Arborite

Arborite is a high pressure laminate manufacturer, similar to Wilsonart, Abet Laminati, Formica, and Lamin-art.

Sheet sizes come 4' x 8', 4' x 10', 5' x 8', 5' x 10', 5' x 12', 30" x 8', 30" x 10', and 30" x 12'.

Wired Copper P-349 (pictured above) comes in the following finishes: Cashmere CA, Diamond DI, Laqwood LQ, and Velvatex VL. These finishes are available in all sizes.

The Gloss GL finish is only available in sizes 4' x 8', 4' x 10', and 5' x 12'.

The French Polish FP finish is only available in sizes 4' x 8', 5' x 12', 30" x 8', 30" x 10', and 30" x 12'.

This product comes in three grades: A3 - which has a 0.028" gauge, A4 - which has a thickness of 0.039", and A5 - which has a 0.045" thickness. However, A5 is not recommended for applications requiring postforming.

They've passed many tests - and are GreenGuard IAQ certified. They offer LEED points for CI, NC, and Leed for Schools 2007.

Maintenance instructions here. And everything you ever wanted to know about installation, fabrication, and adhesive is all located here in Arborite's technical guides.

Coalesse

Coalesse is a really cool manufacturer with neat seating. Pictured above is their EMU chair from their Re-Trouvé Collection designed by Italian furniture designer Patricia Urquiola. The designer says she was inspired by merging the present with the past - creating a sense of nostalgia from the 50s with the curls and spirals, mixed with a modern innovation and fabrication.

The basic list price begins at $1,135.

Other items that are apart of the Re-Trouvé collection include other chairs, poufs, and vases. This Emu chair is available for indoor and outdoor use, provided the right cushions and fabric are specified.

There are a multitude of powder coat colors are available, some even specific just to this collection. And the fabric options are plenty too, with their COM/COL program including Steelcase fabrics, Designtex, Maraham, and Luna.

It has received the Gold Certification for SCS Indoor Advantage.

They are working towards making their company more sustainable. They try to select the best materials that are able to be recycled at the end of their life cycle. But for the materials that are not they are working with Steelcase, their parent company to renew the life cycle of all products so none end up in a landfill. This chair is 100% recyclable, and they contain 34% recycled content (24% post-consumer, 10% pre-consumer). They offer LEED points from CI, NC, and EB.

No information regarding maintenance was found, nor fabric installation or chair fabrication - it doesn't say if the chairs come fully assembled or knockdown.

Aceray

Aceray is a great furniture manufacturer. They offer so many interesting and modern options! I am using one of their barstools for my convenience store project.

The #683SWIV Counter Stool, pictured above, is an upholstered swivel counter stool with a brushed or polished stainless steel column base. This chair design came from Studio Tipi.

The dimensions are as follows: 35.5" high, 20" depth, 19.5" width, and with a 24" seat height.

They offer 26 vinyl fabric options, as well as a COM/COL option for variety from Garrett Leather, Pugi, Designtex, Maharam, and GS-Tessuti. In addition to the two finishes on the steel base, they also offer additional finish options on large orders for an upcharge.

All Aceray products have been tested and rated based on the CAL117 and CAL133 technical bulletins. They have a 5 year warranty available for interior products and 3 year warranty for exterior products.

The maintenance instructions are simple. None the furniture should be in direct contact with any chemically reactive and substantially unsuitable objects of the horizontal surface, nor should it be placed in direct sunlight. Remove dust with a soft, clean and dry duster. A damp cloth should remove all dirt (dependent on the fabric specified), but they recommend that you strictly adhere to the label instructions for use of the cleaning agent.

The care for the base is the same as well. They recommend cleaning the base with a small amount of plain water and a clean cloth. If soap is needed, they recommend using mild dishwashing liquid. In the removal of smudges or fingerprints, glass cleaner should be used. For staining or scratching or dull polish, a stainless steel cleaner should be used, which help minimize scratching and remove stains. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and towel dry.

Joel Berman Glass Studio

Joel Berman Glass has some really cool product.

One of their products - "Esto" has a pattern with multidimensional, random, horizontal forms across a lightly brushed background. The pattern suggests direction, and the company offers glazing for the customer's specification.

The sizes are custom to a client's order, but the maximum panel size available is 80" X 132". The repeat of the pattern appears every 27".

The thickness comes in 5/32", 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8".

The natural color available is clear, but custom options are available. They recommend you contact the local distributor for details on your specific application or fabrication, who is Bob Larson in Houston, TX at blarson@craftsmanfab.com / 713.353.5800.

Many safety and security treatment options are available, such as tempered, laminate, tempered and laminate, and insulated.

The finish options include curve (bend), shape (cut), drill, notch, slump, carve, sandblast, and colored. The edge finish options are arris, mitre, flat machine polish.

I could not find any information on installation or maintenance on the website.

Kravet

Kravet is a great company - they offer furniture, upholstery, carpet, trimmings, and much more.



The pattern above is called Token 30472, color Onyx 81 (above - but offers 4 color options in this pattern). The rolls come 54" wide, and they are graded for commercial use with a heavy duty 42,000 double rubs. The furniture grade is 0011 with a horizontal half drop. The pattern repeat is every 2.5" x 4.5".

It is manufactured and shipped within the US, so lead times are usually swift. It has a Teflon finish, and it complies with all requirements of the CAL #117 test. The contents include 62% polyester and 38% cotton.

Maintenance includes spot cleaning with soap and water. Installation varies dependent on application.

Ceilume

Ceilume is a cool vinyl ceiling tile manufacturer. They are similar to Armstrong, offering both Commercial and Residential applications. All of their products are 100% recyclable, preventing its future in a landfill.

The pattern above is called Petal. It comes in 6 colors: sand, white, black, merlot, latte, and even translucent (for assisting in light distribution). It comes in standard sizes of 24" x 24" and 24" x 48".

This pattern is a part of the Feather-Light Series, which is intended for a grid mount installation (on a standard 1" suspended t-bar drop ceiling grid). However, for partial or irregular grid installations, they recommend edge trim be specified as well. It weighs .34 lbs, and it has a gauge of .013" thickness.

The ceiling tiles (with grid mount installation) have 3 profiles available: projected profile (tile features project below the ceiling or grid), recessed profile (tile features are recessed up above the grid) or hybrid profile (some tile features project below the grid and some tile features are recessed above).

The tile is Class A Fire Rated, which means it is designed to be used under lighting fixtures and sprinkler systems rated for heat up to 165°F. The website claims that their tile is also the first and only ceiling tile to ever receive the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute's Indoor Air Quality Certification and Children & Schools Product Certification.

This particular grid mount installation will not absorb water or stain from exposure to moisture even in the most humid of conditions. They can also be painted before or after installation, should you desire to paint it, however painting the tiles void the fire rating. Should you paint it, you should avoid solvent type paint thinners and cleaners. Maintenance is fairly easy. They suggest wiping ceiling tiles with a soft, damp rag. They claim that there is no risk of water damage during cleaning nor any need for professional cleaning and resurfacing to prevent environmental and aesthetic problems.

The pricing begins at $7.95 (for a basic white tile) for a set of 5 - for the additional options, pricing starts at $8.95 for a set of 5. With a high quantity purchase of more ceiling tiles, the price lowers. For instance, 1200 ceiling tiles costs $3.35 for white and $3.95 for color.

The recommended commercial installation is a school, office, or any other use that may introduce interest in a space through a unique ceiling tile.

Installation guide can be found here.

The website shows installations of the Petal ceiling tile here.

Livinglass

I know other students have looked at Livinglass for their blogs, and I had to check it out. In addition to my studio project, I've been shopping around materials for my Clue project.

I really liked the Kimono pattern for use as glass panels to serve as a room divider.



Apart of the Folio collection, the Kimono pattern comes in 8 colorways (Black Bronze pictured above), but custom colors are also available. It comes in the following options, luxe (an all glass pattern with materials laminated in between two layers), light (the 100% recycled resin and glass), and curve (an option that allows for curves).

Kimono is made to order in custom lengths up to 9' and widths up to 5'. Anything over 32 square feet will be an upcharge. They do not offer anything beyond 40 square feet. Thicknesses range between 3/4", 7/8", and 1 1/8".

They have 3 resin colors available in their Light collection: clear, mist, and cloud. But the only finish available for Luxe is clear, shown.

The safety rating is ANSI Z-97.1, 16 CFR 1201. C II - which qualifies as impact resistant safety glass. They have a fire rating of Class 1, Class A for all gauges.

Luxe is the application that I am interested in using. Additional information about this specific type of product includes UV, water, and chemical resistance. As well antimicrobial and sanitation. It resists scratching, fading, and discoloration.

Applications include interior partitions, exterior walls, hanging ceilings, doors, furniture, shower, flooring, stairs, safety railings, water features, lighting, countertops, sterile surfaces, backsplashes, cabinet doors, and signage.

Since the panels are custom made to your specifications, pricing is subject to client's desired application, size, and material.

I could not find any information regarding installation or specific hardware requirements.

Raydoor

I like Raydoor a lot for its room dividing/panel door systems... however, this will be a very general entry because there are SOOO many options available with this company, it is hard to limit them to just a few paragraphs!

The first step is to pick out a system. How do you want your room to be divided? Single sliding? Double? Bypassing doors? Sliding walls? Bifolds? Stacking doors? Pivot doors? Fixed panels? Or blank doors that come with no system or hardware? A complete list of options are here.

The next step is to choose your frame. They come in high pressure laminate options (10 selections) or real wood veneer options (4 selections).

Third, you need to pick your panel finish. The standard is a frosted acrylic panel, but they offer options including clear/transparent, opal frosted (which offers maximum privacy), and oyster linen, beach grass, and search light which offer patterns including real materials pressed into the panel's layers and even a layer of glass.

Next, you need to select if you would like a special frame design. They offer 5 unique options, which include anywhere from multiple horizontal bars to creative (and custom) patterns on the panel itself (shown above).

Lastly, you choose your hardware - locks, latches, door pulls, hinges, and even your tracks. All necessary hardware is included with your Raydoor purchase, specified for your intended application.

Recyclable content information as well as LEED information is available here.

Installation guides are individual to specific systems, link posted above.

Hive Modern

So, it is not an actual manufacturer (they are technically an online distributor), but I love Hive Modern!

They bring together a whole batch of popular manufacturers of furniture, accessories, lighting, and more with an emphasis on 1960s and contemporary design. So it is obvious that they have a wide variety of interesting pieces from great designers such as Florence Knoll, Arne Jacobsen (love the Egg and Swan chairs!), Pierre Paulin, and many more!



One of the coolest chairs that I saw on the website was the Living Tower, designed by furniture designer Vernen Panton in 1968. They are manufactured in Germany by Vitra.

Available in three colors - red, chocolate, and matt blue, the dimensions are 78.75" long, 26.5" deep, and 78.75" high.

The materials include a frame made of birch plywood, and the fabric is standard upholstery atop a polyurethane foam cushion.

The cost is a whopping $13,920. However, shipping is free to the US, so that makes up for something. But if you live anywhere else, you're SOL, I guess. Lead times are 8-12 weeks.

However, if purchased through the direct manufacturer - the closest sales rep (or dealer) is located in Dallas.

Hart Texas
Vitra Sales Representative
1910 Bennett Ave. #10
75206 Dallas
Telephone: 1-214-747-8282
Fax: 1-214-747-8285

Maya Romanoff

Wow! Maya Romanoff has some fancy wallcoverings and accessories for wallcoverings!

In addition to the many options with glass bead embellishments, "Crystalized" (MR-SWP1-01) above includes Swarovski crystal pearls in the center of one of the many elaborate patterns available through Maya Romanoff. This crystal pearl accessory is just one of the many available in the Swarovski Elements collection.

The application above shows a combination of the Crystalized element with the Sunburst Ajiro Wood Veneer wallcovering pattern. They come 50 pearls to a pack, with adhesive included. The pearls are 10mm in size, standard. The pearl color is Mother of Pearl, but the collection includes crystals for application as well.

It can be specified with any Maya Romanoff wallcovering. Each pack of 50 should be enough for one roll/9 yards of wallcovering, but it depends on the pattern of wallcovering it is intended for (or what pattern you have desired for the pearls). They must be purchased with a wallcovering as well.

No pricing or installation information was provided on this specific application.

Farmboy Fine Arts, Inc.

I found this really cool artwork website through Interior Design Magazine. The company is Farmboy Fine Arts, Inc. In addition to the 40,000 prints already available on the website, they also offer custom artwork based on your application (Retail, Hospitality, Healthcare, Corporate, and more), so pricing can be specialized determined on your project.

The mediums for artwork consist of acrylic, metal, glass, canvas, or more. The compositions include single, diptych, triptych, quad, or complete customization. But one of their coolest offerings is Wallcoverings (custom options for wallcovering is also available).



The wallcovering consists of polyester non-woven wallpaper, and all artwork is printed directly onto the paper through solvent inks. They have been fire tested and rated type 2, and they have also been federally tested CC-408, receiving the D, C, B, A ratings. They are resistant to mold, mildew, and bacteria.

The recommended commercial applications are corporate, casinos and retail, indoors, lobbies and corridors, guestrooms, and fitness and spas - according to average traffic and conditions.

The benefits to specifying this unique wallcovering is, of course - not only the awesome selection, but also they offer textured and non-textured fabrics, customization of sizes and graphics, they have the ability to be used as a large mural, they have great volume capabilities, and they are affordable.

I could not find any information regarding installation or maintenance. Contact information below.

Farmboy Fine Arts Inc.
Suite 500
319 West Hastings
Vancouver, BC, Canada
V6B 1H6
Telephone: +1 604 699 2466
Fax: +1 604 609 2699
Email: info@farmboyfinearts.com

Chemetal

CheMetal presents their 500 Series Ultra Brushed Metal Collection, which offers the modern and stylized representation of brushed metal patterns. This collection was designed in partnership with BRM Design, the creator of Stainless Steel Fine Art.

504 Grasshopper (pictured above), is one of the five selections from the 500 series. It is sold in two sizes 96" x 48" and 120" x 48" - but they offer custom sizes as well. The base metal is aluminum, with a .37 HPL thickness, .050 phenolic thickness, and .020 solid metal thickness. Its metal weight is .284. Because it is backed with HPL, it is unavailable in any tinted color options.

The manufacturer does offer LEED point eligibility, but the links were broken, so I could not further research them. All technical information regarding maintenance and installation can be found here.

Charles Loomis Lighting

Charles Loomis, Inc Lighting has a nice selection of dramatic and modern lighting fixtures.



The materials consists of stainless steel polished CL435 and sheer embossed crystal clear glass petals (and an inner glass diffuser).

This lighting fixture comes in 7 glass color options: white, amber, coral, gold iridescent, silver iridescent, clear pave, and grey. It comes in 7 sizes as well: P24 (24" x 20"), P30 (30" x 24.75"), P36 (36" x 30.5"), P42 (42" x 34.5"), P48 (48" x 40.5"), P54 (54" x 44.75"), and P84 (84" x 66.25"). The 120V lamping is included.

Installation seen below:

ArmourCoat

ArmourCoat offers a lot of interesting options for wall finishes. They have sculptural pieces and actual finishes to put on the wall to create a metallic finish, travertine, plaster, flat artwork, or other unique architectural aspects.

Their gallery shows installations worldwide in residential applications and commercial applications from all different types: a church, a shopping center, hospitality, restaurants, and many more.



Picture above is a Shoe Store in Inci, Turkey that has the polished plaster travertine finish. The polished plaster finish comes in three types: travertine, pitted, and dragged. The travertine finish has a lightly carved texture with echoes the pattern and flow of natural travertine stone. The finish has a low sheen, and one color brings out two or three other tones that complement well. The travertine has 16 colors in their palette.

The travertine has no VOC emissions, contains approximately 25% recycled content, and has been rated Class 0 and Class A for fire testing.

Cleaning and installation instructions are provided here.

Flavor Paper

I have fallen in love with this site since Angie introduced us to it in class. I mean, how freakin' cool is scratch and sniff wallcovering with bananas and cherries!!!

Flavor Paper is not only a very unique wallcovering company, but they are locally based in New Orleans, LA - so that makes them even cooler. :)

Anyone who can get away with making a wallcovering with sharp objects and hang it on a wall by meat is awesome in my book. Who comes up with these crazy designs?

The designer of the 'Sharp Descent' Wallcovering pictured above is Dan Funderburgh. The wallcovering has 1 screen with 2 colors on each "colorway". The available colors are: red/white, black/grey, purple/metallic gold, and blue/metallic silver. The pattern consists of knives, scissors, broken glass, forks, chopping knife, etc, and it repeats every 28". The recommended installation is to have the pattern straight across. They are sold as a 27" x 15' roll at $150/roll.

They have extensive installation instructions with advised installation products, which are outlined here. They recommend only water for maintenance and for clean-up after installation.

Maharam! Yay!

So, as if I didn't love Maharam enough - a wonderful lady from their Marketing Department contacted me at work inquiring about my interest in the Horto by Maharam fabric - shown here. Even though she had so graciously offered me a hefty discount to specify the fabric - much to my chagrin - I had to decline and inform her that it was, regrettably, a hypothetical project through school.

I arrived to work today to see a present! The gorgeous Horto fabric on a pillow from the fantastic people at Maharam!! :)

Every dealing I have had with these people has been wonderful. Susan Sublette, our local Maharam rep, is SO sweet and swift in every request. All of the contacts that I have spoken to at the company are great! I just had to share my lovely experience with the Maharam staff because I know I look forward to specifying many more Maharam products in academic projects and professional projects for years to come.

So thank you again!!

Zuo Modern

I found a really cool barstool that I want to use in my convenience store. Unfortunately, Zuo Modern has very little if anything about any of their furniture.

The Flute chair has abstract lines and a back lip for back support. It comes in a leatherette seat, a hydraulic mechanism for adjusting height, an adjustable footrest, and a chrome plated steel base. The standard leatherette options are black, white, and green.

Dimensions: 21.7" w, 14.5" d, 30.5" - 40.5" h, 23" - 33" seat ht, and 17" base diameter.

Little is revealed about further specifications or sustainability. There is no information regarding testing for commercial application, so upon further review, this may not be the best product to put in a convenience store. It's probably just recommended for personal residential use. Guess I'm back to looking for my barstool options...

LonSeal Floors

The second type of wood laminate floor that I want to use in my convenience store is through LonSeal Vinyl Flooring.



LonSeal is a vinyl flooring company that offers product with patterns, textures, and woodwork. They also have products made with recyclable material. One of the collections within LonSeal is LonZebra, which has a very interesting striated wood grain pattern. This helps mask dirt or any imperfections in the floor that may occur with daily use. It reminds me of bamboo, and it is so similar to my 3-Form Resin panel, so rock! :)

This line allows you to show an application of "wood" with the low cost and durability of vinyl. It offers up to 10 different color selections (68 African Sunset pictured above). It also coordinates well with other LonSeal vinyl collections.

LonSeal has many green features as well. It contains 35% post-consumer recycled content, an EQ 4.1: low VOC adhesive and a GreenAir low VOC emission product, and GreenMedic microbial resistant.

In addition, they have passed a multitude of tests, including abrasion resistance, smoke density, static load limit, and chemical resistance. They offer a 10-year limited lifetime warranty.

Specifications include a 0.080" overall thickness with a 0.020" wear layer thickness. The roll of flooring comes as 6' x 60', weighing 250 lbs.

Roppe Floors

Half of my flooring in my convenience store is laminate flooring, and the other half, I want to have rubber floor. Rubber floor is an awesome material because it is great for maintenance, it is incredibly durable, and it is very slip-resistant.

Roppe Floors offers options in smooth/marbleized, recycled rubber, textured/patterned, and extra slip-resistant - among many other options. They are often specified in healthcare, retail, gyms, and many other applications that would require extra caution for people. I feel like it would be perfect for my application.



Above is the smooth design/marbleized collection. It is available in patterns, marble or solid color. There are over 60 color selections.

They have very extensive installation instructions. But Roppe also offers you the option of integrating your own custom flooring logo for your client.

It has passed many tests, including ASTM E-662 (which tests specific optical density of smoke generated by solid materials), ASTM F-1344 (rated Class 1) NFPA, ANSI, and it is ADA accessible.

Sizes available: 12" x 12", 19 11/16" x 19 11/16" or 36" x 36"
Thicknesses: 1/8" or 3/16"
They even offer slender strips of 1/2" x 24 1/2", 1" x 25", and 2" x 26" to assist in completing a logo or design.

It is very green - PVC free, fully recyclable. This particular line contains 10% rubber, which may contribute to the LEED Green Building Certification System. Other Roppe lines are composed up to 100% recycled content.

It is incredibly durable. It stands up well to constant traffic from wheelchairs, shopping carts, luggage carriers or dollies and resists scuffing, gouging, cigarette burns, most chemicals and common substances.

Even though the initial investment of the product is quite expensive, for the life cycle of the material, the durability, and maintenance, the cost is well worth the investment. In addition to these benefits, it offers noise reduction from foot comfort and great comfort.

They offer 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year warranties available for this specific collection, dependent on the damage.

Armstrong Ceilings

So - I'm echoing this pattern of linear woodwork in laminate and resin panels in my convenience store, and I wanted a similar ceiling architectural element. It may end up being too busy in the end, but I thought it was a nice material to share.



Armstrong Ceilings have a really cool WoodWorks collection where they showcase interesting architectural ceiling patterned options with wood. The material and linear pattern depicted showcases the versatility of ceiling elements - they don't need to be boring standard tiles.

There are, of course, some major downsides to this cool application. One is that it is a high cost for only a 1-year warranty, no defects, damage. Beyond that point, the company claims no responsibility for damages... so if your $15,000 ceiling falls apart on the 366th day of its manufacture, you're SOL. Another is that there is very little to any durability to this expensive ceiling installation. And according to the specs, it says it isn't "hardware friendly"... maybe that's a delicate way of saying that it's a PITA to install? Or it strips your screws? Alas, there are some pretty cool features that still redeem this product...

They come in 4 1/2" and 6" plank sizes (96" in length and 3/4" thick), both suspended by steel cables. They are natural wood veneer, which can be cut to allow access to electrical and HVAC units above. They can be cut also to offer a curved grid installation.

They also offer many options for achieving LEED credits. The material is made of 92% pre-consumer recycled content. Choosing a Bamboo finish on your wood or also specifying your wood with FSC-certified options allows for redemption of LEED credits.

The finish availability includes: Dark Cherry, Bamboo Patina, Constraints Cherry, Constants Walnut, Constants Maple, Natural Variations Beech, Natural Variations Light Cherry, and Natural Variations Maple (all selections within Armstrong). It also comes with a semi-gloss coating on top.

They have a .50 NRC Acoustics rating, which stands for the Noise Reduction Coefficient - this rating is average, where .80 is very high and .20 is very low. The fire resistance/flame spread rating is Class A (HPVA), and it has a standard anti-microbial and humidity resistance rating.

Panda Chair!

Okay - so I don't have plans to ever put this in my projects, but I was looking for chairs, and I stumbled upon this crazy Panda Chair. Now, at a retail auction it sold for $76,000. It almost makes me want to head to the nearest Toys R Us and take up a new career of stapling stuffed animals to chairs and making bank.



The highly creative and a bit... bizarre designers at Moss Online have brought this Baquete Chair with Pandas (Limited Edition, mind you) to the public created by Fernando and Humberto Campana in 2006. They are manufactured in their studio in Brazil.

And if the construction wasn't evident or anything... it's composed of stuffed animals on a metal base

Their 25 piece collection, featuring the same construction with stuffed alligators, stuffed teddy bears, stuffed dolls, stuffed sharks/dolphins, and others are exclusively sold through Moss Online. It is numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity, signed by the designers themselves.

The dimensions are roughly 41" x 37". And though the auctioned piece sold for a whopping $76,000 - when purchased through Moss Online, the price is omitted and only available upon request.

Unless you can recycle the stuffed animals, I'm fairly certain there are no sustainable materials involved in the construction of this piece.