The Not So Normal Seats in London

I just returned from the London Design Festival, a heady mix of designer debuts, product launches, exhibitions, trade shows and showroom events. With so much ground to cover in so little time (8 days), the experience was total sensory overload. It was admittedly difficult to focus my attention amid all that creative buzz but this quirky character with his leopard spotted hairdo made me stop and do a double take.

 

Blogger Karen LeBlanc with Designer John Niero of Just Not Normal at London Design Festival

His name is John Niero, a Los Angeles based furniture and lighting designer abroad in London launching two new chairs. His company is called Just Not Normal, which reflects my personal design mantra. Steve Jobs said it best: "Designers must produce what the public has yet imagined." Job's words of wisdom guided me through the difficult task of curating design finds at this massive event. Niero's work was all about the unexpected and riffs on iconic pieces.

 

The Corset by Just Not Normal

The Corset—sober and restrained on the front and a surprising jolt of electric green on the back with its webbed corset that supports the seat by wrapping around a thin rod of stainless steel recessed in a shallow groove routered into the frame. The legs and arms are finished in powder coated steel.

 

The Corset by Just Not Normal

His mark III chair draws inspiration from two icons of different times: the classic mid-century Eames Lounge Chair and the 1970s Lincoln Continental.

The Markiii 4 by Just Not Normal

It's made of a continuous piece of curving bent ply with a walnut veneer tapering at each end.  Niero says the minimalist design allows the beauty of the wood, stainless steel and leather to shine.

The Markiii 4 by Just Not Normal

Niero debuted his chairs at Tent London, one of five huge exhibitions and trade shows tied to London Design Week.

The Press and Pour Sommelier

One of my favorite social spots is a wine bar with a do-it-yourself dispensing system that lets me leisurely sample wines at will. No need for a waiter or a sommelier, you just simply press and pour. Now, I can create the same experience at home with the "Virtual Sommelier"  a wine dispensing system by Dacor.  The product caught my attention because it's a game changer for the home wine cellar- the next "must-have" product for those looking to amp up the vino experience.  Dacor's Discovery Wine Station is an automated, temperature-controlled, four bottle dispensing and preservation system for the consumer. No more wasting half-finished bottles, you can now open, sample, sip and preserve without the pressure of finishing off the bottle or the guilt of wasting it.  You don't need to be a oenophile to appreciate the wine station's practical attributes, but at a cost of $5,299  the return on investment relates to its "value" in your lifestyle.

[caption id="attachment_2267" align="aligncenter" width="194"] Dacor Discovery WineStation[/caption]

Perhaps temperature-controlled wine storage is all you need. True Professional Series recently introduced a dual-zone  wine storage system with two independent zones so you can chill your whites colder than your reds. "Consumers are still putting wine cellars in their home, but not everyone has the space or money to invest in that," explains Steve Proctor, Director of Sales.



The dual-wine zone can hold up to 45 bottles and comes with True's patented TriLumina LED lighting. "You can change the light from white to amber to create some ambiance." True also has a single zone wine storage center that can stack together with the dual zone. "This gives you three distinct zones for sparkling, whites and reds," says Proctor.



For those who don't have the budget or space for a full-on wine cellar, temperature controlled wine storage offers a space-saving solution. Or, perhaps you just want your wine within easy reach in the kitchen or near the outdoor grill.



Check out the latest wine storage products with designer looks and LED lighting effects that free up space for your temperature-controlled wine collection. True and Dacor are just a few of the manufacturers recognizing that people want their vino within reach and chilled to perfection.



Manufacturers like to call these amenities "point of use storage" as outdoor spaces, basements, wet bars, and wine cellars continue to evolve as social spaces to sip and savor the good life.   Cheers!

 

A Century of America's Formica® Fascination

[caption id="attachment_1215" align="aligncenter" width="678"] The iconic kitchen from The Brady Bunch TV Show featuring Formica in earth-color laminates of Pumpkin and Avocado.[/caption]

If you're a baby boomer or child of the 60s & 70s, TV shows such as the Brady Bunch probably evoke a bit of design nostalgia. Those  mid-century modern TV kitchens inspired many imitators and weren't complete without Formica®  countertops. This year, Formica® , the inventor of laminate, celebrates 100 years, a huge milestone in a fickle culture where trends tend to dictate home style.

[caption id="attachment_1190" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Photo courtesy of Formica
http://www.formica.com[/caption]

Today, decorative laminate commands renewed respect, on trend again in kitchens with bold new colors and patterns. To celebrate its centenial birthday, Formica launched a new line of laminate, The Anniversary Collection, with 12 new graphic patterns in four collections.

 

[caption id="attachment_1205" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Red Ellipse Formica countertop from the Anniversary Collection.
Photo courtesy of Formica
http://www.formica.com[/caption]

Ellipse™ is the most emblematic of Formica’s Anniversary Collection, incorporating the “hidden oval” Formica brand logo as a nod to the company’s century of surfacing residential, commercial and industrial spaces.

[caption id="attachment_1209" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Endless Greytone Formica countertop
Photo courtesy of Formica
http://www.formica.com[/caption]

 

Formica’s storied history begins in 1913 when Herbert A. Faber and Daniel J. O’Conor discovered that high-pressure laminated plastic sheets of synthetic resins could be used as an insulating material for electrical and industrial uses in place of the mineral mica. The inventors coined the name “Formica” as a literal riff on “For Mica.”

[caption id="attachment_1177" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo courtesy of Retro Renovation[/caption]

In the early 50s, Formica advertised heavily to brand its laminate for household use. Through the years, the company’s advertising campaign has been a barometer of the American household reflecting the culture and sentiment of quintessential American life. The vibrant colors, whimsical designs and advertising, embodied America’s spirit of innovation and optimism.

[caption id="attachment_1187" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Photo courtesy of Formica
http://www.formica.com[/caption]

Browsing Formica’s collection of vintage ads available on the website www.formicaforever.com and on its pinterst board is like opening a time capsule of our collective life and times. “Great advertising in the 50s accounted for the overwhelming perception that Formica laminate is for kitchens only,” says Renee Hytry Derrington, Vice President of Global Design for Formica Group.  Today, Formica actually sells more laminate in commercial markets around the world than for the kitchen.

[caption id="attachment_1178" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Photo courtesy of Formica
http://www.formica.com[/caption]

 

By 1978, the Formica brand was so popular that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sought to cancel the Formica® brand trademark, charging that the word “Formica” had become a generic term. Ultimately, the FTC dropped its efforts to cancel the trademark and today Formica remains synonymous with decorative laminate.

 

[caption id="attachment_1180" align="aligncenter" width="483"] Photo courtesy of Formica
http://www.formica.com[/caption]

Used in both high-end and budget-conscious design, Formica laminate is one of those rare products that straddles all spectrums of design. During the 2013 design and trade show season, Formica in woodgrain attracted a lot of attention as an on-trend material in kitchens and baths.

[caption id="attachment_1199" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Black Walnut Formica countertop
Photo courtesy of Formica
http://www.formica.com[/caption]

Designer Alexander Butler used Formica in a wood grain pattern to create this seamless, ultra-modern kitchen with the look of wood yet without the maintenance issues associated with wood.

[caption id="attachment_1196" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Kitchen in Formica woodgrain pattern, designed by Alexander Butler
Photo courtesy of Formica
http://www.formica.com[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_1197" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Kitchen in Formica woodgrain pattern, designed by Alexander Butler
Photo courtesy of Formica
http://www.formica.com[/caption]

There's also a lot of buzz about faux natural surfaces in the design world. Countertops, such as laminate, fabricated to look like marble, concrete, stone, metal or wood are showing up in the latest kitchens, favored for their durability and affordability.  One example is Formica's 180fx® patterns that mimic the scale, color variations and veining of a full-size natural granite slab.  The laminate is printed five-feet wide by approx. 4.5’ long with no repeats. Other large-scale examples are the Anniversary Collection’s Endless™ and Ellipse™ with a pattern repeat every 500-700 sheets, the equivalent of 1.3 miles.

 

[caption id="attachment_1211" align="aligncenter" width="560"] White Ellipse Formica countertop
Photo courtesy of Formica
http://www.formica.com[/caption]

 

For more on the Formica brand’s past, present and future, check out the commemorative website www.formicaforever.com

 

 

The DNA of Design

Using the Laws of Nature for Kitchen Cabinet Configuration

[caption id="attachment_2850" align="aligncenter" width="600"] photo courtesty of Mark Rosenhaus[/caption]

We all know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but there is at least one universal truth that most people find appealing. Geometry, as found throughout nature and enlightened by a basic math equation draws the eye—provoking admiration, envy, and awe.

[caption id="attachment_2849" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The Golden Rectangle applied to the design of this kitchen. In this photo, three glass squares and a glass Golden Rectangle surround horizontal lift-up doors. (photo courtesy of Mark Rosenhaus, CKD)[/caption]

Certified Kitchen Designer,  Mark Rosenhaus, coined the concept the DNA of Design—the perception of beauty based on proportion—and uses it as a guiding principle in kitchen and bath design. Rosenhaus is an expert on the subject, presenting his insights at designer workshops and events including the Kitchen and Bath Show. This idea of applying Mother Nature's engineering techniques to modern-day design intrigues me. I wanted to learn more about how we can all use the DNA of Design as a filter to view our own design projects. Here is my exclusive interview with Mark Rosenhaus as he deconstructs the DNA of Design. 

 

 

You say that the DNA of Design manifests itself throughout history in some of the greatest works of art and architecture. Please give us some examples.

“Look at the symmetry of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, follow a seashell's spiral, count the seeds clockwise and counter clockwise on a sunflower and a pineapple, marvel how proportion and placement highlight details of Notre Dame Cathedral. When you look closely at our fingers, face and a beautiful body, you will find similar geometry as well as in so many other objects throughout the universe from the microscopic to the telescopic," says Rosenhaus.

 

You refer to this geometric configuration as the Golden Rectangle. Please explain.

"The Golden Rectangle is where the width is 62% of an object’s height.  The arithmetic is derived from what is known as the Fibonacci Sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89… whereby adding two consecutive numbers equals the third; and dividing any number by the following number produces 62%. With practice, the trained eye will discern and enjoy the 62% proportion compared to almost any other dimension. DNA is the building block that determines preferences for all nature’s living organisms.  Interestingly, the DNA helix module has the same proportions as the Golden Rectangle, therefore if it’s in our DNA it stands to reason we have a predilection towards Golden Ratio relationships."

[caption id="attachment_2851" align="aligncenter" width="600"] photo courtesy of Mark Rosenhaus, CKD[/caption]

 

"We all know that a skinny cabinet is neither the best shape for function nor looks good. Using the Golden Ratio takes the guess-work out of sizing cabinets and answers the question of why one design is more appealing than another," says Rosenhaus.

 

How does one find the Golden Rectangle in icons of world design?

"Without even knowing the proportions of a Golden Rectangle, we are aware of it.  A Golden Rectangle is comprised of a square and a smaller Golden Rectangle. A face with proper proportions will just naturally be more attractive, as will art, architecture and music. Additionally, animals and plants are also created with Golden Rectangle proportions.  But, and it’s a big but… perfection in anything, including proportions are rare— in nature and man-made. The benefit of recognizing this proportion will enable you to augment a subjective reaction with an objective eye to determine why you like or don’t like what you’re looking at."

[caption id="attachment_2854" align="aligncenter" width="600"] photo courtesy of Mark Rosenhaus, CKD[/caption]

In the photo above, each upper cabinet is a Golden Rectangle of varying sizes yet the same proportion. The diagonal lines cross in the center of the middle of the cabinet, right where the eye wants to go.

 

Why do we do this?

"Our subconscious, natural instinct is to look for objects having Golden Proportions.  Honed over the millennia, we have learned how to accentuate appealing features.  Our face is a prime example: as in repainting the eyebrows higher on the forehead to delineate a more visually pleasing Golden Rectangle encompassing the width of the mouth. In art, as in life, we want people to feel comfortable being with us.  Beauty and familiarity create the first and lasting impression."

Rosenhaus cites the works of Piet Mondrian as an example:

[caption id="attachment_1784" align="aligncenter" width="400"] photo courtesy of Mark Rosenhaus, CKD[/caption]

"To understand how Mondrian applied the concept of the Golden Rectangle in his art, start with the red square, which is 62% of the width and height of the main portion of the painting; then follow the curving movement of the blue areas leading to the yellow and beyond."

 

Two designs Rosenhaus calls 3 dimensional Mondrian

[caption id="attachment_2840" align="aligncenter" width="600"] photo courtesy of Mark Rosenhaus, CKD[/caption]

Notice the geometric proportions of this kitchen cabinet configuration: Golden Rectangle, squares and double squares—our most pleasing shapes—in a spiral arrangement.

[caption id="attachment_2861" align="aligncenter" width="600"] photo courtesy of Mark Rosenhaus[/caption]

"The spiral movement of the composition begins at the focal area recessed cabinet with three frosted glass panes that are the same proportion as the door itself. They lead to the increased depth double square horizontal lift-up doors; across to the Golden Rectangle; down to the horizontal cabinet and wind around to the final square and knob as the period."

 

Why and how is the Golden Rectangle proportion an aid in kitchen design?

"Proportion and placement are at the forefront of better compositions.  The Fibonacci Sequence is a great tool in figuring cabinet sizes which create vitality and movement to avoid monotony and predictability. Adjacent cabinets must be as rhythmic as notes in a musical score.  The number of doors or cabinet sizes in the arrangement of 1-2-3; 3-2-1 or 1-2-3-2-1 create familiar progressions that are livelier than having all the doors the same size."

[caption id="attachment_2853" align="aligncenter" width="600"] photo courtesy of Mark Rosenhaus, CKD[/caption]

In kitchen design, proportions create a natural balance. The dimensions need not be perfect as our eyes make adjustments to feel most comfortable. The 27" wide cabinets are approximately 62% of the 42" square center cabinet. Using stock size cabinets, the impression of a Golden Rectangle is delineated by the square 27" x 27" pair of doors topped with a 27" x 15" flip-up door. Bearing the same proportions as the Taj Mahal highlights their importance in kitchen design.

[caption id="attachment_2842" align="aligncenter" width="600"] "The 62% Golden Rectangle applied in the design of this kitchen: the glass is proportional to the width and height of the door. The upper square glass and door fit into the lower Golden Rectangles," says Rosenhaus. (photo courtesy of Mark Rosenhaus, CKD)[/caption]

 

You don't have to wrap your mind around the mathematics of  Mother Nature's geometric ratio to get it right with your kitchen cabinet configuration. Just remember this basic idea of the Golden Rectangle: width is 62% of an object’s height and you'll create a composition that commands attention and leads to the focal point. To learn more about Rosenhaus' DNA of Design, click here to view his online slideshow.