Prominent furniture designers from across the globe brought their latest creations to Manhattan at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), that took place from 14-17 May 2016. Here are few of the must-have products that caught our eye at North America’s leading platform for contemporary design. Highlights of the show: #Trend 1

Extraordinary Lighting: As New York continues to maintain its reputation as a destination for lighting design, the products in this category were one of the first we decided to visit. Needless to say, we weren’t disappointed. Last year’s big trend of brass and other metallics seemed to have been surpassed by black finishes, while light orbs remained a popular choice for most of the lighting designers on display.

CTO Lighting

Synonymous with quality and design, CTO Lighting has been manufacturing lights for over 15 years. Their products, such as the one pictured below, provide a perfect blend of drama and class to any room. Their current collection, which was showcased at ICFF, is inspired by both natural and historic elements such as post-war French and Italian design. The company uses unusual, high-end materials such as bronze, brass, walnut and crystal and each product is carefully handcrafted by skillful artisans. CTO Lighting’s clients include Kit Kemp, Philippe Starck, and Martin Brudnizki, amongst others.



Picture Courtesy - ICFF New York

Niche

This luxury lighting brand is known for its hand-blown, modern glass designs. At ICFF 2016, Niche launched two new collections - Pinch, and Ellipse. These lights are simple, elegant and reminiscent of the trajectory of a satellite orbiting around another celestial body. Try a cluster of three or more for a uniquely sophisticated display of light. Each piece is original, authentic and crafted exquisitely by hand.



Picture Courtesy - ICFF New York

Rosie Li Studio

Envisioned by Chinese-born, Brooklyn-based Rosie Li, who creates lighting and furniture that challenges visual capabilities and perception, the Bubbly collection balances maximalism with geometric elegance. The effervescent, all-brass lighting system takes inspiration from soap bubble clusters and Newton’s law of universal gravitation. The series includes the Bubbly 08 light chandelier, created with polished brass ball modules and Bubbly Table lamps, a unique take on traditional lamps.





Picture Courtesy - ICFF New York



#Trend 2

Masterpiece Flooring: The main flooring trend seen at ICFF this year can be summed up in one word: statement. Designers were singularly focused on using unusual materials, incorporating a ‘wow’ factor into their flooring options, and using old-world inspiration in a thoroughly modern context.



Mirth Studio

Founded by well-known designer and artist Sally Bennett, Charleston’s Mirth Studio introduced at ICFF their take on coloured wood floor tiles that look hand painted, using state-of-the-art technology. Inspired by the design styles of the Fifties and Sixties, the tiles come in a dazzling array of patterns and colours, and can be customised. Mirth Studio is currently the only company in the world offering this exceptional, distinctive style of flooring.





Picture Courtesy - ICFF New York



Archetypal

This one is not for the faint hearted! This beautifully-designed, 17-feet long crocodile floor mosaic from Archetypal Gallery is made of reclaimed walnut and white oak sapwood. It has used more than 20,000 end-grain blocks, varying in width and height, to create a 3D floor piece. The black wood featured in the crocodile’s eye, nails and throughout its scaled body is ebony, reclaimed from the black keys of an antique piano. Despite its scaly appearance, the floor is smooth underfoot.



Picture Courtesy - ICFF New York

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Artistic Tile

Artistic Tile, a family-run business, is a major distributor of luxury tile and stone. Their latest collection is titled Shagreen, as the tiles mimic the grainy, smoothly-pebbled texture of shark skin or untanned leather from which shagreen is made. This greatly-revered material has been found everywhere, from the halls of the ancient pharaohs to the armour of the legendary samurai. An Art Deco staple, this material denotes exoticism and high-fashion luxury. Artistic Tile’s Shagreen Porcelain offers an incredibly realistic interpretation of one of nature’s most sophisticated designs, in a high-honed porcelain tile.



Picture Courtesy - ICFF New York



#Trend 3

Stylish Outdoor Picks: An emphasis on natural materials married with technology; geometric design; and three-dimensional elements were hallmarks of the products shown as part of the outdoor furniture collections.

Terreform One

Terreform One, a non-profit architecture group, has envisioned a first-of-its-kind mushroom chair. This extraordinary seat was actually ‘grown’ in a week, from strains of fungi, into the multi-curved, pollution-free chaise piece that it now is. The material used to ‘grow’ the chair was manufactured by Ecovative, a leading biomaterials company, which believes “Mushroom is the new plastic.”At the end of its useful product life cycle, the chair can be composted and reintroduced back into the environment, where it can be naturally biodegraded.



Picture Courtesy - ICFF New York



Bend Goods

Known for its playful and colourful wire furnishings, Bend Goods is a creative brand that launches one new product every month. Recent additions to the collections include new seating offerings, lighting, and table accessories. The company’s designs feature bold, geometric lines and shapes made from vibrantly coloured wire, which is the brand’s signature. The Peacock Lounge Chair, pictured here, is made with a stylish seat pad option in vegan leather. It is the most intricate and detailed design of their collection.





Picture Courtesy - ICFF New York



Silk Outdoor Living

The brand’s flagship product, NI PARASOL, is a luxury, illuminated umbrella that perfectly blends beautiful aesthetics with functional purpose – creating an ideal atmosphere for people to transition from day to night, in the comfort and warmth of light. Winner of the Red Dot Award for design, this innovative product from Silk Outdoor can be used anywhere, from restaurant patios to your backyard deck.



Picture Courtesy - ICFF New York

Picture Courtesy - ICFF New York