€19.95 EU €14.95 Italy

CHF 30 Switzerland $19.95 USA

$29.50 Canada £14 UK

$28.99 Australia ¥3,570 Japan

WON 40,000 Korea

T H E G R E A T I N D O O R S

103M A R / A P R

2 0 1 5

€19.95 EU €14.95 Italy

CHF 30 Switzerland $19.95 USA

$29.50 Canada £14 UK

$28.99 Australia ¥3,570 Japan

WON 40,000 Korea

Growing Colour— J O I N T H E B I O ( R ) E V O L U T I O N —

Tom Dixon ‘I was really crap when I started’

Bompas & Parr Sex, drugs and jelly

FinishesWhat’s happening

aboveboard

Rafael de CárdenasColour me contemporary

BP

A F I N I S H can make or break an inte-rior or a product, transforming its look and feel, increasing its comfort levels, and adding contemporary design relevance. Frame talks to some major brands about their latest products and the impact they could have on the future of finishes.

Raw BeautySeveral manufacturers note the trend for mate-rials to look more natural and unfinished, even when they result from a highly refined process. ‘There is a definite shift towards materials that have a more honest, industrial look – and this has very much influenced the finishes we developed for our Concrete series,’ says Eli Feiglin of Caesarstone. Part of the company’s Classic Collection, the new products are Raw Concrete (rough, classic, industrial luxe), Fresh Concrete (white, rugged, clean) and Sleek Concrete (smooth yet grainy). They combine tactility and authenticity with durability and ease of maintenance. Feiglin comments that the ‘very honest character’ of these finishes complements the patinated surfaces – stone, wood and metal – which are increasingly popular in today’s interiors. They also demonstrate another recurring trend: an increasingly minute differentiation in materials, which also characterizes Stone Itali-ana’s new Cartapietra and Jaipur 14.15 ranges. White Cartapietra is available in no fewer than six finishes, from gloss to rocface, offering a wide range of visual and tactile experiences. Jaipur 14.15, an update of the bestselling Jaipur quartz-based range, comes in an array of earthy, spice-inspired hues and in textural varia-tions that make each slab unique. ‘To determine our collections, we look at trends in various fields, from fashion to graphic design,’ explains Stone Italiana’s Silvia Dalla Valle. ‘Technology also influences what we do in a major way, but it makes it hard to predict how surfaces will evolve.’

Perfectly ImperfectSome areas, however, are marked by a distinct desire for unevolved, primeval surfaces. Wood is enjoying huge popularity in the field of furni-

Skin DeepLeading brands stay ahead of the pack with a crop of fresh

finishes that make the most of current design developments and

technological advances.W O R D S Jane Szita

ture. The ‘untouched’ look is visible in the bespoke work of Whetstone Oak, a company that showcases the naked beauty of wood. The brand’s tabletops are left ‘to tell their own story – and it’s my job to get out of the way’, says Whetstone’s James Ransley. ‘People seem inter-ested in our work largely as a way of bringing something organic into what might otherwise be quite a clinical modern interior,’ he adds. Ransley describes a certain polariza-tion in modern woodworking: ‘There are those who embrace the potential of CNC technology, taking it to the limits, and those who embrace the imperfection of the materials – the knots, cracks and colour variations that require a judgment at every step.’ In an age jaded by mass production, he says ‘the natural, unique imperfections in materials become even more valuable’.

Nature CallsThe influence of nature is felt strongly in more ‘manufactured’ work as well. Take the latest collections from Interface, a sustainable brand of carpet tiles. The company calls its new prod-ucts Walk the Plank and Human Nature: mate-rials used for the latter, designed by longtime

Made to imitate natural stone, the thin tiles of Stone Italiana’s Cartapietra series offer architects and designers a range of textured and smooth finishes.

The knots and so-called ‘imperfections’ of natural wood remain visible and are even flaunted in Whetstone Oak’s handcrafted furniture. Rather than covering up the irregularities of timber, owner and designer James Ransley makes them the defining features of his custom pieces.

Caesarstone’s Concrete series mimics the tactile and aesthetic characteristics of raw concrete to give the company’s quartz surfaces an industrial edge.

Fantoni’s ISB insulated 4akustik panel is both sound-absorbent and eco-friendly. Similar to wood panelling, 4akustik has both decorative and structural applications.

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Interface collaborator David Oakey, are made from 100 per cent recycled content. Oakey has carefully crafted the kind of visually restful, tactile textures found in the most elemental of underfoot surfaces: forest floors, grassy fields and pebbled garden paths. Interface’s Jan Peter van Deutekom says the collection’s highly organic quality is the result of a new production method, which ‘lets us explore new levels of texture and pattern, as it defines the height and colour of each individual stitch in the carpet’. The range also underlines the brand’s sustainability ethos, while reflecting Van Deutekom’s prediction that the future of finishes will ‘shift the focus from pure functionality to include wellbeing and comfort for users – contributing to the health, happiness and productivity of employees’. Paolo Fantoni of Fantoni agrees that we are seeing ‘a return to natural feelings, with architects researching comforting materials and the strong need to touch, to feel – the need for contact with nature and for a relationship with our roots’. These are not just idle words: Fantoni is responding to the zeitgeist with an ISB insu-lated panel in natural wood; when combined with the JIS-standard, eco-friendly 4akustik panel, it achieves the requisite back-to-nature effect. The ISB can even be used in furniture, as in Fantoni’s Hub table. Extending the repertoire are new cedar finishes for the company’s Multi-pliceo collection and 4akustik panel.

Functional FeaturesThis year, many brands are showcasing prod-ucts with new functional elements. Polyrey’s Monochrom series comprises black-and-white laminates designed for premium furniture and top-end commercial spaces. Monochrom’s chic

good looks, hard-wearing quality and inter-esting sense of tactility is the result of ‘a large choice of textures’, says Frédéric Plasseraud of Polyrey. But that’s not all. ‘All our Monochrom panels have active silver ion-based protec-tion,’ he adds. ‘The antiseptic action of silver is of significant benefit in the health, food and public sectors.’ Incorporated during the manu-facturing process, silver ions effectively reduce the proliferation of bacteria throughout the life of the material. At Houssini, meanwhile, Tibor Tür notes that ‘surfaces need to be more flexible, due to the desire or necessity to change the look of interiors and objects more often’. He predicts an increase in reusable and intelligent surfaces, including those that don’t require specialist application and that can be used in different ways. This is certainly true of Houssini’s Theatre Collection, a top-grade self-adhesive mate-rial in 12 fashionable shades (such as irides-cent copper-gold and turquoise-lilac) and three surface designs: semi-gloss, brushed and textured. Based on a textile layer that’s just 1.4 mm thick, the stretchable material fits closely around curved or spherical surfaces. Very easy to use, it offers all sorts of new and customizable effects.

Customization CountsMost of these brand representatives name customization as an important trend. Respon-

‘Look for a shift in focus

from pure functionality

to include wellbeing and

comfort for users’

J A N P E T E R V A N D E U T E K O M ,

I N T E R F A C E

ding to the need for a one-off product or inte-rior are a myriad of new surface treatments. CEA Design’s impressive list of options for the stainless-steel taps in its collection include attractive satin and polished finishes in copper, bronze, brass and black diamond (graphite). Scratch- and corrosion-resistant, these finishes are designed to keep their good looks for years to come. ‘The choice of finishes has been driven by the desire for personalization in the interior-design industry, even in industrial contexts,’ says CEA’s Natalino Malasorti. ‘It’s a counter-trend to industrial production – you can call it flexible, handmade, on-demand production.’

Creative SustainabilityCEA Design – like Interface, Fantoni and other brands – is focusing on sustainability, evidence of another widespread trend that is emerging in any number of inventive ways. At Cassina, for example, Gianluca Armento describes how 50th-anniversary editions of classic designs by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand have been given an update with mate-rials chosen for their reduced environmental impact. From the switch to trivalent chrome (CR3) for all frames in the anniversary collection – a safe and considerably less toxic alternative to the hexavalent chromium (CR6) originally used – to the introduction of organic leathers and an

Monochrom laminates from Polyrey provide active silver ion-based protection against bacteria, making the product an ideal choice for the hospitality and healthcare sectors.

Maximum flexibility is a key aspect of Houssini’s Theatre Collection, a stretchy, self-adhesive, easy-to-apply material that comes in 12 luminous hues and three finishes: semi-gloss, brushed and textured. It can be applied to any flat, curved or spherical surface.

CEA Design’s stainless-steel bathroom taps and accessories are recyclable and chemical-free. Finishes in copper, bronze, brass and black diamond enhance CEA Design’s handcrafted line of scratch- and corrosion-resistant taps.

eco-friendly microfibre fabric as chair coverings, the new finishes effectively remake the iconic pieces for a new age and a new sensibility.

Modern MetallicsAnother executive interested in adding ‘smart’ functionality and textural richness to fabrics is Sahco’s Pascal Walter, who sees a distinct return to traditional values in interior textiles. Sahco’s Precious Metal line fits into both cate-gories, evoking the archetypal ‘cloth of gold’ while relying on a combination of traditional printing techniques and cutting-edge finishing processes. Highlighting Precious Metal’s dry, matte ground are ‘impressions’ of platinum, silver, gold, copper, and rosé and oxidized silver. The effect is rich but thoroughly contemporary. Móz Designs breaks new ground in deco-rative metal surface treatments with its multidi-mensional Engravings collection, which offers a choice of eight patterns engraved into solid-core aluminium panels, also by Móz. Another of the company’s discoveries is Graphix, which melds metal surfaces and graphic patterns inspired by timeless textile designs. The brand’s Tripp Sandford says the new products required an investment in manufacturing capabilities, including new tooling and CNC machines. He, too, mentions the ‘level of customization that architects and designers are seeking’,

Engravings by Móz Designs is a collection of solid-core panels that add a new dimension to decorative aluminium surfacing; eight striking engraved patterns provide customers with plenty of choice.

In celebrating the 50th anniversary of the LC Collection – iconic pieces by Le Corbusier – Cassina opts for eco-friendly materials, substituting trivalent chrome for the outdated hexavalent chromium. The new models address the need for sustainability yet retain the timelessness of Le Corbusier’s designs.

The decorative fabrics that make up Sahco’s Precious Metal line rely on a foam printing process and air lace technology for their ornamental sequinned patterns and delicate embroidery.

Available in five colours and in different shapes and sizes, Florim’s #collection01 uses high-tech ‘surface sculpturing’ to produce tiles with the appearance of natural stone.

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a search that Móz Designs is responding to with its brand-new equipment and know-how.

New Takes on TechniqueIt’s no surprise that this years’ finishes feature all sorts of technical eye-openers. Ceramics company Florim developed a new technique especially for its #collection01. A dry-powder coating applied to Florim’s new tile series achieves a natural effect that closely mimics stone, in part because the clay is ‘surface-sculpted’ during the coating process. Inspira-tion for the method was found in the sponta-neous shaping that occurs during the natural erosion of stone. In both cases, results are unpredictable. Pollmeier’s research led to a cost-effec-tive technology for producing top-quality lami-nated veneer lumber (LVL) from beech for archi-tectural applications. The process is similar to the one used to make LVL from softwood. The

Lapalma’s latest designs include Cut, a chair with a polyurethane shell that is available in a Baydur finish, and Apta, a versatile table with a frame of powder-coated steel and a top in a choice of finishes: honeycomb aluminium, lami-nate and Canaletto (walnut veneer). Schiavello’s Michelle Hyams believes that current finishes for furniture are ‘striving for an honest relationship with the inherent materials beneath’. She cites her brand’s Cuban table, which is available in a natural wood finish or in a range of painted colours. The OTM Table, on the other hand, demonstrates the preserva-tive powers of finishes: ‘Workers in our purpose-built powder-coating facility apply special low-bake powder finishes to various heat-sensitive substrates, such as MDF, plastic and metal,’ she says. ‘The result is a highly durable, cost-effec-tive finish that’s more environmentally friendly than traditional laminates, veneers and wet-paint finishes.’

Craft CelebrationBisazza’s Contemporary Cement Tiles cele-brate the traditional craft of tile-making with a modern interpretation of the irregularly shaped, one-off tiles of yore. Bisazza’s update is a medley of exuberantly playful designs by Paola Navone, Jaime Hayon, Carlo Dal Bianco and Bisazza Design Studio. ‘Careful craftsman-ship gives charm and character to the collec-tion,’ says Rossella Bisazza. ‘Lasers are used to make the striking patterns. Each tile is unique, because it is made entirely by hand.’ She says that a protective coating increases the longevity of the traditional surface. Neutra’s impressively handcrafted Augmented Texture wall coverings and spec-

product is called BauBuche. According to Jan Hassan of Pollmeier, ‘BauBuche opens new possibilities for the design of larger spans with slimmer, more elegant, structural elements.’ He points out that the pleasing appearance of hardwood means there’s nothing to stop users from leaving it fully exposed.

Ultra LuxuryThe appeal of contemporary surfaces with a high-end, handcrafted appearance is undeni-able. The Dialoghi collection, compliments of Mosaico+, combines wood, natural stone, metal and glass in mosaics that suggest ancient arts while giving the space in question a ‘here and now’ feel. The Marea tile, to name just one member of the family, has an abstract motif that highlights the rich contrasts between the mate-rials mentioned. ‘Ultra-luxury finishes are a growing interest,’ confirms Duncan MacKellar, whose Signature Collection for Armourcoat – with its exclusive polished-plaster wall finishes – underpins his words. ‘We developed a novel 3D sculptural wall system,’ says group marketing director Daniel Nevitt, ‘which offers contoured seamless wall effects, created using CAD and CNC software. This trend – a blend of texture and sculptural contours that begins on the computer screen – will eventually allow archi-tects and designers to express form and func-tion in ways that would have been prohibitively expensive or even impossible in the past.’

Part of the FurnitureObviously, cutting-edge finishes are also key in the world of furniture. According to Lapalma’s Romano and Dario Marcato, the use of new and innovative materials, besides distinguishing their products from the competition, also helps to ensure high quality and performance.

tacular marble Hydrowell whirlpool bath (a world premiere) display similarities not instantly noticeable: both revel in artisanal quality yet do not reject contemporaneity for nostalgia. The wall coverings, in a smooth or hammered texture, vary in thickness, creating a 3D effect. LED light playing across the wall enhances the drama. The end result illustrates the prediction that Neutra’s Benedetta Arnaboldi makes for her company’s future: she envisions the continued ‘development of finishes and finishing processes that add value to the material being used’.

‘We look at trends in various fields, from fashion to graphic design’

S I L V I A D A L L A V A L L E ,

S T O N E I T A L I A N A

The Duncan MacKellar Signature Collection of plaster wall finishes for Armourcoat was developed with the use of advanced CAD and CNC software.

Cuban, a three-legged table by Ivan Woods for Schiavello, gives commercial interiors a domestic air. The table is available in oak or walnut with a natural-wood or painted finish.

Lapalma’s line of exclusive furniture includes the Cut chair and the Apta table. Cut’s polyurethane shell, with a Baydur finish, makes the chair suitable for outdoor use. The extendible Apta table encourages users to stretch their legs; it has a frame of powder-coated steel and a top that comes in honeycomb aluminium, laminate, walnut veneer and concrete.

Pollmeier employs the latest that technology has to offer in its manufacture of Baubuche, a line of laminated veneer lumber suitable for large-scale architectural and structural projects.

The beauty of marble embellishes Neutra’s ground-breaking Hydrowell whirlpool bath, a world premiere, thanks to the material. Carved from a single block of Bianco Carrara marble, the tub has a massage function and maintains the desired water temperature, owing to the thermal conductivity of stone.

The intricately patterned Marea tile is part of Mosaico+’s Dialoghi series, which is composed of wood, natural stone, glass and metal.

Bisazza blends traditional tile-making techniques with the use of lasers in its new line of geometri-cally patterned Contemporary Cement Tiles.

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