Show Stopper
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009Submitted by Annette M. Callari, A.S.I.D.; CMG
October 14, 2009 marked the date for the American Society of Interior Designers annual tradeshow here in Southern California. Attending that show as a professional designer is always reenergizing–discovering innovative products that can (and do) stop you in your tracks! The show is open only to ASID designers and student chapter members, but I can certainly share some of the highlights with you.
When you think of quartz countertop materials, you most likely envision something quietly elegant, with the Silestone®, Cambria®, Caesarstone® or Zodiaq® name on it. All of these are well-known brands that create surfaces from quartz aggregates and polyester binders. They are beautiful, functional, and timeless. Did you know that natural quartz happens to be one of the hardest, most abundant minerals found in nature? Only diamonds, sapphires, and topaz are harder! This accounts for quartz products being highly scratch resistant, but still, be sure to use cutting boards when slicing on quartz surfaces. Another strongpoint of quartz counters would be the consistency of color. Manufacturers offer a well-rounded palette of colors that showcase the light-reflective brilliance of natural quartz. And–these surfaces are non-porous and resist staining, so no sealing is required.
So what can I possibly tell you that would be news in the world of quartz? I can tell you that one manufacturer featured at this tradeshow—Compac® Quartz USA— has teamed up with a world-renowned artist, Karim Rashid, to create a signature line of quartz countertop products that are—without exaggeration– a work of art. Karim Rashid is well known for his creative product designs, as well as his designs in fashion, furniture and contributions to the world of art. He has designed for Shiseido, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Armani, Carolina Herrera, and now Compac! So, what sets his collection apart? COLOR! Expect the unexpected. Rashid’s brilliant contemporary color line features a stunning fuscia red, a glitterati silver (sparkling with shards of quartz); two refreshing water-toned blues; Lila–a deep violet; Musaka–a port wine color; Absolute Blanc—a creamy neutral, and (hold on to your hats) flamingo pink and lime green! Not exactly what you would expect for countertop choices, and all the more reason designers were captivated. Strong, bold, breathtaking and unexpected–all of those adjectives readily apply to this artisan-inspired collection. If your personality matches that description, here’s the countertop for you. Find out more about these focal point quartz products at compacmqusa.com Click on Quartz Compac/Color Palette/Karim to view the color line.
(Note of interest—most of these new colors are reflective of the 2010 home interiors color trends forecast published at wfca.org “Designer’s Corner” 8/18/09. Be sure to check it out.)




It seemed like almost everyone had tiles that were linear in shape. Shapes ranged from 1×6 to 18×24 and every size in between. Installation examples were shown of these linear tiles used as a stand alone product as well as accents to standard shaped tiles. Some installation patterns used these linear tiles to create stripe effects. They are stunning!
There will always be beige/neutral tiles out there because there is a place for them, but this year there were many offerings of gorgeous tiles with high ranges of color. The color shades were rich and warm. The shades were mixed between the field tiles and the listellos and decorative tiles so neutral tiles could be used with bolder accents and vice-versa.
Like hardwood styles, there was something offered for everyone. From rustic natural stone to high polished crystal tiles no design group was left out this year. Look for tiles that are irregularly shaped and formed, bright colors to bold colors to dull, rich and muted colors – something for every style. With the variation in sizes, shapes and colors more design options are possible.
For those of you out there that don’t find floor covering fascinating and spend your weekends on Google to learn all you can about floors, here’s a run down of the basics. This information may help you understand about your options and what you need to know when you decide you want new floors.
How much does it really cost to add decorative tiles to create a custom shower, tub surround or tub backsplash? You may look at the beautiful examples in magazines or in the tile showrooms and think there’s no way you can afford a shower like that, so you settle for plain tile. All the while, you are wondering in the back of your mind just how much it would cost. Or, you see a tile that you like and see the price tag that each tile is $20 or so per piece and just assume that the total cost will be outrageous. Take a look at the math below and you will see that a custom shower is not so far out of reach!
Here are some things you can do with the extra tile in order not to be wasteful:![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=38065fc2-1ed8-47be-99f0-9c986cb4f5d8)
As part of Bathroom Blogfest ‘08, today’s post is quick tips for cleaning bathroom floors. It might not sound glamorous, but it is very important to clean your floors properly. Not doing so can cause permanent damage or cause your warranty to be voided!