On the Move: July Design Industry News

Discover the most recent industry promotions, new hires, and company news in Interior Design’s latest edition of On the Move.

Teknion

Teknion has entered a business alliance with Modus. The partnership unites the Canadian-based workplace furniture manufacturer and British furniture brand, each contributing a distinct design heritage and strong sustainability drive. Modus is the first British manufacturer to become a Teknion alliance partner and its manufacturing facility in Somerset further enhances Teknion’s global supply chain capabilities.

The Good Plastic Company

The international sustainable surface materials manufacturer The Good Plastic Company has announced the appointment of two new leaders in North America: Diane Barnes as president and Linda Zupan as sales operation manager. The promotions are part of the company’s expansion into the North American market. Their 100% recycled and recyclable plastic panels, Polygood, are now available stateside.

KTGY

The national architecture, branding, interiors, and planning firm KTGY has announced the addition of a residential interiors practice in the firms Washington DC office, led by associate principal Carrie Tolman. In addition, Holly Nixon has been hired as associate principal to strengthen the firm’s hospitality and residential interiors presence in Florida.

Perkins&Will

Perkins&Will has opened a studio in San Antonio, augmenting the firm’s presence in Texas and joining existing studios in Dallas, Austin, and Houston. The studio will be led by Adrianna Swindle, who heads cultural and civic as well as corporate and commercial practices; and health practice leader, Omar Cantu. The studio will deliver local services in urban design, workplace, and higher education.

MAS Studio

Julie Michiels and Jacob Chartoff have joined MAS Studio as partners alongside Iker Gil. Michiels has practiced in offices in Chicago, most recently as the interiors practice leader and senior associate principal at SOM Chicago. She previously held roles at Perkins&Will and Environ (now HED). She was a finalist of Interior Design’s Interior Designer of the Year Award in 2020. Chartoff most recently joined Michiels to co-lead the Interiors Studio at SOM where he served as associate principal and the interiors technical design lead. He previously held roles at Landon Bone Baker, GLUCK+, Wheeler Kearns Architects, Columbia College Chicago, and Civic Projects.

Tangram Interiors

Southern California-based interiors firm Tangram has made updates to its internal structure, including the advancement of four team members to business development roles. They are Lora Apodaca to director of business development for Southern California; Ali McGee as new business developer for the Newport Beach office; Gary Vilinsky to business development for Tangram Southern California, and Andrew Roche to business development & data analyst in Orange County.

Lindsay Gerber Interiors

Brett Northart has joined Lindsay Gerber Interiors as CEO. Northart has a background in tech, having founded Le Tote and scaled the company into one of the largest subscription e-commerce companies in the world. During his 8-year tenure as founder and President, Northart grew the business from initial concept to hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, built up a team of over 500 employees, launched a joint venture in China and raised over $350 million from top-tier VC and PE firms.

StudioSix5

Austin-based commercial interiors firm StudioSix5 has announced the promotion of three new principals. Claire Richards and Shauna Revo are now principals. They have both been with the firm for more than 10 years. Claire directs the multifamily, student living and hospitality studio. Shauna is a senior project manager focused on senior living. Jose Patiño has been promoted to associate principal. He is the company’s IT director and oversees its 3D modeling studio. The promotions come as the firm celebrates its 21st anniversary.

Soake Pools

The New England-based plunge pool manufacturer Soake Pools has announced two new hires. They are Shane Baker as technical services specialist and Jarrett Brathweaite as southwestern territory manager. Both will contribute to the continued growth and success of the company. Baker has a background in project management and customer service within the higher education sector, and brings daily operations and management skills to his new role. Brathwaite has a rich history spanning over a decade in channel sales and sales management across diverse technology sectors, and has earned acclaim for driving exponential growth and fostering impactful partnerships.

Powerhouse Arts

The Gowanus, Brooklyn-based fabrication studio Powerhouse Arts has joined forces with two new organizations. They are Manhattan Graphics Center (MGC), a membership-driven community printshop, and Alpha Workshops, which trains and employs people with HIV/AIDS or other disabilities in textile fabrication. The partnership ensures that all three organization are able to continue operating far into the future.

Jeffrey Beers International

As part of a succession plan following the passing of founder Jeffrey Beers in March, three newly appointed partners have come together to lead the Jeffrey Beers International firm. They are Michael Pandolfi, Nora Liu-Kanter, and Tim Rooney. All worked alongside Beers for over 20 years, and they will continue to collaborate closely with the partners, chief operating officer Julia Choi, and chief financial officer Jeffrey Ashey.

Bernard Interiors

Interior design studio Bernard Interiors, headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne, with offices in London, has made two senior appointments: Rachael Sellers and Oliver Holmes. Sellers brings 20 years of experience in marketing and business development across the professional services and healthcare sectors, including 11 years as head of marketing and business development at BW Medical Accountants. Holmes has spent 10 years working in financial services, including three as Vice President of banking operations with Deutsche Bank.

Kaynemaile

The global designer and manufacturer of bio-circular architectural mesh systems Kaynemaile has named Jeffrey Hentz as USA market leader. In this role, he will lead and manage the marketing, sales, and fulfillment of the company’s products.

Jamie Stern Furniture, Carpet, Leather & Fabric

Jamie Stern has appointed three new representatives. Kymberly Henry has been named to the sales team, based in San Francisco and covering the wider Northern California territory. Kymberly brings over a decade of experience selling luxury high-end product into the interiors market. Based in Denver, Ashley Jewell covers the Colorado, Utah and Arizona territories. Ashley brings over a decade of experience selling product into the architectural interiors market. Mia Stern joins the sales team in Boston, where she will cover the New England territory, Mia brings extensive client-facing experience along with a passion for business development.

Hoedemaker Pfeiffer

Seattle-based multidisciplinary design and architecture firm Hoedemaker Pfeiffer has promoted Todd Beyerlein to partner. Beyerlein brings decades of leadership and design experience to the role.

Olson Kundig

Olson Kundig has opened a Chicago office, marking a significant expansion for the firm. The studio will be located in Fulton Market, where it will serve as a central hub for the firm’s operations and offer specialized services for clients in the midwest.

RODE Architects

Boston-based RODE Architects has acquired McMahon Architects. McMahon is a full-service firm specializing in workplace interiors, hospitality, restaurant, residential and environmental design. The acquisition, which reflects RODE’s continued growth and momentum following its expansion in 2023, enables the firm to strengthen its capabilities in several key sectors and expand its offerings for clients reimagining the workplace in a post-pandemic landscape.

DIFFA

Tom Polucci, senior principal and firm-wide director of interiors at HOK, has been elected as chairman of the board at DIFFA. With over three decades of experience and a deep commitment to excellence and innovation in design, Tom’s leadership promises to usher DIFFA into a new era as it expands its mission to tackle broader community challenges, including homelessness and mental wellness.

Gensler

Gensler welcomed three senior leaders to its growing global healthcare practice. Shary Adams joins Gensler’s Toronto office as a Healthcare Practice Area Leader. With 35 years designing and planning for major healthcare systems, Adams has committed her career to expanding services and developing strategies that improve treatment for those requiring complex physical and mental healthcare. At Gensler’s Shanghai office, Ray Bai assumes the role of Practice Area Community Leader. With nearly 25 years in healthcare, hospitality, mixed-use and aviation design in China and the U.S., Bai will spearhead strategic development and expansion across Gensler’s healthcare work and offices in Greater China. Alanna Carter joins the Gensler Houston office as Regional Healthcare Practice Area Leader. With 30 years of design experience spanning healthcare projects like hospitals, clinics, senior living and surgery centers, Carter prioritizes balancing patient and staff needs. Her innovative solutions address complex industry challenges, with a focus on welcoming broader communities into healthcare spaces. 

Have A Ball With These Groovy Sound-Absorbing Spheres

The term noise-dampening and the word joy don’t often show up in the same sentence, but that’s about to change. The shape and vivid color palette of Cloud sound-absorbing spheres are sure to infuse any interior with energy. And the good vibes don’t end with the groovy aesthetics: The balls are manufactured using sustainably hand-picked reindeer moss, whose soft and spongy feel makes it a natural for buffering ambient sound. The plant, native to mountain ranges in northern Scandinavia, is also fire-resistant, hypoallergenic, and maintenance-free. Cloud can be specified in three sizes and both bold and natural hues, so you can create a visually compelling arrangement. In other words—you’ll have a ball! scandinavianspaces.com

“Cloud delivers architectural interest in a whimsical way”

Henrik Pedersen Introduces Outdoor Furnishes With A Nautical Twist

Danish designer Henrik Pedersen, founder of Aarhus-based studio 365°, introduces Deck, a seating and table collection whose name and materiality derive from seafaring vessels. The simple yet striking silhouettes are precision-crafted of solid plantation teak slats that have ends finished with subtle curves. The collection encompasses large and small seating units, an ottoman, plus three sizes of dining tables, two sofa tables, and a coffee table. Though rooted in the uncompromising craftsmanship of yore, the collection has a future-minded ethos, suggestive of global adventuring yet encouraging lounging and chillaxing right where you are. “Traveling, exploring, and being inspired by the moment are essential to being able to see beyond tomorrow,” Pedersen says. All aboard! gloster.com

“The linear style exemplifies the Gloster aesthetic”

7 Products With Bold Patterns To Energize Interiors

Zing, zap, kapow! Put some pep in your step with vibrant colors and graphic patterns.

Get Groovy with These Eye-Catching Products

Rechargeable Indoor/Outdoor LED Lantern

Kenneth Ng and Edmund Ng’s Guy rechargeable indoor/outdoor LED lantern of aluminum and plastic with movable “hat” shade in new Clearwater Blue, Matte Fire Red, Matte Yellow, and Matte Pink finishes by Koncept.

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Red List-free MedinPure Vinyl Sheet

Armstrong Flooring’s Red List–free MedinPure homogeneous vinyl sheet with exclusive scratch-, stain-, scuff-, and slip-resistant no-polish technology and coordinating PVC-free weld rods (for aseptic areas) in At the Pool, Coconut, and Hot Sand by AHF Products.

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Chill Backless Bench

Chill backless bench in proprietary lightweight fiberglass-reinforced concrete in Sage by JANUS et Cie.

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Block Grid Wallcovering

Block Grid wallcovering, conceived in partnership with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, by Designtex.

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Sunny Guest Chair + Settee

Rainlight’s Sunny guest chair and settee with wood frames, comfort-enhancing cushions, and metal connectors by Encore.

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Sonrisa Lounge Furniture

Sonrisa lounge furniture with high-resilience polyurethane-foam cushioning and interior back frame of molded or laminated hardwood veneer by KI.

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Free-Form Contract Textiles

Free-Form contract textiles in polyester and polyester blends by C.F. Stinson.

Go On A Treasure Hunt Through Houghton Hall’s Verdant Acres

An expansive residence east of London, Houghton Hall was built in the 1720’s by Georgian architects Colen Campbell and James Gibbs for Great Britain’s first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole. Still in use as a home—the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, a descendent of Walpole, and his family currently reside there—the estate also hosts public outdoor exhibitions on its grounds by world-renowned artists, present and past (Anish Kapoor, Henry Moore).

This summer, Antony Gormley joins the former category with Time Horizon, a multipart installation originally displayed in 2006 at the Parco Archeologico di Scolacium in Catanzaro, Italy. Here, its 100 cast-iron “bodyforms” sprawl across Houghton’s 300 verdant acres, encouraging a treasure-huntlike exploration and a reflection on space, nature, and humanity. The journey may take visitors to the Walled Garden, where two figures mix with a formal rose parterre and a glasshouse, or behind the main house, where several more have been placed on the lawn of the 13th-century St. Martin’s Church. Only one sculpture is indoors, out of sight from the white fallow deer known to dart past the others.

How Carole Baijings Explores Color Through Design

Carole Baijings On Her Conceptual Work

Interior Design: Tell us about your new relationship with Stylex.

Carole Baijings: The company has its own art director for the furniture as produced in the factory, but I’m the creative director. Initially, I was asked to collaborate with design agency 2×4 on Stylex’s rebranding, to bring it to a new level. One of its specialties is the enormous number of powder-coat shades it offers clients—a big advantage—so we focused on the color story. I developed a new color wheel, since, for me, helping brands evolve includes suggesting what the future palette could be.

ID: You’ve also been refining the advertising and communications materials.

CB: For the product shoots, we saw the furniture as characters in the photos, so we didn’t really need props. But the combination of colors—not just those of the fabrics and finishes but also the wall and floor paints, which were mixed specifically for us—was super important, as were the lights and shadows. We created compositions that are a bit like art photography. Once the rebranding is complete, I’ll start designing pieces for them, as well as introduce other colleagues of mine to work with them.

ID: You often mention “the atelier way of working.” What does that mean in practice? 

CB: It means for every project I mix my own colors; I make my own materials; I make my own models and maquettes. By doing so, I arrive at new forms—things that I couldn’t possibly develop on a computer, things that embody human skills. I think it’s a method that can be used on anything, no matter how specialized the craft or product, and it will always work. It takes more time, so may be more expensive, but it always helps us achieve a better outcome in the end.

ID: Did that apply to your new vases and bowls for the Italian marble company Luce di Carrara?

CB: Yes. As Scholten & Baijings, we’d already designed tables for Luce di Carrara, but this year the company asked me to make tableware—smaller pieces using scrap marble that would otherwise go to waste. All the objects came from making models. The form of the Muze vase, for example, comes from a plain sheet of paper folded to make one continuous piece; it’s a rounded, quite feminine shape. Working in the “atelier way” often gives us more outcomes than we can use for the launch of a collection, but my clients can use them later on. There’s an oval mirror on a stand like that; it will be introduced later this year.

ID: 2m2 Flowerfield, your project for the late Thomas Eyck, is almost 2 square meters of flowers. What was the origin of that?

CB: Nature has always been an inspiration for me, especially flowers. In the same way that clouds or waves cannot have a “wrong” shape, even the brightest flowers are never vulgar. Because I’m a colorist, I wanted to understand how this works, what’s the recipe. Really zoom in and you see that among a bloom’s mix of colors, say pink petals with yellow tips, there is always one hue that stands out, that’s a bit “off” and gives the composition an edge. So we began making blossoms by hand, mixing materials—paper, cardboard, textile, rubber, yarns—using layering and transparency to give them the unique feel of a flower. But it’s the color combinations that bring them into the future.

Bold Hues and Clean Lines Define Tripledot’s Barcelona Office

NT is full of surprises. The studio and showroom were founded by Jordi Martin in Barcelona, yet NT stands for Nordicthink. And, although his interiors projects—all Scandi-esque minimalist, simple, and functional—skew more residential, he just completed a 10,000-square-foot office in the Spanish city for Tripledot, a mobile game developer headquartered in London. It’s pre- cisely for those reasons that the company hired NT. That and, “The office manager is from here and knew of our work,” Martin begins, “and sought something homey, with local personality.”

The studio’s largest commercial project to date, Martin and his team organized the vast floor plate into an archipelago of operational, relaxation, and social zones for Tripledot Barcelona’s staff of 70. The brief called for chromatic hues and whimsical installations, “Like Google,” Martin notes—but you won’t find any scooters here. Instead, spaces are bright and airy, outfitted in far-from-corporate modern and contemporary furnishings and unique acoustical solutions, with nods to the company colors and output.

The reception lounge is a perfect example. A trio of playful sofas—their deconstructed profiles resembling chain links, their fabric color-blocked in citrus, azul, and emerald tones, a logo-derived palette achieved by NT using the National Color System (Spain, Sweden, Norway, and South Africa’s version of the Pantone Matching System) that appears throughout— face a partition on which Martin installed a mosaic of square fabric baffles in softer shades that riffs off the Triple Tiles video game. “The lighter accents help generate cohesion,” he explains. But an energizing orange is the main course in the café, its ceiling, structural beams, and enormous modular sofa boasting the shade. That’s also where amenities befit- ting a game developer—PlayStation consoles, ping pong, arcade machines—are found.

A conference room and several meeting rooms dot the perimeter, the former enclosed by 1⁄2-inch-thick glass and the latters’ walls lined with fluted panels of PET felt—one room even references Barcelona icon Antoni Gaudí. Additional local flavor comes in the form of banquette nooks. There’s a trio of them too, each monochromatically dressed top to bottom in one of the logo colors, their vaulted recesses recalling Catalan caverns.

Walk Through Tripledot’s Colorful Office in Barcelona

FROM FRONT CAMIRA FABRICS: BANQUETTE FABRIC (NOOKS). ESPATTIO: CHAIRS (CAFÉ), STOOLS (KITCHEN). ONDARRETA: TABLES (CAFÉ). NORDIC TALES: PENDANT FIXTURES. RS BARCELONA: PING-PONG TABLE. MUUTO: PENDANT FIXTURES (KITCHEN). INALCO: ISLAND SURFACING. AUDO: SCONCES (NOOKS). SLALOM: PET PANELING (NOOKS, MEETING ROOM), CEILING FIXTURES (LOUNGE). &TRADITION: PENDANT FIXTURE, CHAIRS (MEETING ROOM). PEDRALI: TABLES (MEETING ROOM, CONFERENCE ROOM). SANCAL: SOFAS (LOUNGE). BAUX: WALL BAFFLES. PUNT MOBLES: MODULAR SOFA (GAMING AREA). THROUGHOUT ECOCERO; FINSA: WOODEN PANELING. TARKETT: CARPET TILE.

5 Standout Institutional Settings With Dramatic Flair

Around the world, institutional projects from theaters and museums to offices and libraries are creating compelling drama.

Adam Rujbr Architects

project Jirásek Theatre, Ceská Lípa, Czech Republic.

standout Renovation of a four-story, 14th-century structure, operating as a theater since 1932, entailed alterations addressing accessibility and connectivity to the town’s center piazza and additions enhancing modern theatrical functions. The former led to a new entry segueing to a suitably dramatic double-height foyer replete with glassworks by Jika Skuhrava and a spiral stairway; the latter involved raising the main hall’s roof and inserting a balcony to increase seating capacity to 371, as well as adding new rehearsal rooms, costume storage, smaller performance spaces adjoining a secondary entrance, and a café.

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project WWF Peter Scott Visitor Centre, Hong Kong.

standout Located at the entry of the Mai Po Nature Reserve, the 18,600-square-foot facility is a nucleus for the conservation and management of the wetland’s ecosystem and a locus for research, training, and immersive learning experiences. Pyramidal in form, and spanning two floors centered around a skylit atrium, the building comprises a gallery, café, gift shop, and learning center on the public-facing ground level, which has easy access to nature via full-height glazed doors, while meeting rooms and nine accommodation suites for staff and guests populate the upper level. Standouts in the limited materials palette are terrazzo and slatted bamboo.

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Peter Pichler Architecture

project Bonfiglioli, Bologna, Italy.

standout Sustainability drove the design and construction of the seven-story headquarters for this manufacturer of gearmotors, drive systems, and industrial inverters. To filter direct sunshine, the south facade is clad in a second skin of pleated aluminum mesh, as is the roof, which not only incorporates six south-facing terraces but also slopes, resulting in an enlarged north facade for increased indirect daylight. Modeled on courtyard typology, the 67,000-square-foot, column-free interior features a ground-floor green garden that enhances natural ventilation and two spiraling steel staircases that allow for creative exchange among staffers.

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Triskell

project National Széchenyi Library Archive, Piliscsaba, Hungary.

standout Hungary mandates the preservation of printed books, newspapers, and documents. To this end, the hermetically sealed, 46,000-square-foot warehouse containing a copy of every such item from the 19th-century to today sits within a densely forested park populated by research and university buildings, intentionally hidden from view. Yet up close, one can see how its perforated copper facade reflects the leafy environs, as if recalling that paper is made of wood. Graphic patterns etched in glass and stone, meanwhile, comprise images of the cellular structure of tree trunks, enlarged and transcribed into binary code.

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Robert A.M. Stern Architects

project Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, South Bend, Indiana.

standout Sited on the University of Notre Dame’s campus, the brick-and-stone, 70,000-square-foot institution has roots dating to 1875, when it was known as the Snite Museum of Art. This incarnation accommodates the school’s collection of 30,000 works in 23 galleries surrounding a sunlit atrium, with two staircases connecting upper and lower floors, along with a teaching gallery, café, and chapel. There are site-specific commissions by Jenny Holzer, Maya Linn, and Jaume Plensa, and recent acquisitions by the likes of Sir Anthony Caro, Louise Nevelson, and Beverly Pepper will grace the 9-acre sculpture garden by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.

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Explore Shadowy Shapes in Design Pool’s Latest Window Film

Design Pool is notable as the only pattern library created exclusively for interior designers, with a focus on commercial markets. The New Hampshire company partners with digital printers that leverage on-demand technology, thus giving designers more options when specifying materials. Design Pool’s partners can print any of the nearly 1,000 available patterns onto vinyl flooring, faux leather upholstery, acoustic panels, wallpaper, window film, and more. Check out company founder Kristen Dettoni’s evocative new Light Play collection made of Veilish, a semi-transparent woven-polyester window film manufactured by Graphix Unlimited. The 14 designs, conceived to add decorative élan to the transition zone between inside and out, were inspired by cast shadows. designpoolpatterns.com; graphixunlimited.com

Heller’s Striking Outdoor Seat Takes Inspiration from a Cookie

When Heller CEO and president John Edelman discovered Jumbo on Instagram, he was immediately struck by how much the New York studio’s designs embodied the essence of his brand. Founded in 1971, Heller has produced award-winning modern furniture by some of the world’s greatest talents, among them Frank Gehry, Massimo and Lella Vignelli, and Mario Bellini; Jumbo founders Justin Donnelly and Monling Lee now join that elite roster. The pair explain they have an abiding interest in “reductivism, whimsy, and gastronomy,” the latter passion influencing their Fortune chair, named for the iconic cookie and channeling its pinched-circle shape. Fully recyclable and U.S.-made using a high percentage of postconsumer-recycled plastic, the perch comes in six foodie hues: Oatmeal, Cookie, Olive, Tomato, Dark Cherry, and Licorice. Available exclusively at DWR. dwr.com; hellerfurniture.com