Dutch designer Piet Boon has designed a new series of Concrete Wallpaper in cooperation with NLXL that will launch at this year’s ICFF in New York. NLXL previously collaborated with Piet Hein Eek on the scrapwood wallpaper collection that we love so much.

Piet Boon, whose sophisticated work is sleek and understated, wanted to utilize his favorite material, concrete, in a more affordable way. The wallpaper transforms a space to look like concrete, yet maintains the original walls just in case you decide to change your mind down the road. It’s a simple solution to get the look of concrete, especially using NLXL’s high-quality paper and production methods.

Studio Guilherme Torres came onto the RL House project towards the end of it being completed when the owners longed for a new look that was anything but traditional. Located in Curitiba, Brazil, the two-bedroom (plus an office) apartment is now full of personality with its mostly blue and green decor.

It’s an eclectic mix of textures and patterns making it serious eye candy. While not overly done, the place is high on contemporary style while most definitely remaining a livable space.

The wood wall is made of Brazilian Pinus wood (a type of pine) that has pretty much no value in the country, but looks amazing on this wall.

The bedroom is void of the colors you see in the rest of the space – mainly furnished in black and white.

Photos by Denilson Machado (MCA Estúdio).

Kartell’s Salone del Mobile stand showcased an iconic range of products, deconstructed. Every phase of the creative process was on show, from initial sketches, through prototyping to the final manufactured products.

Products from Philippe Starck, Piero Lissoni, Ferruccio Laviani, Patricia Urquiola, Tokujin, Yoshioka, Mario Bellini, Ferruccio Laviani, Eugeni Quitllet and Rodolfo Dordoni were included in the exhibition. I have chosen the Foliage chair and sofa from Patricia Urquiola to follow.

Brands are often very protective and secretive about what goes on behind the scenes, especially big brands like Kartell, so this exhibition was a bold move, and very exciting to see for anyone who is interested in the mechanics of the design process.

Patricia Urquiola’s Foliage range was inspired by nature, and intended to look as if each piece simply “grew” from plastic, with “leaves” resting on a framework of “branches.” Seeing the design process like this makes you realize how much more complicated it is than that to create something which ends up looking so simple.

The seats are made from polyurethane foam padding with quilted fabric upholstery, and the legs from tubular painted iron. I loved seeing all the markings and comments on the prototypes where they were being adjusted until they were just right.

I think by revealing so much of what goes into the design and manufacturer of a product, Kartell has actually been very clever. It’s only by understanding the process and the effort it takes to bring products like these to life, that people will appreciate their true value.

The top-stitched embroidery covers the entire surface, including the back, to make sure it looks gorgeous from any angle.

And it’s now joined by a smaller, and very cozy, armchair. Both come in a choice of  yellow, green, turquoise, red, grey, black or brown upholstery with legs in white, black, red or acid green. I want a yellow one with acid green legs!

Our trip to Milan was supported in part by Airbnb.com.

Designed by Per Weiss in 2010 after a trip to Milan, the SLY Z10 is a small sofa with removable back pillows that converts into a queen-sized bed. It immediately caught my eye with its dark gray fabric (a big trend from High Point this year) and contrast red stitching. I especially love that the stitching on the seat and back was made in a cross pattern to give the feel and look of tufting without actually having any buttons.

I was pleasantly surprised that, upon closer inspection, the stitching was actually a zig-zag. I am loving this detail!

The pillows have such amazing attention to detail and seem as tailored as an expensive suit.

We asked the Innovation representative to demonstrate how the sofa becomes a bed:

I really love how it looks from the back, but I couldn’t get a photo so here’s the press shot:

Behind the scenes!

There was also another sofa in the Innovation showroom that had the same fabric and stitching that I thought was such a cute little apartment sofa. I wanted to put it in my purse and bring it home with me.

As you know, I used the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone during the show to shoot all the images and video, tweet, and even do Facebook posts… but as you can see in the “behind the scenes” image above, I’ve usually got my hands full. I used OneNote to take notes during the show, including voice notes. I’m obsessed with voice notes, voice reminders, anything I can do with no hands is my best friend.

After reviewing all my notes, voice notes, videos and photos, I created a checklist to organize the posts I wanted to write from the show – time to check off the last one!

I also organized all my photos into specific folders for each post and then: Ta-da! They show up automatically when I log into SkyDrive, and I can download the whole folder with one click. My notes are automatically there, too. So easy. The only things I think I’d like to see next time is the ability to download my voice notes from Skydrive and the ability to add events and reminders to my calendar using my voice, but I’m sure that’s coming very soon!

I’m so grateful to have been able to go to High Point this year and share my experience with you. It’s a really fun show – I mean, what could be better to a furniture-lover than an entire town full of furniture? I highly recommend that you make a trip one day soon.

Brought to you by the new AT&T Nokia Lumia 900.
Tasks. Joys. Simply Faster.

The Grand Canyon and Yellowstone are great and all, but considering going farther back in time this summer with a trip to China to see the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the Terracotta Warriors. Said warriors are in Xi’an, where Swisstouches has recently opened a new property, its first in China, Swisstouches Hotel Xi’an. Designed by global hospitality design firm HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, which has offices in 13 countries, the 318 room hotel has a contemporary Swiss sensibility, a first for the ancient metropolis. Today’s Destination Design takes a look at this fresh example of East meets West.

There are a handful of restaurants as well as banquet rooms and meeting rooms, one of which is quirkily adorned with an array of cuckoo clocks. Take the tour below.

HBA used modern architectural elements, furnishings, and materials throughout the public and private spaces. In the lobby, the floor and rectangular columns are clad in white stone and custom graphic rugs define seating areas. Instead of the traditional, long wooden reception desk, there’s a stone and glass pod. The open staircase seems suspended by steel cables and interesting geometric metal sculptures hang from the ceiling.

The guest rooms are crisp and chic, and the two-story spa holds incredible appeal with its  variety of hot and cold dip pools done in brilliant turquoise. Similar to spas in Switzerland, the atmosphere is very mineral finished with a variety of textured beige and gray stone. The main pool is a sleek black rectangle; the space giving off the aura of a deep, dark night.

Are you packed yet?

What: Swisstouches Hotel Xi’an
Where: 22 Feng Hui South Road, GaoXin District, Xian, Shaanxi, China 710065
How much: Rooms start at $150 per night this summer.
Highlights: A Swiss spa that includes a trio of hot and cold water experiences.
Design draw: We love the contrast of the sleek Swiss sensibility in an ancient cultural mecca.
Book it: info@swisstouches.com or online.

Take a virtual vacation with more design destinations here.

Provide Home presented a brand new, exclusive collection of furniture by Canadian designer (and Design Milk fave) Christian Woo. Crafted from sustainably harvested hardwoods and finished with hand rubbed oils, each piece is lovingly made with a deep knowledge and understanding of the wood being used. I could regurgitate his gushing bio but honestly the proof is in the pudding — I’ve seen his work up close and I can say it’s probably some of the best most precise and well-made furniture I’ve ever seen. Sturdy and healthy, these pieces are timeless heirlooms.

It’s an exciting time of year for us at Design Milk. Starting Wednesday, Caroline and I are headed to NYC for Design Week and the International Contemporary Furniture Fair. Make sure to follow us during the show for live updates:

- Twitter: @designmilk
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/designmilk
- Instagram: @design_milk
- Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/designmilk

And please stop by Bobby Berk Home in Soho on Saturday 5/19 for the first official “Design Milk Presents” event: Reinvention; Writing History in Aluminum.

Italian architect and designer Stefano Pugliese presented a series of furniture at SaloneSatellite – Furniture Family Made in “Chitaly.” If you didn’t guess, Chitaly is a combination of Chile and Italy, the two places in which this series was made.

The series is the result of “a formal exercise that explores the mechanical and aesthetic value of plywood paired with black Raystone, which is a 100% organic petrol-free bio composite board produced from the waste of sugar production. Through digital controlled cutting technology and simple finishing work, the project seeks to deliver different solutions starting from a single type of joint. Like all members of a family, all pieces are slightly different but similar.”

The patterns on the top look a lot to me like math equations, punctuation and letters. I think there’s something more here to be explored.

Photos by Giulio Boem.