HBL Tradeshows: Live from Paperworld

Coppenrath de Spiegelburg at Paperworld 2011

WGSN-homebuildlife reports live from the 2011 edition of Paperworld in Frankfurt, highlighting the top three trends to emerge from the stationery tradeshow:

1. Stitch detail: Handmade notebook covers embellished with threads, small pieces of fabric and other sewing accessories.

2. Ribbons: Simple cardboard storage boxes and stationery collections get a very feminine touch just by adding a ribbon.

3. Retro: Vintage drawings and fifties culture were a massive inspiration for prints in the collections presented at Paperworld 2011, especially for greeting cards.

HBL Tradeshows: Live from NYIGF 2011

Designs Abroad at New York International Gift Fair 2011

WGSN reports live from this season’s New York International Gift Fair, highlighting the three key trends to come out of New York City’s first interiors show of the year:

1. Hammered metals: Hammered metal has emerged as an important finish and texture for flatware, tableware and decorative accessories

2. Polished and brushed gold: Gold is the finish of choice for everything from trivets to tableware. It is seen in polished and brushed textures and accents the insides of unfinished ceramics

3. Deconstructed simplicity: Forms have surpassed minimalism and designers are discovering new ways to both accentuate the simplicity of an item as well as maximise its functionality

HBL City Guide: 72 hours in Manhattan

The High Line

WGSN-homebuildlife is at New York International Gift Fair this week, and as a lot of our subscribers will be  too, our US editor Jean Lin has put together a guide to occupy fair visitors after-hours. With New York City’s design, retail and culinary culture in constant rotation, we highlight the new - and the newly relevant - things to do, see and eat in the city. Four extracts from the guide follow; for the full report please click here.

Mr Christian Lacroix designs first range of furniture

Christian Lacroix for SICIS

French fashion designer Christian Lacroix has designed his first ever range of furniture, for Italian brand SICIS The Art Mosaic Factory. The collection will be launched at Milan's Salone del Mobile this year, from 12-17 April; it should be noted that the venture is not associated with the Christian Lacroix brand.

Sustainable Luxury at Alicia Adams Alpaca

Fusing luxury and sustainability is at the heart of WGSN's Autumn/Winter 2012/13 macro trend Eco Hedonism, and homegrown brands like Alicia Adams Alpaca are the quiet commercial trailblazers in this arena. Alicia Adams Alpaca's story begins at Adams and her family's New York State alpaca farm. The results are unbelievably soft, rare and hypoallergenic home goods and accessories.

HBL Events: Loaded at Spring Projects

Hotel (Imaginary Architectures) by El Ultimo Grito. Photo: Michael Tolke

London gallery Spring Projects' latest exhibition, Loaded, explores the phenomenon of 'design art', using examples by El Ultimo Grito, Hussein Chalayan, Jaime Hayon, Nienke Klunde, Karen Ryan and Studio Makkink & Bey. The show is divided into three areas of consideration: Imaginary Landscapes, Cultural Morphing and Modified Utilities.

HBL Analysis: designing for disaster

Atelier Van Lieshout

WGSN-homebuildlife normally forecasts 2-5 years into the future, with Think Tank providing long-term analyses of consumer behaviour and Creative Direction tracking the cultural and societal developments which will shape our future macro trends. However, this week we have examined a more extreme vision of the future, where ecological disaster and apocalyptic scenarios have forced us to drastically rethink our behaviours.

Nemo Cassina launch new collection

Italian lighting brand Nemo Cassina have released details of the new collection they will present in Milan this April, including the UMA chandelier by Giancarlo Turino (pictured above).

HBL Tradeshows: Live from Maison & Objet

Simon Pattison at Maison et Objet 2011, Paris

WGSN-homebuildlife has been in Paris all weekend and today reports live from the first Maison et Objet of 2011, highlighting the three key trends to emerge from the influential interiors event:

1. Fluorescents: In contrast to the subdued colour palette’s of the last season, day glo colours dominate tableware and soft accessories at Maison&Objet this year 

2. Kaleidoscope: Glassware is layered to create new colour mixes and add interest to tableware, bathroom accessories and lighting

3. Sci-fi: Upholstery has taken on an outer space aesthetic this year with acidic colour ways and outlandish forms

HBL Events: Love from Darkroom

Design retailer Darkroom are to host a charity auction on behalf of Kids Company on 14th February 2011, the second in their now annual series of Valentine's Day auctions. Over forty designers, stylists and artists have already signed up to create unique artworks for the event, each to be sold for a set price of £150 on the night, and exhibited beforehand at the London shop.

HAL by Jasper Morrison for Vitra

Jasper Morrison's latest chair for Vitra comprises a moulded plastic seat shell which can be combined with a number of base variations. HAL aims to be "a universal chair" suitable for both domestic and contract use. Versions available so far include two stackable tubular steel designs, a chunky four-legged oak base, a cantilever chair and a bar stool. There's also a matching table in the range.

HBL Tradeshows: Live from imm Cologne

Tvilum at imm Cologne 2011

WGSN-homebuildlife reports live from one of the most important furnishing fairs in the international design calendar, imm Cologne - this year joined by its new sister show, Living Kitchen. Here are three key trends to emerge from this year's show:

1. Sofas and beds merge: Manufacturers merged the aesthetics of the sofa and the bed. Beds were seen without headboards, resting directly on the floor and able to function as areas for sitting and lounging as well as sleeping. Sofas also commonly rested flat on the floor, and were either generously proportioned to allow for resting or featured a flexible arrangement which allowed them to expand into daybeds.

2. Use of raw wood: The biggest materials trend at the event was the use of unfinished wood, confirming our spring/summer 2011 macrotrend Fair and Square. Rough-hewn chunks of wood were used for tables and other large pieces of furniture, while uneven planks of wood with contrasting grains were also used widely.

3. Button back detail: The design detail traditionally featured on Chesterfield sofas – embedded decorative buttons – was seen widely on all types of upholstered furniture, modernised and updated for today’s customer. Designers gave the style a handcrafted twist by scattering buttons around unevenly, using different colours and styles together, or reducing the technique to just a gathered thread detail.

HBL Tradeshows: Live from Domotex 2011

Floor to Heaven at Domotex 2011

WGSN-homebuildlife visited Hanover this week for its annual flooring tradeshow, Domotex. To read our entire live report from the event, subscribers should click here; to whet your appetite, here are the three key trends we noted at the event.

Preserved 19th Century Mansion Opens to Public

The BBC has published the story of Louis Mantin and his late 19th Century townhouse in central France. Mantin's last wishes, which were recently fulfilled, was to leave the house untouched for a century and consequently open it to the public as a museum.

HBL Analysis: Interactive light displays

A still from Whistling Sea by Jun Ga Young (2009)

At architectural lighting fair the Arc Show in London last week, two light installations on show as a preview for Kinetica Art Fair were proving very popular amongst visitors. Both use light, movement and audio with the intention of immersing the viewer in a sensory experience which they feel rather than understand. A new online app also harnesses the power of moving light and colour, with similar intent.

Small House in Nakanohigashi by Small House Design Lab

Pushing the boundaries of what a residential interior can look like, Small House in Nakanohigashi by Small House Design Lab, utilizes subtle level differences, materiality and colour blocking to create a sense of rooms and continuity within the small, pie-shaped house.

HBL Analysis: Students design new cutlery for Gense

Scandinavian cutlery brand Gense recently gave students of Stockholm design school Beckmans the challenge of designing cutlery which explored contemporary eating rituals. The students' solutions included curved knives and forks for TV dinners and a multi-functional tool inspired by African meal traditions. Some of the cutlery will be put into production by Gense in future collections.

HBL Analysis: Ruth Mastenbroeke launches scented homewear

As a result of consumers seeking multi-sensory experiences, use of fragrance within the home and public spaces has become widespread - confirming WGSN-homebuildlife’s spring/summer 2011 macrotrend Sensory.

Feeding into this trend, English perfumer Ruth Mastenbroeke has developed her first home fragrance range, combining homewear with microencapsulation technology to create a luxuriously scented bathrobe.

HBL Events: An Exhibition for Hipstamatics

An exhibition celebrating the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone, which captures images in the heavily filtered style of analogue photography from the 1980s, has opened at Orange Dot Gallery in London. 157 prints are on show - a reference to the limited number of Hipstamatic cameras originally produced by American brothers Bruce and Winston Dorbowski in 1982.

HBL Trend analysis: open source design

Triso typeface by Ric Bell is available as a downloadable graphic for CNC machining at SomeRightsReserved by Kithkin

At recent trade shows and student exhibitions, a clear trend has emerged that sees a new generation of designers creating and exploring the possbilities of open-source design. Open-source product design refers to designs that are available as a set of instructions, accesible to everyone and open to the individual's interpretation. By using the internet to nurture this new way of designing, we are seeing the emergence of a new breed of consumer, one who can select, adapt and build his own collection of product designs. In a report this week WGSN examined how open source design could affect the future of the design industry.

HBL Tradeshows: Live from Premiere Vision Preview, New York

Efilan SRL spring/summer 2012

WGSN has been reporting live from textile fair Premiere Vision's Preview show in New York this week. The exhibits on show give a taste of the spring/summer 2012 collections from all the top mills worldwide. The three key fabric trends to emerge from the show are:

Digital imagery
Both abstract and literal patterns including the solar system, flowers and animal prints are blown out and made futuristic through pixelated, digital printing techniques.

Faux skin
Super-soft faux snake, ostrich and crocodile patterns appear real with natural dyes and special embossing techniques. Coated fur and buttery suedes are also popular.

Silver shimmer
Tweeds and ribbed knits are given sparkle with shimmery silver threading and beaded embellishment.

HBL Materials: A/W 12/13 direction

Aqua Chair by Hyun-Dae Kang: animated water jets create a physical seat before the waterfall effect fades

WGSN-homebuildlife's Materials team have released their key directions for autumn/winter 2012/13, comprising six original trends which will inform product and design development across form, surface and finish.

Kinto at Maison & Objet and NYIGF

In anticipation of Maison & Objet and NYIGF, which are right around the corner, here is the newest from one of our favorite discoveries from last season. Kinto is a Japanese tableware brand that designs beautifully simple, yet surprisingly quirky pieces.

HBL Innovation: Grey Label by Polaroid

One of the most interesting product launches at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week was that of Grey Label, the first new range from Polaroid to benefit from the vision of its recently-appointed creative director, Lady Gaga. The GL20, pictured above, is a pair of glasses with a built-in camera which allows the user to take a photo and then display it on LCD screens inside the lenses.

To read our previous post highlighting the three key trends to emerge from CES, click here; while subscribers can read our full report from the event here.

Losanges by the Bouroullecs for nanimarquina

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec will be showing their new rug collection, Losanges for Spanish brand nanimarquina at Maison & Objet this month. The rugs, which are a beautiful example of artisan work steeped in tradition with a contemporary feel, are inspired by traditional Persian rugs and are made by craftsmen in Pakistan.

HBL Tradeshows: Live From CES

Toshiba Glasses Free 3D TV at CES 2011

This week WGSN has been reporting live from the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Three of the hot technology trends to emerge so far include:

Glasses-free 3D TV: With consumers often complaining about the need to wear glasses to experience 3D content in the home, several manufacturers are showing large TV displays that work without them. There is still work to be done but the technology has taken a big step forward

Tablets: After the huge success of Apple’s iPad, rival tablets are one of the hot stories of the show. Key devices include Motorola’s Xoom, Samsung’s Sliding PC 7 Series and the new BlackBerry PlayBook

The connected home: Alongside the more traditional PCs, TVs, and portable devices connecting to the internet, now home appliances are getting in on the act, pointing the way to a future where all kinds of items in the home make use of the power of the web

HBL Loves: West Elm and Etsy

Vintage Canning Jar Lamp by LampGoods

In the interest of handmade and mass market collaborating for the better design good, we love West Elm's collaboration with Etsy. Visit the West Elm favorites on Etsy page to see the American furniture company's favorites. WE also regularly features some of their Etsy favorites in the pages of their catalog.

HBL Analysis: Buffet Relevo by Fernanda Brunoro

Brazilian design retailer Novo Ambiente's latest collection of furniture includes this laminated cabinet by Fernanda Brunoro. The lacquered detail taps into the current trend for patchwork effect furniture: mixing materials and surface effects to create an interesting and unusual pattern. Subscribers can read the full report on the trend here.

MADE of NEW YORK

WGSN-Homebuildlife loves the new MADE of NEW YORK furniture collection, a collaboration between John-Michael Ekeblad, former creative director at IKEA, Jonathan Locke and Brian Kane.

HBL Analysis: Laundry room bathroom

As seen on My Ideal Home

In recent years, we have been seeing and experiencing interesting merges and design influences between spaces: a few examples being indoors and outdoors, home and office, kitchen and dining room. During the last few interiors trade shows, WGSN spotted another interesting transitional trend: the laundry-room-bathroom.

HBL Inspiration: The Deep

WGSN-homebuildlife loves this stop-motion animation which turns a collection of old metal tools into a shoal of beautiful sea creatures. Created by stop-motion artist PES, it's one of a series of shorts commissioned by US broadcaster Showtime for their online offering.

HBL Analysis: Packaging as product

Freemood by TAÇ

As consumers look for simpler, greener products, designers are keen to find clever solutions for what was previously destined to be disposed of. With one third of our rubbish coming from packaging, more and more designers are not only using recyclable or biodegradable materials, but are also looking for ways to transform the packaging into a functional product in its own right. WGSN-homebuildlife's latest packaging report highlights the most successful approaches.

Design studio Orhan Irmak Tasarım won the Design Turkey award for their solution: by creating patterned metal boxes for Turkish textile brand TAÇ's latest bedding range to be sold in, they have given the packaging an afterlife. TAÇ encourage customers to reuse the boxes in a variety of ways.

HBL Analysis: King-Size Beds Outsell Standard Doubles for the First Time

Headboard by Alexander, Engan bed by Ikea, pillowcases by Ralph Lauren Home. Source: Living Etc, November 2010

Figures from John Lewis and Tesco reveal that king-size beds are outselling double beds for the first time, with consumers favouring a 60-inch width over the standard 54 inches. In the UK, space is becoming increasingly precious, bedrooms are becoming smaller and single living is on the rise. So it is particularly interesting that customers are choosing to sacrifice floor space for bed space.

The Guardian’s Lucy Mangan, speaking on BBC Radio 4 this morning, spoke of the bedroom’s shifting functionality: ‘The boundaries are breaking down and [people] are taking their laptops in there to do some work, they’re watching telly... You need a big bed because it’s become another living room.’

Interior designer Alan Hughes, also speaking on the BBC, said: ‘The balance between function and aesthetics is what actually matters in terms of interior design.’ The bedroom is ‘a space for yourself...a sanctuary.’

HBL Colour: Hella Jongerius - Misfit

300 Coloured Vases by Hella Jongerius; photo by Gerrit Schreurs Fotografie

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam are hosting the first retrospective of the work of Dutch designer Hella Jongerius, which takes an interesting approach to curation: pieces are mainly shown attached to the walls, and are grouped by colour rather than chronologically or thematically.

WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can also view our tailormade colour directions: for spring/summer 2012 click here, and for autumn/winter 2012/13 click here.

HBL Inspiration: Bridget Riley: Paintings and Related Work at The National Gallery

London's National Gallery is currently showing a small but inspirational exhibition of the work of British artist Bridget Riley. Described by the gallery as one of the most significant and original painters of our time, the exhibition focuses upon Bridget Riley’s most recent paintings and investigates how Riley’s work relates to the National Gallery Collection.

HBL Events: Patrick Jouin: Design & Gesture

The Museum of Arts and Design in New York City is hosting Patrick Jouin: Design & Gesture until February 6, 2011 as the latest edition of MAD Projects. Design & Gesture is the first solo exhibition in of the work of the 42-year-old French designer Jouin.

The exhibition incorporates Jouin’s landmark objects in a multimedia installation, with videos conceived and produced by him, which explore the relationship between object and gesture.

Read HBL's full exhibit review here.