Interior Design: New Discoveries in Furnishings

Interior design is one of those professions that is constantly changing. There is always a new resource to find! To prove this point, I went looking for three resources that I had never heard of before. Guess what? I discovered many more than three, but these examples will surfice. My bottom line: keep researching new resources, and you'll be rewarded with treasures you'll want to use again and again in your design projects.

John Reeves

I found a furniture maker with a philosophy that's in perfect synch with my decorating and interior design ethic. UK furniture designer John Reeves tries not to follow design trends. Instead, he insists on designing clean, contemporary furniture with nods and twists to past periods and styles, but all with an attempt to create "antiques of the future," decor elements that someone can live with for a lifetime.

I'm tired of disposable decorating and furnishings. They insult homeowners and my clients. Good quality pieces hold or gain value over the years and, when mixed with more moderate priced pieces, add impact and timelessness to a room unlike anything else.

Reeves isn't buying into the disposable culture where you purchase a mass-produced item that will last only a few years and must be disposed of. And if you're making furniture for the long haul, it better be sustainable, too. Reeves only uses sustainably sourced timbers and he also uses discarded materials in his work, like scrap marble.

In his Sketch collection, Reeves uses old aluminum engine blocks from Vietnam and melts them down into recycled furniture (beautiful sand cast pieces that have a finish not unlike rough, washed river stones). Click on each image for more product information, and visit the Reeves Design website.

Gallotti&Radice

I'm having fun with the new Home catalog from contemporary Italian designers Gallotti&Radice. Their so-chic offerings are client pleasers, and I've been having fun proposing items for projects requiring high style, great design, and timeless modernity. Here are five current favorites from their catalog - but, believe me, there are more favorites to be had. Click on each photo for more product information.

Glasitalia

Consider the perfection of glass shelves. They're easy to clean. They hold anything and are strong. They don't add superficial patterns or colors to your decor. And they're beautifully sculptural whenever they're well designed. Click on these photos to check out some of the amazing glass shelving creations from Glasitalia. I highly recommend this resource!