Recycled Glass Tile

If I got paid for every time someone emailed me "where can I get the recycled glass tile that you used in the kitchen Back splash of this photo I found on HGTV.com ? ", I'd be Rich !

I'm kidding....but really , at least once or twice a month I am asked this question. We actually think it's kinda funny here in our office , because it is the most asked question by our HGTV fans.

I designed this small Beach Guest House Kitchen 5 years ago and it's no surprise that we are still asked this question. It's an incredible tile and It's a timeless look. So what tile is it?

The answer: Lunada Bay Tile - Sumi-e, It is a recycled glass mosaic. It comes in a variety of colors.

For the kitchen we used cool ones of grey, blues, reminiscent of the beach ocean water. It comes in two finishes, either natural or silk, for this Kitchen I chose silk.

Sumi-e are hand-poured and will have a certain amount of variation and variegation of color, tone, shade and size. Additionally, you will notice creases, wrinkles, shivers, waves, bubbles topped off with a natural surface to catch all forms of light for a brilliant effect. These characteristics of natural glass and only serve to enhance the final beauty of the installation.

This tile can also be used in bathrooms, as We did here on a project I worked on with my friend /colleague, Gabriella Toro. In this bathroom we used warmer golden tones of the same Sumi-e line.

This tile is post-consumer recycled glass , and so it gets the thumbs up for eco-friendly product.

WestWeek 2010

West Week 2010 - Pacific Design Center - West Hollywood , CA

West Week 2010 was like no other.

I've been attending West Week events since '98 and I've never had so much fun as I did this time. Yes, the parties were fun, and the book signings super cool , the showrooms were all decked out and stunning as usual, and the panel discussions I attended were very informative......BUT what I liked best was the company I was with. Hanging out with my colleagues at different events during West Week was totally Fun and inspiring.

All because I became a member of DNG ! 10 months ago.

I've met some of the coolest, talented designers around and have become really good friends with a lot of them. It's amazing what happens when a bunch of designers get together, we all share one common interest and inspire each other.

I have to wonder if it's like this everywhere ? Or is it just us? Are we just really lucky ?

In any case, This kinda reminded me of stories I've read about the classics (designers, architects and artists) back in the days when they hung out together , whether they were partying or collaborating. One story in particular that I find amusing, is the story of how the Nelson Ball Clock came to be.....if you haven't heard the story here it is :

George Nelson often collaborated with other designers, and in the case of the Ball Clock (1948), Nelson was at a dinner party with Isamu Noguchi, Irving Harper and Bucky Fuller. As the story goes, they were all sketching and "we'd had a little bit too much to drink," said Nelson. In the morning, they saw a drawing of the Ball Clock on a roll of drafting paper. "I don't know to this day who cooked it up," said Nelson. "I know it wasn't me. It might have been Irving, but he didn't think so. [We] both guessed that Isamu had probably done it because [he] has a genius for doing two stupid things and making something extraordinary out of the combination. It could have been an additive thing, but we never knew." Nelson Ball Clock is Reproduced by the Vitra Design Museum.

Photos above: Me, Vanessa Kogevinas, Vanessa De Vargas

Sara Kelly, Kelly LaPlante, Me, Lynnea Schwieters and James Saavedra

Lynnea, Rachel Winokur, Carlo Rios and Me
Me, Lynnea, Typhanie Peterson, and Linda Graveline