Textiles

Innovations Design Studio Introduces Summer Collection

Innovations Design Studio Introduces Summer Collection

For their summer collection, the Innovations Design Studio asked, “What is architecture … is it form or function, shelter or art?” The eight new wallcoverings explore how Innovations fits into the broader architectural project with practical colorways and constructions. Among them, Prairie is Innovations’ most convincing vinyl interpretation of grasscloth to date.

Suzanne Tick Ventures Into Glass for Skyline Collection

Suzanne Tick Ventures Into Glass for Skyline Collection

Architecture is an endless source of inspiration for textile designer Suzanne Tick, and she has brought that sensibility to a number of her projects, be they flooring for Tarkett or upholstery for Luum Textiles. “I go by every building skeleton and take a picture, and think, ‘That’s going to be the next weave structure,’” she says.

Forces by Jill Malek x Visual Magnetics

Wall covering gurus, Visual Magnetics, are no stranger to collaborations, as they’ve worked with the likes of Visibility, Dusen Dusen, and now with Design Milk, where they’ll be a huge part of our Milk Stand Popup shop at this year’s ICFF. Now, they’ve partnered with award-winning designer Jill Malek to launch Forces, a collection of visually stunning wall coverings for the workspace.

Besides bringing colorful patterns to the walls, this collection adds a layer of functionality. The wall coverings have a central strip of Visual Magnetics’ writable dry-erase surface sandwiched between them, elevating the look of any workspace.

Via design-milk.com 

The History of Leather Tanning

The History of Leather Tanning

When our ancestors learned how to wrap pieces of animal skin around their feet to protect them from stones and thorns, they were able to walk faster. When they found out that food could be transported in a bag made of animal skin, they could walk farther. And when they learned to cover their bodies with hides, they were protected from the elements. Once they learned to tan the untreated hides to keep them from getting as hard as wood or rotting away, they produced flexible and long-lasting leather for the first time. 

Via maraham.com

Chromatography - Scholten & Baijings on their new sofa, textiles, and exhibition debuting at Salone del Mobile 2017

Chromatography - Scholten & Baijings on their new sofa, textiles, and exhibition debuting at Salone del Mobile 2017

This year, at Salone del Mobile in Milan, Herman Miller and Maharam present the exhibit “Chromatography: The Colour World of Scholten & Baijings” to launch the new ColourForm Sofa Group and shine a light on our partnership with the pair of Dutch designers. Partners in life and work, Stefan Scholten and Carole Baijings have spent decades perfecting a droll brand of minimalism, where pattern and texture, soft colors, and subtle geometry coalesce into surprising furniture, fabrics, and objects. In addition to ColourForm, the pair will also unveil a trio of new fabrics in multiple colorways. WHY recently sat down with the couple to get their views on comfort, creativity, and why it all starts with color.

Via hermanmiller.com

Kvadrat textile factory revealed in photography by Alastair Philip Wiper

Kvadrat textile factory revealed in photography by Alastair Philip Wiper

These new images by British photographer Alastair Philip Wiper reveal one of the facilities where leading textile manufacturer Kvadrat produces its highly engineered fabrics. Wiper visited the Wooltex factory in Yorkshire, England, one of several specialist textile mills around Europe that Kvadrat has invested in. His aim was to show the complex process that goes into making its high-end products.

Read more on dezeen.com 

Q+A: How Designers Do Inspiration

Q+A: How Designers Do Inspiration

Work spaces need to provide inspiration without compromising performance. Inspiring moments within a space can engage the mind, allow for respite from the rigors of the workday or allow people to see a problem from a new perspective.

As president of Designtex for the last five years, Susan Lyons leads a team of innovators who are relied upon to inspire others with an evolving collection of textiles, wallcoverings and other applied materials with reduced environmental impact. Designtex, a Steelcase company, is the leading company in the design and manufacturing of applied materials for the built environment.

Read more at steelcase.com 

Designtex President: Four Materials Trends in 2017

Designtex President: Four Materials Trends in 2017

As president of Designtex for the last five years, Susan Lyons leads a team of innovators known for a rigorous and dedicated approach to research and development of textiles, wallcovering and other applied materials with reduced environmental impact. Designtex, a Steelcase company, is the leading company in the design and manufacturing of applied materials for the built environment with an evolving catalog. Via steelcase.com

Wolf-Gordon x Mae Engelgeer: The Collaborative Collection

Wolf-Gordon x Mae Engelgeer: The Collaborative Collection

Wolf-Gordon and Mae Engelgeer have recently combined talents to create a geometric collection of textiles that was previewed at NeoCon 2016. The collection consists of one drapery textile, two digital print wall coverings, and four upholstery textiles, each with a signature look.

Together, they’ve created a collection that partners graphic elements and textures with the craftsmanship of Dutch Modernism, and given a modern spin. As a result, each of the pieces is characterized by clean lines, abstract geometric forms, and luxurious details. While the pieces come in many colors, they still maintain a neutral palette, while staying elevated with metallic accent threads.

Manchester’s Spatial Office Environments creates new Clerkenwell textiles showroom

Manchester’s Spatial Office Environments creates new Clerkenwell textiles showroom

North West fit-out firm Spatial Office Environments is on track for a record seven-figure turnover just two years since its launch.

The Manchester-based company pulled in £1.2m in its first 12 months, £1.7m in its second and has now forecast its 2016 revenue to hit £4m.

This week, Spatial has announced the completion of textile firm Camira Fabric’s new 1,300 sq ft showroom in Clerkenwell, London.

Filling the entire ground floor of the Poppy Building in the pedestrianised Brewhouse Yard, Spatial’s fit-out created a user-focused textile resource for fabric specifiers and designers.

Via bdaily.co.uk >

PREVIEW / MAHARAM’S NEW LEATHER COLLECTION

PREVIEW / MAHARAM’S NEW LEATHER COLLECTION

The textile geniuses at Maharam will debut their first collection of leather upholstery next month. Focusing on leather that has been minimally treated and processed, the eight styles in the collection are sourced from boutique tanneries in Italy, with the exception of the suede, which will be sourced from Spain. Maharam has developed 100 individual shades using the texture and other material qualities of leather to determine the color direction. In addition, two new accessories will launch with the line, the first of which is a Market Tote designed in collaboration with Various Projects’ Elizabeth Beer and Brian Janusiak. Diecut from leather, the bag transforms from a flat rectangle into a roomy net bag that is available in four colors. A Folded Pouch, designed by Maharam Media (the brand’s in-house design studio) comes in two sizes to store everyday essentials (and non-essentials like iPads). Both feature a stitchless construction in a vacuum-dried leather with a flat, pressed texture that comes in a range of neutral and flourescent colors. Here we share some photos of the leather process in Italy, shot by London-based photographer Nick Ballon.

Via architects-toybox.com >

Hear No Evil, See No Evil: Acoustical Solutions That Are Easy on the Eyes

Hear No Evil, See No Evil: Acoustical Solutions That Are Easy on the Eyes

Open-plan workplaces continue to get a lot of flak for excessive noise and lack of privacy, but often go unchanged because, well, they’re already designed and built. Fortunately, acoustical-product specialists are helping to improve audio privacy and control noise in such spaces without requiring a gut renovation — and their solutions are attractive, to boot. One brand from this market segment that’s caught our eye is Kirei, who offers everything from peel-and-stick modular tiles and ceiling baffles to hanging screens and custom panels for furniture application. 

The company’s EchoPanel Tiles come in three different style groups depending on aesthetic and ease-of-installation needs. What we like best from this family is the Geometry collection, a peel-and-stick series comprising hexagons, squares, triangles, rectangles and pentagrams. The tiles can be arranged in any kind of configuration, and since they come in a total of 20 colors, they can even be used to create an artistic mural. Geometry tiles offer an NRC rating of approximately .36 and have a Class C fire rating.

Via architizer.com >

How workspace trends, technology impact real estate decision-making for major Charlotte companies

How workspace trends, technology impact real estate decision-making for major Charlotte companies

Panelists at Wednesday’s CoreNet Global Carolinas mega event in uptown Charlotte largely agreed on one theme: evolving workspace trends have become a big deal in commercial real estate.

“We’re creating a workplace environment that allows workers to be at their most productive,” said Calvin Saboorian, managing director of real estate at Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), speaking at one panel that examined workplace strategies in commercial real estate. “We’re starting at the bottom and going up.”

Read the article on bizjournals.com >

Brentano Launches Fall 2016 Cityscape Collection

Brentano Launches Fall 2016 Cityscape Collection

The fall 2016 Cityscape collection captures the urban landscape within a two dimensional textile form. Design Director Iris Wang and the Brentano design studio were inspired by all senses represented within the metropolitan environment – such as the towering skyscrapers, perpetual movement and energetic sounds that pulse throughout any city. The 18 new patterns symbolize society’s kinetic energy while offering a unified balance of residential, hospitality and contract textiles.