Showroom spotlight: Ebano Soberon

Eduardo Martinez Soberon dreams in wood. The Mexican architect-by-training will hand-sketch whatever your client dreams of, whether flooring, cabinetry, doors or furniture.





Everything is fabricated in Mexico, ranging from ornate moldings, intricate carvings and decorative hardware. His firm, Ebano Soberon, has recreated period paneling, carved old-world and traditional doors and used exotic woods on highly contemporary styles. The showroom opened at the DCOTA a dozen years ago, and Soberon's portfolio continues to grow, including ceiling panels, vanities, parquet floors and reclaimed wood panels that fill homes throughout Florida, the U.S. and abroad. He works in exotic and hard woods, and some of his favorite and most popular choices include Mayan Ebony, Mexican Rosewood, Milpa Burl, Oak and Plantation Teak.





He also collaborates with his friend Javier Suarez, who started Taracea, a company dedicated to furniture making, all made of solid wood, and unusual species. For the past twenty years, Taracea has been planting trees on their own land which has been approved by Mexico's National Forestry Service as contributing to reforestation. They recently added a new factory to manufacture their exclusive hardware, all of which enables them to make make custom designs a reality.




Visit Suite C364 at DCOTA to see even more.

Sustainable Spotlight: Benu YARN Fabrics at Christian Fischbacher

Building on the successful launch of the Benu collections over the past two years, Christian Fischbacher has added further Benu YARN designs to its series of recycled materials. Woven from recycled yarn, Benu YARN fabrics are eco-friendly without sacrificing trendy aesthetics and interesting qualities.

Christian Fischbacher markets new cotton fabrics that are obtained from scraps of old fabric by an environmentally-friendly process under the title Benu YARN.

"Pieces of old fabric are crushed into a fiber-like mass which is then carded," said a sales representative. "It's amazing to think of the process when you're looking at the finished product. It puts a whole new meaning to eco-friendly yarn!"

Once the pieces of old fabric have been crushed, the fibers are then spun into high quality yarn and dyed. This yarn is then woven into new fabrics. The subtle, natural colors of Benu YARN II give any room a cool, contemporary character. It captivates the eye with a graphic texture that appears soft and natural.

Stop by the Christian Fischbacher showroom at the DDB in suite 411 or browse Benu YARN II online.

Sustainable Spotlight: Pre- and Post-Consumer Waste Reborn as GreenScreen Revive

Lutron is green with energy saving. Their newest environmentally friendly roller shade fabric, GreenScreen Revive, is the result of both pre- and post-consumer waste, making it not only recycled but also recyclable.

Designed for the Sivoia® Automated Roller Shade System, GreenScreen Revive fabric offers sustainable values with solar control to reduce heat and glare while maintaining your outdoor view. It is also GREENGUARD® certified, making it an ideal fabric choice for sustainable buildings and homes.

"GreenScreen Revive fabric is one of the most environmentally-friendly fabrics on the market today, adding to Lutron's overall endeavor to create a more sustainable and comfortable living space for our customers," said Holly Zogheib for Residential Shading Solutions. "It is a sheer fabric that is made of recycled fibers and is 100% recyclable, while still having a soft look and feel that makes this material an ideal choice for any residential application."

Stop by Lutron's showroom on the ground level of the DDB to see GreenScreen Revive and get green with energy.

Sustainable Spotlight: Glitterati Glows

Inspired by architecture and fashion, the Bart Halpern textile collection at Jeffrey Michaels creates a modest interaction of vibrant color, sensual texture and the play of light through varying degrees of transparency. We particularly love the Glitterati pattern.

Modern and architectural, Glitterati evokes high-end luxury to us, with the warm glow of precious metals and stones. Passing the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 using 28% recycled materials in its yarns and 50% post consumer recycled contents in its wall covering backing, Glitterati is environmentally conscious, while adding the perfect amount of glamour to any interior.

Visit the DCOTA's Jeffrey Michaels showroom Suite A-168 to check out Bart Halpern's Affresco collection.

Sustainable Spotlight: Sleek & Sustainable Natural Rollershades

These shades satisfy the need for sleek, all the while soothing your conscious with their genuinely sustainable design. Hartmann&Forbes' handcrafted Natural Rollershades are made from sustainable natural fibers and compliment a variety of design palettes so wide that we dare you to prove us wrong.

"We recently expanded our Rollershade program to feature more than 125 weaves from the Liniedge, PapyrusWeave, ColourWeave and EcoWeave collections," said a sales representative. "The collection is now among the most diverse in the industry which means showing it off in the showrooms is a ton of fun!"

Offering smooth sophistication and graceful functionality, the Natural Rollershade collection ranges from contemporary and architectural to minimalist and modern. Their precise operation and slim profile allows for installation into modern soffits and seamless integration into modern home automation systems.

Check out Hartmann&Forbes' collection at the Jeffrey Michaels showroom at the DCOTA or visit them online.

DDB Spring Market Buzz: Environmentally-Savvy Shopping Techniques

Environmentally sound, eco-friendly, green—after a while, they can all sound the same, or like nothing at all. Pollack's Spring Market event at the DDB helped clear the semantic confusion with their discussion, Demystifying Environmentally Responsible Fabric Decisions.

Kristie Strasen, Founder and Creative Director of Place Textiles, led the talk and gave her common sense approach to sorting through the best choices for specifying environmentally responsible fabrics from the rest.

In a time when everyone is aiming to do the right thing, Kristie explained that there is more than one way to address such a complicated issue of being an environmentally savvy shopper. With over 30 years experience, Kristie has been developing a comprehensive range of high-end fabrics, which the audience got to see first hand during the talk.

"So what does 'green' or 'environmentally responsible' fabric even mean?" Kristie asked the audience. "The truth of the matter is, 'green' in the context of environmentally-responsible fabric means different things to different people. Some people are looking for fabrics made from recycled fiber, while others are interested in fabric produced from rapidly renewable resources. Many people think organic fabric is the best route to take while many others seek a fabric that is truly sustainable. So, what does it all mean?"

Kristie explained the differences between the many terms people use when they are aiming to be 'green,' and helped to demystify the concerns behind responsible fabrics. Ultimately, the best advice Kristie wanted to share was making the effort to know where your fabrics and fibers came from.

"When people take these different terms into consideration, they are attempting to make intelligent decisions and this helps the big picture," Kristie said. "Unfortunately, there is no one right answer, but there are ways to avoid being unknowledgeable about how you shop for your interiors. There are many ridiculous ways to claim that something is eco-friendly or green, but if you know where stuff comes from—such as cotton, wool, banana leaf—you're making the first and best step towards deciding on a fabric that is more natural and organic, less harmful to the environment as well as renewable."

Guest Blogger: Christopher Grubb Goes Gaga for Green Home Design (Part 2)

Our newest Guest Blogger, Christopher Grubb, shares thre more tips for eco-conscious design.

By Christopher Grubb

Choose green wall coverings.

Not all wallpapers are created equal. One of my go-to choices for covering walls in unique and stylish prints is Walnut Wallpaper, a California company that carries many eco-friendly options created sans harmful chemicals because let’s face it, chemicals are not a home décor accent anyone should be interested in. Another wall covering company riding the eco-décor train is Innovations, which carries a wide range of products that are both beautiful and sustainable. Many of their products are made without harmful chemicals. I also tout grass cloth or bamboo wall covering as on-trend and eco-friendly option.

Decorate with greenery.

Give your space a no-impact facelift by using plants. Not only will they breathe a big breath of fresh air into your home with so many sizes and textures, they are a no-brainer when it comes to adding color. Plant your gorgeous greenery in ornate pots for an added dose of style.

On-trend (and eco) textiles.

When it comes to fabrics, manufacturers are now offering more and more options for products made from recycled content that look and feel as soft as their non-eco counterparts. In terms of carpets and area rugs, wool, is the most natural choice for a soft and plush option, but sisal rugs are also a great option if you want a more architectural look. Many nylon carpets available are made from recycled nylon content and some carpets are even composed of recycled bicycle tires!

On your mark, get set, go green!

Guest Blogger: Christopher Grubb Goes Gaga for Green Home Design

President of Arch-Interiors in Beverly Hills, Christopher Grubb has shared two tips for making eco-conscious home décor choices. Read below to learn more.

By Christopher Grubb

Pick the right paint.

One of the best ways to give your home a facelift while not breaking the bank is with a fresh coat of paint. Now you can go green with each stroke of your brush. Most paint companies are jumping on the eco-décor bandwagon with zero-VOC paints that are also odorless. VOC stands for "volatile organic compound," and as the name suggests, they aren’t good for us, or the earth!

Find new uses for old things.

Stop and think before you toss out home accents you’re sick of, or replace an outdated piece of furniture. Why not reupholster a dated chair with a fun, fresh color, repaint an end table that has seen better days, or re-cover a set of drab pillows in a fresh and lively hue? Plant pots can become candleholders, old picture frames can be reused to house mirrors or artwork and an oversize bookshelf can be moved and reused as a functional room divider!

Stay tuned to GoDesignGo for more tips on being green from Christopher Grubb tomorrow.

Product Spotlight: Luxuriously Correct at Summer Hill

Do you love the look of fur but hate the implications? If you've been eyeing animal print for your home but kept yourself at bay for moral reasons, you're in luck. You can have your edgy animal patterns and fur textures guilt-free!

Tessuti Uno, a Canadian line of fabrics known for their faux furs and silks, is now at Summer Hill. Tessuti Uno makes stunning lines of fabrics with unique looks and colors, and the best part is, they're vegan friendly. The faux silk is a flocked polyester made without harming any silk worms. The "Mink" pattern not only looks like the real thing, but feels like it too.

Stop into Summer Hill and feel the fur for yourself. We promise you'll understand what all the fuzz is about!

Save the Date: Understanding LED Lighting for Interiors

This design seminar, sponsored by NYSID, is your ticket to sustainable lighting.

LED lighting provides many benefits including ultra-long lamp life, low power consumption and little heat. In this presentation, lighting designer John Katimaris AIA, IES, ASID describes the latest in LED technology and demonstrates its potential to change the design of interior lighting.

John has a degree in architectural technology and lighting design. His New York-based Architecture firm is also National Council for Interior Design Qualification [NCIDQ] certified.

The event takes place April 19 from 9:30 - 10:30 at the DDB's Astra Cafe on floor 14. There is a $50 fee. A reception and light breakfast will follow at Lutron in Suite 138.

For speaker information and reservations, please call 212-472-1500 ext. 209 or visit www.nysid.edu.

Sustainable Spotlight: FZAD's Solar Houses

A leader in sustainable architecture and design, FZAD Architecture + Design’s Global Project Manager Ritu Saheb shared some of the efforts she’s made in recent projects towards the production of building components and construction process.

"There has been a recent shift in architecture toward sustainable design," said Ritu. "We are committed to a design which uses elements for energy efficiency—like reflecting pools to cool the surroundings and store rainwater, landscaping to control heat emission from hard surfaces, trompe walls that control loss and gain of heat.”

FZAD shops for our LED lighting, Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) cabinetry, Paperstone kitchen countertops and recycled glass tiles chandeliers. “These cutting-edge products are available at the DDB, which is one of our main resources,” she said.

FZAD specializes in practices of sustainable design with sustainable living in mind. FZAD's designs not only reflect healthy processes and uses but are powered by renewable energies and site-specific resources.

The firm has commercial and residential projects all over the world, and best of all, they’re located right around the corner from the DDB. Visit FZAD’s website to learn more.

Hot off the Press: Green Interior Design

Interior designer Lori Dennis recently published her first book, "Green Interior Design." You may have read our recent conversation with her about her “green design tour” of the DCOTA, which included many of the green showrooms she wrote about in the book.



We asked Lori to share with us a bit about her process of creating and writing her book.

"I loved writing the entire book and felt good about being able to inspire people to do the right thing for themselves and their clients,” she said. “I especially liked writing about a set of sheets I was given as a child from my aunt. Being a poor little girl with few nice things, a set of colorful popeye sheets opened my 4-year old eyes to the power of design and how it could transform someone's life!”



The cover of the book, along with the images shown here, is a project she did for a young man who has been in remission from Cancer. He spent his childhood going through chemo and radiation and came out alive and well. He was happy to find Lori, who could combine a healthy living space with hip style. “And I was happy to meet such a strong and confident man. I couldn't wait to give him a copy of the book with the photographs of his house!"



Lori's book can be purchased at the Potterton Books at the DDB and PDC.

Sustainable Spotlight: Sunpat, Nettle and Banana Silk Rugs

The new Luxe Green Collection by Marc Phillips uses sustainable processes and resources from beginning to end.  The non-metallic dyes reduce water pollution created when rugs are rinsed, and natural fibers such as sunpat, nettle, hemp, banana silk, bamboo and unprocessed wool reduce chemical emissions. All rugs are are untreated or naturally treated.

The rug featured above is the Natural Staggered Collection, made of bleached hemp, aloe and banana silk. The soft architecture and rich texture simultaneously evoke modernity and nature.

"The Natural Staggered Collection exudes sophistication and polish. They are the perfect subtle foundation to any interior," said Owner Marc Phillips.

Sustainable Spotlight: Crystal Light

The sparkling installations of crystal and light floating throughout the Moura Starr showroom are impossible to ignore—but why try?

Interior Designer and Moura Starr Sales Associate, Fiona Mackay, invited to wander the showroom with her. "Our lighting is also sculpture. It’s installation art that also serves as lighting," she said. "The way they take space in a room truly draws the kind of attention to the eye that makes you want to stay in that room."

The showroom’s founder Moura Starr blends interior design, fashion and architecture in her design philosophy, and crafts each piece by hand using luxurious fabrics, woods, and crystals—and sustainable practices.

”My favorite piece in this showroom changes everyday but I’ve always been partial to the Butterfly Chandelier. You can't ignore it's delicacy and beauty, can you?" Fiona asked us.

We certainly couldn't.

Sustainable Spotlight: Simply ‘Adire’ for

Despite their contemporary appearance, these zig-zags are quite primitive in origin. The newest in Wolf-Gordon's collection of patterns, Adire, is a woven textile based on the indigenous artwork at the Museum of International Folk Art in New Mexico. Traditionally an indigo-dyed cloth made in Africa using resist dye techniques, this pattern is inspired by beaded panels crafted by the Ndebeel people of South Africa.

Wolf-Gordon Design Director Kari Pei explained what makes the product so 'green': “The pre and post consumer up cycling initiative [and the low-emitting Crypton Green finish] ensures that all of our products go on to lead a noble life after they're no longer needed as wallcovering."

Check out some of our top picks below, or see them in person at Wolf-Gordon.