Aaaa-Chooo!

We recently learned that some New Yorkers are experiencing more allergy symptoms than usual this spring. This is due, at least in part, to the MillionTreesNYC campaign that has focused their planting on pollen-y male species as opposed to their messier, seed-dropping female counterparts.

Other cities, however, are experiencing record pollen counts that are leaving many of us sneezing like one of Snow White's infamous dwarf-friends.

Then there are the kinds of allergies that don't care what the weather is like.  But we at Linoto have the cure for anyone suffering skin irritation-- pollen related or otherwise.

Linen sheets and bedding ameliorate red irritated skin and watery eyes. The gentle fabric spun from pure flax is unparalleled at absorbing perspiration. Linen sheets are hypoallergenic not to mention luxurious and soft. Asthma and allergy sufferers can celebrate. Linen will allow you to sleep (and breathe) easy and sniffle-free.

The Silver Ball Museum

Our friend getting his pinball on. Photo by, Rose Callahan

If you drive the New Jersey shore, you just might come across the Silver Ball Museum. This little gem, at the center of Asbury's boardwalk, boasts the top two hundred pinball machines of all times. Carnival games abound, from Ski Ball to Miss Pacman, if you can't find a game you love in this place, you are made of wood.

The day we went was a dreary and gray one. To be honest, we were tempted to stay wrapped up in our linen sheets and listen to the rain drops on our roof. But instead we chose the adventure. And what we found were machines that ran the gamut from 18th century mechanized to 20th century technical.

Pinball Wizard!

Each of them - individually a work of art - colorful and bright, were the chosen games of their time. Getting to play them, was an amazing treat. The next time you find yourself on the Jersey Shore, stop by and see for yourself!

A gray day on the pier.

Linoto linen sheets in "Better Homes and Gardens"!

It was a hectic day in early December 2010 when an editor from Better Homes and Gardens contacted me requesting Linoto linen sheets for the May issue entitled "Sweet Dreams".  I was honored and pleased to oblige. We dropped everything and began feverishly cutting and sewing all that they requested to meet the deadline.  If you ever wondered how magazines accomplish the gorgeous photo spreads that entice readers to dream, wish, covet- it's by very carefully selecting the best items and skillfully putting them together in a way that tells a story. Of course, an institution such as BHG has their choice of the very best home and fashion products. After all, it’s great press for the company trying to sell those products to the public.

Well, this month – I'm pleased and humbled to announce – the magazine/American institution,  “Better Homes and Gardens”  chose Linoto linen sheets to decorate their story on how to create a luxurious space in which to sleep. I say chose because, well,  sending your work to a magazine doesn't guarantee it will be used.  Okay, we’re not that surprised…We’ve always known that Linoto linen sheets are a luxurious, cozy, eco-friendly choice year-round! But it's so rewarding and inspiring to see what the talented photographers and stylists are capable of creating so we're sharing it with you here.

Take a look and just try to resist  crawling into the cool, crisp, cozy layers of linen with a cup of tea and your favorite book for a moment of bliss before you are lulled into a restful sleep!

Linoto linen sheets are featured on that yummy looking bed:

Here you can see Linoto linen shams folded sweetly on the closet shelf:

On the bed, Better Homes and Gardens calls “dreamy?” Linoto linen sheets and shams:

Be Inspired!

Today was the third day of the International Contemporary Furniture Fair or the ICFF in New York City. Tomorrow, May 17, for one day only, it opens to the public. To the untrained eye, furniture fairs, especially contemporary trade fairs like the ICFF might seen like the strange offspring of an IKEA showroom and the USS Enterprise. But, in fact, the ICFF is actually the place top designers go to unveil some of the latest trends.

The Javits Center opens its doors to over five hundred vendors, store buyers and other industry insiders. 500,000 feet are dedicated to those on the cutting edge of furniture and houseware design. From sculptures to sculpture-like-armchairs, the featured pieces walk a fine line between functionality and art. Their creators are themselves artists and builders.

Maximization of space seems to be at the heart of this years’ fair. A two in one toilet bidet by Phillipe Starck caught our eye. As did a futuristic looking desk organizer/pen holder by Dominik Raskin which was awarded the Shapeways ICFF Contest Winner.

Yuki Matsuoka’s cardboard robots (pictured above) for Japenese designer D-Torso are not only space savers (their nearly disposable!) but probably the coolest thing at this years' event as they performed for swarms of thrilled fair-goers.

We here at Linoto, love a chance to take a look at the future of design. When possible, we make it a point to find those designers on the cutting edge of the Next Big Thing. The ICFF is just one of many places we like to go for inspiration. We also love a good car show, a great artisan market or even a walk in the woods – all of which inspire us and get our blood flowing.

So if you can make it to the ICFF’s public day, we highly recommend it. If not, we also suggest a stroll through the park.

Sweet Summer Naps!

Spring has finally arrived to those parts of the world that have been starved for that sun-on-skin sensation. Mother Nature has finally bestowed the kind of weather that begs for short sleeves and outdoor cocktails.

Most people prepare for the warmth of summer by moving coats into the cedar closet and replacing them with light jackets and galoshes. In kitchens from coast-to-coast, hot teas are placed in lemon filled glass pitchers and set to chill. But in the bedroom, while a blanket or two might be folded up and hidden away for the season, cotton sheets somehow remain the status quo 365 days a year.

No one can deny the sweetness of that satisfying moment when hot skin rolls over to land on a cool piece of fabric. Its only downside is in the brutal fact that it ends too soon. But what if it could last longer than a few pleasant seconds? What if that moment could last all night long?

It can. Linen sheets are the answer to enjoying an entire night spent with the thrill of the cold-side-of-the-pillow. Linen, on top of being supremely ecologically sound (no part of a flax plant – from which the fabric is made – goes unused) also boasts a natural ability to regulate and maintain a comfortable body temperature.

The ability for linen sheets to breathe is truly unparalleled. For anyone who likes to be covered to sleep, no matter the temperature, linen never grows uncomfortably heavy or warm – perfect for summer slumber. The texture of Linoto linen is soft, silky and breezy, and our colors are as bright, bold and exciting as those of any synthetic fiber.

It's finally time to change your bed sheets and get ready for summer!

Sweden's ICEHOTEL Adds Comfort & Beauty to Wiinter

The weather in New York City has been brutal this winter. The snow and ice makes traveling tedious at the very least and hazardous at its worst. But there are some days where you don’t have to go anywhere and can just sit inside with a mug of hot coffee and admire how the city looks, still, quiet, white and frozen over. It can be very beautiful and serene. It puts me in mind of an ice hotel,
where winter is celebrated and visitors can stay warm and cozy even surrounded by the cold.

Ice hotels are temporary resorts for tourists, built from ice and snow on top of steel beams, held together with a combination of snow and ice called “snice” which acts as a jointing agent like mortar. Probably the most famous of these is ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden which is the largest in the world encompassing over 5500 square meters. Each room is completely unique and created by two designers and a huge construction team. They are all beautiful in their own way and have an amazing amount of detail in the overall design.

Main Hall by Sofi Ruotsalainen by Mats Nille Nilsson & Lena Kriström, Sweden

Royal Delux Suite by Marinus Vroom & Marjolein Vonk, The Netherlands.

Art Deco Suite by Tomasz Czajkowski & Eryk Marks, Poland

Flow Suite by Liliya Pobornikova & Viktor Tsarski, Bulgary

All photos © Leif Milling.

If you’re interested in booking a room at ICEHOTEL, learning more about their fascinating history and building process, or seeing more of these beautiful photos, visit their website.

IIDA Shows Us the Future of Design

February 6th & 16th mark important final deadlines for the 38th Annual IIDA (International Interior Design Association) Interior Design Competition. The IIDA focuses on finding new talent and helping seasoned professionals nurture those are just starting out and acts as an advocate for legal issues that arise in the field.

The goal of The Interior Design Competition, according to the call for entry:

To recognize and reward outstanding interior design, and to encourage new ideas and techniques in the design and furnishing of interior spaces.

The winners will be published in Design Magazine and are archived on IIDA.org. 
Click the image below to view a slide show of the 2010 winners. 

It’s fascinating to be able to have a sneak peek at the new ideas trends in interior design and how they’ll shape the future. What’s even more important in the future of design is making it sustainable and environmentally friendly. Winners were recently announced for the Student Sustainable Design Competition, also from IIDA. They had a record number of entries in 2010 - nearly 3 times as many as the year before! The Grand Prize went to Katie Barons, Amanda Martin and Richard Abi Saab of New York School of Interior Design for “Fashion Showroom at One Bryant Park” which utilizes natural light to help keep down cooling and heating costs through unique angles that take in less light and warmth in the summer when the sun is high and more in the winter when the sun is lower. The floorboards would be made of organic bamboo and many areas will be decorated by arrangements of natural moss that will thrive in a self-sustained manner.

You can view the full design, as well as the other winners by clicking on  the image below.

Keep your eyes on other IIDA competitions to see the future of design happen right in front of them!