We had a wonderful event last Sunday here in the store. One of the main artists responsible for the whimsical beautiful glass produced by the Borowski studio, Wiktor Borowski and his wife Magdalena came to the store and signed pieces of their work for clients.

We were able to get in touch with many of our clients who have purchased Borowski pieces in the past and they brought their treasures in – hippos, elephants, owls, kiwis and many more. He patiently met with everyone and with dremmel in hand signed their pieces.

We learned a bit more about the story behind their fabulous pieces. The brothers were basically brought up in a glass studio because their father has been a famous glass blower and maker of art his whole life. They decided not only was this talent and art in their blood – they truly loved it. After attending a few glass shows in Europe they felt they wanted to do something completely different. So off they went with vases and plates made like funny brightly colored animals. Were they an instant success? No, but their popularity and reputation just continues to grow.

We have been selling Borowski in the store for many years – why is it so special? The main reason we all think is that it makes you smile. However the richness of the color, the intricacies of the pieces and the immense variety to choose from are also contributors to the success. When asked where the ideas come from Witkor smiled: “Many times from our clients.” He told us about a client from Australia and New Zealand who said: “We are called Kiwis, can you make Kiwis?” and a whole collection was born. Someone else said they love color but they also love black and white – out came the Zebra, the Penguin and the Cygnet. Inspiration from all places.

They have promised to return and we will certainly let everyone know the dates as soon as we know. Watch for more Sklar Sundays with artists in house – design comes in many fun forms and we are proud to bring it to you.

One of the biggest perks of living in Florida is that our subtropical climate allows us to enjoy the outdoors during January and February. Creating a cozy outdoor setting, well equipped with comfortable furniture and some amenities is one of the best ways to enjoy the perks of our warm weather.

When it comes to outdoor furniture select full scale, comfortable pieces. These will serve you well whether you’re working with a tiny space, or a larger backyard/patio setup. Look for cushions with inner and outer material that is waterproof and weather resistant.

Polyethylene is a great material for outdoor furniture; it’s strong, weather resistant and easy to clean. Kartell carries several options that stylistically work for both indoors and outdoors, but carry the benefit of being durable enough to withstand the elements. One of our favorites is the Bubble Club Chair. It’s built in a classic shape, but its variety of color options make it a piece that’s playful and original.

If you’re trying to decide what items you’d like to incorporate into your backyard, consider what elements you enjoy having indoors, and bring them outside with you. If you love piling your friends into the living room onto a big cozy sectional, you can recreate this outside with the Connexion Outdoor Collection.

When we talk about backyard amenities, one of the first items that comes to mind is the Equinox Fireplace. Its fire will keep you outside longer on chillier nights, and it’s ample tabletop space means it also doubles as a coffee table. Made from cement, stone and metal, it has a natural and sleek look that pairs nicely with many types of backyard furniture.

Founded in Belgium in 1999 Gardeco had only one objective – bring affordable art to a broader public. They offer handcrafted pieces from around the world and sell to exclusive shops, art galleries, museum shops and design stores such as ourselves.

They showcase the talents of a number of European and South American artists with the mission of expanding the collections with new work. From the pure line of ceramic sculptures (like The Visitor Sculptures designed by Guido Deleu) to the sophisticated bronze sculptures (like Connected Sculpture designed by Jacques Vanroose and Samen Sculpture designed by Guy Buseyne) each piece is unique and handcrafted with care and dedication. Don’t forget the beautiful glass work like the basket designed by Brazilian artist Regina Medeiros.

The Visitor Sculpture is a wonderful whimsical piece that has become popular enough that you may just have seen one of these slightly potbellied men gazing upward with enough intensity to make you want to see what is so interesting! Connected Sculpture is a fabulous piece of two women running – as with all art use your imagination and decide whether they are playfully running to jump in the ocean or running away from something or someone chasing them! The glass Basket Bowl is so beautiful we watch clients run their hands over it to get the sensory appeal as well as the visual. Samen Sculpture will make you look wistfully at two lovers so connected that they appear as one.

The Canadian manufacturing company Huppe was founded in 1967 by Raymond Hamel and his two brothers and was based in the family home’s basement.  They manufactured one thing and one thing only – cedar chests. But they manufactured them well and soon the company was experiencing such growth that they moved five times until they settled in an industrial park outside of Quebec City. Their growth continued and soon they sold their cedar chests from Halifax to Vancouver. The gradually added coffee tables, wall units, and bedroom and dining sets. In the 1990’s Raymond’s son took over and introduced more contemporary designs than was in the current lineup.

In 2010 Jean-Francois (Jeff) Nolin purchased the company and set out to become a leader in the contemporary furniture world not only in Canada but also in the United States. With the addition of the talented and seasoned designer Joel Dupras there is no stopping these two. The line UP was introduced to give an alternative to the higher end retailer – it is not always necessary to go to Europe to buy high design and quality. Their vision states their path very clearly – the growth of the business rests on research, development and efficient manufacturing and management processes.

One of the most exciting things that Jeff and his team have done is to completely revamp the manufacturing process and get their business as close to a zero footprint as is possible. The green movement, sustainability and caring for the future is very important to him. He is married and the father of young children so takes this very seriously.

In the past couple of years they have made use of well known designers like Karim Rashiid and Wolfgang in order to broaden the line. They show at all the major North American markets and are definitely a force to be reckoned with.

We have many samples of the Huppe line on our floor – Karim Rashiid’s bedroom set the Kosy, the Wolfgang dining set, the Plank and Swan bedroom sets and one of our most popular desks the Swan. Take a few minutes to come in and see the product for yourself.

Several years ago we happened on a most unusual art exhibition featuring beautiful colorful designs made up entirely of beetles, invertebrates, butterflies and fossil stones. The immediate reaction is “who does this amazing design work and why is he allowed to kill all these living organisms for the sake of art?”

Enter Christopher Marley and the answers to the above. Christopher Marley grew up in the Pacific Northwest and in his own words was ” an avid naturalist who could find absolutely no beauty in insects”. After school he spent over a decade working in fashion advertising in dozens of countries. It was during his years doing extensive traveling that he realized every country had gorgeous enigmatic natural artifacts still to be discovered.

His passion for crisp design enhanced by beautiful color collided with serendipitous encounters with exquisite insects, minerals, fossils, botanicals, and deep sea organisms and Pheronome was created.

Back to how are the specimens obtained led to this fairly long explanation. Each element must first be of an unusual aesthetic quality and be harvested, collected, bred, mined, grown or otherwise acquired in a responsible ethical and sustainable manner. They are reclaimed, bred or harvested from dozens of countries – many only come from breeders after they die of natural or incidental causes.

The ones sustainably collected from their country of origin offer local catchers a powerful financial incentive to keep, protect and guard their natural habitats. An article in the National Geographic (January 2001) says the number one adversity affecting insects is not sustainable collection of such but the destruction of their natural habitat. Insect collecting can actually aid in their preservation by offering an economic incentive to preserve the habitation which this “sustainable rainforest crop” lives

Some of the FAQ’s directly from the Pheronome site include the following:

1. Are the specimens real? – Yes. And they are naturally and professionally preserved.

2. Is the color enhanced? – Very rarely. All beetles, butterflies, crystals, birds, feathers and other artifacts are never enhanced. Things like insects that mimic leaves on a tree or bush sometimes fade so they may be enhanced.

3. How do you choose a species? – Out of the millions of species on the planet only those with an amazing story to tell are chosen.

We had the opportunity to meet Christopher at one of the markets and he is as passionate today about sustainability, preservation and the beauty that Mother Nature has for us. Come and see some of his works at the store.

Established in 1984 in the Tuscany region of Italy this wonderful family company has grown its design classics collection and distributes the collection across the world. The masters represented by this company encompass a list of the all-time most famous Architects and Industrial Designers – Eero Saarinen, Breuer, Mies van der Rohe, Frankl, Carbone and Massola to name but a few. According to their catalogue cover page “the fruit of their research has been done in cooperation with the masters’ heirs”. What a nice thought…

Heady company at best and anyone who has studied the “masters” knows that the reason they are considered masters is because of the longevity of their designs coupled with the comfort. Sit in the famous Barcelona chair and you will be astonished at how perfect the pitch of the seat is, how it is comfortable if you are small or large or somewhere in between. Master indeed.

The company manufactures these designs with extreme care – the leather used is tanned in old wooden barrels according to ancient Italian tradition using vegetable extracts free of harmful dyes – one of the reasons the products will grow more beautiful with time. Aging the right way, the Italian way! The foam in the chairs and sofas is CFC free, the cushion fillings are made from selected feathers and all the metal frames are produced using cold rolled tubular steel which is then emery polished, nickel plated, chrome plated, brushed and polished according to the original design specifications. Finally the lacquering is all done with epoxy varnishes.

As this wonderful company moves into its 32^nd year in business we are indeed proud to carry their product in our showroom. Come see why they are called “Design Masters”.

Tonelli is another one of our wonderful Italian family owned businesses that we are proud to call a partner. Founded in the mid 1980’s and located in the seaside village of Pesaro it is a model of high design, efficiency, family pride and a testament to all that we have grown to love about our Italian partners.

Using highly skilled designers (Karim Rashid, Favaretto and Partners, Nanni, Paolo Grasselli and many more ) to create beautiful functional furnishings is just the first step in explaining their success. By combing this with the best glass available and manufacturing in a state of the art factory Tonelli has managed to become the industry standard all other glass companies strive to emulate.

Their product list is as diverse as it is beautiful. From walls of glass crafted with beautiful suspended shelves to glass vitrines to extension dining tables to cocktail and coffee tables their product line is very deep and complete. They offer colored glass, regular glass and extra clear for that product with a soft aqua green edge instead of the standard black.

We are proud to carry these products and as usual they had many new offerings for us when we were in Milan. They should be arriving any day now. Come have a look!

Over 35 years ago the Peykar family started Nourison rugs by importing and selling rare hand-woven rugs to their clientele in the United States. Very quickly they started designing and manufacturing their own rugs to better service their customers. The company immediately established a reputation for offering high quality rugs in unique colors and designs.

Over the last 35 years, as the company grew, the family made sure that they acquired more and more manufacturing capability and warehouse space so that today they control both manufacturing and material sourcing in over 85% of their product mix.

Today the name Nourison is widely respected and well known as a leader in floor coverings and home accessories. The company employs over 5000 people on four continents. Their corporate culture of tradition and innovation continues to drive business through their doors and maintain their exemplary reputation.

Recently they have begun partnering with many of the household names in the Design world – Calvin Klein, Waverly, Mina Victory, Barclay Butera and Kathy Ireland to name a few. We are proud to carry this wonderful line of rugs. They are a joy to work with and we know you will be thrilled with your purchase.

Borzalino was founded in 1976 but according to the principal the company has deep roots in the great artisan tradition that has produced beautiful furniture in the Tuscan hills of Italy. This is truly a family business – the experience and the wealth of knowledge of the founder Galeazzo Fedi is now in the most capable hands of his wife, Romana, his daughter Cristiana and his grandson Matteo.

The company manufactures sofas and armchairs – handmade with patience, skill and true artistry. The fit and finish on any of these pieces is flawless. Their attention to detail is amazing and is what makes this company so very special. Housed in a modern factory deep in the Tuscan Hills and staffed by locals who have worked there almost from its inception makes you realize how proud this family must be of their company and what a wonderful corporate culture they must have.

Their product is clothed in beautiful leathers (116 at last count) and the fabrics include collections from Jim Thompson and Sonia Rykiel. Couture for sure! The ability to cover your piece in leather, fabric or a combination of both means that when your product arrives at your home it is truly “custom made” just for you.

We see this company as a beautiful addition to a long list of small Italian family businesses that we have the pleasure of working with. If we have any questions a quick email or phone call and we have our answers. Borzalino is a strong and important partner for us and we are proud to carry their furniture in our showroom.

One of the most prolific and recognizable (him—not necessarily his product) artists of this generation Karim Rashid has over 3000 designs in production, over 300 awards and has worked in over 35 countries.

His flamboyant and recognizable style gets lost in the mix when you hear him speak about his passion – design. To quote him: “For the longest time Design only existed for the elite and a small insular culture. I have worked hard for the last 20 years trying to make design a public subject”. He is a frequent lecturer and he will tell you he loves to speak to any and all groups. He holds Honorary Doctorates from OCAD in Toronto and from the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington. He has also authored several books – the latest of which is a retrospective on the last 20 years of his work. At 400 pages long this book could not display everything he has in production. To design product is one thing, to have a company manufacture it is another. His products sell and the manufacturers know it.

His award winning products includes luxury items for Christofle, Veuve Clicquot and Alessi, lighting for Artemide, furniture for Bonaldo (Italy) and Huppe (Canada) – the list is long. In our store alone we have many of his products. Many times you will ask “Is that a Karim Rashid?” but not know for sure since his work is anything but cookie cutter.   Love it or hate it you have to admit that his product will generate a conversation at the very least.

Have a look at some of our favorites you can find at Sklar.