New York International Gift Fair

Don't miss the Furniture for Life exhibition when it returns to our New York store for the New York International Gift Fair from 14-19 August. Featuring products from Autoban, Matthew Hilton, Leif.designpark and Studioilse which launched at London Design Festival 2009 and Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2010. De La Espada, 33 Greene Street, New York, NY 10013

London Design Festival 2010

Human Made

Join us from 22nd - 26th September for Human Made, an exhibition of emotional design manufactured by De La Espada. On display in the main hall of The Tramshed in East London designer-led brands Matthew Hilton, Studioilse, Autoban, Dick van Hoff, Charlene Mullen and Leif.designpark exhibit new products, with van Hoff and Mullen introducing their collaboration with De La Espada at the event. Latest information on our blog

The Tramshed

The Tramshed, a powerful exhibition of international design and creative collaborations initiated by De La Espada, is set to be the premier destination at this year’s London Design Festival. The Tramshed is an imaginative yet carefully curated event which will feature exclusive international brands including Bocci, Michael Sodeau, Kvadrat, Benchmark, Verygoodandproper, Bolon and more in addition to the Human Made exhibition - see above. Talks and debates will take place twice a day covering the hottest topics in design today. A pop-up cafe will be onsite offering refreshments. Find a complete exhibitor list and further information on the dedicated website. www.thetramshedevent.co.uk

Nature Book Lounge, Mori Art Musuem, Tokyo

Nature Book Lounge, currently on display at Mori Art Musueum, Tokyo as part of the Sensing Nature exhibition, is an interior landscape of products designed and made by Leif.designpark from 100% reclaimed materials. The products act as a sprawling bookshelf for books on subjects related to the exhibition, including the mythology and cosmology on which the Japanese sense of nature is founded; the development of the Japanese garden; issues pertaining to Japanese physicality, sense and perception; expression of physicality found in modern Japanese art. The products were created by Leif.designpark as part of the Rebirth Project with which they have been involved since 2008. Rebirth Project creates products and initiatives that seek to develop new values by making effective re-use of discarded and recyclable materials in the fields of clothing, food and shelter. All profits are directed towards education and the protection of the environment – thereby indicating the potential for a new cyclical approach to social interaction. Nature Book Lounge, Gallery 1, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. 24 July - 7 November 2010  More information

Recent Contract Projects

W Retreat and Spa - Vieques Island

W Vieques is located off the southeast coast of Puerto Rico and opens as the second W Retreat in the world. Created by Spanish-born Patricia Urquiola of Milan-based Studio Urquiola, W Vieques boasts 157 stylish guestrooms and suites with private patios and balconies offering views of soft sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. The design of W Vieques is as much inspired by the unique natural phenomena of the island as it is by the contemporary style of W Hotels. Throughout the property there was a meticulous attention to detail and craft, with a combination of locally recycled materials, organic forms, and Urquiola furnishings created exclusively for the project. The reception area is wrapped in reclaimed wood, serving as the portal to the W Living Room that features an oversized map of Vieques Island by Urquiola, Tiger Eye area rugs, plush Field sofas by Moroso, and Tulip lamp and Pumpkin side table by Autoban. Further images here

TWG Law Loft, New York

Design partners Michael Tower and Mark Kolodziejczak of Studio Tractor conceived the new 8000-square-foot TWG Law Firm space as an expansive loft environment with a warm modern sensibility. The modern interior celebrates the building’s historic loft heritage: Restored cast iron columns, historically-correct 8-foot-high wood frame windows, and exposed steam radiators in the conference room give voice to an era of grand industrial rawness. Smooth white plaster walls and ceiling express a crisp minimalism, while full-height translucent glass panels allow natural light to penetrate beyond the outer ring of offices and conference areas. Carved within the custom-designed white Corian reception desk, a luminescent blue glass panel creates a splash of color that resonates with the company’s blue logo. The Box Sofa by Autoban in solid American white oak is set against a solid oak floor. Two facing sofas create a welcoming seating area while making a strong visual statement. Further images here

Johnny Smalls, Las Vegas

Johnny Smalls restaurant offers a selection of small plates from around the world including Spanish tapas, Asian dim sum, Italian antipasti, Mediterranean mezze, Indian thali, Mexican antojitos, and classic American starters. Located in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel, Johnny Smalls offers just the sort of fantastical atmosphere you would expect of the city. The restaurant is set up as a living room, dining room and bar.  Large mushroom tables sprout up around the main bar which is adorned with padded medallions and mismatched stools.  The entire space is viewed through a lens of purple glass ribbon that descends from the ceiling and rises up from the floor, providing a shifting duality of deeply colored and non-colored views, just like putting on and taking off rose colored glasses. Wired King by Autoban illuminates the perimeter of the restaurant, the brass surface reflecting the light and adding to the distinctly Las Vegas style of glamour. Further images here

Recent Press

Recent editorial coverage of our products includes features in The Straits Times, The Sunday Times, Ming Pao Weekly, Case da Abitare, and Time Out Hong Kong. For an overview of other recent press, click here