Color-Infused Glass in the Works of Paola Petrobelli

Irwin Weiner ASID - Yesterday's toilet paper post now has me on a color jag - and I immediately thought of Paola Petrobelli, the amazing London glass designer (who was once a pro motorbike racer and has an infectious diseases masters degree). You'll see the Murano glass influence on the Padua-born Petrobelli's work, but she has her own simple, elegant, colorful style. Click on each photo for more information.

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UK Furniture Designers Struck Gold Designing the Olympic Torch

Janet Ramin - By now you've seen it light up the London's 2012 Olympic Flame, but did you know who designed the torch? The brilliant British design duo, Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, of course!

Barber and Osgerby - known for clean, minimalist modern furniture - designed the golden aluminum Olympic torch. Pierced with over 8000 holes, the triangular torch was sleekness defined. On the opening night, young budding athletes carried the Olympic torch and lit the lily-shaped copper petals. Then the petals rose up on long stems to create a gigantic shimmering bouquet that became the Olympic Flame. Wow!

The view below the Olympic Flame transformed to a starburst of indvidual torches. Then Paul McCartney serenaded the audience with Hey Jude ... a lovely ending to a memorable night.

Reprinted with permission of Sheffield School. Are you interested in learning more about furniture and home design? Take a look at Sheffield School's Complete Course in Interior Design. At Sheffield, you'll learn how to transform a space, create color schemes, and select furniture, lighting, and accessories. 

Summer Travel Video - London's Quirkiest Places

Irwin Weiner ASID - We're celebrating England's great 2012 festivities this summer by focusing in the following video on some of the quirkiest places in London for visitors. Don't forget that this dynamic (and rather expensive) city is always changing, so we imagine that quirky new additions to the London scene are being added every day.

Visitors for the upcoming Summer Olympics have many off-the-beaten-path delights to explore - much more exciting than the usual tourist sightseeing fare. (In the following video, don't forget to click on the link near the end of the vid for more quirky features. They're very addictive to watch.)

Bonus

Do some design and collectible shopping while you're in London. Click here to read UK Antique Heaven and watch a video.

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Colorful Fun House in London Adds a Dollop of Surprise to Design

Ab Rogers Design
Irwin Weiner ASID - If you're Ab Rogers Design in London, you take on projects that are fun, creative, fresh, and challenging. You're not afraid to tackle a project designing a home in a bad part of town. Instead, you come up with something so innovative that it becomes a catalyst of positive change for the entire neighborhood. You'll enjoy watching this witty video tour of their Rainbow House project, complete with a rainbow-hued spiral staircase that sends color inspiration throughout each floor - not to mention fun surprises like a rotating bed and a trapdoor that lets you slide down to the breakfast nook (see top photo). Notice the floor design (superb). A clean, daring, livable example of home as work of art. Well done.

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