ICFF 2011 and Beyond…

Design Watch Members explored the International Contemporary Furniture Fair with Matilda McQuaid, Deputy Curatorial Director. The tour’s theme, wallcoverings and textiles, led us to Scrapwood Wallpaper Made in Holland by Piet Hein Eek. Best known for crafting furniture from salvaged wood, Hein Eek created a line of non-woven, washable wallpaper. Next, we visited Trove for the debut of Stoneground, an amazing new wallpaper made from stone powder and resin (requires no trees or water to produce). The Inside Norway booth showcased modern interpretations of historic Scandinavian designs from the 50s through the 70s. Members ‘tested’ the Convita recliner, the Nord chair of pine wood and molded felt, and the Røros-Tweed blankets featuring Setesdal, the most iconic of Norwegian knitting patterns. The finale of the tour was Africa Now. The vibrant booth featured woven concepts from Mali and Senegal that blend ethnic vision with contemporary elan. Other dynamic design happenings citywide: the first edition of Wanted Design NYC in West Chelsea and Gallery R’Pure exhibited works inspired by the late Tobias Wong in Brokenoff Brokenoff. Sight Unseen organized the second annual Noho Design District and the transformation of an old lumber warehouse into the American Design Club. See more photos on Facebook.