Thatcher Crafts A Bold Homage To Renaissance Art

Fresco was the defining medium of the Italian Renaissance, when masters like Michelangelo applied pigments to fresh plaster in considered layers to build depth through light and shadow.“ The result was an extraordinary illusion of dimension that breathed life into flat walls,” says founder and creative director Avery Thatcher. Her aptly named Fresco collection brings the effect to modern interiors with two hand-painted wallcovering designs, each in four colorways. Large-scale geometric mural Tectonic alludes to the perfect proportions in Leonardo da Vinci’s compositions, while lively brushstrokes animate Plastered. Both are available in 27-inch rolls of clay-coated paper for residential use or 50-inch rolls of Type II vinyl for commercial applications. Thatcher notes they work especially well in large spaces that mix traditional and contemporary styles—whether that’s an Italian villa or a New York residential lobby.

Pedro Almodóvar Brings Cinematic Flair To This Furniture Collection

Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar is famed for his flamboyant staging and color-rich mise-en-scènes—think blazing reds, inky blues, and marigold-yellows. Like his groundbreaking movies (All About My Mother, Volver, and Talk to Her are three of our faves), his furniture capsule collection for Roche Bobois bristles with vivacity. The series, dubbed Cromática, encompasses 39 pieces: some new, some already existing in the manufacturer’s line—now treated to his signature sensibility. Check out the MDF-and-beech Pedro cocktail table, whose top replicates a photo by Almodóvar. Mujeres is a graphically charged hand-tufted and -looped rug fabricated of New Zealand wool and Tencel. The Bubble sofa and ottoman, designed by Sacha Lakic, gets updated in a palette of four Almodóvar-curated colors, including Ciel, and Hans Hopfer’s iconic Lounge modular sofa now comes dressed in patterned fabrics based on the director’s film posters. roche-bobois.com

Sweeten Any Space With Crème Atelier’s Soft Serve Lamp

This twisty table lamp by product designers Jacqueline Kessidis and Lucas Lind, the creative forces behind Stockholm studio Crème Atelier, evokes a hefty dollop of swirled soft serve. The sweet form, with a ribbed surface that approximates its real-world referent, is 3D-printed from sustainable filaments made of recycled PLA sourced in Holland. Bursting with whimsy, the Soft Serve table lamp comes in three delectable, pastel-hued colorways—Cloudberry, Blueberry Sorbet, and Rose Sorbet, all available through MoMA Design Store in the U.S.—as well as in floor lamp and pendant versions.

An Artist Collab Yields ‘Wooden Textiles’

Berlin-based artist Elisa Strozyk creates what she calls “wooden textiles.” In her hands, wood is no longer a hard surface but a flexible, light-permeable material. The process begins with a thin sheet of wood veneer, often maple or ash. Strozyk laser-cuts it into small pieces and places them on a silk background; a heat-activated adhesive binds the wood and fabric together. For her latest design, Woven Waves, Strozyk collaborated with Danish artist Pernille Snedker Hansen, who specializes in hand-marbled wood surfaces. Hansen uses water and ink to marble the veneer prior to cutting, creating a swirling, fluid pattern. Each piece is made to order; the size and color are custom, depending on the intended use, which could be a wall artwork, space divider, or even a lampshade. Through AM Collective. 

Young Designers Talk Empathy And Innovation At 30/30 National Conference

Nearly 60 young designers gathered at THE MART in Chicago for Interior Design‘s 30/30 National Conference November 2-4, 2025. The three-day event, which celebrates designers under the age of 30 who are pushing the industry forward, offers attendees an opportunity to connect with design experts, top manufacturers, and their peers while exploring the many showrooms throughout the storied locale.

With alumni from Interior Design‘s prestigious 30/30 cohort as well as new applicants from additional cities, this year’s conference attendees prove the future of design is most definitely bright—a sentiment echoed by Interior Design Editor-in-Chief Cindy Allen while hosting the NEXT Awards—the grand finale of the 30/30 National Conference—which honor a select group of young designers for their leadership and innovation.

Throughout the conference, attendees were treated to thought-provoking sessions that challenged the group to think big—and small—leaning into the personal. Kicking off the event, AJ Paron, SANDOW Design Group EVP and design futurist, offered a keynote titled “Design Empathy: Building Resiliency with Changing Norms,” during which she stressed the importance of designing for people with various sensory needs—and the life-changing impact that design can have when approached with intention.

Day two began with an energizing talk on “The Architecture of Impact” by Brant Menswar, founder and chief Sheep Black Sheep Foundry, examining decision drivers like core values and authenticity. ThinkLab founder and president, Amanda Schneider, rounded out the day with an engaging workshop for attendees about must-knows for building a design career as well as a special, research-driven session for event partners titled: “Gen Z and How to Best Reach Designers in this New Age.”

But the event offered plenty of time for unstructured conversation, too. Emerging designers explored a lively tabletop showcase featuring innovative products from top brands and took part in 11 guided tours through showrooms at THE MART. Along the way, they built meaningful connections with manufacturers and fellow creatives. The excitement continued at networking gatherings—including 17 sponsor-designer dinners and a special Haworth + Tuohy Chicago-themed progressive dinner—where attendees could relax, mingle, and soak up inspiration, ensuring that with each passing year, the community of 30/30 designers continues to grow.

Highlights from the 30/30 National Conference at THE MART

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A very special thank you to our event partners: Turf, Formica, Stylex, Nichiha, Allsteel, Williams Sonoma, Inc B2B, Patcraft, Rockfon, Momentum Textiles, Artistic Tile, Behr, Arktura, Dedon/Gloster, KI, Interface, Caesarstone, OFS, Tuohy, Mizzeto, Kimball International, Garden on The Wall, Mannington Commercial, Haworth, Nucraft, and RBW.

How SOM Is Exploring A New Wellness Blueprint

When it comes to crafting wellness spaces, designers and architects often take into account biophilic elements, non-toxic materials and WELL certifications but Stefano Tronci, Asia Pacific sustainability lead at Skidmore, Owings & Merill (SOM) based in Hong Kong, goes a step further, taking a more holistic approach. The designer is leading the charge in prioritizing those within the commercial environments the firm designs to create spaces that foster community and connection.

Joining host AJ Paron, EVP and design futurist at SANDOW Design Group, in the latest Once Upon a Project podcast, hosted on the SURROUND Podcast Network in partnership with Shaw Contract, Tronci shares how his team crafts high-performance spaces that prioritize occupant wellbeing.

SOM Sets A New Standard for Healthy Architecture

“I’ve always been interested in linking design to sustainability and thinking about how the design that we do in our work affects nature and our footprint on resources around the world,” he shares. “At a certain point in my career, I started to reflect on the possibility of design actually impacting the quality of life and the outcome in the life of our users who inhabit the spaces we design.”

Tronci asserts that to create people-first spaces, input from those most impacted is essential, including developers, engineers, and city officials. “The reality is that we don’t just want to propose things because they are pretty… We want to propose strategies that have an impact, not just in the design but in the outcomes that these projects are going to have,” he says.

With wellness top of mind, SOM aims to codify key quality of life factors, such as the importance of daily movement, circadian lighting, and immersion in nature, in the architecture of the spaces being designed. Tronci says: “Very big cities, like we have in East Asia, often have several million people, which comes with pollution, noise and traffic, and a lot of stressors… How do we reimagine a society that can be deigned in a way that improves their health and wellbeing?” SOM’s master plan for a University Island development in Guangzhou, China, offers an example of the firm’s approach. Taking into account the nearby surroundings, SOM closely studied the local climate, finding ways to bring air flow in, drive pollution away and, ultimately, lower the overall temperature.

Safety is also top of mind when creating new developments, Tronci says, especially given the effects of climate change, such as increased heat waves and flooding. To address this, SOM installed large green connections that cross the University Island development and naturally absorb water, creating tidal pools and regenerating the environment’s biodiversity. “We can still design spaces that, at the very least, mitigate the impact of climate change on the residents and support a strategy that improves the quality of life for the people living in this place so that they can not only survive a changing climate but thrive within it,” he continues.

Whether designing a bench or a sky-high tower, Tronci asserts the power of place-making. “Finding purpose within an urban environment improves your sense of place, your ability to call a place home,” Tronci adds. “It’s so important to create that level of placemaking, not by just putting a beautiful landmark somewhere, but rather, through life intersected through all of the different architecture, buildings, communities, and activities that happen in that.”

Tune into the full podcast episode—created in partnership with Shaw Contract—to learn more and explore all Once Upon a Project episodes on the SURROUND Podcast Network.

Bobby Bonett Named President Of SANDOW DESIGN GROUP

As president, Bonett will continue to oversee SDG’s marketing and revenue functions while ensuring that brand strategy, client experiences, and new media initiatives are aligned throughout the organization. With a focus on developing roadmaps to accelerate growth in collaboration with Holborn and the leadership team, he will focus on continuing to elevate and engage the SDG portfolio of brands, including Interior Design, LUXE Interiors + Design, Metropolis, Design Milk, Architizer, ThinkLab, and more.

“Over the past six years, Bobby has been instrumental in advancing our vision and driving meaningful growth across the organization,” said Adam I. Sandow, founder and chairman of SANDOW DESIGN GROUP and founder and CEO of SANDOW Companies. “He is an extraordinary leader whose strategic insight, passion, and creativity continue to move our business forward. I have always believed that exceptional talent deserves expanded opportunity—and Bobby more than earned this next chapter.”

Prior to joining SDG, Bonett held leadership roles at the NBA, SiriusXM, and Newsday. Cheers to an exciting path ahead!

Salone del Mobile.Milano Makes Its Saudi Arabia Debut

The prestigious Salone del Mobile.Milano will bring its signature showcase of Italian design to the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Saudi Arabia November 26-28, 2025, offering an enticing preview of what’s to come in the region. “Red in progress. Salone del Mobile.Milano meets Riyadh,” created in partnership with the Architecture and Design Commission at the Saudi Ministry of Culture, hints at the dazzling displays and rich opportunities that will define the 2026 Salone del Mobile.Milano Riyadh fair.

Building on the growing dialogue between Italy and Saudi Arabia’s design scenes, the three-day preview will feature furniture, lighting, surfaces, and accessories from more than 35 Italian companies, complete with a business lounge designed by Interior Design Hall of Famer and Compasso d’Oro winner Piero Lissoni of Lissoni & Partners, as well as a color-drenched installation by Giò Forma architecture studio, and a lineup of talks with top creatives from Italy and Saudi Arabia.

First announced by Sumayah Al-Solaiman, CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission at the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Culture, and Maria Porro, president of the Salone del Mobile.Milano, during the Cultural Investment Conference in Saudi Arabia, the event is part of a larger partnership between between the Architecture and Design Commission and Federlegno Arredo Eventi S.p.A., the official organizer of Salone del Mobile.Milano, which aims to create networking opportunities, spotlight local talent, and push forward sustainable design initiatives in line with Saudi Vision 2030, a long-term plan to bolster creative industries and commerce.

“After last year’s touchdowns in New York, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and this year at Expo Osaka 2025 with the Permanent Collection of SaloneSatellite, the Salone del Mobile.Milano now arrives in Riyadh with an event that forms part of a global roadshow designed to bring content, relationships, and business to the places where projects are decided,” states Porro. “We are in Saudi Arabia, a natural hub for design and a market which, has shown encouraging momentum, and which today presents untapped growth potential in absolute terms.”

Expect immersive environments throughout the KAFD, scintillating roundtables and presentations, and a visual feast of stellar designs. “Not just a showcase, but a platform that brings together design culture and execution: expertise, standards and supply chain to support quality and delivery timelines for interiors in the Kingdom’s major projects,” she adds. “‘Red in progress. Salone del Mobile.Milano meets Riyadh’ is the first step towards 2026, when the city will host a fully-fledged Salone del Mobile, broader in scope, richer in content and at the service of Saudi Arabia’s design ecosystem.”

The partnership between Salone del Mobile.Milano and the Architecture and Design Commission at the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Culture also is intended to strengthen supply chains in both areas. As Al-Solaiman asserts, the launch of “Red in progress. Salone del Mobile.Milano meets Riyadh” will elevate Saudi Arabia’s design reputation globally, opening new avenues for collaboration and solidifying the area as a destination for creativity and innovation. The initiative also will expand knowledge-sharing with leading institutions, foster collaboration between Saudi and international stakeholders, and help grow the area’s creative industries in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

Stay tuned for more details on the Salone del Mobile.Milano Riyadh 2026 fair.

Peruse Fisher & Paykel’s Grand Showroom In Toronto

A just-opened band experience center in Toronto, Fisher & Paykel’s fourth (and counting), is sited in an ivy-covered former factory building. The 4,100-square-foot showroom, designed by Omar Gandhi Architects, is a collaboration with Arclinea, Henrybuilt, and Gibson Greenwood. The interior honors the landmarked site’s industrial roots via a raw yet sophisticated palette of locally quarried stone, North American timber, weathered brick, and textured plaster. Visitors can peruse three themed zones—dubbed social, minimal, and professional—that each showcase a different look and function, and feature cabinetry from one of the partner brands. Among the new products on display is the 36-inch Series 11 integrated refrigerator-freezer, which offers high performance, precise controls, and energy efficiency—35 percent more than previous models, in fact. A particularly handy feature is the variable-temperature drawer that can be adjusted to chill, fridge, or pantry settings, depending on the contents.

Inside A Candid Conversation About Creative Burnout

Burnout is an epidemic in the American workforce. A recent study showed that 77% of workers reported experiencing burnout in 2024—but at the same time 86% of people still feel passionate about their jobs. This is a dichotomy that many in the architecture and design industry are all too familiar with, and it’s the topic of the latest episode from the Once Upon a Project podcast, hosted on the SURROUND Podcast Network.

To discuss the idea of “creative wellness,” host AJ Paron, EVP and Design Futurist at SANDOW Design Group, was joined by Shannon Crider Langley, director of marketing for Shaw Contract, Kaley Decker, a workplace wellness consultant, and Ashley Olson, design director for Workplace and Hospitality Studios at Shaw Contract. As the show’s partner for this season, Shaw Contract helped facilitate this conversation, held in June at NeoCon.

Talking Burnout And Creative Wellness With Shaw Contract

“Creative wellness is really an antidote to preventing burnout,” Decker says. “Creative wellness is a strategy that blends this beautiful intersection of who we naturally are and activates our capacity to feel like we’re in more control of our own destiny. This is giving us control back where we really need it, to be able to feel better.”

Crider Langley, who was a designer before pursuing sales, saw that people in the industry were constantly stretched thin. It came up time and again when she spoke with designers, so Shaw Contract decided to act on it and embark on helping the people behind the designs. They created a continuing education course that focused on sharing tools and resources for staying mentally and emotionally well.

Shaw Contract Embarks On Achieving Balance

A key tenet of this creative wellness program is to look within, just as you pour your heart and soul into design work. “One of the pieces of creative wellness is committing to ourselves, to practice returning to ourselves throughout the day,” Decker says, who recommends practices such as breath work and meditation to recenter.

To learn more about creative wellness, listen to the entire conversation in the full episode—created in partnership with Shaw Contract—and explore all Once Upon a Project episodes on the SURROUND Podcast Network.

Unlock Creative Wellness Strategies