Wild Tile

Posted by Jennifer Sergent Monday July 28, 2008 - 04:50 PM

I started out writing a post about a fabulous new tile collection I first spotted on the Trendir blog, called Rako 2008 by a company in the Czech Republic called Lasselberger.

The Botanica collection in particular caught my eye. It’s along the lines of some gorgeous new Ann Sacks tile introduced this year as well, which I wrote about in May.


But as I started looking through the dozens of product shots they include with each of the new Rako lines (some of which are a little too racy for a family blog!), I just started laughing. The Europeans definitely have a different approach to marketing than the Americans.

This Denim line is beautiful for sure, but the way she is looking so longingly at it is hilarious.


Let’s see, is she getting ready for her day, or winding down after a night out?


Once you get past the flying lady in the sling (if you ever do), this tile is called Tetris.


Here, snaky, snaky! Let me give you a kiss on my beautiful Villa tile.


And isn’t that the cutest thing?? My giant python is playing hide and seek!


If you are going to exercise at home, this Shikoku tile is sure to boost your kickboxing juju. 


Or if classic boxing is your sport, do it with Dolce Vita as your backdrop.


OK, I have two young sons, but bath time has never resembled this utopian scene:


This tile is called Bonanza, and they mean it in more ways than one!

Modern Organic

Posted by Jennifer Sergent Monday May 19, 2008 - 02:42 PM

It hit me when I was looking at designs for shower doors, of all things. Sterling’s new series of frosted shower door designs this spring includes Bishop’s Lace, a lovely modernized floral pattern.

shower doors with a lovely modernized floral pattern

And then I realized how many cool, contemporary incarnations of nature have come out in the past few years, which takes the organic theme to a new, shimmering level – even when it graces the most mundane of products, such as shower doors … or window film.

Emma Jeffs’ White Orba design harkens the sunflowers.

modernized floral design on a window

Brume, another window film company, has these ultra-cool leafy designs, which are available here and here.

floral pattern window films

Moving on to the king of modern organic design, Tord Boontje: Real Simple magazine this year touted his Garland Shade Light as one of 10 home accessories “that will stand the test of time.”

Tord Boontje's garland shade

Boontje’s Copper Garland is in the same vein.

copper garland

 

Boontje’s work recalls UK artist Susan Bradley’s Outdoor Wallpaper:

outdoor wallpaper

Bradley’s Botanica collection is equally inspiring:

Bradley's Botanica collection

Alessi’s Mediterraneo series also takes up the charge:

floral design soap holder

And if you want to take a bike ride through nature, nothing beats this basket:

floral design bicycle basket

Finally, Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola calls her T-Table (T stands for transgenic) a technological fossil, according to Dwell magazine. Along with Boontje’s Garland Shade Light, her table was also honored by Real Simple magazine as another one of the 10 accessories that will become a future collectible.

You can get it here:

Patricia Urquiola's T-Tables