California + Cosentino Dreaming…..

My girlzzzzz

My girlzz and me at The House of Rock in Santa Monica

I was recently asked to become a Silestone Trendspotter for 2013. As a HUGE fan of Cosentino– the manufacture of Silestone as well as its sidekicks Eco, Sensa, Prexury, Scalea and most recently Dekton (more about this fabulous product later) I was an immediate “YES!” As a Trendspotter this year I am lucky enough to be part of an interior design trio which includes Abbe Fenimore of Studio Ten 25 hailing from Dallas and Kerrie Kelly of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab in Sacramento. What a treat!

Our “First Encounter of the Design Kind” was two weekends ago when we attended the fabled Los Angeles hosted Dwell on Design. Our experiences were vast and equally as inspiring….as Trendspotter’s our first order of duty was to spot and to call out our favorite trends-that is anything that I couldn’t keep my eyes off of. Suffice it to say that I had my head barely screwed on straight after our first day. Here are some of my favorite items from all over the map (quite literally)….

Modern Art is NEVER not trending!

Modern art is never NOT trending!

Artist, Staci Cross carried by Saatchi online. Colors to die for! This piece has so many things going right for it COLOR, texture and fabulous abstract design…I also noticed that the palette has a lot in common with the latest and greatest hot Silestone colors that I glimpsed while I was in Spain at the Cosentino Headquarters this spring….

Biggest

Unique volcanic glazes make up these East meets MidCentury Modern pottery pieces by Josh Herman Ceramics.

Midcentury Modern is a current design trend embodied here with this dynamic pottery and sculpture where nature and the east all combine

Imagine one-or more-of these textural Josh Herman beauties atop one of the new “Nebula Code” suede or leather finish Silestone products as a buffet or countertop? Textural and tactile, with his signature volcanic glazes and modern, natural forms, Josh Herman’s one-of-a-kind sculptures and vessels express a true collaboration between the artist and his medium. I say true that and yes please 🙂

I. Gotta. Get. Quick!

I. Gotta. Get.

“It takes Moxie to shower out loud.” says Kohler of its latest innovation. This showerhead + wireless speaker delivers up to 7 hours of music, news and more by pairing wirelessly with your device enabled with Bluetooth technology. It never fails that I acquire a new list of design “needs” whenever I see the latest cool goodies-darn you Kohler!

Household gadgets have gone all colors of the rainbow!

Color is now officially EVERYWHERE…and just when I thought that red was the craziest color for a vacuum cleaner this lineup from Panasonic appeared around the corner. I think it is safe to say that pushing one of these babies around may make one feel a little bit better about the daily drudgery of cleaning our homes.

Devine Color-super creamy paint

Ultra-creamy paint hues which will make your walls glow + a new way to explore

Devine Color Creamy Wall Coatings claim to be more than just paint. They like to say that “it is paint illuminated!’ Their color illuminating formula is infused with premium- quality pigments that embrace light and let true, rich, radiant color shine through. Devine color is luxuriously creamy and coats walls abundantly with a soft, lush finish that is durable washable and zero VOC. Add to all of this their “Discovery Cards” that step away from the traditional fan deck to see color in a whole new light. Each card features a boutique collection of colors artistically arranged around a viewing window that makes it easy and intuitive to compare shades and discover new paint combinations. I was thrilled to find out that this is a Chicago based company. I am anxious for my very own collection of “Discovery Cards” coming my way!

Check out this "Seat Ball!"

Check this out! A street football “Seat Ball”made in Guatemala

Dwell onDesign was a feast of the very trendy hand-crafted and bespoke furnishings, accessories and artifacts that brought out many first time exhibitors. While I was immediately attracted to this seat/ball/I wasn’t sure what by its use of woven materials it was an amazing surprise to actually experience sitting on this street football “Seat Ball.” The interior houses a european football and the springing, bouncing vibe when you sit down makes you laugh out loud! When I mentioned that I wanted to purchase a pair (in the multicolored variety) for my Buckingham I+D Showroom, the Fabrica owner + designer said “You what?! You will?!” Fabrica is design for HAPPY PEOPLE as they say on their website and I am very happy.

 

Table made from salvaged remains from the Golden Gate Bridge

Own a tiny piece of history from an enormous architectural feat

And last but not least I have to get in a plug for the huge trend of repurposing architectural elements into furnishings and accessories. I like to call these pieces  “modern art ” although they are made from vintage or antique remnants. Repurposing is a way to decrease the amount of salvage that is tossed into scrap yards and it allows us to remember something that may have had a very different past life. This table base was sculpted from portions of the pedestrian handrail replaced due to deterioration in 1993 from the original Golden Gate Bridge completed in 1937. Each of the pieces created by The Golden Gate Bridge Furniture Company is of limited number. Richard began his business with a 12′ long, 1000 pound handrail section! The table shown above is unusual for him as most side and coffee tables are topped with glass. The repurposed (note a trend!) top is mango wood that shows off in its graining a subtle nod to the color of the bridge element. The historical perspective and this talented man’s vision and artistic abilities really define a true American spirit.

A huge thank you and shout out to the team of completely inspirational, supportive and FUN group with whom I had the opportunity to share the week with. Trendspotting with y’all was a BLAST! xx

Nicole Janok, Sharp PR, Patty Dominguez, Cosentino NA, Yours Truly, Abbe Fenimore, Studioten25, Kerrie Kelly, KKDL at the ASID Design Awards Gala. Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles

Nicole Janok, Sharp PR, Patty Dominguez, Cosentino NA, Yours truly, Abbe Fenimore, Studio Ten 25, Kerrie Kelly, KKDL

Happy 4th of July to you all! Here is to a weekend of family, fun and fireworks!

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