I spent half of last week at Coverings, one of my favorite trade shows. This massive tile expo brings together exhibitors from Italy, Spain, Brazil and North America in one fabulous festival of design. I’ll be writing about all of the trends for my Kitchen & Bath Design News column, but I wanted to share one of them in particular. That was the artistry of ceramic tile.
Walking around the show floor in Las Vegas last week provided a diabetic overload of eye candy, but what struck me were that many of the slabs looked like the abstract paintings you’d ogle at a museum or gallery. A few reminded me of my father’s canvases, in fact, evoking the occasional secret smile.
I wondered whether I was unique in my artistic fascination with tile, so I asked for inputs from designers in my pro groups on Facebook. Turns out, I’m definitely not alone! Sprinkled among the artistic trends spotlighted in the article are thoughts from designers on their approach to tile as art. Here’s a link to the piece.
This marble look tile evokes ancient stone, but is durable, low maintenance porcelain tile.
(GRESPANIA, TILE OF SPAIN MEMBER COMPANY / COVERINGS 2022 EXHIBITOR)
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BONUS NUGGET
Are you a songwriter, musician or other creative professional? If so, check out this post on how your surroundings affect your mood, creativity and more. I was proud to share wellness design insights with a writer for ASCAP, the music publishing organization.
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BOOK BUZZ
I love reading, so when new books come my way that can benefit fellow design and wellness enthusiasts, I’m happy to share them. Here’s a new title from one of my favorite design writers.
What:
Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average is a beautiful coffee table style book full of homes that can right size your life, but it’s also informative and chock full of ideas for your next living space! Tiny homes are too small for many households, especially today with more folks working from home than ever before, but many adults — especially empty nesters — want to simplify their lives. Having a home that minimizes upkeep, reduces your impact on the earth, and still accommodates your needs and hobbies is the focus of this volume.
Who:
Sheri Koones has written nine previous books on home building, and many, many articles. She’s also a popular speaker on this topic. I’ve known her for about a decade, as we used to share a publisher, and I’ve interviewed her for several articles.
Why:
I think the pandemic has made us all take stock of what’s important in our lives. It’s not keeping up with the Joneses or showing off the latest design excess. It’s not holding onto stuff that no longer has a use in our lives. It’s living simply and authentically. This book fits that niche perfectly.
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SOCIAL GOLD
Next on Clubhouse
I’ll be talking Wellness Design and Appliances with a panel of experts next week, on April 20th, 4 pm EST, 1 pm PST and all the related time zones. I hope you’ll join us!
- 4/20 Wellness Design and Appliances
- 5/4 Creating Spa Bathrooms
- 5/18 Wellness Design and Art
- 6/1 Wellness Design and Pets
- 6/15 Designing with Plants
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Past Clubhouse Recordings
Here are links to Clubhouse recordings from past sessions:
2022 Recordings:
- 3/16 Healthy Bedroom Spaces — Recording Link
- 3/2 Wellness Design and Tile Trends — Recording Link
- 2/16 Wellness Design and Autism — Recording Link
- 2/2 New Technology Ideas — Recording Link
- 1/19 Healthy Pantry Spaces — Recording Link
- 1/5 Top 2022 Wellness Design Trends — Recording Link
2021 Recordings:
- 6/2 Smart Homes / Healthy Homes — Recording Link!
- 6/16 Home Fitness Spaces — Recording Link!
- 7/7 DIY-Friendly Outdoor Wellness Design — Recording Link!
- 7/21 Healthy Kid Spaces — Recording Link
- 8/4 Healthy Work from Home Spaces — Recording Link
- 8/18 Smart Home CEDIA Expo Preview — Recording Link
- 9/1 Great Grill Centers (in time for Labor Day) — Recording Link
- 9/15 Laundry and Flex Rooms — Recording Link
- 10/6 Small Appliances for Healthy Living — Recording Link
- 10/20 Healthy Beverage Centers — Recording Link
- 11/3 Healthy Holiday Entertaining at Home — Recording Link
- 11/17 Self Care Spaces — Recording Link
- 12/1 Healthy Home Holiday Gift Ideas (And Pro Shopping Tips) — Recording Link
- 12/15 Achieving Your New Year’s Resolutions with Wellness Design — Recording Link
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GOLD DUST
I’m a pretty avid reader on wellness-related topics and decided to share some of the riches I’m finding with my Gold Notes readers. Here are a few links you might find interesting and helpful:
- Gardening-related: Container garden fruitful when space is tight (Associated Press via San Diego Union-Tribune)
- Appliance-related: How to choose the right refrigerator for your kitchen (Cottages & Gardens)
- Decor Trends-related: High Point Market: Home Furnishings Fashion Week (Thyme & Place Design Blog)
