Il Loft, an Italian company located in Gallarate which is just west of Milano, was created in 1994 by Giorgio Saporiti after he had spent decades working as co-owner of Saporiti Designs and after he had spent 15 years collaborating with Ottavio Missoni on all kinds of projects.

The success of this brand hinges on the guarantee of quality mixed with fine and creative design. We have experienced this first hand – they are quick to respond to any request and eager to please any and all of their customers. The passion and love for color that has always characterized Saporiti’s work is so evident in Il Loft.

The factory is filled with a team of specialized craftsmen able to work with wood, plastics, fabrics and foam. They are able to bring to life all of the ideas that flow from the brain of Saporiti. No mean feat! His designs are daring and yet with his exquisite touch with color he manages to make his product flow and sing. One of his most famous pieces – the Super Roy Sectional – can be a snaking line stretching in a hotel lobby or a sophisticated two seater in your living room. Another piece with a beautifully simplistic style is the Mercury Sectional which fits in fluidly with your minimalist interior designed home. The application of different fabrics, textures and colors all on the same piece are what Il Loft is famous for. One of our favorites is the Flower Armchair – when you see this chair sitting in a room you would know the designer had wanted it to evoke the thought of a flower. The Tulip Accent Chair is also a gorgeous contemporary accent chair for your living room.

It is hard to imagine the talent that has created the catalogue that is IL Loft. Saporiti has been called an antennae for change – he is indeed always at the for front of what is new and what is classic. His mood boards are famous and whenever we receive one to demonstrate what is coming we can only wish all of our vendors were this efficient. We have a beautiful Il Loft gallery and are proud to say it will just continue to grow as we see the demand for the product grow.

Let’s play “What’s inside your house?” featuring the homes of the most esteemed contemporary interior designers. The best way to understand an interior designer’s style, or at least try and grasp it, is to explore where he or she lives. At home, interior designers have no boundaries; they’re not capped by budgets or limited with restraints. Let’s explore what happens when imagination runs wild in a designer’s house.

Victoria Hagan is an award-winning interior designer whose work reflects elegance and versatility. At her getaway luxury residence, Victoria filled the living space with a soft palette of neutrals and pale blues. Sound a little bland? Neutrals don’t mean tasteless. Consider a neutral space provides the opportunity for iconic, stand out features like chandeliers. A stunning lighting piece like the Bulles Chandelier will attract attention ­with a muted backdrop.

Rose Tarlow used her home in California as a case study to prove to herself that she could create an ageless space. Designing a room that not only stands the test of time, but also maintains a modern sense, is the ultimate interior designer test. “But the key”, she reveals, “is to include signature design elements.” A leather sofa in timeless décor is the equivalent of canned goods in the pantry: a staple. Though unlike the can of garbanzo beans that expire, leather—such as the American Leather Luxe—is enduring. A classic, durable textile, leather is an ageless essential.

And to those who are committed to their beloved antiques, consider the castle of Axel Vervoordt. Like wine, Axel believes design is better with age and specializes in creating warm, layered spaces using priceless, relic goods.Rugs, such as the captivating Zion, are essential for bringing rooms together; giving the space context and purpose. Even if the space is new and modern, consider adding pieces that are appear distressed and mature. This gives the space depth and antiquity.

Every home is unique with different spaces and tastes. This is why our design team is committed in helping you modernize your home into a space that speaks to your character and interior design.

Synonymous with luxury, marble is a classic material that is always popular. To get technical, marble is a metamorphic stone composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals that is relatively soft and porous; within that category are a wide range of different marble types.

Grain, color and vein pattern are what differentiate one marble type from another. There are at least 60 types of marble, found in deposits all over the world. The most popular marbles for interior decor and furnishings are:

Carrara marble

Carrara marble is an extremely high quality stone found in Tuscany, which is used extensively by Italian designers. Carrara ranges from white to blue grey in color, and is notable for its linear veining, which can be soft and subtle or quite dramatic. Carerra marble has been used since the days of the Roman Empire, making it quite literally a classic.

Calacatta marble

Calacatta comes from the same region as Carrara marble, and looks fairly similar. However, there are a few significant differences that are worth considering before choosing one or the other. Calacatta tends to be a brighter white than Carrara, and its veining is both larger and higher in contrast.

Emperador marble

Emperador is a distinctive dark brown marble, quarried in Spain. It features fine veining, and is available in two grades; First and Standard. First Grade Emperador is uniform in color, with a small amount of white calcite included. Standard Grade Emperador shows more variation in color, and more white calcite inclusions.

Travertine

Surprisingly, travertine isn’t technically a marble at all. Like marble, travertine starts out as limestone before metamorphosing under extreme pressure into something new. But while marble takes well to polishing, travertine tends to look better in its natural matte finish. Travertine can be identified by the holes or pits in the stone, and its pleasant, warm coloration, which ranges from white to walnut brown.

Whether they are functional or strictly decorative, the beautiful objects we surround ourselves with are what make our homes our own. Join us as we explore a few of our favorite contemporary designers and pieces, and how through Sklar Furnishings, you can discover the contemporary side and potential of your space.

Mapoon Area Rug

A rustic allure and neutral palette with a faded and used appearance, the Mapoon area rug is a great backdrop to any contemporary space. Elegant and practical, designer Cattelan Italia knows how to enhance interior prepositions with originality and innovation. Their products are conceived with sensitivity to daily living and passion for contemporary lifestyle.

Elson Bowls

Mixed metals at their finest, this shiny steel and brass trio of bowls is at once rustic and sophisticated. These contemporary bowls with sophisticated designs are the perfect table enhancement for a special occasion or your ordinary sit-down.

Pinkwin Sculptures

The Pinkwin designed by Guy Buseyne is attractive because of its balanced and pure lines in a highly stylised form. The palette of black, white, graphite and optional emphasis of gold and bronze enhances its classy appearance. The sculpture is even more striking in a group arrangement. A game of perfectly graceful waving lines; where black and white are in perfect balance, this is contemporary minimalism at its best.

Founded in Faenza, Italy in 1987, FOS is a manufacturer of unique, handcrafted porcelain design objects. The city of Faenza is one of Italy’s great ceramic centers, its artisans having produced faience and majolica pottery since the 13th century.

The name FOS is an acronym, which stands for Form Object Surface. At the FOS factory, raw porcelain is thrown then fired at a very high 1,260° C for maximum hardness and mechanical resistance. Products are finished with non-toxic glazes that are created in house, plus hand-applied gold, silver or platinum details. The resulting pieces, though highly contemporary, draw upon the ancient traditions of Italian ceramic art.

2017 sees the 30th anniversary of this unique ceramic brand, which continues to evolve and surprise. FOS offers a number of current lines, including Anthozoa, inspired by aquatic lifeforms, Erosum, inspired by landforms, and In Alto I Cuori, a romantic series based on anatomical hearts.

Introducing a mix of textures is essential to creating a space filled with detail and vitality. Strictly speaking, even the smoothest surface is still a texture but it’s three dimensional texture that tends to make a room pop. Think items that look like they would feel good — or at least very interesting — to touch. Textured objects contrast with and complement sleeker, more minimal furnishings, creating depth and visual interest without necessarily changing your color scheme.

Textured objects have more visual weight than smooth, so they tend to grab more attention. A rough surface reflects far less light than a flat one, so textures help create a cosier, warmer impression. If you feel your decor is missing something, try adding two or three different textures per room to create balance without any fear of going overboard.

Style edit

The Square Root and Chamca consoles bring the complex forms and textures of natural root systems into the home.

A thick area rug offers both the pleasure of wriggling your toes into the pile and an instant sense of greater warmth. If a shag rug isn’t quite your style, consider an area rug like the Canyon, with a rippling carved pile.

Faux fur, whether draped across a chair back in the form of a blanket or covering a plump cushion, is a simple and beautiful way to bring texture into your space. These throws and pillows are available in a range of colors, from fox to lamb.

On the subject of pillows, Dellarobbia’s Cashmere range is the ideal complement to a contemporary sofa or sectional.

Light fixtures and sconces are an often-overlooked source of fascinating textures, amplified by subtle interplays of light and shadow. The Fan Wall Sconce, the Muriel Sconce and the Meri 6 Chandelier present three completely different ways to change the feel of your room.

A home bar or bar cart takes your entertaining game to the next level. Rather than preparing drinks in the kitchen all night, a bar cart lets you stay where the party is and impress guests with your skill as a mixologist. Nor do bars have to be space-hungry. Compact home bars like the Nova, Churchill and Uptown pack a lot of storage into a small footprint, and look fabulous while doing it. If the mobile bar cart is more your style, Miss Marple by Reflex is a surefire hit. Finally, the Karim Rashid-designed Kart by Tonelli combines good looks with versatility.

Home bar essentials
When equipping a home bar, there are a few tools that are essential.

• Quality old-fashioned, highball, and martini glasses
• A bar spoon for stirring
• Cocktail shaker
• Cocktail strainer
• Jigger (for measuring spirits)
• Fruit knife and/or citrus peeler
• Mixing glass

Classic Old Fashioned recipe

• 12 parts American whiskey
• 1 part simple syrup
• 1-3 dashes Angostura bitters to each drink

In an old-fashioned glass, add bitters to simple syrup and stir. Add about 1 ounce of whiskey and stir again. Add two cubes of cracked, but not crushed, ice and top off with the rest of the whiskey. Twist lemon peel over the top and serve garnished with the lemon peel and a maraschino cherry.

Forget pink for girls and blue for boys; the contemporary child’s room can be based around any colors you desire, whether it’s a subtle neutral theme or riotously bright. Combine a dose of whimsy with grown-up sophistication for a bedroom or playroom that will grow with your child.

Seating
For the sake of both parents and children, comfortable seating is a must. The colorful and welcoming Cart Armchair by DiTre Italia is ideal for feedings or storytime. Contemporary updates on the classic rocking chair include the Guapa by Midj and the Comeback by Patricia Urquiola, both available in a range of gentle colors and sure to soothe fussy little ones. For seating that’s more readily moveable by the kids themselves, consider adding a scattering of poufs or ottomans to the playroom; Solar, Henry and Bon Bon all offer fun, colorful options, while Uno by American Leather has castors for easy moving and built-in storage under the seat.

Creative lighting
Add instant interest to your child’s bedroom or playroom with lighting that’s as individual as they are. Flamenca and Coral are two flamboyant options for bedside lamps. Aqua Creations are specialists in unique light fixtures; their Mimosa and Zooid ceiling lights are hand-sculpted statement pieces. Shaped to resemble a fluffy cloud, Nuvola looks charming alone or in a cluster.

Kid-proof tables
Depending on the age of the children in question, you may need to baby-proof by opting for tables with rounded corners. Consider a pair of curvy side tables like Oly’s Twin set or a completely circular piece like Tia. Even older children can benefit from durable furnishings that can be knocked around a little without showing damage. All Kartell products, including the Stone Side Table are made from colored or clear polycarbonate that will survive years of playdates.

Area rugs
Texture, color and fun patterns are yours for the asking with the right area rug. Molten and Plasma both seem to burst with movement and energy, and both are available in your choice of over 200 colors. As an added bonus, a busily patterned rug like Dellarobbia’s Vertigo or Rubix will effectively hide the evidence of many a spilled juicebox.

Shelving and storage
Toys and books need homes, too. Keep bedrooms and playrooms a little more organized with shelving that’s large and versatile enough to keep up with your child’s ever-evolving needs. Press floats a column of books on the wall as if by magic. Fifty is a modular shelving system that can be added to and re-oriented any way you please. Finally, wall-mounted Demi can be positioned horizontally or vertically, and mounted high enough to keep breakables out of reach of little hands.

The Milan Salone del Mobile 2017 (the biggest furniture fair in the world) kicked off on Tuesday April 4th in Milan with hundreds of Designers and Retailers (like Sklar Furnishings) lined up ready for the doors to open.

Visitors experience these massive line-ups not because they want to see or buy something before everyone else – it’s because you need every one of the ten hours a day the show is open! There is so much to see and for Sklar, it is the best time to connect with our manufacturing partners. And since we pride ourselves on our exclusive products, this is always a great venue to find these new products that no one else in the South Florida area has. Last year alone, we came home with five new exclusive vendors to list and showcase at Sklar Furnishings!

Each year trends start to emerge almost immediately, and this year was no different. As buyers, we use this opportunity to evaluate trends to help inspire our clients and customers. We’re on the lookout for color trends, materials, various finishes, shapes (chairs for instance), multi-use products and any unusual uses of products. We recall one year a few years ago where no one showed nightstands – they just used tables or small bookcases. These are the details that are so often missed, but are the foundation of our passion and really fuel our desire for inspiration from around the globe.

Here are our top ten trends from 2017

Colors
The buzz premarket was that green was the new color of the year and that we would see it everywhere – after all the Pantone color of the year is…you guessed it, green. We did see greens on display, but only from a very few vendors and when they used it, there was no standard. Tones ranged from a bright spring green to a very deep hunter green. To our eye blues were still very prominent. Some vendors continued to pair it with browns and caramels from 2016, but the majority had moved into the grey family tones. Outside of the show, we saw exactly the same in fashion store windows – some green but mostly blues and greys. We see green playing an accent color role in 2017.

Table Bunching
Bunching small and differing tables together to make a cocktail or end table has been a trend for about three years and it’s one we really love. The tables used are usually different shapes, heights, materials and sizes and create a wonderful visual right in the middle of the room. This is a simple way to express your tastes, but also allows you to augment the arrangement in minutes to adapt to different needs, or moods. This year we saw the addition of small fabric ottomans into the cluster, which was a beautiful way to add functionality to the mix as they are able to double as not only a table, but as seating.

Metallic Finishes
Another trend that is not brand new, but has evolved this year is the use of metallic finishes. We started a few years ago moving away from chrome and introducing finishes such as black chrome, gold and rose gold. Typically, this was just used on small portions of a piece, such as the feet of a sofa, the base of a table, or the handles on cases. This year as well as gold and bronze, we saw a lot of titanium and more importantly we saw whole pieces like buffets and cocktail tables done in metallics. Surprisingly, it is very neutral and not overpowering to the rest of the room.

Outdoor Furniture
Probably the most dramatic and surprising trend this year was the change in outdoor furniture, as we know it today. Gone was the mesh seating for the contemporary client, and wicker for the more traditional one. Now because of the evolution of performance fabrics, this outdoor furniture looks exactly like your indoor furniture. Leather – yes leather and wood products that are meant for full outdoors. We found ourselves saying “this can’t be for the outdoors” over and over and judging by the smile on the vendor’s face, we were not the only ones shocked. The pictures below will give you an idea, but you really need to see them to believe them.

Triangle Tables
This new shape emerged this year that proved to be very fresh, functional and popular. The traditional triangle became extended and much softer with rounded edges. It works exceptionally well in a group of bunching tables (see trend #2) but is also very nice as an end table. The stretching and softening of the sides gives a much larger space, which everyone loved.

Glass Marble
A fabulous new man-made product was in a few select booths and we are pretty sure we will see a lot more of this next year. Basically it is a process of stamping glass with a pattern taken directly from a sheet of marble. This does several things – it means that every table will be exactly the same. When our customers purchase a marble table now based on the display model in our design showroom, we have to tell them theirs will not look exactly like ours, and we run the risk of ordering a table they do not like. It also means we should have less damage – marble is very fragile and there is traditionally a high risk of breakage. The product has not been named officially but the few vendors we saw exhibiting it were calling it mar glass or glass marble. We’re calling it glass marble for now, and we’ll have more news to share on this amazing material soon.

Sahara Nero
Every year there is at least one product that is “everywhere” and this year proved to be no different. A new marble pattern called Sahara Nero was in almost every showroom we visited. It has a black background with random lines of white and caramel and we saw it in both polished and matt form. It was used on every surface you can imagine from the ordinary (table tops) to the unusual (fronts of buffets). We were very impressed how versatile it was – it worked well paired with black, brown, taupe and white soft goods. When grey was in the lighter end of the color spectrum the marble paired nicely with that color too.

Love Seats
A fun and efficient trend was the use of love seats around a dining or pub table. Usually it was on one side only, which gave a very nice look. We also saw a fair amount of banquet seating, which may be geared more to the European market because of their smaller homes.

The Occasional Chair
This was very much in the forefront of the show, and in some instances, vendors concentrated their R&D dollars on them. The chairs ranged from architectural to functional but all of them were comfortable and designed to compliment almost any style of decor you already have. This is a great way to freshen up your space without a large expense.

Lighting
Lighting this year was very dramatic and will definitely play a large roll in creating any look your design team is trying to achieve. Every other year the Euroluce lighting show is running at the same time as the furniture fair and this was the year for Euroluce. Very large chandeliers dominated the rooms, and many of them looked like pieces of. Several of the companies had fun and whimsical lighting including one of a full size mannequin swinging on the light. No doubt due to the proximity of the island of Murano, many vendors used this gorgeous glass in their products.

While the Italian and North American spring markets usually overlap, this year we have the luxury of a week before the High Point market starts. We can’t wait to see what they have in store and how the trends might be compared between the two markets. We’ll be sure to bring you all the latest. Stay tuned!

Metallics come in two broad categories; warm and cool (sometimes called yellow and white, respectively). Gold, copper, brass and bronze are warm, while stainless steel, silver and platinum are cool. Any one of them can be used to add a punch of shine and contrast, warming up or cooling down your space.

Popular metallic looks
Silver is virtually foolproof as an accent, whether you choose to use it in small doses or large. It complements whites, and contrasts with strong colors. Silver pillows, planters and light fixtures add sparkle and interest. Cool metals, particularly stainless steel, are almost ubiquitous in kitchens, but warm metals offer an exciting alternative. The warmth of copper or brass creates a welcoming impression that guests are sure to appreciate.

For a long time, brass suffered from its association with the design trends of the 1980s, but it has made a comeback as a more restrained metallic than silver or gold. The key to modern brass is to opt for a raw or unpolished finish, rather than the ultra-shiny look of old. The striking Praetorian Dining Table is available in a brass base that offsets its seared oak top beautifully, while the Segno Dining Table features an antiqued dark brass base that’s perfectly of the moment.

Copper has also seen a surge of popularity in recent years, and is extremely versatile. It fits in with a range of decor styles, including industrial, and can be styled to look modern or retro, feminine or masculine. The Speedform Chandelier is a great example of contemporary copper.

Take it further
If you really love the metallic look, there’s no reason to stick to just accents. Metal bathtubs make a striking addition to the bathroom – as an added bonus, they also tend to retain heat better than ceramic tubs, meaning you can soak for longer. Wall coverings with metallic elements create constantly shifting shine and sparkle, subtly reflecting and amplifying the light in the room. For the kitchen or bathroom, consider updating to metallic tiles, like Karim Rashid’s collection for Alloy. Ralph Lauren also offers a luxurious metallic paint for walls.