Photo-Inspired Palettes
@Tiago Murano
Inspiration can come from anything - ideas, stories, objects, even an interesting phrase. As designers working in a visual medium, we’re often inspired by things that are visual and a source of almost constant inspiration for us are images.
Today, we’re taking a look at several amazing photographs and the palettes they inspired - take a look below to see how these beautiful images can be the catalyst for wonderful design concepts!
@Gian Reto Tarnutz
@Muhammed Kara
@Lermakovas
What photos are inspiring you?
Sustainability | Carpet
As a major contributor to commercial production and waste cycles, the design and construction industry is focusing ever more on sustainability in new projects. It’s an incredibly important factor, and as designers, we love companies that make it easier for us to specify environmentally-conscious products and take part in sustainability programs.
Carpet is a big industry, and it’s installed into millions of new spaces each year. With that in mind, carpet companies can make a major environmental impact based on what materials they use, how they produce their products, and what sustainability efforts they choose to make. We love companies that take eco-consciousness seriously, so today we’re looking at sustainability in the carpet industry - take a look below to see some amazing companies and their products!
We love companies and products that are committed to reducing or eliminating post-consumer waste, and Shaw is doing just that! The company introduced the first Cradle to Cradle (C2C) flooring product more than 20 years ago, and continues to offer C2C products today. Moreover, their Re[TURN] Reclamation Program has allowed Shaw to reclaim and recycle almost 1 billion pounds of carpet since 2006, much of which has been reused in the production of new flooring products!
Mannington not only creates beautiful carpets, but the company produces them using less energy and resources! They are committed to reducing their environmental footprint, and were one of the original 50 Save Energy Now Leaders (now know as the Better Plants initiative). Mannington has 3.3 acres of solar arrays and has reduced energy intensity by 17% since 2007 - all while doubling their manufacturing sites!
Some of our favorite flooring is from EF Contract, and we love their commitment to reclamation! Their R4 Program was started in 2007, and focuses on the ideas of Return, Reuse, Recycle, & Reduce. Each year more than 60,000 pounds of waste are diverted from landfills through this program!
What sustainable carpets are you loving right now?
Trend Watch | Modern 80’s Furniture
@Laura Gonzalez
The 1980s are remember for many iconic cultural introductions. Legwarmers, scrunchies, high-waisted jeans - the list of 80s trends is long, and usually inspires a love or hate reaction. And as we keep an eye of emerging 2021 design trends, we can’t help but notice 80s-inspired interior design showing up more and more. Bright colors, geometric patterns, bold color-blocking - we’re seeing all this and more in new commercial design projects, and we’re loving the modern 80’s trend!
One place we’re seeing the modern influence of the 80’s is in furniture. There are a lot of amazing products reflecting this trend, and we love using these pieces to bring a bit of nostalgia and sophistication to any space. Take a look below to see some of our favorites!
Spring Colors in Tile
As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, we find ourselves getting inspired by the new spring season! Although we love the cool and tones of winter, spring is full of bright colors and interesting textures can add new life into a design.
And one of our favorite ways to do this is through tile - it’s variety and versatility make it a great material for introducing new colors and patterns. Take a look below at some of the spring-colored tiles that are inspiring us right now!
We love the different color color combinations you can make with the Technicolor line from Specialty Tile
The Focus line from Trinity Tile is a great mix of bright, energetic colors and bold geometry
Fireclay Tile offers an amazing variety of tile shapes and hues as part of their Colors line - we love this install of spring-inspired colors!
What spring colors are inspiring you right now?
Best of Nature-Inspired Greens
As we push through the cold and snow of a Chicago winter, we find ourselves continually looking forward to the promise of spring. Growing grass, leaves budding on trees, flowers blooming - spring has no shortage of natural beauty! And even though we know that the sunlight and warmth of spring is still weeks away, we can’t help but be drawn to nature-inspired colors.
Of course, green is one of the most prominent colors of nature, signifying life and new growth. We’re looking forward to seeing it outside again once this winter is over. But in the meantime, we’ve assembled a collection of our favorite nature-inspired greens - take a look below to see the colors and products inspiring us right now!
MOSS
FOREST
SEA GRASS
EUCALYPTUS
LEAVES
Trend Watch | Pastels
Boss Hair Group | design by blocHaus
As we move farther into 2021, new and exciting design inspirations are constantly emerging. One trend we’ve been watching closely is pastels. These colors have been steadily growing in popularity in recent years, but they’ve now exploded into one of the fastest growing color trends of the year! Take a look at the curated collections below to see some of our favorite pastel-inspired products!
P A S T E L B L U E
P A S T E L P I N K + P E A C H
P A S T E L G R E E N
How are pastels inspiring you this year?
Trend | Curved Shapes in Furniture, Lighting, & Accessories
Objects of Desire | Nabil Issa
We love curved shapes in architecture, but love them just as much in furniture, lighting, and accessories. Rounded shapes and curved lines add a playful touch while maintaining a contemporary and sophisticated look. With the growing trend in modern curvilinear design, there’s been a corresponding growth in curve-inspired products - take a look at some of our favorites below!
TABLES + STORAGE
SEATING
ACCESSORIES
LIGHTING
Custom light fixtures at Half Nelson | design by blocHaus
What are your favorite curve-inspired products?