Urban Mercantile

National Stationery Show: day one

On this first day of the show I'm looking for new vendors, exhibitors that have not shown at this show before. The Stationery show is huge. It occupies the entire second floor of Javits. Again, like the International Contemporary Furniture Fair which is also at Javits at the same time, I walk every aisle. Sometimes new exhibitors are placed in a not-so-appropriate category, so it's worth it to me to stroll every aisle, looking for that misplaced gem.

This year the NSS exhibitors, at least the newest or most inspired veteran companies, showed off surprisingly fresh designs. In past years, much of the stationery looked confusingly similar. I think many new printers saw the success of early leaders in letterpress and screen printing and decided to run with knock-off designs. I saw much less of that this year, and it's about time.

Also big this year was a broader push toward eco-friendly operations. In the past, many vendors printed on recycled paper stock and used soy-based inks. That was all good and fine. . . then. Now several of the vendors I ordered from are using power off the grid or the paper mills they buy paper from are working off the grid. Some of these printers and mills are using water power or wind power to operate their studios and factories instead of electricity (or as an adjunct to electricity). This was very encouraging news. At our store now, it's pretty safe for us to say when asked about which cards are printed on recycled or post-consumer recycled paper, that we can confidently affirm that virtually all of our cards are printed on the eco-friendly papers using eco-friendly inks by folks that are taking pretty big steps to leave a smaller carbon footprint.

This being my first Stationery Show as a blogger. I made a critical error. I did not take nearly enough pictures. Lesson learned. It wasn't until I went through my orders (and I ordered a lot!) and reviewed vendor websites that I realized my mistake. So I'll include a few shots and include links for those of you who want to dig deeper. The upside is that I can take specific product shots when the goods arrive in the store and post them a little later.

In no particular order. . . here goes. Discovering Susan Conner of SusyJack put a big smile on my face. Susan has a broad line of goods which are inspired and fresh. I enjoy buying goods from talent like her because she offers more than just cards. Susan really thinks about how her designs are sold and used by today's shops and consumers. Expect to see her line of screen printed cards, wall art, and pins in the store shortly.

Pearl & Marmalade of Chicago displayed a great collection of vintage-y modern cards. Look for two- and three-hit letterpress cards with graphic appeal.

From Seattle, Benjamin Paul featured a beautiful collection of koi fish cards that I thought would be a nice diversion from some of the botanical motifs we tend to have a lot of in the store. As well, I ordered calendars which will be a no-brainer gift over the holidays.

SoCal-based Tiselle showcased a few edgy cards with skulls intertwined in brocade graphics. From afar they appear sweet, but up close they're something different altogether. Owner and designer Tiany Wang did not look the type to design cards with skulls in them, but I don't ask questions. I just buy what I like.

Also from Los Angeles was Dee & Lala (ampersands are big among the stationery lot). Their cards feature original graphics of animals. The thing I liked is that they use a odd-sized card (not the typical A4). The gentle creatures on the cards will endear young and old.

Sweetbeets, from Ontario, Canada displayed a small collection of clever cards. They're pretty specifically depicting images appropriate for new baby cards and early birthdays. It will be interesting if these cards can dethrone our leaders in this category.

I'll post about more new stationery finds in the next day or two. As well, I'll feature some of our veteran vendors.

 

 

ICFF: day three

Finally, I'm feeling like I might just catch up on posts. Now that I'm home and the Memorial holiday is over I can attend to the blog (among the other piles of work I have around). Many of you have asked what it's like to shop at trade shows. I liken it to shopping at a flea market. There are booths and booths of things that are not what you're in the market for, and some booths you might have to dig deep for treasure. And sometimes a great new thing just jumps out. But to be sure I haven't missed anything, I do tend to retrace my steps. That's why these shows can be exhausting. Basically, it's like walking from 10am to 6pm. If you're lucky you can sit during lunch. I'm not complaining; there's always some very nice people to interact with along the way. So what caught my attention on this day?

Denmark's Ferm Living is a line I've had my eye on for a while. They approached me about a year ago to sell their wallpaper. As much as I loved the designs, I wasn't sure about testing the waters of a new category like wallpaper. This year they launched a whole home collection. Now this is something I can jump on board with! So I bought everything: wallpaper, wall stickers, dish towels, pillows, etc. As far as I know, we'll be the exclusive retailer in San Francisco for this line that features great graphics with a scandinasian slant. I liked one of the wallpaper designs so much I ordered a roll for myself. Prices are reasonable, though the wallpaper might be a bit pricey if you're accustomed to shopping at Home Depot.

Next, I found a wonderful rug collection by designer Robin Gray. Her line is simple, but with broad customization. Though Robin displayed some amazing technical designs, I decided to pick up the shaggy and loopy designs in solid colors of my own choosing, like bright orange and lime green. I added a couple neutral colors for those that refrain from splashes of color (no judgment here). I'm glad to have a made contact with such a warm and encouraging businesswoman as Robin, and I look forward--with her help--to creating bespoke rugs for our more discriminating customers (and design clients). The rugs I ordered won't be in the store for a few months as they are made to order. But in keeping with my goal to find good stuff at a reasonable price, they'll be worth the wait.

Lastly, another rug line captured my imagination. Lawrence of La Brea showcased some very interesting fabrications, including recycled denim patchwork rugs and metal thread woven rugs, but I opted for a more downplayed style of rugs made of jute. Jute is the natural, and ultimately biodegradable, plant fiber utilized in rug making since ancient times. They offered a few bright colors and a few neutrals, both palettes I think will appeal to our customers. Subtle woven patterns add texture to the fields of color.  A 6x9ft rug will retail for about $1200.00. And the smaller 2x3ft rugs will retail for about $132.00. These beauties should be in the store shortly as they are warehoused in Los Angeles.

ICFF: day two

Sorry folks. I'm really behind on posts. Stay tuned for more on my New York trip.

My hosts and good friends E.L. and D.C. prepared a most delicious breakfast this morning. Homemade scones and fruit, and a strong cup of coffee put me in a really good mood. This beats running to the Starbucks stand in the hotel lobby any day. We poked around Brooklyn later and enjoyed the little sunshine we've had here. I probably should have hustled to Javits, but I was having such a pleasant day with my BKLYN peeps.

My finds this day were a nice diversion from all the super-glamorous stuff everyone goes bananas for.  For example, these eco-friendly tables and stools are from Indianapolis-based inmodern/ecotots. Prices were reasonable considering the many steps they take to assure an eco-aware production process. The plywood layers are adhered with a human- and earth-friendly glue in a vapor free environment. The stains are alcohol based and wear well for durability. Not only are they working wonders with safer production, they’ve broken through the barrier of the manufacturing efficiency of such products. My order was ready to ship by the time I returned from a day of shopping. This will make special orders a breeze, as our customers appreciate quick deliveries of custom items. Adult and children’s furniture will be in the store in about a week.

Next, I discovered this line of ceramics in the Design-Boom section of the show. This area is usually filled with students or small upstart operations, both from the States and abroad, where smaller items are featured. You might see here accessories, jewelry, gadgets, and handcrafted items. Over the years, we’ve discovered several small-scale artisans and vendors. Like, Laura McKibbon and her company cul de sac design. Unlike many other ceramists, she prefers to work with earthenware. Her glazes are a soft palette that sells well for us. Her graphics are both botanical and typographical which also have broad appeal and in keeping with our store aesthetic. I hope to have an order in to her in time for a ceramics show I’m planning for the end of June. Prices will be reasonable considering the handmade attention the pieces receive.

  

ICFF: day one

Finally. I don't heart technology today.  Especially when it outwits me.

I'm in NYC for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). I've been coming for the last five years. But this my first visit since the start of my blogging life. And sure as the rain we've had here in the Big Apple, I was cursing my computer, my camera, my image editing software, and my own thickheadedness as I tried desperately to make my first post from the show. I was thwarted but survived.

So, I've vented. That's done. Now on with the show. It opened on Saturday to, from what I can tell, a good sized first day audience. Day One is usually a media frenzy. The interior design and product design glitterati walk the aisles as cameras flash. The first hour or so, I'm completely overwhelmed. For the uninformed, I get overwhelmed at Home Depot. But I do here what I do at any big name grocery store or home improvement center, I start at the far right side and walk every aisle in a calm and orderly fashion. By lunchtime I have my bearings.

The big trend this year still seems to be eco-friendly furniture, fixtures, and accessories. Also popular this year are screens, room dividers, and free-standing fireplaces. Rugs, wallpaper, and lighting are still hot, lo these many years. And though my photos might not illustrate it, it's obvious many manufactures and designers are still creating ultra-modern items with fat price tags. In turn, the trickle-down from this elite list provides inspiration to those in the trade and the upstart product designers, as well as an encouraging wink to resellers that perhaps the economy isn't irretrievably in the can.

If you've managed to stay entertained this long (for lack of any other stimulus), allow me to briefly hit the highlights of what I thought were good looking new furnishings suitable for the store and design clients.

These ceramic garden stools were perfectly scaled and glazed. Designed by Tucker Robbins of New York.  I stopped short of ordering them for the store (though I might look for something similar), as the retail price would have been over $900.00. Nevertheless, a stunning adaptation of an Asian garden stool, appropriately priced for higher-end clients.

The lights by London-based Tay Lighting are not entirely new. I saw some of them last year, but they still amaze me. Each are produced by hand with exsquite craftsmanship. These I would consider selling at the store; prices start at roughly $350.00 for the tube shape.

Large scale furniture is not something we can handle in our little store, but small pieces do exceptionally well. These petite painted metal stools/tables (I love convertible or multi-functional furniture) were a big find. They easily hit that scandinasian chord I often refer to. German firm Vitra, a major player in contemporary furniture production, working with every rockstar designer and architect in the last fifty years still has sass and class. The poor twenty-something girl in the booth did not have a price, but I'll be digging deeper for details. They are also available in a weird, prune color. I'm not sure if it was bad can of powder-coat paint on the samples or what, but that was a miss for me.

Also from Vitra, were these little dim-sums cum pouffes. A little savory and a little sweet, constructed with multi-media approach to home fashion. Homey without feeling too church bazaar. 

The MYTO chair is a small miracle in design collaboration. Chemical company BASF (Germany) first commissioned KGID to design an application for their Ultradur® High Speed material. A virtually indestructible material used in the auto industry. Konstantin Grcic heads his team along with Italian furniture company PLANK to build a plastic cantilevered, highly-engineered, indoor/outdoor, physics-defying chair. Not only is it strong, comfortable, and available in several colors, it's production is safer for the environment than traditional methods of manufacturing. The MYTO chair would retail for about $375.00.

Now playing

Today I'm working on bookkeeping for design clients; spreadsheets, photocopies, schedules, invoicing. It's all very glamorous. Thank the stars for a peppy soundtrack in the background to keep me from putting my head down on my desk.

If you're totally bored and want some new diggable beats, give these a listen. I hope there's a little something for everyone. Lately, I've been listening to music that has a lot of 80s sound. A lot of new music sounds like the soundtrack of my youth. Odd. Too bad I can't figure out how to put music links in this blog. If anyone can tell me how, I'd love to hear from you. Arrgghh.

Santogold: Santogold--Maybe not for everyone, but she rocks me like Missing Person's Dale Bozzio once did. Especially, L.E.S. Artistes, You'll Find a Way, Shove It, My Superman, and Lights out.

Glass Candy: B/E/A/T/B/O/X--I wish I still had my eight-wheel roller skates. Slow disko. Especially, Beatific and Candy Castle.

Puressence: Don't Forget to Remember--A little rocky for some. Like old U2 and Rush's Geddy Lee. Especially, Moonbeam, Don't Forget to Remember, and Drop Down to Earth.

Miss Kittin: BatBox--Heavy beat and ripe electronics. Especially, Play Me Tape and Mother Star.

On a bed of natural materials

In doing some research on beds for some amazing clients, The Avenues (not their real names, of course, but they have a lovely home in the avenues of San Francisco), I came across a bit of terrific information I thought I would share. It's also in keeping with this month's sub-themes of greenish-ness and better rest with feng shui.

Several bedding manufacturers are using more natural products in an effort to capitalize on the green movement. Simmons is working with green guru Danny Seo (as seen on TV, not to mention his books, blogs, etc.) to create the Natural Care collection (shown at top). The series of beds should be available 1 May through JC Penney stores. The Simmons website shows the collection, but makes no mention of Seo, except by way of a press release. Retail prices are expected to be within range of typical mid- to higher-level beds. These beds will feature natural latex as well as foam enhanced with soy.

Dormia takes "natural"  one step further by adding an organic ticking (fabric) quilted cover and hypoallergenic New Zealand wool. The beds (shown in the middle) are priced somewhat higher than the Simmons offering. They are not widely available through bricks-and-mortar showrooms, but they are available online.

Lastly, Natura World creates a bed set that is not only natural, but provides individualized comfort. This collection (shown at bottom) features eco-friendly and organic aspects with customizable inserts for a personalized sleep surface. Prices are a bit more than the others, but likely worth it for such customization. They, too, are available online.

If you or someone you know is inspired to upgrade an old mattress with out-of-date metal springs as innards for one that provides restful sleep on natural materials, I hope this serves as a starting point.

Happy feng shui day!

Today, April 8, is International Feng Shui Awareness Day. So don your party hats and drink green beer! Actually, that's not what celebrants are likely to do, but a little appreciation of this little known "holiday" might be in order.

In ancient times, feng shui (pronounced fung shway), this Asian art of placement, was known as Kan-Yu. Although I can't translate Chinese, it apparently means "the law of heaven and earth." To truly understand the principles of this art/science would take a lifetime (or a least many years of dedication). Basically, using the system of feng shui promotes well-being (physical, mental, spiritual) and personal success through the placement of property (your home) and your furnishings (what's inside your home). Since very few of us are actually buying land and siting a home's position, hiring a builder, and a feng shui practitioner, it can be a little daunting to adopt the ancient methods of bringing our natural world and our pre-built rental into balance. Taking the time for deeper investigation into feng shui you will discover it's roots in agricultural planning, space, geomagnetism, weather, numerology, astronomy, and astrology. Much more than you can accomplish in a little weekend reading.

I've done a fair amount of reading on the subject, and by all mean I'm no expert, but I do have some ideas for easy ways to improve your environment at home.

1. Clear clutter. How many time of you heard that? Well, it works. Donate or recycle what you no longer use. Holding on to something literally holds your attention, and you want to free your attention for other things (your career, relationships, health). Try not to buy things that you will need temporarily. Try to buy things that you love and are willing to keep for a very long time.

2. Make the entrance to your home or apartment as inviting and clear as possible. Steps should safe and clear. Your doors should open easily without squeaks or effort. Doors should open all the way without obstructions behind them (shoes, coat rack, etc.). Passageways, halls, and entries and foyers should be clean and tidy. An inviting photo or piece of artwork in an entry is a nice feature. Also, taking shoes off before you enter your home or tidily thereafter keeps the outdoors out (no sense in bringing in the dirty urban world on the bottoms of your shoes).

3. Furniture in every room should be exceedingly easy to navigate around. If you're stubbing your toe, or banging your head or knee on something you've obviously got to make changes. Pay close attention to more subtle obstructions; e.g. stepping over the dog's bowl, reaching for something to high or too low, sidestepping an ottoman. Imagine your home as if a river were flowing through it, anywhere the flow of water encounteres obstruction, rapids or swirls of stalled flow would occur, right? Small changes can be immediately felt on a conscious level.

4. Sleep in natural goodness. Your sleepware and your bedding should be cotton or some other natural fiber. Many mattresses have a layer of polyfill (polyester batting) on top to give a quilted appearance. Use a wool, silk, or cotton mattress pad (make sure it's machine washable--do not dryclean bedding)  to put a layer of natural goodness between you and your bed. Look closely at your "space-age" foam pads. Latex does come from natural sources (and it's a great antimicrobial), but it can be produced synthetically. Again, if your astronaut-proven mattress is synthetic, put a natural barrier between you and it. Buy only 100% cotton sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, etc. Wash them frequently (they'll get even softer). If you have allergies, seek out natural alternatives to wool and down; some now are made from corn fiber and various tree fibers. And, finally, don't use the space under your bed for storage--keep it clear for air to circulate.

So don't party too hearty on this Feng Shui Day, but do try to make some improvements around your home and you'll realize the rewards of this system of harmonious living.

Thanks Liam!

Liam Mayclem of KPIX CBS 5 put the Urban Mercantile blog on his famous namesake List of what's happening around the Bay Area. I'm honored. . . this week's blog worthy of mention. Thanks for the kind words. Never mind the misspelling of my last name. Cheers mate! Scroll down to number seven after the jump http://cbs5.com/liamslist/eotb.liams.list.2.687266.html

SALE: Arkitektura In-Situ

Just a quick post to let you know about a sale. And who doesn't love a sale. Arkitektura In-Situ San Francisco is putting "anything and everything" on sale. Even special orders. Remember to buy what you love. Don't buy anything just because it's on sale; that just doesn't make sense. I'm not paid for this plug, it's just newsworthy. Tell them I sent you. April 5 & 6. 560 Ninth Street, SFCA 800.400.4869 www.arksf.com.

Musical notes

Since I'm still without camera (and I was swamped at the store with new stuff coming in), I decided I'd share some musical notes rather than not post at all. For those folks out there getting hitched (and we meet a fair amount of you at the store) or even if you'd like to hear something different, give a listen to The Modern Wedding Collection by The Vitamin String Quartet. This full-on string quartet covers bands like Snow Patrol, Coldplay, the Foo Fighters, among others. (Their website has lots of other options, too.) The music is recognizable but performed and orchestrated beautifully by these super-talented musicians it is vastly different than the original bands' releases. I purchased a few tracks from iTunes for my recent trip to Italy and I loved having them as background music as I walked through Rome. If you're not a fan of iTunes, visit the Vitamin Records website.

http://www.vitaminrecords.com/web/page.asp?pgs=product&catid=26&id=1211