Archive for January, 2009
NYIGF(F): New York International Gift Fair (Favorites)
1/30/09
We just can’t help it. We at LoftLife gravitate toward anything modern. So when we attended the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF), we were smitten with the booth set-up by Alessi (winner of ‘Best Booth Presentation’) and Design House Stockholm. But not to be left out just because it doesn’t scream “sleek,” “shiny,” or “minimalist” is KleinReid, a Brooklyn-based porcelain design firm. Check out our favorite pieces below from the companies we fell for at the fair.
Alessi’s glassware selection that’s worth a thousand sips.
An Alessi garbage can keeps waste looking almost too cute to throw away.
Design House Stockholm’s mouthblown “Barbara” carafe/vase plays with your eye: The colored round crystal ball acts as a seal for the carafe function or can whimsically nest inside the vase’s base.
The “Block Lamp” from Design House Stockholm is the epitome of art+function.
KleinReid’s “StillLife (stet): Constance with Flowers, 11.5,” a one-of-a-kind porcelain vase with high gloss spruces up any bouquet of flowers.
Posted by Kyra Shapurji
Loft Inspiration in Brooklyn
1/28/09
David Alhadeff calls his Brooklyn loft “a beautiful mess” and we agree with him! The owner of the super hip design store he named The Future Perfect, Alhadeff owns an eclectic loft in Williamsburg that is full of found objects and industrial chic design. Enjoy!
Photography by Johnny Valiant
The Urban Free Habitat System
1/27/09
The Danish design and art collective, N55, made the blog rounds a couple of months ago after unveiling their Walking House. The Copenhagen-based artist community aims to promote a revival in nomadic and low impact living by utilizing advancements in modern technology. Much in the same vein as the Walking House, the group has also been working on the Urban Free Habitat System.
The result of a workshop by N55 at the Metropolis Laboratory in Copenhagen, the Urban Free Habitat System is meant to provide an alternative to traditional urban planning. Residents of a city often have little power in making decisions about their environment and N55 hope to change that with this system.
Key points about the system:
- The Urban Free Habitat System would allow residents to design the public places they inhabit and share these places with others, regardless of the financial situations of those interested. Using this system, people would be able to create free places to stay, meet, cook and eat.
- The system is low cost and therefore a realistic option for local communities. The required materials and knowledge of construction methods are all available to average citizens.
- The Urban Free Habitat System can be moved to a new site by one person, simply by rolling it like a ball. It can scale up or down and be used inside existing buildings and outdoors.
It seems that in areas with a high concentration of human activity, especially in today’s economy, clusters of Urban Free Habitat Systems might be needed.
Posted by Nicholas Van Kuren
A Not So Lofty Lifestyle
1/22/09
Some of us become downright distraught when we think about the possibility of living with a roommate for the rest of our lives. While others maybe relish in the idea of companionship to help ease the large urban city lifestyle that can sometimes still feel so solitary. These two NY ladies transformed a loft to suit both their living needs and in doing so, push some of those “conventional buttons” of living standards, should we say. But bottom line, we like any use of inventiveness when it comes to making use of space, and ultimately it is your space, so if it works for you, we think convention can be thrown out that loft (in their case) window. To see the full slideshow and read the article, go to : The New York Times
Posted by Kyra Shapurji
Loft Visit: Valerie Pasquiou’s Personal Style
1/20/09
A few months back, we featured Sue Hoestetler’s amazing loft in SoHo which was designed by the brilliant Valerie Pasquiou. We liked what Valerie did with the space so much, we decided to reach out to her (which means we stalked her!) to see if we could get some face time. It turns out that Valerie is more than nice, and happily invited us to visit her downtown Manhattan loft that she recently moved into.
The space is marked by her signature style: a select mix of twentieth century modern pieces, bold art and quirky accessories that give the environment personality. Valerie doesn’t take herself too seriously and her home reflects this wonderfully. Suffice it to say, the warm and inviting loft was hard to leave.
For more information on Valerie Pasquiou, visit her website here.
Photography by Linden Hass
Loft Tour: Traditional Meets Modern in Minneapolis
1/13/09
For interior designer Andrew Flesher, furnishing contemporary settings with antiques and vintage collectibles is his trademark. Nowhere is this better displayed than in his Minneapolis loft. Complete with 13-foot-high ceilings, white concrete floors and an entirely open floor plan, Flesher has used more traditional upholstered pieces to decorate the space. The mix of old and new creates a fresh look, one that reinvents conventional modern décor.
For more on Andrew Flesher, Click Here.
All images are from Gunkelman Flesher
The Text Trend Continues
1/12/09
The “catchy phrase” trend is still going strong. From pillows to ceramics, designers are using popular words, entire phrases and, even, entire chapters from classic literature to express themselves. Modern fonts and simple colors seem to dominate.
Here is a round-up of some of our favorites.
(Clockwise, starting from upper left) Custom Tiny Text Bowls from Etsy; My Whole Heart Pillow from Sugar Boo Designs; Oh How Beautiful (You Are) Square Mirror from Generate; Credo pillow from CB2.
(Clockwise, starting from upper left) Stitched Text wallpaper from Tracy Kendall Wallpaper; Google Search pillows from Pastec; 300 Riddle Tablecloth from Dutch By Design.
Best of ICFF ‘09
(click on image above for gallery)
London Model Loft
1/6/09
Owned by an undisclosed famous british designer, this industrial loft is being offered for location shoots for Beach Studios. It’s located in London in a converted industrial building and features original elements, including the steel sliding doors.
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