IDSWEST14 HIGHLIGHTS

 The IDS West show was an exciting weekend for the design community, full of extremely talented exhibitors. Above is a quick sampling of some of my favourite highlights from the show.

The Brooklyn Exchange, curated by the talented ladies of Port and Quarter, was a booth that featured a group of gifted designers from Brooklyn, Asher Israelow, Volk Furniture, Juniper Design and Patrick Weder. I loved the work of Patrick Weder, the paper and wire pendant lamps showcased were inspired by 20th century design and naturally occurring forms. The organic quality and the warm ambience the lights gave off was very appealing.

Vancouver's own Brent Comber has done it again with his beautiful new 'Ikebana' collection; Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging. Made of Douglas Fir and finished with white hard wax oil, these tables can be configured in multiple ways. Brent's booth also had no shortage of drama with his massive Douglas Fir sculptural backdrop.

Textile designer Lori Harrison caught my eye with her abstract painterly cushions. She creates imagery by mindfully experiencing the world and re-imagining the overlooked. Her designs mimic what she see in urban settings such as graffiti and decaying cement walls and turns that imagery into beautifully executed cushions. Her work is now available at Provide and will soon be on our website.

Finally the IDS West 10th Anniversary entrance feature called 'Place' was created by Vancouver's Barter Design Co. A showcase of tall cedars displayed the art of raw to redefined and was inspired by the West Coast and what we have access to right here in our backyard.

Overall I thought the show was a great success, full of so many talents. Can't wait for next year!

Posted by Megan

DINING FOR A CAUSE

On this weeks post we wanted to chat a little bit about GE Monogram's Dinner by Design event in support of the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation hosted here in Vancouver. Provide is thrilled to have been given the opportunity to collaborate with Western Living Magazine to create a Dinner x Design installation amongst some of Vancouver's leading Interior Designers and members of our design community. We were priviliged to have a chance to work with some of the talents that we showcase here at the showroom... such as Bend Seating, David Mellor cutlery, Mud Australia dinnerware and Brooklyn designer Doug Johnston, who created an amazing custom light fixture made entirely of cotton cord.

GE monogram teamed up with The Social Concierge to host a memorable two-day event at the CBC building here in Vancouver. The festivities started with the Cocktail Art party Sunday night where Vancouver's top names in design and media enjoyed live entertainment, custom cocktails and a first hand look at the impressive displays. The intimate VIP dinner followed on Monday night, catered by Culinary Capers.

Designers such as Angela Robinson Design, BYU Design, The Cross Decor & Design and Gillian Segal (to name a few) created stunning concepts that showcased immense attention to detail and were awe inspiring. The designers also enlisted local talents such as Matthew McCormick and Jeff Martin Joinery to help in creating these elaborate custom installations.

Thank you Dinner by Design and Western Living Magazine, we were pleased to be a part of this unique and exclusive social experience that brings our design community together and supports a good cause.

Posted by Megan

Dinner by Design - http://idswest.com/highlights/dinner-design/
Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation - http://www.drpeter.org/
Western Living Magazine - http://www.westernlivingmagazine.com/
Provide Home - www.providehome.com

FALL ESSENTIALS: OUR TOP PICKS FOR FALL

 

September is a very busy month in the Vancouver design world. We've been actively preparing for IDS West and GE Monogram's Dinner by Design (more to come on that later next week). Amidst the hustle and bustle, we wanted to share with you some of our favourite fall arrivals.

We really appreciate the design trends of the fall season; primarily it's nice to see suppliers focusing on warmer tones and textures. Brass and warmer golds have been a huge trend this season and we are seeing that a lot in the fall collections from the designers we showcase. AKMD has made a brass version of their link candle holder, a modular system that can be expanded to any size, the perfect centrepiece for all of your fall dinner parties.

UK Textile designer Niki Jones' stylish and unpredictable embroidered cushions add a sense of warmth. Her designs are based around folk art & hand craft while offering a contemporary twist. The easiest way to vamp up any room is to simply switch out your cushions, these are sure to create a wow factor.

Fort Standard is a company we have fallen in love with, their brass crest bottle openers are as handsome as they are functional. The perfect gift for a hostess or the bartender aficionado in your life.

The new vessel shape 'Vaso' by the very talented Rina Menardi is featured in soft aqua marine and green bamboo. These pieces look best grouped in threes on top of a mantel or credenza. The quality of workmanship that goes into her collections is impeccable, timeless elegance, these pieces will last for years and years.

For more information on these and other products, please visit our website at www.providehome.com

Posted by Megan

ANGLEPOISE 1228 - MODERN TASK LIGHTING FOR ANY OFFICE SPACE

Sad but true, summer is quickly coming to an end. The kids are back at school and that feeling of productivity and regeneration is settling in. The idea of productivity got me thinking about the iconic task lighting company, Anglepoise. This UK company has been in production since the 1930's... if you think about it, that's a lot of task lighting that has inspired a lot of productivity!

The first Anglepoise task lamp was produced in 1931 by the companies founder George Carwardin, an automotive engineer. He developed a mechanism by which opposed springs combined could affect a unidirectional constant force on a pivoted lever counteracting the pull of gravitation. In other words, when the lever moves, it will stay exactly in place. This seamless mechanism is still used in all of the Anglepoise collections today.

A personal favourite collection of mine would be the Kenneth Grange 'Type 1228' series (available in both a desk lamp and floor lamp). Kenneth Grange is responsible for some of Britain's most iconic designs, such as the Kodak Instamatic and the London Taxi. The Type 1228 (developed in 2003) has all of the functions of a traditional Anglepoise but the design itself is far more contemporary. The translucent colourful plastic shades create ambient lighting and inject an electrifying shot of colour into any workspace. Easy to maneuver, these lamps can be turned any which way for optimal use. Available in mid green, granite grey, ice white, minerva blue, carmine red and daffodil yellow. These task lamps are sure to help launch you into productivity mode this fall.

For more information, please visit our website www.providehome.com or email us at www.providehome.com

Posted by Megan

ZUZUNAGA TRANSFORMS THE DIGITAL INTO GRAPHIC HOME & LIFESTYLE DESIGNS

 

 

Zuzunaga is a boutique design studio that creates unique, high quality fashion accessories and home interiors products.

Provide has been proudly representing Zuzunaga in our showroom and online for several years now and we often have the pleasure of catching-up with Cristian and Pedro (the co-owners of the company) on our travels – we recently saw their latest offerings while attending NY Now, a premier Interior Design show held twice a year in New York City.

Both "Bitmap" and "Roots" are striking, new collections of blankets, scarves, apple product covers, carpets and more that have been getting a substantial amount of interest from the press. The rugs Cristian Zuzunaga designed for Brintons have been shortlisted for the Elle Decoration British Design Awards 2014, in the Best British Pattern category.

Inspiration for the collections comes from the digital world – the resulting designs are highly contemporary and dynamic, while the hand-crafted modes of production soften their overall look and make them highly appealing. Famous for their use of colour, Zuzunaga offers these new designs in a wide range of colour combinations and styles. From the bold and the bright, to softer pastel hues, there is something to suit everyone's personal style.

For more information on Zuzunaga, please contact us via our website at:
www.providehome.com

Posted by David.