Win a free Canvas for your DAD for Fathers Day

Create a Canvas for your DAD for Fathers day! 

You can turn a cute pic from your iphone and turn it into a canvas for your Dad! Its so easy on Canvas factory! Enter to win below. The winner will receive the coupon code on June 7th at 8pm! United Sates only.

Click HERE to enter!

Wilsonart, a LAMINATE that isn't for just countertops anymore

Laundry concept designed with Wilsonart laminate 

(AT KBIS 2016)

The Wilsonart brand, a leading manufacturer of decorative engineered surfaces shows us a new perspective on laminate. So much so, laminate has become a viable resource for modern designers. Its eco-friendly and proves endless possibilities in color, texture and application.

Kitchen concept on counters and backsplash

 designed with Wilsonart laminate (AT KBIS2016)

At the International Contemporary Furniure fair (ICFF2016) Wilsonart, one of our sponsors showed us how laminate can be used cleverly...... 

Prelude chair by Stephen Marchio

S1 chair by Scott Pancioli

Geode chair by Zachary Boomer

En Throne chair by Adam Whiiaker

Those are details from students chair designs of the College of Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. They entered the Wilsonart Challenges, an innovative Student Chair Competition celebrating Wilsonart laminate with a story, and an emotion. Their challenge was to "design for delight."  

Grace Jeffers, a design historian and materials expert who helps with the annual Wilsonart Challenges Competition told us 'designhounds' that the program is incorporated into the students curriculum and there was a winner and five runners up. What a great opportunity for rising stars!! We were able to meet this years impressive bunch of designers and talk to them about their inspiration.

Stephen Marcio's Prelude chair was the winning chair. He exposed the corner revealing the basic construction elements. I think he is a deconstructivist at heart although he wouldn't admit it.

Not the winner, but definitely my fave! Runner up Zachary Boomer's Geode chair resembles the geometries of a geode cracked open. The play of light really casts shadows on the laminate angles. The chair construction looks like concrete but Zachary told me it was made up of plaster to look like concrete. Well done!

Scott Pancioli's S1 chair exemplifies Scandinavian furniture with its clean lines. 

Inspired by one of my favorite sculptors Richard Serra, Adam Whitaker's En Throne playfully uses shape and intense color to make a sculptural statement.

Alejandra Bucco's Pie chair wins for fantastical whimsy.

Inspired by nature, Kiho Jeong's Root Bench imitates how children who climb trees can nest in slanted branches. 


Thankyou Wilsonart! 
Congratulations to all, a talented group!


image credits: Dominick Mastrangelo and Wilsonart

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What does a TOTO toilet have to do with Chef Bouley?

Vertical Window Gardens at Bouley Botanical, NYC

Last weekend I participated as one of Veronika Miller's Designhounds, an exclusive group of designers and bloggers who hunted down their fave finds from the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) and Wanted Design in New York City.  TOTO, one of our wonderful sponsors at the show invited us to dinner at Bouley Botanical after a full day of design. This was not just any dinner, it was an experience. 

Image above: Chef David Bouley speaking to the Designhounds at Bouley Botanical.
Credit: Photographer Dominick Mastrangelo

Image above: Bouley Botanical- herbs in the window gardens are used to prepare exquisite meals. 
Credit: Photographer Dominick Mastrangelo

Forager's Treasure of Wild Mushrooms - combines mushrooms, black truffle, almond milk and coconut foam.

This was a special evening with TOTO and Chef Bouley where innovation, good design and food was celebrated. Even a heated TOTO toilet in the downstairs restroom was a big attraction; but be there no mistake, the washlet fit right into the healthy living theme of the evening.  

TOTO Neorest Dual Flush washlet - showing washlet and programming at ICFF

At TOTO, they study the mega trends such as sustainability, smart technology, health and wellness. The intelligent toilet in the restaurant had all the bells and whistles- its integrated personal cleansing system blew our minds. Our table giggled a bit about our own experience with this smart toilet. It responds to users by opening, closing and flushing automatically.  It's integrated washlet personal cleansing system offers warm-aerated water to clean and warm air to dry, significantly reducing the consumption of toilet tissue. Bill Strang, TOTO's President of US operations said "this is good design and good business."  

TOTO NEOREST 750

TOTO sets the market trends in energy efficiency, water conservation and material health and is the leader in products that contribute to healthy, environmentally responsible design. TOTO's eWater + technology is the essence of this smart technology. Using the incoming water supply, a pre-mist wets the bowl surface preventing waste from adhering to the bowl. Also after each flush, TOTO's e Water+ automatically mists the bowl with electrolyzed water which has a slightly acidic ph value, keeping the bowl fresh and clean longer.

 Bill Strang, TOTO's President of US operations

Credit images: Photographer Dominick Mastrangelo

Bouley Botanical created by Chef David Bouley is a "living events space" designed to excite all five senses. As guests, we were all enveloped in pure ingredients. Four hundred edible species of plants are growing in vertical window gardens. Pretty incredible!

Farm to table is fashionable now and Chef Bouley believes there is a connection between food and wellness where food is the cure to disease. Bouley talked passionately about biodyanamics, a holistic approach to growing food and alternative oils to olive oil like coconut and ginger we can all create ourselves. We all wait for his inventive cookbook. I only hope he makes it easy for the home chef to prepare. Stay tuned...about 2 years out. 

All in all, my New York City experience was awesome.Thank you TOTO! Thank you Veronika!  TOTO innovates to make the bathroom experience personally meaningful and Chef David Bouley innovates to make ingredients healthier. All keys to a better life. 

Credit: Photographer Dominick Mastrangelo

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American Standard Vormax reinvents the flush

We love geometric lines in our studio and the classic curves of the Vormax Heritage toilet fits right in. American Standard offered me the toilet to review. We really love it! And I'm not just saying that because we had to lift the old toilet tank for 6 months to get it to flush. The American Standard Vormax toilet has been a god send over at MODmadeNY!

Lets face it, toilets aren’t easy to clean especially with multiple people using it on a daily basis but the flush technology lends a helping hand by simply flushing the toilet. Its superior performance comes from the combination of its Vormax flushing action, CleanCurve rim design and EverClean surface keeping the bowl clean. The Antimicrobial properties inhibit the growth of bacteria and with the use of 1.28 gallons of water, the Vormax jet sends a powerful flush that cleans dirt 2X better than a conventional toilet, even under the rim from just the flush! It's fabulous!

Take a look at the video showing the difference between the Vormax and Kohler Cimaron flush. Big difference in the flush function! 

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