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Alluminaire Contest Continues!
Don’t miss out on your chance to win these super-fantastic pillows designed by me! They’re from Alluminaire, a Hawaii-based company (which ships from the contingious US).
Alluminaire is the place to go to create your own pendant lamps, sconces and, now, pillows. Design your own fabric so your pendant lamp matches your decor. You can also purchase styles they’ve made up for you.
So, on with the contest. Can you guess the designer of these chairs? Don’t freak. I said I’d give clues. :-)
And, today’s clue is a big one. You can find three of these chairs at Hive Modern. One is at Moss. One is by a famous historical designer who (like the name of the sofa) could be a nickname for Charles. Read yesterday’s post to learn about the first clue.
Send me your entry via the contact link. And don’t forget that I’m looking for the designers, not the manufacturer. I always love comments! But don’t leave your answer there or everyone will read it.
Thanks again to Alluminaire for sending me such a great contest prize. Their products are such a gift for a designer.
Design Hole-Alluminaire Contest
I’m spending a couple of days in Chicago dishing with my girlfriends. I’m hoping to take in the Annie Leibovitz show. But if I miss that, it’s dinner at Avec. Pictures to follow.
In the meantime, don’t forget to send in your entry to win two super-fabulous pillows from Alluminaire. You can design your own fabrics to create pillows and lampshades at Alluminaire. Choose a pattern and add the colors you like. It’s fun! Two runners up will win Design Hole Tee Shirts (equally fabulous).
You can read all the details about the pillows and the contest in yesterday’s post.
Here’s today’s hint. The sofa is Italian and is the formal version of the name Chuck.
Win These Pillows From Alluminaire
It’s that time again! Another exciting Guess The Chair Designer Contest here at Design Hole. The lucky Grand Prize Winner will receive these fabulous custom pillows (designed by me!) from Alluminaire. Two lucky runners up will receive Design Hole Tee Shirts. Yay!
The cool thing about Alluminaire is that anyone can design their own fabrics, pendant lampshades, and pillows. Match your pendant lamp with your pillows. Or, do a reverso design. You can also design something to coordinate with your existing decor.
It’s a lot of fun. First, you choose your style. Then, select your pattern - Alluminaire has lots to choose from. Add your favorite colors and finish it up with some trim. I designed something simple yet funky, that I thought a lot of people woud like.
The pillows are 100% organic cotton, and come in three sizes, 14″, 16″ & 18″ Prices start at $62, but Alluminaire has a special 20% discount running through Thursday. And the shipping is free. The pillow forms are included and are nice and soft.
Guess the Chair Designer.
Let’s cut to the chase and find out how to win these pillows and spruce up your sofa before Christmas.
I’ve selected six famous chairs (okay, so one is a sofa but let’s not get technical). Guess the name of each designer, and send your entry via the contact page. Don’t leave your answer via comments or everyone will know your answer.
I’ll select a winner, at random, from the winning entries. The contest ends at the end of the day on Monday, December 7th. I’ll announce the winner on Tuesday, December 8th, and your pillows will be on their way to you the same day. The contest is limited to people living in the contiguous United States, and my friends and family are not allowed to compete (you guys all have Tee shirts anyway). :-)
Stumped already?
Don’t worry, I’ll give hints each day. So keep checking back. Thanks go to Alluminaire for donating this fantastic prize.
Contest Winner!
It’s time to announce the winner of last week’s Design Hole contest. If you recall, I asked entrants to guess what famous movie character this house resembles. The answer seemed obvious to me. But I guess that’s because I drive by that house all the time and, here in Grosse Pointe, the house is known as….
…The Darth Vader House.
Thanks to everyone who entered. I hope you had some fun with it. The winner of the random drawing is Gayle, from Tampa, Florida.
Gayle will receive this ceramic infusser from Joya along with a Design Hole Tee Shirt. Congratulations!
Design Hole Contest
Don’t forget to enter the contest running this week. It’s funny - to me the answer is obvious. But I drive by that house a lot. Anyway, give it a shot.
All you have to do is guess what movie character the house resembles. Look at Tuesday’s post for a giant hint. The winner will be chosen at random from all correct answers and I’ll announce the winner on Monday.
Okay, now the answer to the burning question - what’s the prize? The winner will receive a beautiful ceramic infuser designed by Sarah Cihat for Joya, plus a highly coveted Design Hole tee shirt. I know it’s coveted because every time I wear mine, Misterarthur rips it off.
Don’t waste another minute! Enter and win!
Contest Continues…
Don’t miss out on this week’s contest. For details, follow this link. It’s your chance to win a beautiful, ceramic infuser and a highly coveted Design Hole tee-shirt. Send your answers, with your address to me via the contact link.
May the force be with you.
Design Hole Contest
To those of us who live in Grosse Pointe, this house so clearly resembles a famous character from a classic movie that it’s known by the character’s name. It seems obvious. But is it? Can you guess which iconic figure I’m speaking of?
I thought this would make a fun little contest for the week. If you think you know the answer, send it to me via the contact link. The winner will receive a beautiful ceramic infuser designed by Sarah Cihat for Joya, as well as a Design Hole tee shirt.
The deadline for entries is Friday, October 3rd. Don’t forget to include your full name and address. I’ll choose the winner from a random drawing and announce it next Monday, October 6th.
The prize (with tee shirt, too).
By the way, this house was not designed with this character in mind. So what in the world was the architect thinking?
Danielle Bokor wins Benjamin Moore’s HUE Award
Color is being celebrated along with the 125th anniversary of Benjamin Moore - a long time. I thought paint was “hand made” back then. This year’s honorees include Danielle Bokor, from Woodmere, NY, for Residential Interiors; STUDIOS Architecture, San Francisco, for Contract Interiors; and, Donald Lococo Architects, Washington, DC, for Residential Exteriors. They competed in a field of nearly 100 entries and each receive a HUE sculpture plus $5,000 cash prize. I think I’ll enter next year.
Danielle Bokor
I thought I’d focus a little bit on the work of residential winner, Danielle Bokor - a designer who’s fearless in her use of color. She has an affinity for strong, intense hues, particularly purples and magentas, and is highly artful in using unexpected yet expressive combinations. Basically, she’s my kind of girl. (And, like me, she doesn’t have her portfolio on line. Now I don’t feel so lazy.)
Via a variety of materials and furnishings, she introduces color into an environment, from flooring and textiles to tiles and paint. For instance, with the daring interjection of a neon orange leather easy chair and footstool in a space with a vibrant kiwi green wall she created an irresistible visual dynamic that thrives on the tension of the contrasting colors.
In another of her projects she demonstrated her color virtuosity by designing a calming bathroom shared by three pre-teen sisters. A wonderful mix of soft, watery greens and blues created the desired serene ambience. The perfect thing to counterbalance all the chaos pre-teens can create - especially in a bathroom.
In another project, she applied color to add whimsy and humor, personally painting a mural on the walls, doors and nearly every available vertical space of a child’s bath, skillfully depicting Dr. Seuss cartoon characters in shower and bathing settings. I wish my painting skills were that good.
Bokor graduated, in 1994, from The Cooper Union School of Architecture. She now owns her own firm in New York where she does both commercial and residential work. Raised in a family of interior and fashion designers, Bokor is an architect who believes that use of color and material is integral to interior architecture, and she tries not to leave any space “nude.” I couldn’t agree more.
So my question to you is: When you design a room, is color a starting point, or the after thought?
Karastan Student Photography Contest
Karastan is a great supporter of design students. When I was at The College for Creative Studies they held an annual carpet design contest. They still do. Of course, a CCS student always won the Detroit area competition. (Let’s all sing the fight song now! - oh, there isn’t one - it’s an art school)!
Photography students haven’t been left out of the competition. Karastan just announced the winners of their first student photography competition featuring Karastan carpets in a residential, American and outdoor settings. A $3,500 cash prize was awarded for each winning photo, selected for its “originality, imagination and emotion.”
Sharon Rankin, a recent graduate of the Antonelli Institute in Erdenheim, Pennsylvania took the top prize in both the Residential and the American Setting categories. Her Residential photo was of a Karastan rug in a solarium setting, near an indoor swimming pool.(Sorry, this is the best photo I could find.)
For the American Setting category, Rankin incorporated a 1971 Chevelle SS and a 1968 Mustang. A chocolate Lab sits on the Karastan rug, which is the only item in color in the black-and-white shot.

Natasha Kertes, a recent graduate of the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, was the winner in the Public Space category. She photographed a couple dancing on Karastan’s Tiana Glacier Blue rug, spread out over a sunny beach. The overall concept, says Kertes, is “the enigmatic narrative suggested by the figures, whose intimacy we seem to interrupt.”
I love Natasha’s photo. Sharon’s American shot is a good one - better than the residential photo. Mostly, I think it’s important for companies to support art students. So three cheers to Karastan.
Giveaway at Annechovie
To celebrate the addition of new prints on canvas, Etsy seller, Annechovie is offering a give-away contest this week. The lucky winner will receive their choice of any 2 of her standard size prints on 140 lb. French watercolor paper.
To enter, just purchase any item off of her site between now and September 13th and you’ll be automatically entered. The winner will be randomly drawn from all the entrieson September 15th. Good luck!
Dwell/SketchUp Contest
Here’s something for all you design enthusiasts out there who use Google’s SketchUp program to create 3-D images of your design work. Dwell has partnered with Google to hold “a residential design competition that empowers readers to interpret the modern home.” The Design Your Dwelling competition challenges you to create a virtual model of your ideal home on a predetermined site location. (Hint: There’s an iconic bridge in the background).
Design Hole Tip: Keep It Modern
Designs will be judged on basic principles such as sustainability, cost-efficiency, and interior and exterior design.
The award is pretty cool. The grand prize winner will be flown to San Francisco for an awards lunch at the Dwell headquarters, an in-person tour of the design site, and an AIA/Dwell architectural home tour. In addition, a physical 3D model of your prize-winning home will be created and displayed at Dwell, and then gifted to the winner.
For full details and to enter the competition, visit: Dwell here. All entries must be in by August 31st at 11 p.m. PST. Also, you can download SketchUp for free, but there’s a pro version, too. Good luck!
Andreu World 2008 Design Competition
International Design company, Andreu World, is hosting its 8th annual design competition. The challenge is to design a chair or table in which innovative design/style contributions are made. Both students and design professionals can enter the competition and there is no age limit.
First prize is 4,000 Euros (about $6,000). Second prize is 2,000 Euros. The deadline is September 15, 2008. The images here are last year’s winners. For more specific guidelines, visit their site and download the rules.






















