Hues of the season
FOLLOWING the cool colours that have been trending in recent years is a shift to a warmer spectrum of pinks, reds and oranges, reflecting an optimistic global outlook. AkzoNobel, a global colour authority that keeps its finger on the pulse of emerging social, economic and design trends around the world, affirms the swing by naming Copper Orange its Colour of the Year 2015.
Described as the natural palette of the earth with its clay tones, the warm hue also reflects skin tones and the sepia hues of the past. Its organic shade translates well on works from architecture to fashion. Juxtaposing pinks, crisp whites, bright yellows and neutral hues, as well as metallic shades of gold coax its depth and warmth to the forefront. It has all the makings of a colour with staying power, transitioning effortlessly from the everyday to the extraordinary.
In keeping with the global shift to warmer hues in trends, colour expert Pantone chooses Marsala as the colour of the year, a full-bodied red-brown that evokes similar sophistication and natural earthiness. Not sure what Marsala looks like? Turn to our Accent column (pages 62 & 63) for a peek of this lovely and vibrant hue.
Italian savoir faire
Elevate your bathroom from a mere functional space to a virtual sanctuary with fine artistic basins by Tuscan glassmakers Glass Design. Founded in 1984 in Vinci, the Italian native town of renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci, it comprises over 200 Tuscan artisans and 15 Murano glass experts who continue the founding family’s tradition of manufacturing artistic glass.
Basins are painstakingly crafted from Murano and Florence glass, as well as glass pigments, polymers, resins, aluminium alloys, pure crystals and, for a contemporary line, malleable silicone. Each is entirely unique and a positive work of art, customisable to suit individual requirements. A range of looks is available, from delicate classic designs to bold modern statements, in keeping with your theme of choice.
www.glassdesign.it
Meeting of minds
Recently on display at the flagship Alexander Wang store in New York was a cool collaboration between the designer and Haydenshapes Surfboards. The installation, named #TheCage22, was born from an idea of creating a luxury surfboard that was a visual art piece while maintaining superior levels of performance, innovation and authenticity.
Each limited edition board – the award-winning Haydenshapes Hypto Krypto model – was personally crafted by Haydenshapes founder Hayden Cox. Photographs of unique marble slabs were digitally printed onto silk, then onto the boards, to create the one-of-a-kind designs. The final marble boards, with typical Wang aesthetic, suspended from the cage wall with a monolithic black wave sculpted from black sand looms add drama.
www.alexanderwang.com
Let there be light
Dutch artist and innovator Daan Roosegaarde brings light to the Eindhoven region in the Netherlands with a twinkling bicycle path inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting The Starry Night. Based on his earlier Smart Highway, a glow-in-the-dark road to help guide motorists during late drives, the glow-in-the-dark bicycle path comprises thousands of light stones that charge during the day to sparkle for eight hours at night.
The 600m path runs through the area where the artist lived from 1883 to 1885 and was constructed to celebrate the start of the van Gogh 2015 international theme year. It’s an exquisite interplay of light and poetry, where history and the future meet.
www.studioroosegaarde.com
This article first appeared in The Edge haven, on Issue #71 February 2015 + March 2015.