HBL Inspiration: Vienna

Hand-painted blown eggs at an Easter market in central Vienna

Here are some of the photo highlights from WGSN-homebuildlife's trip to Vienna last week, including striking architecture, elaborate Easter displays,sun-filled shopping streets and cakes at a traditional Viennese kaffeehaus.

Milan 2011: Conversation Piece by Beatrice Brovia & Nicolas Cheng

Jewellery artists Beatrice Brovia and Nicolas Cheng's exhibition at Galerie Caroline Van Hoek was one of the material highlights of Milan design week. Conversation Piece Chapter One: On The Doorway showcased a series of sculpted objects acting as door handles, fixtures and fittings in the setting of a domestic interior.

HBL Tradeshows: Live from Bangkok International Gift and Homewares Fair

Peakchan Company at BIG+BIH 2011

WGSN-homebuildlife reports live from the Bangkok International Gifts and Houseware Fair (BIG+BIH), highlighting three emerging trends from the show.

The ‘Pah Kao Mah’: A pattern otherwise known as the traditional Thai checked loin cloth comes to the fore. The effect of colour and pattern in different sizes is widely seen on furniture upholstery, soft furnishings such as cushions, woven lampshades and shoulder bags. Colours are strong, ranging from fluorescent tones to deep exotic purple and fuchsia as well as bright solid colours such as red, orange and blue, often used together with white, grey and black to create contrast.

Organic form rattan: Classic, straightforward wicker weave pattern is used to create 3D forms that imitate organic forms and structures. Finishes are in muted and subdued earth tones, and natural colours in matt finishes. Technique is widely used in large scale furniture or lighting, and for some small home accessories such as vases and fragrance containers.

Pebbles and stones: Pebble stones are used mainly as tabletop accessories and floor decorations as well as combining with other materials such as jute to create rugs. Imitations of the stone and pebble finishes are seen in bathroom accessories, soaps and home fragrances. The sizes are irregular and sometimes used for complementing other table top products such as bowls and vases in ceramic. Warm, neutral tone colour combinations create a raw yet soft look.

Subscribers can read the full live report here.

HBL Tradeshows: Live From Manila FAME

Hacienda Crafts at Manila FAME

WGSN-homebuildlife reports live from Manila FAME in the Philippines, highlighting three of the trends from the event:

Cool Wave: Furniture and accessories look futuristic and at the same time organic. Objects have fluid lines and roundish shapes. Natural materials like coco shell and water lily are fused with metal and wire

Sheer Black: Black lines are gracefully interwoven on furniture and lighting fixtures. Black looks light and transparent with see-through effects. The elegance and drama of black is made easy in abaca, buri and crochet

Rich Textures: From natural luminescence to metallic bronzes, decorative objects have rich and shiny surfaces. Gold works as a neutral and is paired with white, black or bronze. Shell surfaces are enhanced with texture, grooves, and patterns

WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can view our full live report from Manila here.

HBL Book of the Week: My Cool Campervan

My Cool Campervan

The brainchild of London-based stylist Jane Field-Lewis and designer Chris Haddon, My Cool Campervan provides visual inspiration for all campervan aficionados - including both proud owners and those who like to live vicariously. It will be published next month, but here's a sneak peek of what to expect.

HBL Blog of the Week: Anthology

Anthology

Our favourite blog this week is Anthology, the daily digital version of a print magazine founded by two American writers in 2010. Anthology is a well-written and thoughtfully curated blog covering interiors, design and lifestyle.

HBL loves: the upbeat and warm editorial voice, which ties together a diverse range of topics and creates a rewarding reader experience.

Milan 2011: Lund University at Designersblock

Lund University at Designersblock Milano, 2011

Swedish research and education institute Lund University's Industrial Design school showed a range of wooden furniture at Designersblock in Venture Lambrate last week, publicising their Bachelor and Masters programs in the subject.

HBL Analysis: Indigo

There has been a resurgence of indigo this season, with the colour seen in various depths and shades not only on the catwalk, but also in the home. In our latest colour analysis, WGSN-homebuildlife reports on the most contemporary shades and applications of this ancient pigment.

Milan 2011: Lago at Salone del Mobile

Lago at Salone del Mobile, Milan 2011

One of the brands that really stood out at this week's Salone del Mobile was Lago, an Italian design company whose stand was covered in pebbles and had an airy, outdoor feel to it.

Milan 2011: Live from Euroluce

Quasar at Euroluce 2011, Milan

WGSN-homebuildlife highlights the emerging trends seen at Euroluce, the biennial lighting fair held alongside the Salone del Mobile during Milan:

Designing the shadow: Detailed patterns cut into the shades create a beautiful effect - the focus is the shadow instead of the lamp itself

Luxurious: Golden finishes appear in different kinds of materials - pieces are almost sculptural

Playful: Everyday objects or even pieces from childhood memories are transformed into functional lighting pieces

Subscribers can read our full live report from Euroluce here.

Milan 2011: Fuorisalone trends

designlabel Vij5 at Venture Lambrate, Milan 2011

WGSN-homebuildlife highlights the emerging trends seen at the off-fair districts of Milan Design Week (Fuorisalone) including Zona Tortona, Venture Lambrate and Brera.

Stone: Stoneware is the material of the moment. Smooth, sculptural marble furniture and tableware was seen at +Stone and Marsotto, while mineral composites were seen at Cappelini. In contrast, rough, elemental forms were offered at Studio Toogood and Nilufar. After the recent trend for raw, unfinished clay and wooden products, the strong presence of stone shows a development in the trend for reconnecting with nature through the earth and the elements

Under wraps: Highlighted as an emerging trend by WGSN last month, furniture and accessories that have been bound with lengths of thread or rope are a prominent trend at both Zona Tortona and Brera. Combining functionality with decoration and upcycling with craft, designers exhibiting at Boffi in Brera chose to wrap parcel tape around a tubular steel chair frame to provide a innovative and upcycled seating solution

Super simple: One of the prevailing trends at both Zona Tortona and Ventura Lambrate is for unadorned, simple furniture with a homemade twist. Seats, tables, lighting and decorative accessories are minimal in both form and construction; materials used are sturdy and durable. The overall impression is of furniture that will last, and that can be repaired easily – tying into both the current resurgence of craft, and the increasing desire for authenticity amongst consumers

WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can read our full live report from Fuorisalone here.

Milan 2011: Live from Salone Satellite

gt_2P at Salone Satellite, Milan 2011

WGSN-homebuildlife reports live from Salone Satellite, the area of the fair for emerging talent, highlighting three of the trends from the event:

Patchwork wood: Wood and wood veneers are used as patchwork pieces highlighting the differences in grain shade and direction

Alice in Wonderland: Multicoloured upholstery and finishes in dusty, pastel hues create a world where fantasy rules

Flat pack honeycomb: Designers explore the flat pack craze with honeycomb geometries

WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can view our full live report from the Satellite here.