Don't miss the LTD Digital Trend Tour at Downtown Design 2020!
When we started creating our popular Trend Tours, we always envisioned a physical pathway through some of our favourite products and brands in our favourite design fairs. Little did we know that we would be going digital so soon. Thanks to 2020, we were pushed into the virtual realm, and you know something? It still works… quite well.
The Digital Fair launched today on the Downtown Design website. So here we are with the LTD Digital Trend Tour at Downtown Design 2020. But we must admit, this shortlisting was incredibly tough as the competition was fierce, with each showcased brand being so very drool worthy. However, choose we must. We have subdivided our virtual 'stroll' into themes, to allow you to be more selective with your choice.
Illuminate Your World!
It's a wonder how lighting, when done well, changes everything – the mood, the look, the feel. Here are some lighting firms that achieve all that in the most creative way possible.
How can we forget this boutique, luxury studio's work that took our breath away last year. Klove specialises in custom lighting solutions ranging in style from neo-classical to contemporary. Their core business is creating light sculptures and installations, while the product line focuses on decorative lights, chandeliers, lamps and accessories.
Visit their digital showcase here
Creative Mary
Creativemary designs and manufactures exclusive artisanal lamps since 2012 and have been on many trade shows since. Their expert production is one of the few in Europe that still combines glass and metal work through traditional craftsmanship techniques.
Marc Ange
Marc Ange creates objects, spaces, and furniture, inspired by his surreal universe. Born and raised in Rome, the designer's conceptualisations are balanced between real and unreal, perfection and imperfection, harmony and dissonance, all coming together as an incarnation of his unconscious.
Visit the digital showcase here
MYO
MYO comes from a history of lighting with more than a century of experience. MYO was born with the aim of creating emotional lighting, lighting that goes beyond the function of giving light to the spaces.
VG was founded in 1991 in Treviso, 20 km from Venice, and makes authentic and unique objects available to interior designers for use in exclusive projects, always different, never conformist, characterised by a cultured and moderately ostentatious luxury, the result of continuous research on stylishly decorative design.
Puff Buff
PUFF BUFF by Polish designers Anna Siedlecka and Radek Achramowicz, make original, innovative lamps and chandeliers designed to add spice to life – beauty but with a generous dose of humour. Using biomimicry and biophilia as their sources of inspiration, their creations often take after bio luminescence of glowing sea-organisms, jellyfish and other animals.
This evocative, fun and tongue-in-cheek lighting brand has a very directional style. Their unmistakable lights are a quirky mix of design and pop art, that interpret the aesthetic appeal of the age-old lamp and traditional neon lighting, but with a twist. Plus, they are completely customisable, where the end user can select from a range of messages and base finishes.
This incredibly innovative lighting brand is launching Flexia at the Digital Fair. Flexia has been designed to improve the quality of the environment, generating an efficient combination for all lighting needs. Its light, versatile design fits into all contexts in which acoustic and visual well-being needs to be assured.
Step Outside & Breathe…
If there's one thing we have learnt from wellness experts around the world, it's to get as much time as possible outdoors, breathing in fresh, clean air. And it's even more fun to fill those lungs deep when you are surrounded by beautiful, and comfortable, furniture and art.
Unique within the outdoor industry, Dedon owns and operates the entire supply chain of its woven collections, from fiber production in Germany to furniture manufacturing on the Philippine island of Cebu. In addition to its iconic handwoven furniture, the company offers innovative, award-winning collections in teak, upholstery and more.
Italian company Ethimo specialises in high-quality outdoor furnishings and décor, taking inspiration from the warm, inviting colours of the Mediterranean, and the charm of humble, authentic places. Their contemporary design collections are made with comfort and practicality in mind and enhance any outdoor area.
Indigenus design and manufacture beautiful, durable architectural planters developed to uplift and enhance residential, hospitality and corporate environments. Their original and unique contemporary designs are generated in collaboration with leading designers, architects and artists who have a deep appreciation of the scenic quality of creative planting.
Tidelli
The brand has more than 55 nautical rope colours that are extremely durable and resistant. Developed with imported polyester threads, they do not absorb heat or liquids, are malleable, easy to clean, and require minimal maintenance. Also, the furniture is not disposable. It can be remodeled, repainted and re-woven, gaining an update in the design.
Haldane Martin
Haldane Martin focuses on innovative outdoor leisure that elevates the connection with nature, designing luxurious furniture that enhances the experience and celebrates slow living in comfort and beauty. The South African design icon is a multi-award winning furniture and interior designer. His designs are heralded as culturally significant contributions to the South African design language.
Italian company Pedrali produce modern furniture for the contract and residential sectors. Their collections result from meticulous research aimed at creating functional and versatile industrial design products in metal, plastic materials, wood and upholstery, combining tradition and innovation, engineering excellence coupled with creative brilliance.
WIId Design
Laurie Wiid van Heerden established this studio, often working collaboratively with other artists and across a wide variety of materials. The product range spans furniture, lighting, ceramics, tableware and collectible objects that combine specialist manufacturing with handcrafting. The studio has become well-known for its innovative use of cork in high-end product design, architecture and large-scale production manufacturing.
Motivated by how good design can support and nurture relationships between people, their networks and their tasks, Italian company Arper create human-centric furniture and furnishings for community, work and home. At the fair, they have showcased their latest collections, Adell and Aston Club.
When interior design and art merge as one, this is where we get truly excited. In our tour, we came across some brands that truly blur the line between functional and creative, making beautiful canvases out of furniture.
Locally based KALO is a practice run by designer and architect Ammar Kalo. His work interrogates the relationship between digital technology and traditional craft. Known for his complex exploration of the natural materials, Kalo's works are also part of the permanent collection at Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York.
Kashida
Kashida product design studio creates bespoke design pieces based on 3D Arabic calligraphy. The Kashida brand strives to transcend traditional manifestations of Arabic calligraphy by bringing these beautiful letterforms to life through bespoke, functional design.
Villa Africa
Villa Africa's showcases an eclectic collection of art and furniture, working in collaboration with local artists and artisans. Founded by Philip Tyers, the gallery is know to fabricate unique pieces in a range of materials. Their work and art is the result of a collaborative process that effortlessly brings together an eclectic mix of influences, styles and genres, to deliver story-driven, collective pieces.
Antidote promotes artists and designers by showcasing their work in fairs worldwide. At Downtown Design 2020, Antidote presents 'Levitate', a table designed by architect and designer, Raza Zahid. Featuring 120 individual metal plates that morph in shape and size, Levitate is the result of an ongoing investigation into the geometries, patterns and forms that exist in nature and the rules that govern them.
This South Korean artisanal art studio focuses on the ancient crafts of mother-of-pearl, showcasing exquisite designs and refined craftsmanship. They add modern sophistication to traditional craft techniques in order to create contemporary pieces aimed to accommodate the modern lifestyle.
Kawn Design
Founded Rama Akel in Jordan, Kawn brings to life unique, limited and imaginative pieces, bridging the gap between art and practicality with the hands of local craftsmen. Elegant, sleek and modern, Kawn journeys beyond furniture with clear sensitivity to materials' originality, and evident compassion to life experiences.
A pioneer and leading manufacturer of pods, phone booths and soundproof private spaces, their products make employees happier and more productive in offices of dozens of the world's leading companies, including Microsoft, Puma and Tesla. In fact, 40% of all Forbes 100 companies use Framery.
The brand offers three new collections at the fair. Developed in collaboration with Gensler, the Resonate collection features light-scale, contemporary, modular lounge furnishings and chairs. The Lud'o Lounge chair by Patricia Urquiola can be dressed and re-adorned to make room for a more playful side of ourselves. And Compose Connections is a light-scale, spine-based system with flexibility and quick re configurations in open-plan spaces.
This brand is now positioned among the haute couture of international design, as a leading upholstered-furniture manufacturer. They bring quality in design, allowing for personalisation, and handling small orders as well as large supplies with the same care and attention. At the Digital Fair, Moroso presents their latest collection entitled Ruff, Get Lucky, Gogan Table and Toba Sofa.
Since its inception in 1905, the company's innovative, problem-solving designs and furnishings have inspired the best in people wherever they live, work, learn, heal, and play. They shape places that matter for customers while contributing to a more equitable and sustainable future for all. At the Digital Fair, Herman Miller presents Catena, Llma, Civic Tables, Bubble Lamps, Mamo Desk, Nevi Sit-stand Desk and Port Storage.
The brand covers all types of seating needs for the office and home workplace. Their products range from seating solutions for reception and waiting areas to office workspaces to communication areas and areas for collaboration. They support the body perfectly and have a positive impact on productivity. An Interstuhl chair is always a companion which not only looks good, but sits right too.
Surface Level
Walls, flooring, and surfaces in general are so very crucial to an interior. These elements form the very canvas upon which we place our furniture, art, lighting and more. And it is also these elements that often receive the most wear. To be able to be functional, robust, yet stunning is a feat that some of these brands accomplish beautifully.
Iwan Maktabi
Styl' Edition
A new avenue for creative expression for Stylgraph in large-scale decorative ceramic slabs, Styl' Editions aims to offer complete freedom of choice and movement in the construction of any desired design environment. The company's strong commitment to expressive and graphic design has contributed to the development of their wallpaper department, which produces decorative solutions upon customers requests.
DKT ArtWorks
By combining both dedication to traditional craftsmanship and desire to push creative boundaries, DKT have been able to work closely with their customers, allowing truly original ideas to flourish. Approaching every project individually, DKT Artworks can work from a firm creative brief or collaborate in the concept development, as well as be involved at any stage of the process, guaranteeing the best solutions.
Hands Carpets craft some of the world's finest hand knotted carpet with an incredible 4900 knots per square inch. With their home base in India, they cater to the world's most prestigious hotels and residences. Hands latest collection, One Love curated by Padmini Pandey, is on display at the Digital Fair, and is a creative response to the impact of the global pandemic.
Naturex
Naturtex creates innovative and contemporary textile products. The brand has managed to unify the past and the future, tradition and innovation in a singular and personal way, keeping its origins but always with its sight oriented to progress. At the Digital Fair, Naturtex presents their latest pieces titled Diamond and Tamiout.
This global flooring company specialises in carbon neutral carpet tiles and resilient flooring, including luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and nora® rubber flooring. They help their customers create high-performance interior spaces that support well-being, productivity, and creativity, as well as the sustainability of the planet. Their mission, Climate Take Back™ invites you to join them as they commit to operating in a way that is restorative to the planet and creates a climate fit for life.
New Terracotta
This Portuguese handmade ceramic brand was established in 2014. Their premise is to create a new dimension of tiles by merging the ancient techniques with contemporary aesthetics. Their tiles are entirely handmade, therefore each tile is unique with subtle shade variations, irregular edges and small imperfections. No two tiles are ever the same.
Shore Rugs
This wellness-focused, lifestyle and design brand pioneers in the field of ergonomic rugs. They believe a rug can be both beautiful and exceptionally functional. Synchronising rigorous material research with an innovative craft approach, they create sophisticated products of beauty and usefulness that are equally at home in high-end interiors, poolside decks, offices and workspaces.
CC-Tapis
CC-tapis produces contemporary hand-knotted rugs which are created in Nepal by expert Tibetan artisans. The company is currently based out of Milan where a team of designers, lead by Daniele Lora, art-director and partner, innovate through a new approach to traditional methods.
Splash Away
Feed the soul with our picks of these simply gorgeous bathrooms and kitchens. It makes us want to redo ours immediately.
Devon&Devon Spa
Their collections include bathroom products and solutions with marble, ceramic and wood flooring, and wall coverings, as well as an entire boutique of lifestyle objects inspired by the brand's iconic style. At the Digital Fair, the brand has showcased their Holiday and Dove Bathtub Collections that embraced a modular approach with bathtubs designed by Gensler.
At the Digital Fair, this global bathroom and kitchen brand launched the Durango collection, which preserves the aesthetic of the natural element with an important fossil influence as well as Fontana collection pieces series which reproduce the gloss and the natural veining of grey and Carrara marble.
Ideal Standard launched their latest 'Atelier Collections' at the fair, which is thier contribution to the culture of design. Atelier Collections is designed in collaboration with Italian design studio Palomba Serafini Associati.
Based on the values of quality, technology, design and sustainability, the brand's highlights include Grohe Eurosmart or the Grohe thermostat series, as well as groundbreaking innovations such as the Grohe Blue water system. This brand has won over 460 awards in it's sphere and continues to rule the bathroom industry.
Quooker allows you to get 100 °C boiling, hot, cold, chilled still and chilled sparkling water directly from tap. The brand has recently introduced their Fusion and Classic Fusion taps in a new finish, which is launching at the Downtown Design Digital Fair 2020. By using a Quooker you cut back on single use plastic bottles that cause lots of pollution.
This leading material innovation company imagines design solutions that offer value and inspiration to people's lives. This goal is made possible by pioneering products such as Silestone® and Dekton®, which are technologically advanced surfaces that allow the creation of unique designs for the home and public spaces. The Digital Fair will showcase 'The Collection Dekton 2020', combining four colour series, each of which has its own distinctive personality.
It's All in the Craft
Good craftsmanship sits so easy on the eye. It's like a visual sigh of relief. These wonderful brands have created extraordinary pieces that are decidedly worthy of inclusion in our tour.
Vista Alegre, a Portuguese brand of high-end porcelain and lead crystal, is recognised as one of the leading tableware and giftware brands in the world. Synonymous with harmony, tradition and modernity, they excel in the art of tableware, decoration, giftware and hotelware.
Joao Bruno
In his work, the artist João Bruno Videira from Portugal, draws on a geometry that lifts the spirit and intensifies all the senses. Taking humble and ordinary woollen yarn, the threads are interlaced into different forms and vibrant webs of colour, creating new and extraordinarily unique objects.
The Geneva based M.A.D.Gallery is a captivating universe of kinetic art where Horological Machines and Mechanical Art Devices reign supreme. At Downtown Design, they present six collections that offer diverse perspectives into the fascinating world of mechanical art.
Saccal Design House
Through product design, they explore design in different mediums/materials to invite emotion and even a sense of confusion in the positive sense. The designed elements are not solely thought of as static objects, but instead as tools for engendering actions, reactions and sensibilities. At the Digital Fair, Saccal present their latest collection, NOSTALGIA. To create it, the designers searched marble factories for solid travertine blocks that were otherwise considered waste.
The company has been committed to delivering efficient and cost-effective integrated 3D printing solutions for architects, designers, individuals, arts, families, schools and enterprises. Having recently established a 3D print-house base in UAE, the company is looking to collaborate with architects, designers and other businesses.
Studio Lloyd
The designer's aim is to create functional pieces that engage ones emotions and senses, evoking nostalgia. She allows each piece to form organically, combining contrasting materials – polypropylene multifilament braid, webbing tape, metal wire and soft roving. Ashley conceptualises solutions for interior spaces that incorporate traditional decorative techniques, such as crochet and modern energy saving lighting methods.
Downtown Design 2020
LTD Digital Trend Tour
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