Osborne & Little Metroplis Cabretta Vinyl

Osborne & Little Rezzonico Vinyl

Osborne & Little Kikko Trellis Vinyl

One of the style features for 2012 are textured wall coverings, and Osborne & Little Metropolis Vinyls might give you an idea of this new hottie. The Metropolis Vinyls are for heavy duty purposes, and will probably apply for the chic hospitality business.

Interiors by Diane Bergeron

Diane Bergeron Interiors

Diane Bergeron

There is a slight chance that the Osborne & Little Metropolis Vinyls are a bit too kinky for your style, and that walls covered in grass cloth or faux textured paper prove to be better alternatives. After some desktop research I can conclude that Diane Bergeron, the Sydney based Interior Designer, is a fan of grass cloth papered walls.  Have a look at these 2 rooms that she decorated in grass cloth paper.

Philip Jeffries

Grass cloth papered walls were very popular in the seventies, and now ready for its revival. Philip Jeffries has been founded in this disco decade and is the manufacturer and international distributor of grass cloth wall coverings. This New Jersey based company with showrooms in London, Paris, Moscow, and more can offer any wall coverings you like; from Arrowroot to Japanese Paper Weave.

Osborne & Little

I like to end this post with 2 samples of Osborne & Little textured wallpaper in watery hues. I like them and not only for their tones but for their subtle texture too.

Osborne & Little Cordovan wallpaper

Osborne & Little Chambray wallpaper

Walter Knoll imm Cologne 2012

The 2012 style feature presented at the imm cologne was the application of wallpaper with a woven print. The pics of the Walter Knoll pad can give you an idea of the warm touch generated by this kind of textured wallpaper walls that give the faux impression of upholstered walls in woven wild silk or linen. The 2011 style feature, the grouping of stools & little tables,  is still alive and was displayed in the stands of Minotti, Porro, B&B Italia, Poliform and more.

Walter Knoll pad partly wallpapered in blue

The  2012 feature style has been perfectly excecuted in the 2012 Walter Knoll brochure. The styling of the brochure has been done by Sabine Heck and she did a good job in combining vintage, bric a brac (poor man’s antiques), design and decorative objects. Sabine grouped the combinations so artfully that they became little decors or museums. I think that this style feature in combining decorative objects has come to a new level where colors and forms strive for its uniqueness and oddity.

Jaan Living by EOOS for Walter Knoll

Mason by Wolgang C.R. Mezger for Walter Knoll

Gordon by EOOS for Walter Knoll

Tobu by Wolfgang C. R. Mezger for Walter Knoll

With the live Milan show of the Burberry Prorsum Autumn Winter 2012 | 2013 collection in the back of my mind I drove to Cologne and paid a visit to the Furniture Fair. After wandering through the so many halls I drew up a priority list and visited my favourite high end furniture brands, like B&B Italia, Minotti, Kettal, and Walter Knoll.  One of the conclusions is that the  Color Palettes 2012, applied by the named brands,  are as matured as the color palette Burberry applied for his Prorsum Autumn Winter 2012 | 2013 collection.

Color Palettes 2012

Saturated but highlighted hues in violet, cardinal red, tangerine orange, yellow corn and light teal may become the fashionable colors for 2012, that will be mixed with greys and tones in sand as displayed in the Minotti pad. This color palette does not differ much with the palettes showcased at the Salone del  Mobile 2011; except for its translucency. It seems that the impact of the digital color schemes does influence offline design in high end fashion and furniture.

Minotti, Imm Cologne, January 2012, pic by emilies

B&B Italia Frank Console, from the B&B Italia Press Kit 2012

In the beginnings of 2012 Wallpaper awarded this Mexico City Palacio that has been converted into Hotel Downtown. Hotel Downtown is located in the former Palacio de los Condes de Miravelle that dates from 1670 that is situated in the very historic center of Mexico City.

Palacio de los Condes de Miravelle

This edifice of 17th century baroque splendor has been named after the Earl and Viscount of Miravelle. At that time Mexico City was the capital of New Spain and ruled by representatives of the King of Spain. The Viscount of Miravelle was a Spanish delegate also known as a patron of various Franciscan and Jesuit missions in the North Territory of Baja California.

Hotel Dowtown

This background information can help you when imagining the subdued catholic splendour of this city palace that is to enter via a carved stoned gate. This gate introduces guests to an even more impressive lobby that gives entry to a lush courtyard. And this green plot is the perfect setting for an amazing stone-forge staircase adorned with expressive murals by the late Mexican painter Manuel Rodríguez Lozano.

2012 Wallpaper Design Award

This historic place has been renovated and converted into a Grupa Habita Hotel, that will enrich the impressive portfolio of bespoke hotels by Grupa Habita.  Other successful hospitality formulas from Grupa Habita are Boca Chica and Condesa df. For this redesign Grupa Habita has won the Wallpaper Design award 2012 for best Fixer-Upper Hotel.  Hotel Downtown houses 11 Suites wit patio views and 6 Master Suites with street view balconies.

The baroque 17th century architecture with its ribbed vaults and clay tiles was the starting point for the luxurious but raw interiors with basalt floors and red brick lattice for the bathroom partitions. With these today design elements the ancient Spanish heritage has been strengthened and add a European chic touch to Downtown’s suite interiors. From my perspective Hotel Downtown will give the perfect regal refuge within the hustle and bustle of the historic centre of Mexico City.

 Contact details Hotel Downtown

Very soon available, check the website of Grupo Habita

References: Press toolkit Grupo Habita, a 2007 post by La Jornada, from the website El Centro Historico