A Danish visionary breaks the mold in 1960 to create designs that live on today as a recognized standard: Classic & Contemporary. A British industrial designer leaves unrefined detail at the surface as a manifestation of perfect imperfection: Rough & Smooth. Innovative lighting encompasses the ultimate balance with a sculptural form that cleverly illuminates our environment consciously and without a conventional membrane: Light & Shadow. And from our own inspired minds, a design destination taps into the wisdom of ancient artistry and traditional technique to manifest whimsical textiles and upholstery with a delicate appeal through tenacious construction: Subtle & Strong.

Explore a look into our featured collections below and stay close to Reveal as we delve deeper into each design in the coming week.

verpan

The Verpan Collection epitomizes classic and contemporary design with its ever-strong creation of bold and fluid pieces, a celebration of Vernor Panton’s exuberant vision and tireless experimentation.  A pioneer of mid-century Danish Modern, Panton’s acute understanding of light and reflection is realized in lamps that embody, rather than emit, light through the use of translucent metals and illuminated pearl floating abundantly from their rings.  In seating, his deviceful designs bring organic curves to life, encompassing Panton’s love of color and focus on form. The work pushes limits, though is adaptable by nature.  Without inhibiting a piece’s intended purpose, the collection is befitting for both social and domestic aesthetics.

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tom dixon · rough & smooth

A journey of balance, Tom Dixon’s Rough and Smooth collection celebrates the joy of contrast, highlighting the perfect juxtaposition of opposing environments.  Rough is derived from a place of textural honesty and material weight in production, while Smooth reflects Dixon’s fascination with an extreme polish, sharp lines, and a modern build.  Rather than filing away coarse edges and soothing out texture, these imperfections reveal an alluring and distinctive character in each piece.

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futurist LED

First interpreted in the ambiance of the newly-opened abc cocina, Futurist LED, our innovative lighting installation featuring such pieces as the moon, halo, eclipse, galaxy, and supernova, elevates sculptural design with consciousness utilizing LED eco-technology as 21st century functional art. Through an appreciation for the light and shadows cast in conjunction with the works themselves, delicate asymmetrical lines and spheres harboring a spectacular glow compose lighting that creates energy in its atmosphere.

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abcDNA

An artistic collaboration between our creative minds and innovative artisans, exclusive collections celebrating the spirit of a culture and beauty as a discipline.  True to abc ethos, pieces conceived with conscious intention in an attempt to preserve the indigenous design DNA of our global diversity.  Expressions of history, its creator, and its past and future owner, these works embody powerful narratives of design.  Sourcing materials responsibly, honoring a sense of craftsmanship, and striving to create one-of-a-kind, distinctive designs, abcDNA is a realized vision through balancing time, sustainability, and aesthetic.

Join us…

Experience these collections and more in-store at ABC Carpet & Home.

-shari monique gab

The Tom Dixon x adidas Capsule Collection Fall/Winter 2013, a modern sportswear line, is a departure from Dixon’s traditional design, though emanates his signature style. Manipulating the concepts of hard and soft, each piece in the fully-rounded collection of accessories, apparel and shoes evokes multi-functionality – an exploration of construction and color.  A design hybrid matching playful, performance material with technical expertise in form, the line’s dedication to detail even extends to its artful packaging, evidence of Dixon’s dynamic, industrial design roots.  Enjoy the exhibition, a part of VISION ON 2, at ABC Carpet & Home through May 23rd, beginning with some sneak peeks below.

-shari monique gab

For NY Design Week and the commencement of ICFF, ABC and Wallpaper* Magazine celebrated the cutting-edge of design and the inspiring minds behind it all.  Design aficionados from NYC and the world over gathered in our special exhibition for the occasion VISION ON 2 to share in a mutual love of beauty.  If guests weren’t too busy delighting in bites from ABC Kitchen and relishing in specialty sips from Brooklyn Gin, there was lounging to be done on collections from Tom Dixon, Verpan, Eskayel, Mysticism, and Sent Sofia, as well as swooning to do over a sneak preview of the Tom Dixon x adidas Capsule Collection for Fall/Winter 2013 – all set to the magnificent beats of the lovely Mia Moretti.

the legato reef desk

As a participant in the piece or as a viewer, we want to know more about where this work was derived from and also why the owner brought it here.  We want an explanation for these beautiful choices because we are confronted with new emotion for something, by traditional means, inanimate. The response stirs our spirit and fosters allure.  It is a strange love….love, love.  Enjoy.

1. green fly light  2. glass beaker  3. black fly light

4. grey ripple trays  5. black smukke chair  6. white smukke chair

7. cobble hill augusta loveseat  8. acciaio table  9. green glass

10. grey smukke chair

-shari monique gab

Well, along with sugar and processed foods, I believe there is no greater drain on one’s energy and trigger for inflammation than gluten. While some people are aware that they are sensitive to it and others think they have no problem at all, the only way to see how you feel without it, is to remove gluten entirely from the diet – a process I call “restorative eating” – which takes away the foods that may be irritating and exhausting your system, allowing the body to rest and heal.

So what is gluten?

It’s a mixture of gliadin and glutenin, proteins found in wheat, rye and barley. Many people respond differently to grains with gluten in them than the way they do to other grains. In some people, gluten can cause celiac disease, which is perhaps the most dramatic response. But it also seems to cause, in an ever-widening number of people, an immune reaction, which can lead to a slow wearing down of one’s system. A recent study sheds some light on this type of gluten sensitivity. The folks who have this kind of gluten sensitivity often suffer chronically with vague feelings of unwellness, which most doctors don’t quite know how to heal.

My experience the past two decades has shown me that eliminating gluten grains for a few weeks helps almost everyone who comes in to see me. If the body is expending less energy to deal with this hard-to-digest protein, it has more energy for other processes. Moreover, the liver, digestive and immune systems are given time to rest and recover, which is why taking gluten out is so important in the process of returning patients to health.

Depending upon your current diet, taking gluten out can be relatively easy – or you may feel like “there’s nothing left to eat,” as many of my bread-obsessed patients often say until they learn otherwise. This feeling of gluten loss should only last a few days, until you start trying gluten-free alternatives to replace your habitual grains.

As gluten can be found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye, bulgur, couscous, farina, kamut, kasha, semolina, spelt, triticale and oats, and their derivatives such as malt – you’ll need to cut them loose for a while.

Instead, choose gluten-free alternatives like, brown rice pasta instead of regular pasta, Basmati rice, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, organic corn or potatoes can also help fill the gluten-free gap. Please remember that although Ezekiel bread is easier to digest than regular gluten products because it is sprouted, it is not gluten free.

While on a gluten free diet or on my Be Well Daily Living eating plan, don’t forget to read labels carefully, as gluten turns up in all sorts of items, including all-purpose flour, white flour, wheat flour, bran, cracker meal, Durham flour, wheat germ. Unless they specifically say “gluten free”, gluten is in most breads buns, rolls, biscuits, muffins, crackers, cereals containing wheat, wheat germ, oats, barley, rye, bran, graham flour, malt, kasha, bulgur, spelt, Melba toast, matzo, bread crumbs, pastry, pizza dough, pasta, rusks, dumplings, zwieback, pretzel, prepared mixes for waffles and pancakes, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, ice cream cones, pies, prepared cake and cookie mixes, bread pudding, bread stuffing or filling, anything that is breaded.

Gluten also winds up in gravy and cream sauces thickened with flour, soy sauce, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, brewer’s yeast (unless prepared with a sugar molasses base), yeast extract, malted drinks, beer, ale, gin, whiskey and drinks like Postum™, Ovaltine™ and Cocoamalt.

Oats, although considered a gluten grain, does not contain the “gliadin” protein that people have a hard time digesting and breaking down. The problem is that oats are usually handled with the same farm machinery and stored and milled in the same facilities as the other gluten grains and gliadin contamination happens. So “pure” oats or “gluten free” oats are fine.

Ezekiel Bread is sprouted whole grain and therefore easier to digest, but it is not gluten free!! So if you want to try to go gluten free for a few weeks, you should not have Ezekiel bread.

My advice? Lose the gluten for a few weeks and see how it makes you feel. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when your energy and vitality return!

Hit the restart button to integrate into a new way.  Reveal recommends Dr. Lipman’s Be Well Cleanse Kit, consisting of three shakes and two light meals each day.  The 14 day detox supplies targeted nutrients to boost your body’s natural detox process and eliminates harmful irritants and/or foods that might be overloading your system.

•  be well kit  •

Ingredients:

• 6 ears of sweet yellow corn, unhusked
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 jalapeño, seeded, finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
• 1 cup finely grated Manchego cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

Preparation

New to ABC, Mama Glow, the book, is a collection of thoughts by maternity lifestyle maven, Latham Thomas, sharing her tips and techniques to support a blissful journey to motherhood and helping one make room for pregnancy, assessing current diet, toxic habits, and demonstrating how yoga keeps the mind, body, and spirit in balance.  In her commitment to creating sustainable change in the lives of mothers and holding their hands along the way, this work was curated to shift the conversation about birth, women’s bodies, and their health and well-being.

Throughout, there are pointers to help reduce stress, alleviate common discomforts, demystify birth plans, labor coaches, and midwives, whip up pampering treats – like homemade shea butter and coffee sugar scrub, and indulge in over 50 nutrient-rich recipes to nourish oneself (times two).  Additionally, the guide also features a postpartum wellness plan, to help one embrace an abundant new life.

ABC love, love, loves this work and some of our Wellness experts agree.  Explore Mama Glow and some of our new favorites for the expecting from abcBaby below.

Additionally, take a moment to learn about the new developments in conscious apparel, where fair trade policy is extending into the world of fashion, from New York Times here.

·  pipsqueak  ·

A portal into collective creativity, integrating healing, education, sanctuary, theater, art, and interconnectivity, we aim to create the experience of a three-dimensional living magazine and interactive museum.

We came to be the change we wanted to see in the world.  From the foundation to the future, learn the full story of what it means to build a mission-driven business on Forbes here.

Cocina serves, not only as a means for ABC to amplify the slow food movement and engage with our NYC community, but also as a gallery.  Now online, you can bring the multi-dimensional installation home.  Through ABC curation and innovative design, twinkling depression-era vintage glass, reclaimed wood and steel tables, with energy efficient LED lighting combine texture, genre, and sustainability.  Experience for yourself.  Explore ABC Cocina online here and some of our beloved favorites below.

1. ufo led light  2. happy kiss pendant  3. supernova pendant  4. tinita linens

5. sent sofia pouf  6. thonet chair  7. abc cocina dinnerware  8. adij table runners

9. wasp combs  10. mizu bottle  11. ripple porcelain trays

12. raw stone table  13. sent sofia bench

-shari monique gab