Do you want to know the Top 20 Trends in 2010?

Trendoffice is a blog dedicated to trends in design and regular readers know that here they can always find what are the latest and most important trends in design, as well as a lot of examples about the link between fashion and interior design. But knowing what are the latest trends can be useful not only for those interested in fashion or design - some of the world's leading companies, like Microsoft, eBay, The Economist, Philips, Nokia, Google, LG Pepsico use  TrendHunter Trend Reports to better understand trends and emerging opportunities. Trend Hunter's Crowdsourced Insight (tm) represents the next generation of trend reports. Unlike trend reports created by individuals and small teams, they leverage the world's largest trend spotting network and the largest trend spotting audience to source and filter the most interesting micro-trends. If you are interested in learning what are the top 20 Trends in 2010 have a look at the video below, but for a more detailed information visit Trend Hunter. There's an early bird special on right now that will save you a couple hundred bucks.

Trends via TrendHunter.com.

Design for children from cardboard and paper

Children's rooms should not only provide suitable living space, but also it must stimulate their imagination and creativity.  Some good examples:
Freddy chest of drawers by Mirakadi - unique, whimsical and functional children’s furniture sustainably crafted with recyclable paper mache and cardboard. 

Calafant A1010x Decorate and Build Your Own Cardboard House-

easy to fold easy to color and great for play, this is an excellent Christmas present for any child. 6 non-toxic washable markers included. An ideal craft for birthday parties or preschool and school projects. All pieces are pre-punched on sturdy white cardboard made mostly from recycled cardboard . No glue or scissors needed.(above)
 
Cardboard Playhouse  - A wonderful place for creative and imaginative play. Quick and easy to assemble this sturdy Cardboard Playhouse features windows and doors that open and close. As a fun arts and crafts activity little ones will delight in coloring and decorating a Playhouse all their own.(below)

Two objects for the price of one

Great solution for those to whom space is at a premium (a compact rug doubling as an additional seat) - Gregory is a footstool/table which transforms into a rug (and vice versa) in one simple operation. A new, simple and ingenious idea that will appeal also to children of all ages and to the more practical or economic amongst us, who love to get two objects for the price of one. Ligne Roset's table/stool, carpet "Gregory" is designed by Gregory Lacoua and is part of Design Real, a groundbreaking presentation of contemporary design - an exhibition curated by Konstantin Grcic at the Serpentine Gallery London.

via designws
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You can now leave your portrait for the next generations

with the help of Sicis - the way ancient people did. Remember Pompeii mosaic floors? They are one of the most vivid evidence about the people who lived there and the way they lived - even under the layers of lava.

This ancient technique has survived through the centuries, has charmed generations and is referred to as the 'etrnal painting'. With the help of SICIS it is now easier to create personalized mosaic - they are launching now their new Portrait collection made, on request, in every size and colour. It represents the full possibility of customizing. The material used is glass and the mosaic is handcrafted.

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Vivienne Westwood in Interior Design

The lace trend started several years ago, but now you can have lace on your walls, too. As you have already seen in my earlier posts, fashion and interior design are very closely interconnected. A new example of this link: Vivienne Westwood fans can now dress their walls in some of her signature prints.

She has teamed up with Cole & Son, to create an extensive range of wallpapers  inspired by some of her most recognized fashion collections. left: 'Vivienne's Lace' design from Westwood's S/S 07 'I am Expensiv' collection

right: Cut-out Lace' from the S/S 07 'I am Expensiv' collection

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Tim&Mary - Folded Glass Baroque

Baroque will obviously continue to fascinate designers and provoke new interesting interpretations. I was impressed by this elegant and light coffee table, named Tim&Mary, by the young french designer  Pierre Lescop.

 

His brief description: Coffee table, Folded glass and painted
Based on the Baroque theme, I used the formal code, and played with. Tim Burton's atmosphere and furniture inspired me to create : "Tim&Mary"

via

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Interior Designers Help Homeowners Discover Styles

If you are not sure why you may need an interior designer or what this service will cost you, go read the article with this title on  NYTimes.com.

"Cost and the fear of paying high fees are the main reasons why consumers shy away from designers, but professionals say not hiring them can also be expensive. ''We save money because we know what works and what doesn't work. Typically a designer doesn't make mistakes. A good designer can work with a reasonable budget and will be able to tell you approximately how much a project is going to cost and can offer you, if needed, low, medium and high end choices''."

It shows also something many clients forget - what are the advantages of hiring a designer to help you with your own home furnishing dilemmas instead of using the free design services offered usually by furniture retailers - "However, typically consumers pay the full retail price and are limited to the merchandise carried by the stores."
Other very useful information you can find in this article:  what  generally the design process involves, tips to working with a designer or decorator, fees and low-cost alternatives. And finally, something I would always like to tell customers:

Web sites are a good way to view portfolios, but remember that the looks displayed often represent the clients', rather than the designer's, style.

 More on the role of the interior designer in one of my earliest posts: Design Versus Decoration
and in this great article by another professional: To be or not to be....or...to hire or not to hire an interior designer.

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Kettal Maia wins Interiorismo Plus Award for Excellence in Outdoor Furniture

Some news that will hardly surprise anyone acquainted with this beautiful collection -  the Kettal Maia collection, designed by Patricia Urquiola, has won the Interiorismo Plus Award for Excellence in Outdoor Furniture. The award was presented at the Gala Dinner held in Barcelona on 4 November. Have a look at the latest additions to the Maia collection - Urquiola's swing chair is my favourite :

source: Interiornews.com

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Talent 2009 at Designhuis

Designhuis Eindhoven presents its second edition of Talent with 175 objects and installations from the 2009 graduates of 30 european design institutes and universities.

A lot of talent and clever design solutions along with playful approach and fantasy. Enjoy some of the projects that I liked very much:

'Selfpowered lamp' (left),

designed by Allard from BoerHogeschool (

photo byLsa Klappe)

consists of 90% recycled material and is powered by muscle strength. By using weights one can see how much energy is needed to keep one lamp burning. One hour of light needs 4000 kilos, 4 kg will give you 6 seconds of light. Allard Boer efforts to make people conscious about there energy consumption. In this prototype he lets construction, technique and design coincide while the archetypal form of a lamp is maintained.

Copper cabinet, Designer David Derksen

Graduated Design Academy Eindhoven 2009

This fragile cabinet is intended to store small things that hold a great personal value. It's entirely made of copper foil with a thickness of 0.1 millimetre. The folds make it sturdy and give it a papery look. You can see that the cabinet needs to be handled gently and with care, the same applies to its content.

Wall lungs, Designer Myrthe Mandemakers

Graduated Sint Joost, 2009

(

photo designws.com)

Designers idea: Plants are the lungs of the house, these 'wall lungs' enhance the air quality and improve the acoustics. They are made from biological degradable felt that's been treated for dust mites. The plants grow on biological cotton that's been finished with a watertight natural rubber.

Bisazza Opens a New Flagship Store in Miami

Bisazza flagship stores are a great source of inspiration for interior designers and clients searching for luxury interior surfacing materials and furniture.
All Bisazza flagship stores are located in the main capitals of design: Antwerp, Barcelona, Berlin, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Milan, Moscow, New York, Paris, Rome and most recently Tokyo – with a Miami location opening in December.
Each Bisazza flagship store explores the amazing beauty of mosaic as a decorative mediumand suggests ideas for its way of application. The new flagship store in Miami is its fourth showroom in the United States.
It is located in the Design District area inside an impressive building and occupies a space of 400 square meters. The airy and luminous environments are perfectly fit for displaying the Bisazza Mosaic Collection and Bisazza Home, an assortment of furniture and decorative accessories signed by leading designers such as: Andrée Putman, Jaime Hayon, Marcel Wanders, Patricia Urquiola.




(via PRWEB)

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