At the Milan Furniture Fair 2011 this year and last one thing was obvious: patterns are back. Walls, kitchens, floors are being revamped.Sleek cabinets are getting new doors too: so you may not have to change the entire decor.
Brilliant examples of new ways they invade kitchens can be seen at http://www.ppcmsarl.fr/marque.php/marque/ELMAR%20CUCINE
Outdoor designers will be next to catch on the trend!
In September 2011 a new premium international funriture fair will premiere in Cologne (Germany).
The event will kick off with most of the major premium brands exhibiting in this innovative concept. The 'guest' list includes Emu, Fermob, Gloster, Cane Line as well as some more niche creative leaders to be revealed shortly.
The fair, clearly understanding and positioning outdoor design as something closer to fashion and interior design than garden life, will offer large booths of a unique kind and an atmosphere that brilliantly reflects the reality of the category.
We asked the team in charge of the fair to provide details of this new venue:
1) Garden Unique, the new fair, opens in September, can you tell us more about the fair: the vision, the space and the target audience.
Garden unique is a part of the garden trade fair spoga+gafa.
It is a new premium area for premium international garden furniture brands.
The exclusive, design-orientated and high quality concept has been developed in cooperation with the market leaders.
The aim was to present a totally new environment that meets the requirements of the high-quality and luxury segment in the outdoor sector.
In addition to the up-market specialist furniture trade, furnishers, architects and buyers from the commercial sector along with building owners will inform themselves and obtain inspiration on luxury outdoor innovations in a unique setting.
2) Can you share what it will feel and look like?
A core element of the "garden unique" hall concept is the "Frame Walls", which focus the observer's attention on a specific aspect, a new product, a feature or a specific design.
These frameworks offer the garden unique-exhibitors an exclusive image for their individual presentations and open up a very special perspective for the visitors.
Special elements such as sound, lighting or fragrance will transform the hall into a room of experience for all the senses and providing "garden unique" with an exclusive ambiance.
3) Which brands will be exhibiting?
Only about 50 brands will even be allowed to exhibit in "garden unique".
Rausch, Weishäupl, Gloster, Fermob, Skagerak, Cane-Line, Sika-Horsnaes, Alexander Rose, Bauholz, Emu, Nardi, Resol and nearly 20 other renowned brand names are making use of "garden unique" for their high-quality presentations.
4) Will the fair host other events such as talks, conferences etc?
With an own restaurant/catering concept and special meeting possibilities in the "Conference Garden", the aim is to promote personal dialogue and communication within the hall.
The hall layout also includes a catwalk on which the top products are being presented within the framework of "Furniture Fashion Shows".
On the catwalk a group of creative fashion design students from the Dusseldorf Private Fashion Academy (Private Modeschule Dusseldorf) will ensure a unique interaction between outdoor lifestyle furniture and fashion.
5) The fair will have a contest, can you tell us more about this?
We wanted young, up-and-coming designers with creative ideas to be integrated into the concept and to be given the opportunity to show their creative talent in "Design Cubes" in the garden unique segment.
Therefore we launched a special creativity competition on the theme of Outdoor Design on the "Jovoto" platform. Jovoto.com is a creative online crowd sourcing platform.
The contest will tackle a task with huge potential on merging the themes of architecture, design and furniture: the balcony.
The winners will be showing their designs and creations in the garden unique segment from September 4 to 6, 2011.
CONTACT:
Koelnmesse GmbH
Messeplatz 1
50679 Cologne
Germany
Phone: +49 180 58057 75
Fax: +49 221 99 1310
visitor@spogagafa.de
Facts:
About the overall Spoga Gafa fair (within which Garden Unique is organized):
- 4th to 6th September 2011
- around 2.500 exhibitors expected
- several hundred journalists from all over the world
- more than 45.000 trade visitors from around 100 countries
Seen on www.theoutdoorstylist.com
'London based sculptor Cathy Azria has created a niche collection of sculptural outdoor fires (bonfires and pits). Her talent as a sculptor is doubled by a solid expertise in the real life challenges of safely and effectively running outdoor fires. She kindly shares her story, insights and names for your source book.
Pure frustration! When some years ago I wanted a fire for my own home and looked for what choices the market had to offer, there was only a choice of fake logs and fake coals. This market has now improved hugely but at the time the logs and coals were miserably sad and not in harmony even then with contemporary living.As a sculptor I could not choose these options for my own home so set out to create something I could live with, enjoy and never tire of. The surprise came when others loved my fire creation so much that I had no choice but to start making them for others...
Kicking off in California...
My sister-in-law in California was my first customer, then a friend of hers and so on.
I have been creating my fire sculptures ever since and sell them worldwide.
I am happy to answer their questions by email, but basically different countries have different rules to be respected. As far as the gas installation and safety are concerned, my sculpture sits freely above the gas burner. The local builder usually knows what to do best. As well as the UK , other countries where I have outdoor sculptures include America, Italy, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong.
Only a few. Many of my fires are for private clients who don't want any publicity and I have to sign strict confidentiality agreements.
(The Outdoor Stylist's note: Cathy modestly does not mention she actually works with the A list of London garden designers.)
My sculptures compliment projects which themselves can include new technologies. I am an artist to start with and have the upmost respect for all the world technicians who make it possible and improve the designs and performances of outdoors burners. Up to 15 months ago the outdoor fire market was almost a monopoly. I am very grateful to the manufacturers who believed and trusted in me and heard me when I asked them to develop safe outdoor burners. They created a rectangular outdoor gas burner which can stay outside all winter and resist snow and rain.. So far all you could find of truly good quality was a round burner ( you might see it on some of my outdoor pics on my website) , now you can have different set ups and forget the circle.. unless using a beautiful pot as base of fire.
Because of this new technology, I now have a chance to make really large outdoor fire sculptures - up to 1800 mm in diameter !!! ). At present, both gas and bio ethanol are options for outdoor fireplaces. I'm not sure what the future will bring!
Yes.
Robert Smith at Prestigious fires : http://www.prestigiousfires.co.uk/
Tony Young at Urban fires: http://www.urbangasfires.co.uk
Yes.
CATHY's site: www.bd-designs.co.uk
Caroline Garland offers a comprehensive range of garden design and project management expertise for London and the South and each of her services can be used individually or as an integral part of the complete design process.
Caroline is a fully accredited garden designer, clever with her ideas and efficient at carrying them out. She has an essential sense of beauty and style and will want to create something stunning, immaculate and original to suit you and your surroundings.
Caroline is a real gardener, she loves her flowers and will not only design a garden specifically for you but will also produce a beautiful planting scheme chosen from a wide palette of plants which will interpret your vision completely. And you will find it reassuring to know that Caroline believes in sourcing the best quality materials. She will listen to you and help you achieve the garden that you want.
Caroline also has the advantage that her husband, Peter Garland, has 30 years' experience running one of Belgravia's top landscape contracting businesses, operating under the name "Townscapes". He is one of the most experienced landscape contractors in London today and if you wish he will build your garden for you.
SEE HER WORK at : http://www.carolinegarland.co.uk
Gandia Blasco's ad campaigns are always set on sunny beaches. The furniture is always white beyond belief.
This is great but often people in the northern markets may skip their designs as they do not seem suited to less glorious weather conditions.
These recent pictures of the GD offer show how a little grey upholstery gives their designs an entirely new appeal:
Love it!
Working with Itilian weavers, Dedon, a premium player in the outdoor market, has designed very sophisticated throw cushions to complement outdoor set ups.
Technology meets classic trades & we love it!
From my blog on Garden Design http://www.gardendesign.com/blogs/anne-robert/design-water-harvesters-stylish-gift-idea
Making water harvesting cool and easy
Posted by: Anne Robert , The Outdoor Stylist | September 16, 2010
+ zoom
photo: ELHO PROne can be a design lover and be eager to go ' green' at the same time. If that is the case the experience can get frustrating because designs somehow are not always out there to help achieve this double goal. At Spoga Gafa, the international fair based in Cologne/Germany, I found a solution for those eager to contribute to the water saving challenge without giving up a passion for design. The RainDrop, is an award winning design presented by ELHO.
Water harvesting for the Ipod & Blackberry generation
Elho worked with Bas van der Veer, a young talent, fresh out of design school. The RainDrop was part of his graduation project. The design Bas created is simple: a can and support system you fix onto your drain pipe. He has opted for a very organic shape, far from the classic barrel designs or other bulky water butts. It was very important for him that the shape of the product had a clear connection with the subject: water. This explains why in his design the rain barrel is shaped like a drop of water ... a symbol for the precious element it harvests.
He also wanted to make it easy to use to encourage as many people as possible to get on board this crucial mission. He has clearly met that goal. Very simply, the can automatically fills during showers. Once it is full enough, one just removes the can and uses the water for watering plants or washing outdoor items.
A new kind of gift
Many people are eager to become more active water savers. They just lack the initial spark. So to maximise the product's appeal RainDrop is packaged in a beautiful box...making it a great gift idea too!.
Surely designs like this will help many jump on the band waggon!
Congratulations Bas!
![25012011-DSC_2140[1].jpg](http://www.myurbangardendecoguide.com/25012011-DSC_2140%5B1%5D.jpg)
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