How to: Bring in Personality 5 Ways
January 31, 2011
The last thing anyone wants is a home that looks like a soulless magazine shoot—full of style and furnishings but not personality. So how do you decorate your home and make sure it ends up unique and full of personality? You don’t have to comb the earth for one-of-a-kind items or give up some of your favorite affordable brands just because others are buying from them. You just have to follow a few rules.
Local art There are tons of great places to get art for your walls (in fact, 2Modern offers you a dizzying array ourselves like Parvez Taj, Jefdesigns or Campbell Laird). But consider exploring your city’s offerings before buying somewhere else. There might be galleries who specialize in finding new artists, or there might be festivals or artwalks where art is sold affordably. Choose what speaks to your heart—not what fits in your color palette.
Use art in a new way If you do decide to choose prints or more affordable and widely available art, considering using it in new and different ways. Hang 100 tiny pieces of art in your living room instead of one big piece. Hang pieces sideways to create a different composition.
Find your favorite piece Do you have a piece of furniture you spotted once that you loved, but didn’t get because of some silly reason like worrying if it would fit with your modern aesthetic? Forget it…go get that piece. Grabbing a piece you love—whether it’s a vintage Eames lounge chair or a pig-shaped side table—will instantly infuse your home with personality. Worry about how it fits after you get it home.
Old family photos Unless everyone on your block is your sibling or cousin, there’s a good chance that a lovely old family photo collage in your home will be impossible for a neighbor to replicate, instantly giving your home a touch of personality and a hint of the past.
Beloved childhood toys/blankets/clothes Were you so totally into dinosaurs as a kid and totally still have all those toys? Or maybe you have a favorite blankey or two? The point is: grabbing something that meant a lot to you as a kid will be something cute, quirky and unexpected to add to your sleek modern space—and add instant personality.
Images: Desire to Inspire and Apartment Therapy
Blue Monday: Ceramic Blue
January 31, 2011
Like any good blogger, we took to Wikipedia to get an exact definition of just what ceramic is: “A ceramic is an inorganic, non-metallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling.” How unromantic a definition for a material that has allowed so many artists to woo us with their ceramic wares over the course of history. Our flowerly, visual definition of what ceramic is probably won’t be very accurate, but it’ll at the very least be very blue:
Medium Cork Jar $52
Mini Creamer $14
Smooth Turquoise Bud Vase $15
Ceramic Owl Bank $39.99
Cocoon Vase $48
Set of 3 Hanging Bowls $74
Comfortable and health with sun shine in our livingroom
January 31, 2011
The good house was the healthy and comfortable house. To make design interior of the healthy house and comfortable was not difficult. In order to look modern and beautiful design the house could use concep minimalist. The white colour could in chose for the wall so as space looked clean and comfortable. Design this case appropriate for livingroom. For created the healthy and comfortable lounge room could make the roof from glasses so as the sun rays could enter livingroom. Moreover could in for the window so that the lounge room is full of the sunlight. Even more rays that entered livingroom were increasingly healthy and clear. To more modern and luxurious could in more the painting, the floor could in gave the colour of brown with the motive of wood will make livingroom increasingly comfortable and healthy. (mintori/12-05-08)
honey moon
January 31, 2011
“Color Marketing Group predicts the “next” color” . CMG announces a palette of optimism. It selects a mustardy, goldish yellow with a grounded mood called “honey moon.” It is also described as a nostalgic color with an organic flavor.
Why was the “honey moon” chosen by the Color Marketing Group?
The official explanation, according to the group’s press release, is that it is a “grounded hue of optimism,” “frivolous is out” and “upbeat and realism are in.” Honey moon offers a fresh face on yellow. It attracts the sensual excitement by unifying color and taste. It reminds us the sweetness of the honey combined with the romanticism of a harvest moon.
Based on psycho-marketing factors, this year’s color selection is situated somewhere between the past gloomy years and the hopeful and cautious optimism for the future.
There are also other players in the game who choose to set up their own rules. When selecting colors, some companies and designers prefer to take risks to be original. They specify the color and finish of their products within the guidelines of their own color selection process. Insisting on their own exclusive process over the years help them to build a consistent brand architecture and recognition.
At the end, the motto from CMG summarizes the overall intent “color sells, and the “right” colors sell better.”
Maison&Objet
January 31, 2011
After two weeks (including weekends) I’m finally back home after travelling around and visiting some important trade shows. Yes, it is an amazing opportunity, but it can be exhausting!
There are so many emerging trends and we are still in January, so I can’t wait for the Salone del Móbile in Milan! Ok, ok, calm down…
Here are a few images from MaisonObjet:
New the interior player fit out business in the market of UAE
January 31, 2011
General Manager for associated bussinesses say that Al habtoor leightoon group, the target began new bisnnis on July 1 2008.Al Habtoor ISG (HISG) will become the joint venture between Al Habtoor Leighton Group and ISG, based in UK fit-outside the production company.Para the client will get the core and the building shellfish and then will be carried out by various parts by the selection of the person. What we were seeing and did to dismiss skills design and ISG Group regulation skills because of that the client could receive the solution that far more was good with few people took the decision. The bricklayer also in permitted to work with us to allow that fit-outside to become that was integrated.
That was significant when the building rose, fit-outside rose by him. Saving that was appreciated was significant and that the two time savings from be careful the method meant so much, added Watson. The company will make the work with the hotel, the palace, the shopping mall, the office building and the apartment the target. Also will try to handle the problem of the chain of UAE supplies. According to Paul Watson, the managing director for the company that was connected in Al Habtoor Leighton Group the target company began efforts just was on July 1 2008. The partner together will plant to AED 80 million in efforts in the next three years, in help of the growth that was hoped for. The “person ISG had the project regulation that really was successful/fit-outside” words of the “kind business that was held by them in Europe, the Far East and Western Europe. We were seeing to introduce the concept fully was integrated, turnkey fit-outside the business to enable us to give the client was full turnkey the solution” say watson.
Modern Midwest Retreat :: BNIM Architects
January 30, 2011
Oh goodness. I will pay you to tell me that this is what heaven looks like!
About:
The retreat is located on a bucolic 700-acre site in the rolling hills of rural Iowa. The property originally contained a mix of prairie, woodland and former farmland. With assistance from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the owner has restored much of the fallow farmland and non-native woodlands back to its native prairie ecology. The building is approached from the south, by way of an existing gravel drive that traverses this prairie and woodland habitat. The retreat is sited in an existing clearing, and is surrounded by restored prairie that is allowed to grow up to the building’s perimeter. With its siting in this clearing, as well as its form and materiality, the building echoes the agrarian typologies of the region. The building is elongated in an east/west direction in order to maximize daylight control and to highlight views of the pond to the east and the lone tree to the west.
LINK: BNIM Architects | Midwest Retreat
More pics after the jump!
DIY: Instant Interior Class
January 30, 2011
Classy. It’s not always a word you associate with modern interiors, or really interior design in general. But as our love for the fabulous looks of the Mid-Century continue to pervade our rooms and homes, it’s a word we should become accustomed to; they certainly had it in spades back then.
While it’s a little odd in a ultra-modern home, there’s just one thing that comes to mind when we think of the word “classy”: molding. Yes–like crown molding and the like. Add a little bit to a living room and you have an instantly classy room, in our opinion. But today’s DIY project isn’t for crown molding. Not only is it not for every type of style, who wants to put up all that molding?
Today’s project is an easy way to infuse a little class in any style of home and come up with a solution to that ever-present modern problem: where to find cool modern art that’s big and colorful enough! Easy. Tack up some wallpaper and frame with molding. Boom. Instant class, instant art. See an example of what we mean here.
Images: Apartment Therapy
The interior design section gulfBID held the fast business in the Centre of the Exhibition of International Bahrain
January 30, 2011
Yesterday the interior design section gulfBID held the fast business in the Centre of the Exhibition of International Bahrain in the second day .Local company and international attended this exhibition. From this exhibition of many interior players design and carried out the transaction in this exhibition.The company’s Muang Thai cloth, that made the high-quality curtain material chose gulfBID to launch personally in the area.Marketing Manager Jane Ramos.say that has had the sale contract in Dubai he also explained get about this incident in the Internet and that apparently the ideal opportunity until planning access and the retailer interior.First days was peace a little but we have had the answer very good today, especially from Bahrain, Qatar and Arabian Saudi.East Far also was demonstrated in the exhibition for the first time by ACMI. Malaysians of the office of the company’s furniture.
Exclusive Interview: Monte Design Group
January 30, 2011
Comfort. That’s not a word we use often when speaking about modern design and modern furniture. That’s not to say that there isn’t any comfortable modern furniture out there; plenty of our favorite designs to look at are also enjoyable to use. But to meet leaders of a company that stress that comfort, over the look of a product, is their main goal, well that’s just refreshing.
Luckily for us, the founders of Monte Design Group not only concern themselves with comfort, they also happen to produce darn good-looking furniture pieces. With four kids, Michelle and Ralph Montemurro sure know a thing or two about the needs of stylish parents who desire a comfortable, functional and stylish home. In fact, when starting their family and trying to build and design a home, they just weren’t able to find what they were looking for; Monte Design Group was born. With a variety of products geared specifically for parents who have kids to rear and not a lot of time to spend trying to find furniture that will withstand them throughout the years, Monte’s products are perfect both in looks and in comfort. And, as we learned during our conversation with Ralph, these products are built to last (as only the dad of four kids under 10 years of age would know). Learn more about Ralph, Michelle, their family and their products in this awesome interview:
Our podcast music is “Dropping out of School” by Brad Sucks, licensed for use
under Creative Commons license Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
Down below you’ll find our thoughtfully typed-out transcript in case you’re at work and can’t listen to the downloadable interview (this one: Monte 2Modern Interview). And totally find the awesome furniture designs of Monte on 2Modern for sale!
2M: We’ve got Ralph Montemurro with us, who along with his wife Michelle, founded Monte Design Group, a company who makes good-looking modern furniture. Thanks for being here!
RM: Thank you, Adrienne.
2M: What inspired you guys to start a company with such a diverse range of products?
RM: About five or six years ago Michelle and I built a home, and it’s a pretty modern home. And at that time we had our third child. We were designing the nursery and we have pretty modern tastes and we couldn’t find furniture that fit the room to go with the house. From scratch we just slowly built up a company that builds chairs. Furniture felt like a good fit. I didn’t know much about it but I learnt as went along and now we’re here!
2M: What words would you use to describe the style of your furniture?
RM: It has to be comfortable, and it has to be practical and it’s got to be modern.
2M: You guys definitely have a very modern, clean look, but your furniture totally looks so comfortable; you just want to get snuggly in it. What’s more important to you: how something feels or how something looks?
RM: I think the feel is more important than the look. I don’t think it would be as nice of a piece if it wasn’t so comfortable. I mean we can design all these beautiful pieces that are so stunning, but if you sit in it and it’s not pleasurable, you’re gonna hate it. So they have to be hand in hand. The comfort has to be the most important, for this particular market, nursing and being with the child in the chair—comfort has to be number one.
2M: Since children are around your furniture a lot, what are the things that are designed into your furniture to withstand—although kids are pretty adorable I think we all know they can be pretty tough.
RM: Yeah they, we realize having four kids they can and will break anything possible. A big hunk of a steel…they will find a way to crack it. So we just try to build furniture that is pretty much…that can fall of the back of a truck and still survive kind of thing. So we make very durable, durable furniture.
2M: What’s your specific role at the company? Do you mainly do business stuff or do you get to get involved in creative stuff?
RM: I primarily design. Basically running the company but the true passion of what I love to do is the design part of it.
2M: So what is a typical day like for you?
RM: Depends on what time of year it is. Like right now I’m thinking about what products to launch this fall. So I’d say a quarter of my day or even half of my day is spent doing sketches of new items or sourcing a new material or a new process we can do for a future product. The other part of the day, the typical roles of a CEO of just managing the day to day of a company.
2M: So how do you and your wife split the duties?
RM: Well she’s not here every day, she’s at home raising the kids—they’re aged 10 to 2 so it’s a handful, and her main role is to tweak and finesse the pieces. She gives me the woman’s touch with what’s right and what’s wrong with what I’m thinking.
2M: I’m sure you guys have a lot of insight with all the kids. Do the kids get to have any input in there yet?
RM: They’re still too young, but we have a few chairs, like our Cubino Chairs where they’re the ones that tell us if they like sitting in it or not, so yeah they do have a little bit of input.
2M: Wanting to have furniture that the whole family can use is a big inspiration it sounds, but what are just some of the every day inspirations that come through in your design? Do you look to more Mid-Century Designers or more futuristic designers—who do you look to?
RM: I think the whole spectrum of designers really; there are so many designers working today who are so inspiring. Like Jaime Hayón from Spain, Marcel Wanders in the Netherlands. These guys have it so together and their designs are so bang on, when I see that they can do something so well it’s so inspiring that it’s possible to do great things today.
2M: I think that you guys have a lot of sustainability elements to your furniture, could you talk a little bit about that?
RM: Sure, when we do design and build what we do, it’s almost like the sustainability part is a given. It’s not like there’s any other option than to look for what are the most sustainable products we can offer. Whether it’s the foam or the fabric or the wood, it has to be the best sustainable thing that we can put into this product. So it’s almost like I don’t really want to promote the fact that it’s so sustainable other than it’s really the only way to design stuff for today. For our market anyway. Maybe there are people who are trying to make low-end stuff that try to be sustainable…it’s like we can’t think any other way.
2M: This might kind of be like trying to choose your favorite kid or something, but what are some of your favorite pieces that you guys carry?
RM: Personally the two pieces that I could probably stare at all day is our Tavo high chair and our new Joya Rocker. It’s just maybe because they have exposed wood and we do mostly full-upholstery, so when we have a little bit of wood showing it’s intriguing for me anyway. But all of our pieces are favorites.
2M: I understand.
RM: Well it was the Luca Glider that actually broke us into this market. That was the first chair we came out with, and that really led the way for everything else. And it is still our best seller that is the Luca Glider.
2M: Oh nice. That’s how you know you’re doing a good job, when the first thing you designed is still going strong.
RM: Exactly. That’s still number one.
2M: What would you be doing if you weren’t a furniture designer?
RM: Something related to design. Building our house and [working with] our architect…really opened my eyes to the great world of design and I’ve specifically focused in on furniture. So it would have to be something design-oriented. Now if it wasn’t design-oriented, I think it might be something in television or music. I don’t know what it would be, but some kind of behind-the-scenes in music or TV.
2M: What is up next for the Monte Design Group?
RM: We’ve got a few more chairs on the go, so possibly another glider. We’re also working on a fully-upholstered bed. So hopefully we can enter the bed market this year. I think there’s a market for higher-end, well-built, fully-upholstered beds with a lot color options. So we’ll see if it works out or not.
2M: Interesting. I can’t wait to see how that comes out. Thank you so much for speaking with us today.
RM: Oh my pleasure, Adrienne
2M: Be sure to visit montedesign.net for more information about Ralph and Michelle and Monte Design Group. You’ve been listening to a 2modern designer interview. For more fun podcasts, inspiring design posts and design advice, check out the blog at 2modern.com
