New Lapchi Showroom

Lapchi, based in Portland, Oregon, is pleased to announce the opening of its latest Atelier Lapchi showroom in Suite 103. Lapchi, a leading producer of high-end, hand-woven, custom-made carpets has been represented for the past several years in the Ohio Design Centre by Classic Oriental Rugs. The new Atelier Lapchi showroom, located in the former Classic space, will be managed by Thom Capretta and will highlight the full range of designs and color ways from the Lapchi Textile Collection. Through its Atelier showrooms in Chicago, Los Angeles and now Beachwood, Lapchi is working to bring dramatic change to the handmade luxury carpet world. The company values the aesthetic desires and practical needs of design clients and is positioned to custom-make beautiful carpets in the most responsible manner possible. Visit the new showroom and learn more about Lapchi's hand-woven custom carpets that are as individual as the clients who own them.

Design Student Vignettes

When you're visiting the showrooms, don't forget to look into Suite 110 for the inventive vignettes created by students in interior design programs throughout the area. Under the direction of Dr. Terrence Uber, a professor from Kent State's Interior Design Department, students recently created four vignettes based on modern interpretations of historic furniture. The students were inspired by the Klismos chair, English Georgian style, Egyptian forms and multi-historic designs interpreted in metal or reflective materials.

Publicity Opportunities for Design Professionals

On May 20th at noon, the Ohio Design Centre presents a unique opportunity to enhance your marketing opportunities with PUBLICITY. Join a group of respected home design media representatives for tips on getting your "best work" published in regional publications and other venues. The panel consists of The Plain Dealer's Homes Editor Susan Love, Akron Beacon Journal's Home Writer Mary Beth Breckenridge and Hometrends magazine's Publisher and Editorial Director Pete Moissis. The discussion and a light lunch is $20. Please RSVP to Angela Williams by May 14, 2010.

PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS

Gregory Alonso Showrooms

The showroom debuts three new lines: Hartmann & Forbes, S.Harris and Vervain. Hartmann & Forbes features handcrafted natural window coverings inspired by the cultures and people of the world. Its shades, draperies and top treatments are custom finished to designers' exact specifications in the Pacific Northwest, and they are also available to the trade. Dedicated to innovative design, quality and service, the company preserves age-old handcrafting traditions with natural window coverings that reflect today's definition of luxury. One of its newest designs, Winter Harvest features a soft white fiber from the core of the arrow tree vine, commonly known as the arrowroot. These vines grow best in the dry season and can only be harvested once a year, making it a rare and unique natural fiber.

Larsen is pleased to introduce Larsen Hides. In keeping with offering the finest contemporary upholstery options, it presents its signature style in a selection of quality hides with fashionable flair and classic endurance. The collection's wide array of patterns, textures and colors makes it perfect for luxurious residential use or for commercial durability. Patterns and textures include novelty embossed, hand rubbed patterns, aged textures and waxed patinas, and clean modern finishes. Colors range from chic metallics to vibrant brights, saturated classics and a full range of neutrals.

Osbourne & Little launches its Spring 2010 collection with plenty of texture from the velvety Teatro Chenille to Glimmer, a linen over-printed to give the illusion of being dusted with precious metal. The Teatro wallpaper collection features designs inspired by Italian theatre.

Lorca's Spring 2010 collection is a tribute to the Silk Road with four silk designs ranging from floral to damask, to large-scale check. In addition, a 25 color Trevira, CS moiré rounds out the offering.

Designer's Guild presents the Barcelona Collection for Spring 2010. For the young at heart, this grouping of contemporary and bold designs is full of magnificently bright colors and unique retro style. The Tiana Outdoor fabric collection offers stunning prints and gorgeous woven strips and textures. In a marvelous color palette, this collection could grace any private garden, swimming pool, ocean going yacht or cruise liner.

Baker Knapp & Tubbs Baker introduces the dining ensemble from the Spring 2010 Milling Road Collection: the Provincial Draw Table MR 2033 and the Sloan Side and Arm Chairs, MR 2046 and 2047 respectively. It has a plank top, scalloped apron and sweeping cabriole legs finished in black. The table is crafted from hardwood solids and veneers and, in true draw table style, its leaves are discreetly secured under the top and can be pulled out to extend the serving space width from 70 inches to 130 inches.

Bello Design

Bello has enhanced the showroom's curb appeal with new vignettes and products displaying the firm's evolving character from contemporary to transitional, even heading towards traditional with a range of casegoods, lighting and upholstery. Be on the lookout

for its three exciting new lines. From California, the showroom debuts Creative Accents, custom-order area rugs with 3-4 weeks turnaround in nylon and wool options, traditional, contemporary and shag. These come in custom colors, sizes and shapes. Regina-Andrew features contemporary and inventive styles. From Canada, the showroom presents Ren-Wil, a collection offering reasonably priced mirrors, wall art and accessories. A few new design pieces in the showroom include a handsome recliner from Brazil by Lief Patterson that has many looks and leather choices, a true update of the oversized, typically bulky style of recliners; a new sofa style offering over 80 leather colors and other options including ratcheted headrests, wood or metal bases and sizes; and Stone International's new console highlighted by gorgeous Swarovski crystals embedded into marble designs.

Donghia

Donghia introduces Boyd's new lighting, including the POP! Sconce. Inspired by a flute of champagne, the POP! brings an effervescent quality to a variety of interiors. It is available in either 24ct yellow gold leaf or 12ct white gold leaf with multiple sphere options. The sconce offers up and down lighting provided by halogen or energy-efficient LED lamping.

For Brentano's 20th anniversary, the Platinum collection celebrates two decades of color and innovation with Hard Candy, a unique wall panel and upholstery textile that is the first of its kind in the interior design industry. Created by coating a linen and rayon with a thin layer of vibrant polyurethane, Hard Candy is an incredible combination of sleek, yet natural design. The new line is available in 12 vibrant colors that will sweeten up any room and measures 54" and passes over 100,000 double rubs.

Donghia also announces events in the showroom:

March 26th at 10:30 a.m. - Christine Kinney from Weatherend Estate Furniture recently introduced the new Donghia for Weatherend Collection.

April 28th at 10:00 a.m. - Jane Culligen from Boyd Lighting illustrates how to specify luxury lighting at various price points.

A.E. Monroe & Company

Spring 2010 continues Schumacher's emphasis on updated luxurious design in A.E. Monroe & Company's Modern Glamour collection. This new line of weaves and embroideries mixes Art Deco-inspired sophisticated patterns with shimmering textured and dimensional effects, creating a glamorous and modern look. The color palette is soothingly neutral, focusing on serene shades of silver, champagne and pale blues, occasionally accented with chartreuse.

Featured here is a chair and pillows. Ripple Effect is a luxuriously heavy silk fabric with Art Deco spirit and drama by its metalwork design of rippling lines in a grand chevron motif that is used for modern chairs and cushions. The pillows are Silk Fret (please see above), a classic cane work design enlarged and raised to a modern scale in a luxurious satin weave of silk that is perfect for curtains, duvets, pillows and light upholstery.

R.W. Shea & Co.

The R.W. Shea & Co. showroom presents Woodland Artisan Cabinetry. It offers interior and exterior doors, custom fireplace surrounds and crown and trim moldings, all with uncompromising attention to detail. The collection creates extraordinary elements for the heirloom kitchen, timeless library, bedroom and media room, wine cellar or any room where Old World-style custom cabinetry is a noteworthy focal point. The finished result is always cabinetry as finely made as any of Woodland's renowned furniture pieces. The showroom also introduces Patrician Rugs and Carpets, an extraordinary collection of one-of-a-kind designs by Woodland, in a variety of New Zealand wools or luxurious silks. The unique rugs are available in custom sizes, shapes and colors.