2020’s Most Exciting Products
VDT’s interiors team explores this year’s trending products, materials and designs.
Every year, the designers at VDT look forward to walking the Merchandise Mart at NeoCon in Chicago to see the latest and greatest in products, materials and trends so we can relay the best design solutions to our clients. Since this years’ NeoCon was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID, the designers at VDT have been keeping up with the best of the best through virtual platforms. You name it, we’re on it: webinars, virtual presentations, e-blasts, instagram… the list goes on and on.
Since our clients may not be getting the same virtual updates that we are, VDT wanted to put together a list of some of the coolest things that we’ve seen so far throughout the summer that may interest our clientele. Is it 100% COVID? Nope. Why? VDT is trying to address long-term design solutions that enhance the overall well-being of users, integrate sustainability, and have a darn-tootin’ nice-looking design. Healthy design can still be beautiful design.
-Rebecca Snow
Lighting
LINK: https://www.lightart.com/product/coil-pendant
VENDOR: LightArt
PRODUCT NAME: Coil Pendant
CONTACT: Renee Silverstein, renee.silverstein@lightart.com
VDT COMMENTS: The Coil Pendant by LightArt is an upcycled pendant, 3D printed with recycled plastics with a matte spun appearance that might make you think this is ceramic. These fixtures are available in 7 different shapes and sizes to add interest to any space and are a great way to ‘light up’ your sustainability story in the video below.
Fabric
LINK: https://www.camirafabrics.com/us/fabrics/contract/oceanic
VENDOR: Camira
PRODUCT NAME: Oceanic
CONTACT: Nicole Mehon, Nicole.Mehon@camirafabrics.com
VDT COMMENTS: The Oceanic collection by Camira is a new contract grade fabric with a MISSION; it is made from recycled plastic that had formerly been polluting our oceans. This textile comes in a dynamic range of colors, perfect for any project, especially those that want to tell an exciting sustainability story.
Wallcovering and Flooring
LINK: https://www.chilewich.com/contract/fresco-wall-textile.html
VENDOR: SPEC’d
PRODUCT NAME: Chilewich
CONTACT: Kristin Over, ko@specd.space
VDT COMMENTS: Chilewich’s Fresco collection is the newest product from the company that specializes in high performance wall textiles and flooring for high traffic environments. The dynamic Fresco product comes in both options for walls and floors (including planks or wall-to-wall rolled goods), depending on the need. Fresco is 100% phthalate free with 25% renewable vegetable content.
Tile
LINK: https://www.crossvilleinc.com/Products/Cursive
VENDOR: Crossville
PRODUCT NAME: Cursive
CONTACT: Elizabeth Flessor, elizabeth.flessor@virginiatile.com
VDT COMMENTS: Cursive by Crossville allows designers to create unique tile patterns and truly put their own signature on a project with 9 different on-trend colors and 8 different tile types, including a triangle, circle, half circle, and demilune tile to name a few.
Flooring
LINK: https://www.amtico.com/commercial/lvt/collections/amtico-signature/colour-edit/
VENDOR: Amtico
PRODUCT NAME: Colour Edit
CONTACT: Jessica Jenkins, jessica.jenkins@mannington.com
VDT COMMENTS: Amtico’s Colour Edit is an extremely diverse range of customizable LVT flooring materials. Available in 25 colors, 4 textures including Stucco, Modernist, Encaustic, and Diffusion, and 23 floor pattern options, the possibility to achieve dynamic patterns and finishes in any space is limitless. Being clean can still be beautiful.
Accessories
VENDOR: Richelieu
PRODUCT NAME: YouK Open Shelving Systems
CONTACT: Heidi Guthrie, hguthrie@richelieu.com
VDT COMMENTS: The Richelieu YouK Open Shelving System is available in 6 different sizes that can be used in a variety of spaces within both commercial, hospitality, or residential projects. The installation possibilities are also flexible as YouK can be freestanding, wall-mounted, or both to create various shelving configurations. The product is also made of steel with Teflon finish to resist scratching. Shelves are not included and can be customized by designers to best work with the holistic design.
Chairs
LINK: https://www.keilhauer.com/products/swurve.html
VENDOR: Keilhauer
PRODUCT NAME: Swurve Office Chair
CONTACT: Joshua Zeitler, Jzeitler@deborah-zeitler.com
VDT COMMENTS: With the Swurve office chair, Keilhauer has designed and manufactured its first carbon neutral office chair, with net-zero carbon emissions. According to their product materials, Keilhauer’s sustainability statement explains that the company “eliminated carbon emissions at every turn by sustainably sourcing materials, responsibly manufacturing all elements of the chair, and offering breakdown and recycling directions. Where carbon emissions remain (such as during the transportation process) Keilhauer has offset the effects by investing in carbon emission and climate change mitigation projects.”
LINK: https://davisfurniture.com/blog/discover_davis_2020
VENDOR: Davis
PRODUCT NAME: Ginkgo Rope
CONTACT: Stephanie Stack, stephanie@stackbrogan.com
VDT COMMENTS: The Gingko Rope chair is an expansion of the long standing Gingko line by Davis, this time made from durable polyester rope to give it a lighter and more dynamic appearance. This newest iteration has flexibility with its materiality to be used on the inside of a space or on the exterior, and comes in chair, barstool and lounge chair versions.
Photo by Mark Wickens
Workstations and Collaboration Areas
Photo by Mark Wickens
LINK: https://www.madebypair.com/olli
VENDOR: Pair
PRODUCT NAME: Olli
CONTACT: Brian Wilson, brianw@madebypair.com
VDT COMMENTS: Olli by Pair is a furniture system in which clients can create adaptable and customizable workstation clusters and collaborative areas quickly and easily with a kit of parts referred to as “sidekicks” and “elements.” The “sidekicks” slide onto the main spine of the Olli Beam and include cushions, stackable storage, stackable planters, stackable caddy, and power sleeve. The “elements” include tables, coat racks, and screens that all can be shifted and changed easily by employees. Pair has also created innovative “Olli Minis” in the absence of being able to visit showrooms right now, to help clients better understand the product in a fun way: www.madebypair.com/miniature-olli
Photo by Mark Wickens
Photo by Mark Wickens
LINK: http://view.ceros.com/haworth/neocon-2020-1/p/7
VENDOR: Haworth
PRODUCT NAME: Pergola Workspaces
CONTACT: Kelsey Johnson, kelsey.johnson@haworth.com
VDT COMMENTS: To be launched in the first quarter of 2021, Pergola Workspaces by Haworth is described on the Haworth website as a “sub-architectural workspace;” employees have flexibility to focus with heads-down work or collaborate with other colleagues. This system feels both permanent and “architectural,” yet impermanent with reconfigurable and flexible components to address ever-changing future needs.
Screens
LINK: https://www.stylexseating.com/products/still-screens/
VENDOR: Stylex
PRODUCT NAME: Still Screen
CONTACT: Brad Scelfo, brad@therudergroup.com
VDT COMMENTS: Still by Stylex screens aid in dividing an open office environment with layered screen elements. The Still screens can be used individually or to create a space within a space, coming in 4 standard widths and 3 heights, 48”, 59”, and 70”; the screens can be finished with rounded or square corners to best fit with the overall design of the space. Slatted oak or walnut windows can be specified which increases transparency and air flow, as needed. There are also additional customization options with 26 available powder-coated colors available for the panel feet, and significant flexibility with the upholstery option.
Authors
Rebecca Snow, Designer
Katie Hart, Architectural Designer
Emily Phillips, Designer
Jessica Stone, Designer