Let's re-design your world:
architecture, interior design, furniture,product design and décor.
The many faces of MoD Design Guru:
CONTACT: Michele Alfano
Creative Founder, Editor, Author of MoD Design Guru
ABOUT MoD Design Guru:
MoD Design Guru is a roadmap to cleverly modern design.....a celebration of thinking-outside-the-box design across architecture, interior, furniture, product and decor. A design tank that is constantly in search of Fresh Ideas and about design that stimulates, fascinates, engages the user and considers its impact on the environment. New and emergent materials are what breeds innovation and paves the way for designers to bring you the latest in creative design. MoD Design Guru's mission is to investigate how innovators are changing the way we live our lives today and tomorrow...
All photographs, product names, quotes and otherwise are copyrighted and/or trademarked by their respective owners.
MoD Essentials: All photographs, product names, quotes and otherwise are copyrighted and/or trademarked by their respective owners.
Fundamentally, Mod Design Guru delights in design that:
- has a Dynamic Simplicity
- strives for geometric purity and boldness
- welcomes the unexpected or amusing
- welcomes the unexpected or amusing
- embraces the tactile and dimension
- injects love in its details and construction; whether it be high-tech or handcrafted.
- weaves a story
- creates an experience
Be a building, a space, a chaise, or a garment, forward-thinking design succeeds when it fosters a point of view, layers a story, invites participation and is memorable. Like a stage set, the weblog constantly unfolds with meaningful design and is devoted to Re-design your world:
Designer Spotlight
A series featuring emerging artists and premier design voices in the fields of architecture, interior, product, and fashion design.
MoD Must Haves
A segment of her website is MoD Must Haves,
where Michele highlight’s the latest buzz and design trends that she is totally
obsessing over; which are novel, tactile and wondrous.
MoD Narratives: where the product ignites experiences.
Foodie and Fashionista:
Foodie Color-Scapes draw inspiration from the beauty of delectable sweets
Fashionista Color-Scapes draw inspiration from fashion
MUSE is to brood,to chew over to ponder,to percolate,to mull over,to reflect,to speculate....to find design inspiration in unusual and novel ways. Let me fuel your creativity and translate these ideas into your home design.Today, everyone needs a Muse and some encouragement. What fuels your creativity? Whether you are reading a book, magazine, admiring the latest fashions, watching your kids cartoon, or just walking down the street - you can find inspiration. Catch Mod's Foodie and Fashionista posts for color inspiration:
the voice behind it all:Michele Alfano
Fresh Ideas with an Architectural eye.
That sums up Michele Alfano interior architect and
designer, philanthropist and blogger. As the daughter of a pioneer in the
application of light and photonics technology, she was instilled to do more
than what is expected, and to be passionate and inspired in all that she does.
She loves the joint where two materials meet, the honesty in design and the beautiful expression of how things are made. Her use of color and luxe texture along with unique lighting effects create classic modern spaces. Then inject love: her outlook is to create an experience and weave a story with purity, boldness, the unexpected, amusing and the tactile.Michele graduated from Union College with a degree in Applied Mathematics and then went on to University at Buffalo for her Masters in Architecture. After a 18 year career in architecture, she finds herself drawn to interior style and design. Her eye focuses on the details where she has developed an Architectonic signature style - a masculine | luxe approach where a crisp modern point of view is fused with an imaginative use of color, form and texture. Whether in her own design work with Michele Alfano Design or for her blog MoDDesignGuru she seeks design that stimulates, fascinates, and engages.
Michele's belief that design should focus on the human experience was brought to the forefront in her 2017-2018 AD campaign design for DXV, the luxury brand of American Standard. Her design has been seen in Elle Decor, Vanity Fair, Architectural Digest, Metropolitan Home and Interior Design Magazine.
One of her past works
reflects the humanistic philosophy in totality: the Iwataya Passage in Fukuoka, Japan,
used multi-media, light and the feeling of water underground. Users were met
with the unexpected: crossing a bridge when in reality they are walking through
a tunnel. The project was recognized by Architectural Record and Interior Magazine, and represents a career
of significant awards including an AIA Honors Award.
As an entrepreneur, she created MoDDesignGuru.com which has earned almost every accolade available for a design site. It’s more than a site – it’s a "design tank." The mission: to investigate how innovators are changing the way we live our lives today and tomorrow from emerging artists to premier design voices in the fields of architecture, interior, product and decor.
Within four years of
launching MoD Design Guru, the blog was voted Best Architecture Blog 2014 and
Top 100 Interior Design Blogs that you should read and follow. With the blog,
she has connected with brands and has gone global traveling to Spain with the Tile
of Spain, Cologne Germany with Modenus Blog Tour 2012 and as well as Blog Tour
California 2014, BlogTour Vegas 2016 and has been tapped by the Brizo brand to
participate in Blogger 19- a select group of social media experts who attend
New York Fashion week to see Jason Wu launch his couture collections each
year.
Michele loves her
philanthropic work. As one of its premier designers for the past four years,
she has designed unique picnic experiences for the DIFFA Picnic by Design Event (Design Industries
Foundation Fighting AIDS) Picnic by Design. This charity event redefines the
concept of a traditional picnic where 20 designers come together to create
innovative picnic basket experiences on an urban rooftop. Last year the event
turned into a contest where she tied with Gensler for the top prize. Her
basket took the shape of giant headphones, with each end detaching to reveal
embedded speakers perfect for summertime tunes.
Check it out on her website www.modmadeny.com
AWARDS + ACCOLADES:
- AUGUST 2015: TIED FIRST PLACE DIFFA PICNIC BY DESIGN EVENT -INTERIOR DESIGN MAG.
- FEBURARY 2015: INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN TILE OF SPAIN PRESS TOUR TO CEVISAMA
- JANUARY 2015: 2ND PLACE WINNER IN PERLICK DESIGN CHALLENGE
- DECEMBER 2014: MoDmade NY FEATURED ON HOUZZ
- NOVEMBER 2014: SELECTED TO BE STYLE SCOUT FOR AMERICAN BLINDS BLOG
- OCTOBER 2014 SPONSORED TO GO ON MODENUS BLOGTOUR CALI 2014. SPONSERED BY MIELE, MR. STEAM, DXV BY AMERICAN STANDARD, ZEPHYR, WEST EDGE DESIGN,MODENUS.
- AUGUST 2014: MEET THE BLOGGER MENTION ON HOTTEST TRENDS ARTICLE ON ALTRACAST
- AUGUST 2014: INVITED TO PARTICIPATE ON THE DIFFA PICNIC BY DESIGN BOARD + DESIGNED A PICNIC EXPERIENCE FOR THE EVENT AMONG 40 OTHER NYC DESIGNERS
- JULY 2014: LISTED IN BERKELEY COLLEGE RESOURCE WEBSITE FOR BLOGS AND MAGAZINES TO SUPPORT THEIR INTERIOR DESIGN PROGRAM.
- JULY 2014: LISTED AS TOP 100 INTERIOR DESIGN BLOGS THAT YOU SHOULD READ & FOLLOW
- JANUARY 2014: WON JDR INDUSTRY AWARDS BEST ARCHITECTURE BLOG
- SEPTEMBER 2013: LISTED AS TOP 30 INTERIOR BLOGS YOU SHOULD FOLLOW ON TECHATTEND SITE
- AUGUST 2013: INVITED TO BE DESIGN EXPERT ON DEMAND DESIGN
- AUGUST 2013: INTERVIEWED ON BLOGTALKRADIO WITH GAIL ZAHTZ, DEMAND DESIGN.
- AUGUST 2013: INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN DIFFA'S PICNIC BY DESIGN EVENT AMONGST 40 OTHER NYC DESIGNERS
- JULY 2013: INTERVIEW WITH GO HOME COMPANY- THE DECORLOUNGE
- JULY 16-19 2013- INVITED TO PARTICIPATE ON BRIZO BLOGGER 19 ALUMNI EVENT IN MEMPHIS
- FEBUARY 2013- NOMINATED BEST ARCHITECTURE BLOG, JDR INDUSTRY AWARDS
- DECEMBER 2012- SPOTTED ON THE EDITOR AT LARGE
- DECEMBER 2012- SPONSORED TO GO ON MODENUS BLOGTOUR COLOGNE 2013. SPONSORS INCLUDE BLANCO, MIELE, MR. STEAM
- DECEMBER 2012: LISTED AS #5 ON MODENUS TOP 100 INTERIOR DESIGN BLOGS
- NOVEMBER 2012: WON LAYLA GRAYCE/OLIOBOARD "EXPRESS YOUR STYLE LIVING ROOM CONTEST” JUDGED BY JONATHAN ADLER
- NOVEMBER 2012: WON POPULAR VOTE FOR LAYLA GRAYCE/OLIOBOARD "EXPRESS YOUR STYLE DINING ROOM CONTEST” JUDGED BY DESIGNER TOBI FAIRLEY
- OCTOBER 2012: INVITED TO STYLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM WITH PROJECT DECOR
- SEPTEMBER 2012: INVITED TO PARTICIPATE WITH 18 ELITE DESIGN INFLUENCERS ON BRIZO’S BLOGGER 19 FASHION WEEK EVENT WITH JASON WU AT THE MERCEDES BENZ FASHION WEEK 2012 IN NEW YORK CITY.
- August 2012: MENTIONED ON DoMoore Designs AS TOP 10 BLOGGER,
- August 2012: INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN DIFFA’S PICNIC BY DESIGN EVENT AMONGST 29 OTHER NYC DESIGNERS.
- June 2012, STICK OF THE WEEK Noodles on the wall BLOG.
- AWARD: 2001 BUSINESS WEEK/ ARCHITECTURAL RECORD DESIGN AWARD FOR IWATAYA PASSAGE, FUKUOKA JAPAN
- AWARD: 21ST ANNUAL INTERIORS INTERIORS AWARD FOR "BEST PUBLIC SPACE" FOR IWATAYA PASSAGE, FUKUOKA JAPAN.
- AWARD: AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 2000 HONORS AWARD IN INTERIORS FOR IWATAYA PASSAGE, FUKUOKA JAPAN
BLOGGER ARTICLES
- NOVEMBER 2014: KAYUCONNECTION ARTICLE-EXPERT ROUNDUP ON BEST HOME IMPROVEMENTS TO INCREASE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME- 45 EXPERTS WEIGH IN.
- NOVEMBER 2014: ALFANO ON INDUSTRIAL DESIGNSTYLE SCOUT ARTICLE
- SEPTEMBER 2014: STYLE SCOUT FOR AMERICAN BLINDS ARTICLE 3 TIPS FOR MODERN HOME FASHION WITH WALLPAPER AND FABRIC
- MAY 2014: DESIGN ADVICE ON LP GENERAL CONTRACTING: "HAVE FUN WITH TEXTURE AND PATTERN"
- JULY 2014: SPOTTED ON SPACESCULPT BLOG: "FIVE CLEVER WAYS TO STYLE YOUR HOME WITH PLANTS."
- AUGUST 2013: SPOTTED IN CASUAL LIVING NEWSLETTER DUE TO ROBERT ALLEN SPONSORSHIP AT DIFFA PICNIC BY DESIGN EVENT
- JUNE 18, 2013: CLEVELAND ONLINE MAGAZINE, SUNDAY CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER SECTION. "RENTERS CAN ADD A MODERN EDGE WITH THESE STYLISH PRODUCTS."
- DECEMBER 2012- SPOTTED ON THE EDITOR AT LARGE WHILE ON BLOG TOUR COLOGNE 2012
- SPRING/SUMMER 2002,SUCCESSFUL BY DESIGN ARTICLE
mantra:
"The essence of good design is memorable design."
"Love is in the connections."
"Art can be found in unexpected ways."
"Love is in the connections."
"Art can be found in unexpected ways."
"Love high-voltage design that is aesthetically surprising,
evokes emotion and stirs up a passionate response."
"It's all about the experience."
"It's all about the experience."