oraluom: April 2008

One of the contemporary designers whom I focused on his interior projects is Karim Rashid. He is a leading figure in the field of product and interior design, fashion, furniture, lighting and art. Through my research process I researched in depth his commercial interior design projects, specifically restaurant and café designs. What grabbed my attention towards his project are the use of organic forms and sensible use of color.

Barbounia Restaurant

Located in New York city

Barbounia restaurant has a contemporary, flexible and highly experiential interior. The space, forms, materials, colors and texture speak of our digital age. Karim Rahsid uses of tactile surfaces gives the occupant comfortable and engaging physical experience. The restaurant somehow similar to my idea of Oraluom café in the use of organic forms, colors and variety in seating areas.

What I like about this restaurant the casual atmosphere and the fact that it’s kind of divided in to two area’s, socializing area and a quite area. A wall with organic openings separates the two area’s. In the socializing area the seating are arranged in way that promots big groups to gather around and socialize. As you enter the restaurant the lunch bar is situated in the middle space. While on the left and right side the seating are designed in three different forms, the ones that are located on the ground level are rectangular dinning tables with dinning chairs and the seating with circular and organic forms located on a higher platform and they are adjacent to the windows. Whereas the seating in the quite area are spaced out, have privacy, and promotes smaller groups to gather around.

Jones Cafe

Located in Philadelphia

Jones café is a casual, inexpensive, contemporary dinner. Karim Rashid found the idea of revisiting the classic American diner very inspiring and immediately considered developing a wallpaper and plastic laminate motif for the diner surfaces. The space designed to be practical and more fluid where scale and color would vary from one surface to another. In the middle space of the café facing the entrance cantilevered bar is project outward, displaying the menu with scrolling LEDs on the top.

Oishii Janpanese Restaurant

Located in Moscow

Oishii is a high end sushi restaurant aimed at Moscow’s new young urban crowed. It’s a contemporary space with touches of vibrant colors. The space reflects Karim Rashid vision of creating digitally inspired technorganic interiors that cross and blur boundaries of new artificial and natural materials. The organic shapes can be observed through the ceiling, furniture and walls.

Gourmet Cafe

Located in Paris

Deutsche Bank Lounge

At the Art Cologne 2006

Karim Rashid’s intended to create a design for the Deutsche Bank VIP Lounge that would stand out from the usual design that consisted of white cubes. In his novel design, he combined bright colors and lounge comfort with a new ambience that opens up unusual perceptions. He created mirrored floors, organically shaped walls, and computer graphic network ornaments in pink and blue rooms. The rooms serve as a communicative meeting point and exhibition space for works from the Deutsche Bank Collection. The design and installations of the space reflects Deutsche Bank’s commitment to providing access to contemporary art in new ways.

Reference: http://www.karimrashid.com/

Natural Paint

Natural paint based on plant oils, milk or lime and it’s completely safe and free of toxic

chemicals:

Solvent free paint

Milk paints

Clay paints: they are less durable but provide richer earth tones. You can use organic minerals and pigments to tint your own paint to the color you desire.

Companies I found online that offer natural paint:

Environmetal Fabrics

ArcCom

ArcCom company offers a wide range of textiles for drapery, upholstery, panel, and wall covering applications. Custom products and designs available for any textile request by designers. ArcCom offers sustainable textiles and wall coverings woven from 100% recycled, recyclable polyester.

Upholstery Fabrics

Durable, stain, moisture and bacterial resistant

Reference: http://www.arc-com.com/

KnollTextiles

Knoll company is a leading textile company in the design industry. Knoll textiles are made out of 49% of recycled contents and 75% of natural fibers. Knoll has received Green guard certification on over 95% of their fabric line. Knoll offers drapery fabrics, upholstery fabrics, panel fabrics, and wall coverings.

Uphlostery Fabric