Is White the new Black?

Hmmm... We saw lots of monochromatic white everywhere we went early this year. Could this be a whiter, brighter story that could take some of black's market share? The crisp and clean approach also works with a healthy, clean lifestyle that falls into the sustainability trend we have been seeing. Here are some great white pictures we fell in love with from IMM Cologne:

Gervasoni:Arte M:Cassini:Karup:

IMM Cologne: Team by Wellis

Multi-functional furniture is always great, but we really love furniture that has iPod functionality. Does it get any better than that? This new release from Team by Wellis offers built in iPod sound in a sleek and minimalistic way. Lounging with your favorite iTunes has never been easier!

IMM Cologne: Sustainability the Mega Trend

Sustainability has become a boundless mega trend, this is a fact that many manufacturers, designers and vendors have realized is key for their product categories. At just about every trade show we've attended so far in 2009 the wood is reclaimed, sustainable or FSC certified. Fabrics are organic, vegetable dyed and handcrafted. Even metals are recycled, repurposed or raw and untreated. That leads us to the design...

Sustainable or not in construction, designers have capitalized on the "sustainable look". Natural looking materials, soft earthy colors, loose knits, hand weaves, raw woods and untreated metals are now a decor "must have". You need them to coordinate with your flea market finds, your handmade treasures and your organic, green and sustainable products. At IMM Cologne we found Furninova doing a wonderful job of creating upholstered furnishings with just the right look to blend with your sustainable design decor direction.

Maison Objet: Stripes are back in a big way

This year it was all about updating the basics, which meant that stripes were back and they were dressed up and ready to party! Bold, wide stripes, unique color combinations, patterns within stripes and even stripes on walls - stripes made a comeback in a big way and we like it! Here are some of our favorites:

We're pretty sure THG wanted us to look at this great shower faucet, but we couldn't take our eyes off of this great striped application for the walls:

These funky, pattern within stripes applications of design on this classic sofa from Lelievre really mixes it up and creates a whole new look:

The mixing of skinny stripes with wide, bold stripes and blocks of color is fresh when combined with touches of exotic patternwork from the French textile company, Jalla:

Menswear stripes get updated at Kenzo with the application of milk chocolate browns with splashes of ultra-feminine pinks:

Bright and vivid colors on this classic stripe from Etro invigorates the basic sofa and accessories:

Cologne IMM: Louging Around at NOW by Hulsta

Innovations in storage and small space solutions have been key at many of the furniture shows this season. We liked Hulsta Studio's approach to this strong statement while addressing the younger generation's love of lounging on the floor. Many of their NOW furniture line's pieces were lower to the floor, yet still answered the need for shelving, tables and places to work and be organized - even while kicking back and relaxing.

Advertising That Transcends All Generations

This is fun and even more fun to share, so pass it around. We love how T-Mobile approached all different age groups within a single advertisement in the UK. Enjoy!

Maison Objet: Custom Window Coverings at Linea

We are a sucker for anything custom, handmade and unique for the home. Really, it's something that makes us very happy, so when we found Linea making handmade, custom blinds that were more like artwork it made our day. They really offered something for every trend preference and taste level. The young, funky dragon, the menswear inspired stripe, the very feminine lacy pattern and the casual leafy pattern all answered very different styles. Our personal favorite? The leafy pattern that escapes the blinds and climbs the walls! We love the concept that blinds, artwork and wall design can all become one flowing idea...

Cologne IMM: Reclaimed Wood by Anteak

We have written many a post in the past all on reclaimed woods. Floors, walls, doors, furniture, counter tops - you name it we find that home construction and product design has such a unique flair when using reclaimed woods. Our trip to Cologne IMM didn't disappoint and we found Anteak using reclaimed woods to create unique textures and patterns using repurposed woods. Our favorite had to be the coffee table using different colors and planking to create a one of a kind look. When paired with the elegant gray chairs the reclaimed wood dining table had a rustic / elegant look, don't you think?

Meuble at Maison Objet: Pierre Cayron

Meuble at Le Bourget is a dedicated furniture fair that is part of the Maison Objet Show featuring unique furniture designs and applications. One of our favorite finds at this small venue was Pierre Cayron's pieces done in a beautiful brushed, dovetailed oak. The dining set and matching armoire had interesting built-in features such as a self-storing ladder and storage underneath all of the dining chairs. Cayron is committed to making all his furniture locally, in Avignon, France. Beautiful!

Cologne IMM: Sustainable Wood

So here's an interesting story... We traveled all the way to Germany to the Cologne IMM furniture fair to find a furniture maker that is helping to repurpose wood that we discard here in the USA. Hartmann takes gum wood hearts that we might disregard as unusable here in our country and they turn it into this exotic and beautiful application for cabinetry and furniture. We love the modern, horizontal grains and the sustainable application of reusing discarded materials to create something so unique and exotic!

Flick Photostream Updated! - Builders Show '09

Our Flickr Photostream has been updated to include some images from the show floor at IBS '09, The Builder Living Home and The New American Home. More posts from IBS coming next week along with our coverage of our attendance of Maison Objet in Paris and the Cologne IMM Furniture Fair. Have a great weekend and we'll see you back here on Monday!

Photo: The Builder Living Home

Are You Patriotic At Home?

This week has been filled with red, white and blue, the American flag, ceremonies, balls and bill signings. We thought we would wrap up our week of Americana coverage by featuring this lovely and patriotic home featured on Freshome. It's a Carl Dalhstedt creation that uses the American flag as it's inspiration for color, design and theme. For more pictures, head on over to Freshome for more coverage.

Builder Living Home 2009

We were really looking forward to touring the Builder Living Home at this year's Builders Show. The pre-show buzz had really captured our attention and when we heard that then entire home was assembled inside the convention center in three and a half days, we had to see this one for ourselves!

This warm and modern prefab home came in around 2400 sq. ft., but did feel much larger thanks to wide doorways, enormous windows and a generous floor plan. The purpose of the home was to show the building industry that green, modular home construction can be physically and financially attainable. You can read more on the home's Z6 Goal Program (Zero Waste, Water, Energy, Emissions, Carbon & Ignorace), sustainable certifications and construction specs at the Living Homes site. This innovative start up is offering builders two lines of single and multi-family designs that result in healthier, happier homes that have a dramatically smaller ecological footprint than most new homes.

For now, we'd like to share some of our favorite design attributes of this spacious and sustainable home. We loved the open, yet very sturdy staircase, the open shelving in front of the kitchen window allowing storage without sacrificing the view, the fun and inspired kids room using low VOC chalkboard paint, the sustainable furnishings and the wide doorways with solid wheatcore doors.

Builder: Living Homes

Architect: Kieran Timberlake

Interior Design: Color Design Art

Builders Show: New Doors from Masonite

Doors and windows are some of our favorite places to look for innovation at the Builder's Show. This year Masonite had a nice selection of new interior doors with unique horizontal reed glass, an elegant white satin glass and an interesting modern ironwork pattern. Beautiful!

Builders Show: Outdoor Environments at The New American Home

We have much to share about our tour through The New American Home at the Builders Show in Las Vegas this year. But, after the long shuttle ride, the even longer line to get in and our aching feet... our first post on this home is a short one showcasing the outdoor environments, living spaces and landscaping around the home that were simply breathtaking. Here are some great pictures from the outdoor areas of this innovative home: