Jan 27, 2009

Bloggers ID “Sure Things” for 2009

NY, NY — Bloggers from noted design and trend-watching sites brought their savvy for spotting talent to the Accent on Design® division of the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®), calling out innovative products and emerging trends as part of the first-ever “Bloggers’ Choice Awards.”

A panel of design afficionados from emerging and alternative media channels identified the following companies, products and trends as “ones to watch” this season:

Hollister Hovey of HollisterHovey.blogspot.com: My choice for best design is the Strida MOOF bike by Areawear. It combines classic European bike elements (such as the Brooks Saddle-inspired leather seat) with modern simple construction. It’s also one of the few items of the show that can help us burn calories and exhaust emissions, while looking great on the street – or as a very large accessory for the entryway. At $350, it’s incredibly accessible.

Stephanie Murg of Mediabistro.com/UnBeige identified two top picks from the Fair: Areaware’s Geo Birdhouse, designed by Kelly Lamb. This miniature ceramic version of Buckminster Fuller’s favorite shape was designed by Kelly Lamb to be used as a nesting place for wrens, finches, and other small birds but would look just as attractive indoors as a dangling, geodesic conversation piece. We particularly like how it beautifully captures the general conclusion about Bucky’s utopian structure: it’s for the birds.

American Design Club’s Russian Nesting Doll Tables, designed by Rich, Brilliant, Willing. From the young design firm Rich, Brilliant, Willing comes this pair of elegant glass-topped tables. The wood side table, with its ring of milk-painted wooden slats, appears to defy gravity, while the larger aluminum coffee table, in a sharp peacock blue, looks like something salvaged from a chic Milanese circus.

Grace Bonney of Designspongeonline: PATCH NYC is living proof that quality, handmade work can make its way into the mainstream retail market at a reasonable price. I’d love to see their needlepoint works (made by their mothers!) in more people’s homes across the country, rather than more mass-produced injection molded plastic. Don and John have a great way with color and print and their latest pieces (handprinted tribal/houndstooth prints and calligraphy-based fine art) are great examples of celebrating the artist’s hand being present in their work. I hope we see more artists embracing hand-made processes in the future.

Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan of ApartmentTherapy.com: The Amazing Floor Lamp from Rich, Brilliant and Willing in their collective booth. Among all the bustle and beauty at the show, this lamp caught my eye immediately and stood out from everything else. Fun, inventive, simple and beautifully made with attention to detail (the silk shade, fabric cord and rich wood). It wanted to take it home and sit under it – which is rare. If these guys keep it up, they’ll go far!

“Since its inception in 1984, Accent on Design has attracted emerging and established designers of contemporary gift and home products,” said Dorothy Belshaw, GLM senior vice president and NYIGF director. “This recognized group of design trend-spotters has helped identify and highlight some of the true standouts among the division’s nearly 200 exhibitors.”

For 25 years, Accent on Design has presented a juried collection of nearly 200 contemporary and innovative product lines across all categories at the NYIGF. NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift and home accessory marketplace, with 2,900 exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. Some 36,000 trade attendees from all 50 states and around the world are expected. Additional information and registration is available at www.nyigf.com.