By Pamela Hall, Core Design Interiors

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It was another exciting year at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) and I am thrilled to bring Nesting Newbies fans a few of the hottest trends and my picks coming out of the show:

Bold wall paper and tile: There we so many new bold prints and black everywhere!

My favorite wall paper was by industry icon Graham & Brown— Barbara Hulanicki-Skulls #19911 — featuring textured black on black skulls.

And from Italy, Damier Noir ceramic tile by LEA Ceramiche

Hand blown glass lighting: There were several companies worth speaking of developing lighting more like individual pieces of sculpture versus more typical or traditional lighting.

Tsunami Glassworks from Windsor, Ontario offered a great example of absolutely gorgeous pieces of art. Once again, I love the black blown glass.

Lasvit from the Czech Republic have done some major installations such as the Metro station in Dubai, and are renowned for amazing lighting design. These are statement pieces.

United Glassblowing based in Costa Mesa, CA is owned and operated by the very hip husband and wife team — Caleb Siemon and Carmen Salazar. They make gorgeous music together, creating beautiful hand blown glass pendants, sconces, lamps, and vessels. Definitely worth checking out.

Gorgeous hand crafted wood furniture: Out of Rhode Island comes a collaborative furniture design group called StudioDunn. Their pieces such as the Newport table have handmade joinery but are streamlined and modern.

Also Dexel Crafted marries contemporary design concepts through traditional woodworking techniques. Both companies will customize pieces for you.

Out of Brooklyn is City Joinery. Their work prides itself in functional designs with exquisite materials and subtle details. These are built to last.

Standout cool new company: Kremelife’s (out of Los Angeles) bold pillows and wall paper stand out as top picks. So much so, I placed my first order while still at the show!

Can’t wait to go back next year!

Editor’s Note: Pamela Hall created a chic “Knitter’s Nook” in Issue 3 of Nesting Newbies Magazine. Pamela is a style maven and principal of Core Design Interiors serving both residential and commercial clients.

[tweetmeme]We received images of Carrie and Mr. Big’s apartment on the set of Sex and the City 2 from The Rug Company. Beautiful! So stylish and with such a devoted following, the sets have been all over the blogosphere…so we wondered whether or not we could add anything interesting to what’s already been presented.

First, check out two of our favorite posts on the subject: an article written by All the Best by Ronda Carman, and an interview with set designer Lydia Marks on Casasugar.

Now here’s our take…

When you do a room makeover, take stock of everything you’ll need in your space:  architectural detailings, paint, window treatments, floor treatments, furnishings and accessories.  Then prioritize, in terms of budget, and choose items that will give you the greatest WOW factor in the room and spend accordingly.  If you are someplace where you will be sticking around for awhile, that might be making sure the room has the right architectural interest and balance–because everything will look “off” if the room’s bones aren’t “right.”  If you are in an apartment or plan to move within a few short years, pick a statement piece that you love and can carry with you when it’s time to move.  A handmade rug will MAKE that statement.  Just take a look at Carrie and Big’s apartment:

In her interview on Casasugar, Lydia Marks chose all the rugs from The Rug Company feeling that “the carpets were a great way to reflect Carrie.” She used Candy Flower by Marni, for a modern, feminine romantic touch.  If you wanted to have the same graphic punch but a little less of the girly-girl, we like:

Swirl, by Paul Smith from The Rug Company’s Designer Collection

OR

Zap, by Fiona Curran, from The Rug Company’s Designer Collection

In the same room, Lydia adds the Stupa Silver by Suzanne Sharp, more subdued but with a bit of texture to keep things visually interesting.  We think that these will work too:

Surshe NW, from The Rug Company’s Contemporary Collection

OR

Waterfall Pale by Allegra Hicks, from The Rug Company’s Designer Collection

In the dining area, you’ll see Starflower Blue by Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby, inspired by a traditional quilt pattern. Our alternatives:

Love, love, LOVE Fretwork, by Emily Todhunter, from The Rug Company’s Designer Collection

OR

Sellarsbrook Blue by Suzanne Sharp, from The Rug Company’s Contemporary Collection