcelona chair have suffered a similar fate- although imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, it can sometimes erode the perceived quality of a brand. When a name becomes a generic term – as with Thermos flask, Hoover or Barbour jacket – it can be representative of ubiquitous success.

Crema Marfil- Mandarin Stone

I’d expect Levantina to be concerned about protecting their brand, because designers and more importantly buyers, may be comparing cheaper products to the genuine article without being aware of the difference.

ESI Links
Natural stone floor and wall tiles- UK Suppliers and products

External natural stone paving- UK Suppliers and products

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of a better quality or higher environmental value. The first recorded use of the term was in 1994 when Thornton Kay of Salvo interviewed Reiner Pilz of Pilz GmbH.

“Recycling? I call it downcycling. They smash bricks, they smash everything. What we need is upcycling, where old products are given more value, not less.”

When you think about it, you’ll probably realise you’ve been upcycling for years without realising it, the box you’re using as a CD rack, the old CD’s that you’re using as coasters, or even the fairy liquid bottle that the kids turned into a work of art (with a little help from Neil Buchanan, Art Attack and copious quantities of PVA glue).

Away from the domestic side of things, many companies specialise in ‘upcycled’ pieces or produce one off upcycled products.

Bel & Bel, expert Spanish upcyclers with a contemporary/vintage style recreated vintage Vespas as seats.

Vespa Seats are made from upcycled 'dead' Vespa scooters. Picture from belybel.com. ©bel&bel.

&made Studio created the Lost & Found range of furniture from salvaged furniture pieces and felled tree trunks.

Lost & Found upcycled stools. Pic from and-made.com

Lost & Found table by &made Studio. Pic from and-made.com

Junktion in Tel Aviv, similarly to Bel & Bel only produce upcycled products, working with objects that others might consign to landfill. The amount of work done to each individual piece depends on the original structure. At the high-end of the scale is the company’s ‘Chopper’ seat, made from an old chopper bicycle, which obviously required a lot of manipulation but to great effect.

Red bike chair made from an old Chopper by Junktion. Pic from junktion.co.il

We’ve seen upcycled bicycles as furniture before on the ESI Interiors blog. How do you think they compare to the Junktion model?

At the other end of the scale there are old wooden pallets that are perfect for tidying up the clutter of shoes that could be littering your hallway, and require little or no manipulation.

Pallet shoe rack by Junktion. Pic from junktion.co.il

I think my favourite example of a company in the upcycling business is probably the Korean designer outfit, Uncle Oswald is My Hero, who have a pretty unique company mission, according to an official press release on their blog.

It would be a different kind of design company. First, the company would have nothing to do with money. In fact, losing money would be encouraged, as long as everyone involved was having a good time. More importantly, their company had to have the name “Uncle Oswald” in the title. Therefore, “Uncle Oswald is My Hero” was founded to fulfill these lofty goals. For the memory impaired, it is also acceptable to refer to the company as “Uncle Os”.

I stumbled across the company while I was browsing through the exhibitor list for this years 100% Design show. Their first product is a rather delightful speaker set for MP3 players called the Drayfuss.

Drayfuss MP3 player speakers by Uncle Oswald is My Hero. Pic from uncleoswald.wordpress.com

The Drayfuss speaker is made from upcycled Henry Drayfuss telephones, which were made from Bakelite, an early type of plastic that doesn’t degrade.

Unfortunately the Drayfuss speakers aren’t available worldwide yet but it’s hoped they will be in production by 2012.

Consigning something to landfill should be a last resort in today’s ‘eco-crazy’ world, so here’s a few upcycling ideas for things that are more often than not just chucked in the recycling, or lying around the house. If your not the arty type you could google some ideas, or for the bigger things like sofas and cabinets, if you really don’t want them then free-cycle them. As they say, one person’s junk is another’s treasure.

DIY upcycling wine bottles into gas lamps. Pic from greenupgrader.com.

To find out how to make your own wine bottle gas lamps visit greenupgrader.com.

Instead of recycling old drinks cans make them into models like this shark. Pic from Tesscar Aluminium Craft.

Aluminium can model plans can be found at www.tesscar-aluminum-craft.com.

Beautiful boots planter. Photo by Cheryl Harvey. Sourced from Dobbies Peculiar planters blog by Ian Daniels.

Planters like these boots don’t come with any instructions, to make them you just have to accept that its time to let your shoes go and enjoy them in a slightly different way.

LONDON DESIGN GUIDE have teamed up with Japanese brand Tokyobike for a second year, offering exciting localised design tours to some of the best exhibitions and events during this year’s London Design Festival. Each morning from 22nd – 25th September a small group of design enthusiasts will be taken on a cycle ride through the city hosted by their chosen design personality; Aidan Walker, Duncan Riches, Johanna Agerman Ross or Max Fraser. There are only 10 places available per day, and the Duncan Riches ride is already sold out.

Each host will offer a different take on the festival, stopping off at the design events and exhibitions they consider to be the most interesting. Tour-goers will not be informed of the itinerary in advance, adding an element of surprise to the route. Tours are running on Thursday 22nd-Sunday 25th September.

Click here for start times, details and price.