Inform Spring Sample Sale Pictures 2014

These pieces are all 50-75% come visit our showroom to see in person.

Minotti Sherman 

Egg chair and ottoman

Tom Dixon Wingback

Danskina and Nanimarquina rugs

Chariot!  Fluoro

Bensen Edward sectional

Inform presents Nani Marquina

We had a lovely evening with Nani Marquina last week. For those who couldn't make it out to meet an extraordinary designer, here are some photos of the memorable night!

Please come by to see the rugs in person and learn more about this special line!

Nani Marquina at Inform Interiors October 23rd!

In Barcelona, Spain - a well known industrial designer, Rafael Marquina, has a daughter named Nani. She would grow to continue her fathers design legacy while also carving a new path for herself. Starting in Spain and branching outwards, Nani Marquina would go onto open her own interior design shop. In the late 80s, she went one step further and began to manufacture her own collection of carpet designs. Today she is internationally known and praised, winning awards and even holding the presidency of the ADP (Design Professionals Association). On October 23rd, we welcome Nani Marquina to our showroom for a very special engagement. Come by to hear Nani speak followed by a question and answer session.  

Nani Marquina was a student of industrial design at the Massana School. At the age of 22, she opened her first retail store, Self-Decor. Ten years later, Nani began to design custom carpets and textiles. Not long after that the nanimarquina brand was created. The Begonia collection was selected to be a part of the MoMA store. 

Spain has an incredibly rich artistic and architectural heritage. Especially in Barcelona - with it's countless Gaudi structures, beautiful concert halls and world-class culinary artists throughout. It is no wonder that Nani found inspiration in her home town, along with her radiant personality and drive, she would generate mass appeal that has paired her company with the world's leading designers. Nani is pictured on the left with her daughter Maria, who also works at the company. Nanimarquina has gone on to receive numerous awards including the Red Dot, Delta Awards, National Design Award and the Award for Woman Entrepreneurs FIDEM. 

The company prides itself on several respectful ideologies: fair trade, anti child labor and sustainability. Maintaining a high sense of morality eludes many successful manufacturers today, continually cutting corners and victimizing workers for profit. Not Nani Marquina, the carpet fabrication is done in India by trades men and women who enjoy their work and take pride in the fact that they are creating something very special to be enjoyed around the world. If you're doubting me, watch a few videos on the the nanimarquina YouTube channel. 

It is clear simply by looking at photos of Nani's smile that she is gracious, honest, and open. Here is a short Q&A with Nani to get us warmed up for the event on October 23rd. 

Nanimarquina was one of the first brands to create high-quality contemporary rugs. What made you go in this direction? When I started designing rugs, I saw that there was no other company or brand focused on creating high-quality contemporary rugs, especially in Spain, where the "design movement" was already beginning. Designing rugs became my passion. 

Can you comment on how your rugs combine modern style  with traditional techniques?   We always wanted to transmit the origins of the rugs - their meaning in  the ancient cultures, how they used them, how they created them. So  we tried to keep using the ancient hand-made techniques from different  culturescombined with the "nanimarquina style": innovation in colors,  textures, fibers... and being absolutely creative in the designs.

How would you describe the style of nanimarquina rugs?  
nanimarquina designs carpets and textile items, putting social emphasis on research into raw materials and manufacturing processes. This enhances the beauty of the products, converting carpets, textures, colors and knots into art and stories. I believe that my passion for art and admiration of nature define the essence of my work. 

Most modern rugs don't rely on traditional techniques. Can you discuss how this works and why its important to you? 
We always try to revive old methods, but always from a place that is modern and "ours". For us, the best carpets are made by hand. Among these, the most appreciated are those that took the longest to make and therefore received more dedication. I think that if you create handmade rugs using traditional techniques such as kilim, dhurrie and sumac, your rugs become really special and unique. Behind them, there's not only a very laborious process but also a story about another culture, which gives them a very special value. 

Has nanimarquina's design aesthetic evolved over the years and if so, how? 
Well for sure there have been some changes in nanimarquina's design aesthetic during the past 25 years, but it has been a natural process, a non-premeditated way. I think that creativity has no rules, no limits, so we have to let it fly and see what happens, leaving fashion aside. 

You have collaborated with leading designers like Tord Boontje, the Bouroullec brothers and Ron Arad. How do you select who you will work with and how does the creative process work? 
Usually the designers contact us directly with a design, then we work together, starting a creative process looking for the perfect design and the best way (technique, fiber...) to produce it. 

Losanges by the Bouroullec brothers

Can you tell us about the designer collaboration you unveiled at ICFF? 
We collaborated with Milton Glaser, one of the most influential creators of our time and, as an important design figure in the 70s and 80s, one of personal significance to me, because I embarked on my own design career in that period. Consisting of three rugs, the collection possesses a bold graphic style that one would expect from Milton Glaser, depicted through texture and color and rather than simply printed to properly convey the spirit of the original artwork in the tufted wool medium. Behind this collection lies an extensive process and investigation of colors, shades, and fabrics with the purpose of finding the perfect balance to express Milton Glaser's message: feeling, perceiving, and discovering Shakespeare in a rug. 

Who or what has been a big influence to you?  
My father, one of the design pioneers in Spain. He made me feel passion for his job, for the design movement, because I lived it in my home. 

Digits 1 designed by Cristian Zuzunaga

Please talk about your embrace of color in your textiles, which is not as typical of many contemporary designs.  
For me a color means a feeling. Each feeling has its own color, so it is one of the most important aspects in our rugs, what do they make people feel. 

Do you have a design philosophy that you follow? 
Yes, looking for innovation, bringing emotions with the rugs and connecting people.  

What do you see that's happening in design these days that excites you? 
It excites me that nowadays people know more and more about design, so they are more involved with design. They know more about what they want - quality and durability - and also that the use of handicraft techniques is increasing, which is good news. 

Do you have a favorite design shop in Spain or abroad? 
In Spain, one of my favorite design shops is VINCON, in Barcelona. It's too difficult to choose a favorite design shop abroad as there are so many unique ones.  

Do you have a favorite place or city to spot new design? 
Tokyo

What's your favorite design hotel? 
The Casa Camper, in Barcelona 

Casa Camper

What is the current design scene like in Spain? 
Design in Spain is increasing. The Spanish design has experienced a great evolution since the 80s; nowadays there is a lot of furniture, illumination and other decorative elements. Companies are trying to be more focused on design and more competitive, which allows them to be in the international market. So I can say that Spanish design experiencing great development.  

Roses designed by Nani Marquina

Save the date, October, 23rd, and visit us in store for your chance to meet this remarkable person and celebrate her many accomplishments and beautifully vast body of work. Space is limited so please RSVP ASAP to make sure that you'll be able to attend. RSVP at nanimarquina@bdeonline.biz

Several of Nani's carpets are already gracing the floors of our 300 Dexter Avenue North showroom; stop by now if you can't wait until the event. 

Topissimo hand tufted rug designed by Nani Marquina

LAST 2 DAYS and an EXTRA 10% OFF

Friday and Saturday are your last chance to take advantage of our Summer Warehouse Sale.

Take an extra 10% off all discounted prices in the warehouse until Saturday Aug. 31!

We still have a good selection of Richard Schutz, outdoor seating and tables, sofas and sectionals and lots of dining chairs and lighting.

Nanimarquina Sale: June 8th to the 22nd

Visit the showroom for 20% off Nanimarquina, June 8th through the 22nd! 

Nanimarquina News!

Nanimarquina's new design, Shakespeare in Africa by Milton Glaser, won the Metropolis Likes award at the ICFF this year. Even more exciting is that Nani Marquina will be here in Seattle at Inform in October! We can't wait to host such a wonderful designer and businesswoman. Look out for more information in September.

New Color for the New Year

A new color for our favorite rug! A great way to start off the New Year. 

Nanimarquina will release this new color for the Bouroullec Brothers' Losanges, along with an advance of the new Natural Textures collection this year at Imm Cologne, Germany, starting January 14th.

Nanimarquina Losanges | Designed by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, 2011/2013

Holiday Gift Idea (and SALE!): Nanimarquina Digit Rug

20% off All Nanimarquina rugs November 30-December 15th. 

Digit is one of our favorites and would look great under your tree this year! 

Hand-knotted wool rugs, one in vibrant colours, the other in more gentle tones. Both versions have their source in photographic enlargement, giving the pieces a digital and technological look. Depending on the light or time of day, a glance captures the random union of one part of the 26 colours that make up the rug, always creating surprising groupings that are surprising to the eye; really shocking optical effects. Two in stock now, new orders approximately 3 weeks.

$5310 SALE ($6638 regular) 200x300cm    
$3610 SALE ($4513 regular) 170x240cm

Nanimarquina Digit | Designed by Cristian Zuzanaga

25 Years With nanimarquina

While we were eating apple pie and shooting fireworks in the air, nanimarquina spent the 4th of July celebrating the company's 25th anniversary. To commemorate the milestone, they created a patchwork with more than 60 rugs in the center of Virreina Square in the Gracia district of Barcelona. There are terrific photos and event coverage on the nanimaquina blog.

Congratulations to nanimarquina - keep up the good work!

Save 20% on all nanimarquina rugs until June 30th

Since 1987, nanimarquina has been designing rugs and other textiles, often teaming with outside designers while continuing to make the principle on which it was founded a reality: to reinvent the rug, giving it new uses, new concepts and playing with elements such as shape, colour and texture. The quick videos below are a fascinating look into how the products are made.  

  

Stop by the showroom to see this captivating line - place an order by June 30th and save 20%.
 

Losanges | Designed by Ronan & Erwin Bouroullec, 2011: 

VIDEO: The Making of Losanges

Bicicleta | Designed by Nani Marquina & Ariadna Miquel, 2006

VIDEO: The making of Bicicleta

nanimarquina is one of the founding companies that created the Care & Fair organization with the principal objective: to eradicate child labour from the carpet manufacturing industry. In addition, the company has always been directly involved in promoting fair trade and sustainable development by utilizing traditional production methods and the use of renewable energy help to maintain and improve natural resources for use by future generations.

ICFF Highlights

Allison is at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York!
www.icff.com

We're ordering the latest pieces for the new showroom. In the meantime, check out our Facebook page to see photo highlights. There are great updates from Bensen, Roll & Hill, and Nanimarquina already.

Roll & Hill's Excel floor lamp was already a favorite, and now it's in white. We love it!!

Milan Design Week

The excitement is building as next week's Salone Internazionale del Mobile gets closer. Stay tuned for updates from Milan! In the meantime, here are a few things we're looking forward to.

Interview: Tom Dixon on MOST from Dezeen on Vimeo.

38 teaser from Bocci on Vimeo.

The newest from Nanimarquina, the Chillida Collection.