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Vote for Your Favorite Fabulous Sink

Written by faith | 2

The sinks by Sanindusa represent a new level of design and environmental committment.  They are not only beautifully designed but also made of recycled materials. 

Choose your favorite and let me know your vote!

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Share a Link Thursday-Visionary Weaver Defines Modern Textiles

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For over half a century, Jack Lenor Larsen has
held a preeminent position in this country as a
textile designer.

My fascination as a designer and appreciation as a textile lover is consummated with Larsen Textiles. They never fail to grab my attention and desire to share with clients who too love artistically rich fabrics.

The archive of the Jack Lenor Larsen textile company reveals time and again that the driving force behind this influential company has always been the principal that art need not be separated into high (or fine) art and low art (or craft).

The Larsen Design Studio creates  modern, artistic fabrics for interior use, yet their innovations with handwovens, batiks and fabrics in scale with modern architecture have changed the industry.

Artistic and technical explorations are the cornerstones that have kept the company on the front edge of the market for half a century.

Founded in 1952, Larsen’s first decade was a time of extraordinary growth and diversification. Initially known for their use of natural fibers and handwoven textiles, they soon learned to use power looms in ingenious ways to maintain the integrity of the design and meet the growing demand for their fabrics.

A Look at Larsen Textiles


The 1970s proved to be a decade of transition away from the boldness of the 50s and 60s to the subtle elegance of the 80s and 90s. After Larsen’s acquisition of Thaibok Fabrics in 1972, silk became an increasingly important aspect of their line. Larsen designers also explored the potential of extra-wide fabrics that could be used for seamless wall and window coverings.

Acquired by Cowtan and Tout in 1997, Larsen Textiles carries the Larsen tradition of technical innovation and design excellence into the 21st century. Casements continue to be an important part of the line, with an emphasis on the strength and elegance of linen and the possibilities of synthetic materials. There is a renewed interest in the design of wallcoverings to complement the fabric line.

For over half a century, Jack Lenor Larsen has held a preeminent position in this country as a textile designer. The“Larsen Look” was created, to a great extent, by the designer’s innovative experiments with sheer or reflective fabrics utilizing an understated palette of natural and neutral fibers: they were a perfect complement to the spare and restrained simplicity of modern architecture.

The hand and the eye of Jack Lenor Larsen are also intrinsic to all of his designs and his collections. “If we can learn to see with our hands and feel with our eyes as he does, we can more fully enjoy the creativity of the artist and the collector.” Jennifer Renzi http://nymag.com/homedesign/fall2007/39599/

A Wallcovering Revolution Continues to Break New Ground

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Utilizing both ancient and new production techniques, Maya Romanoff creates some of the most innovative and exotic surfacing materials the interior design profession has to offer-everything from glass bead and seashell encrusted papers to vinyls and inlaid wood veneers. Romanoff continues to change the face of walls, ceilings, and furnishings around the globe. More than 50% of Maya Romanoff’s wall coverings and surfacing materials are made in their Chicago studio by long-term employees. 

Sunburst Wood Veneer

The most exciting new contribution to Maya Romanoff’s legacy of invention is Sunburst, a wood veneer made of Paulownia, a fig tree that is flexible and fast renewing. Part of the company’s Ajiro collection, the product recently garnered Interior Design Magazine’s Best of Year award. With a name like Sunburst, it could have been right at home in the Woodstock era. But the veneer’s extraordinary hand-inlaid pattern and eco-conscious character make it an ideal product for today.

The company has never followed design trends, opting instead to create products that offer the timeless appeal of natural materials. With this focus, it put into place a strategy for continuing success. There can be little doubt that Maya Romanoff will be celebrating many more anniversaries in the years ahead.

Share your comments about the unique qualities of this wallcovering and the philosophy of Maya Romanoff.  Thanks to Decorati for this article.

Northwest Winner-Top Dining Tables of 2008

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Interior Design magazine named winners in their Best of the Year categories.  Featured was a favorite furniture company of mine located in Portland. Interior Design selected  Altura Furniture’s Nexus Square Extension Table, a modern pedestal table that expands diagonally, resulting in a beautifully balanced asymmetrical base.

Altura Furniture’s owners and furniture designers, Jeff Behnke and Roland Zehetbauer,  design and build exquisitely crafted, contemporary wood furniture.  Their aesthetic is timeless yet modern. Classic proportions blend with contemporary expression. Impeccable craftsmanship brands Altura Furniture. The company frequently receives acknowledgement for their thoughtful innovation.

Altura’s furniture has brought distinction to residential and commercial interiors worldwide. Altura Furniture is based in Portland, Oregon, and makes its products available through a network of trade showrooms or direct to customers located outside of those regions.