SPOGA 2009

Cathedral of Cologne

Kölner Dom– This photo was taken right before boarding the train to Amsterdam. It was undergoing some preservation works, it being really old and being named a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 1996. For more information on this magnificent piece of architecture, click here.

So what brought us to Cologne? It was the venue of SPOGA  2009 (and SPOGA Horse, that was staged simultaneously). Trends? In this show, there were still a lot of wicker furniture.

So it was not surprising to see Viro as an exhibitor. For colors, earth colors like beige and cappuccino abound. Lilac, green and orange provide just the right kind of bright pops of colors. In fact, it was a surprise to see the Sunbrella booth all done in lilac and gray. We also found two exhibitors from the Philippines. One of them was Agile Stone, a manufacturer based in Cebu using stonecasting for furniture and accessories. Check out their website for more information on their products.

Maison et Objet Indoor_Outdoor 2009

Color Trends: Orange and Feiry Pink

The color purple? As seen at the Exhibition grounds. "Nomadic chic"-- this is how the trend is described.

It was Sept 5. The weather was “perfect” as the Europeans described it. It was sunny and cool at the same time. Paris Nord Villepinte was packed. After a few international trade shows this year, this was a pleasant surprise. The exhibition was huge and vibrant, with brands like Gloster, Kettal,  and (surprise!) Fendi. A lot of whites traditionally used for the indoors but in this show, on many outdoor furniture and accessories. The theme was bringing the indoors–the comfort and style—to the outdoors!

Later, went to Lamorlaye, a darn pretty village in northern France. It was a short drive from Radisson SAS (near the Charles de Gaulle) about 30 minutes. The drive was leisurely, with tall, slender trees far and near. Really lovely!

Modern apartments of Lamorlaye at daybreak

 

P.S. This is totally unrelated to Paris but Pauline just gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, 7.11 lb bundle of joy. Congratulations to Serge and Pauline.

Fab Color and Fast Furniture

We have to say it, Martha Stewart’s site is must-visit for all crafty, foodie, and creative person out there. Overflowing with ideas, we just love the easy to follow articles like this home-office desk from the Fabulous and Fast Furniture. Not to mention the many downloadable templates.

Apologies and Updates

We apologize for the silence of the blog for the past few weeks. Everyone has been juggling roles at home and work that posting (specially when one has a very slow connection) has become more tedious than it used to be.

We thank those who continue to visit the site. In return, we promise to post at least once a week.

Last 20 July 2009, we attended a cocktail party sponsored by B van Zuiden (BVZ) Philippines, an authorized distributor of Sunbrella fabrics for  key people from Glen Raven, Inc., the manufacturers of the Sunbrella brand. This formally announced the presence of BVZ in the Philippines and was a good venue for design professionals and those in the contracts business to network. Architects, interior designers and landscape architects came to Dusit Thani for the event. Thanks guys for the nice evening!

We also received several product updates during the time of our “silence” like this one:

You can find more information on these outdoor sofas here.

A Worthwhile Cause

7th International Hospitality Show

The Sweet Kitsch Life

inside Cafe Juanita

Not everyone likes kitsch design.

But Cafe Juanita is more than just kitsch. It is an enchantment altogether. One will definitely find something to like about it: the music, the ambiance, the food or probably, the opportunity to have all kinds of people in the same table experiencing Cafe Juanita for the first time.

It was Jim Ward of Bliss Cafe (a vegetarian Cafe in Baguio) who insisted we visit. And we are glad we did.

See this video of how it feels like to be inside this charming cafe, one of Manila’s secret dining places.

The Architecture & Design Conference 2009

Why is the Architecture and Design Conference one of the industry’s must-attend events of 2009?

The conference will feature case-studies of outstanding international projects, eco-friendly architecture,  with interactive panel discussions on topics such as managing a design practice in an economic downturn. alongside

 Over the course of the two-day event, a host of top architectural names, including senior designers and top management from some the world’s biggest firms, including AEDAS, HOK, Kohn Pedersen Fox, RMJM RTKL and SOM will be present.

The international speaking panel includes: Ben van Berkel, Principal, UNStudio Sir Peter Cook, Founder, Archigram Silas Chiow, Director, SOM China Sandy Edge, Principal, Woods Bagot Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Founding Principal, Arquitectonica Keith Griffiths, Chairman (Asia & ME), AEDAS Thomas Heatherwick, Principal, Heatherwick Studio Paul Katz, President, Kohn Pedersen Fox Scott Kilbourn, Vice President, RTKL Andrew James, Senior Principal, Populous Paul Liu, Chairman, Axons Concepts David Pringle, CEO (Asia & ME), RMJM David Yau, Deputy GM of PM1 Dept, Henderson Land Download the latest programme at http://www.thearchitectureconference.com/programme.html

To register today, call the customer services team through +852 2851 3140. For general enquiries, contact Alice Cullinane, ac@facilitymedia.com or call +852 2851 9923.

Happy Earth Day

Get the latest trends in eco-friendly design and products, by attending HD Green Day at the Hospitality Design Expo. HD Green Day is a full day of learning and resources all about sustainable design. This will be on May 13, 2009 (Wednesday) at the Sand’s Conference Centere in Las Vegas, Nevada and is presented by the Hospitality Design magazine. A great way to celebrate Earth Day, post earth day.

For more information on the conference, click here.

Manila FAME

After having seen such beautiful vignettes in the past years of one of our favorite design shows, this year’s show broke our hearts. The lobby was a bit too plain and the displays were not as mind-blowing as we hoped they will be. Is it because of the economic crisis or is it because we expected too much?

Manila FAME is open to the public on 18 April 2009.