Biënnale Interieur 2012 [ 6 ] - Decostyle

p r o f e s s i o n a l m a g a z i n e f o r i n t e r i o r c o n c e p t s
Biënnale Interieur 2012 [ 6 ]
Round table: flexible floors [ 10 ]
Thon Hotel EU [ 16 ]
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editorial
Information transformed into experience
When you read this, you are probably counting the days till the start of your holidays. Or maybe you have
already made it to the finish-line and are now thinking of nothing but ‘dolce far niente’. Right you are, but
don’t forget to load your batteries to the full, as a sparkling autumn is waiting for you.
As you will notice in this issue of Decostyle, our mind is already focused on those crazy months lying ahead.
They already take a start at the end of August with Tendence. Is it a coincidence we devote more attention to
the ‘Biënnale Interieur’, which takes place at the end of October in Kortrijk Xpo, Belgium, than to any other
initiative? Of course not, this biennial culminating point of home experience is and remains the climax for
both professional and private lovers of high-end design.
There is also another reason for wanting to devote extra attention to this year’s edition of the Biennale. For
the first time, we notice how the trendsetter in the world of interior design has made major changes to the
way it goes about things and herewith confirms a trend. The fair for the first time in its long history (the first
edition already took place in 1968!) breaks through the walls of the expo halls and as such follows in the
tracks of other events like the furniture fair of Milan. The city becomes a playground as well, and in doing
this the organization admits that a broader perspective is needed. Information is everywhere nowadays,
thus it is the experience factor which needs to get full attention now.
The Biennale, which also for the first time abandons the idea of one single ‘guest of honour’, is not the first
in reworking its format. Think for example of an initiative such as Architect@Work, which in 2005 already dared
to launch a revolutionary new concept on the market and is now reaping the rewards. On no less than 12
international locations, (interior) architects can now visit this event, which puts the emphasis on innovation
and uniformity in its booths. Content and form go hand in hand, in perfect synergy...
In other sectors in Belgium we witness a similar phenomenon. The second edition of ContRact, for example,
in Brussels in the middle of June is a good illustration of this. Daring to choose a smaller scale and more
openness, laying the emphasis on being selective in what you have to offer and all of this in a more limited
amount of time… that is what it is all about, in the world of contract as well. Or look at DECOoh!, which also
takes place in Brussels. Here the organization for the first time abandons the traditional formula and opts
for B-DECOoh! Open Door Days. In one single hall and a patio…
We wish you a lot of pleasure with what you are about to discover, especially as from September onwards. In the
meantime, accept our simple wish: enjoy your holidays! You can probably use that moment of rest very well.
Jan Hoffman
3 3

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colofon
Editor
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Editorial staff
Jan Hoffman
Max Dedulle
Hilde D’haeseleer
Marc Geysen
Michèle Perneel
Koenraad Beaufays
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Koenraad Beaufays
Styling
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tel. 0476 79 45 74
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Cover image
Hotel Thon EU
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table of contents
Editorial 3
Table of contents 5
Designer Special – Interieur Kortrijk 6
Round table: Flexible Floor Coverings 10
Young talent: Special – Interieur Kortrijk 15
Hotel: Thon Hotel EU, Brussels 16
Preview Tendence 21
Preview B-DECOoh! Open Door Days 22
Argent Alu: Solutions for inner doors 23
Preview Maison&Objet 25
Preview MoOD 27
Preview Architect@Work 28
Eeview ContRact 29
Maes Textiles keeps on innovating 30
Deco-Info 31
Fair Calendar 34
5 5

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1 The expo halls are given the spirit of a creative city (All images: Interieur Biënnale 2012) 2 A view on the piazza

Biënnale Interieur 2012:
“Biennale in the city equals city in the Biennale”
Our Designer section looks a little different than usual, but there’s a good reason for this. In autumn
(20-28 October), there is the ‘Biënnale Interieur 2012’ in Kortrijk Xpo in Belgium, an event which
is a must for both end consumer and professional lovers of design. In this article, we take a look
at what can be expected from the Biennale. We mainly focus on the seven design visions for the
project ‘Project rooms’, which each cast a different eye on the future experience of living space.
Diagonals and piazzas
In a time when design continues to
gain importance and recognition, the
23rd Design Biennale Interieur redefined
the role it wants to play. According
to the organization, a choice was
made for creativity, in line with the
anarchistic spirit of the roots of the
fair. For the first time, a clear architectural
concept will literally transcend
the confines of the exhibition halls, in
which a ‘city’ is built. Along a pathway
– a city plan divided into diagonals
and piazzas – there will be a mix of
events, installations and displays by
young talent.
Lowie Vermeersch, president of the
Biennale Interieur vzw and curator
of the Biennale Interieur 2012: “The
Biennale started out as an exhibition
which offered both professionals and
a wider audience the opportunity
to discover many unexpected and
innovative objects and ideas in the
field of interior living and design. It is
this creativity we intend to revisit and
reinforce. We also want to strengthen
the role of Interieur as an international
and professional platform for
the promotion of national and international
design.”
Breaking through walls
Remarkable is that the Biennale for
the first time breaks through the walls
of Kortrijk Xpo and also offers events
on several different locations in the
city itself. Interieur 2012 takes place
on venues such as the Budafabriek,
the Budatoren, the Budascoop and
the stables of the Broelmuseum, in
the centre of the city.
Lowie Vermeersch: “Information
about design is now available everywhere.
Within the context of Interieur,
there is a less urgent need to inform
about what is happening and what’s
available. Interieur must become a
physical, sensory experience which
offers new ideas. Hence the expansion
into the town, in order to offer
the required space for such an experience,
also during evening hours.
At the same time, the town-based
locations allow us to develop new formulas
for taking part. More than ever,
we offer this space to young design
talent and avant-garde brands.”
“The city metaphor has arisen quite
naturally. On the one hand, the expansion
into the city is what gave us the
idea to present the idea of the city in
the halls. We can offer visitors a city
map with diverse ‘neighbourhoods’,
some to be found in the halls, others
in the town centre. On the other hand,
it is our intention to once again make
the venue-based exhibition a true
journey of discovery, making use of
the city metaphor. In the halls, we
introduce open squares, diagonal
boulevards, various cafés and original
snack bars… We want the venue to
embody the spirit of a creative town
centre where experiences and meetings
are central components. In order
to achieve this, we must let go of the
rigid, grid-based floor plan.”
‘Project rooms’
Perhaps the most striking change is
that there is no longer a single ‘guest
of honour’. Now, seven designers are
offered the opportunity to design a
‘Project room’ for the fair. This brings
us to the seven designers we wish to
present to you.
Lowie Vermeersch: “We have not only
invited designers to take part, but
also artists and architects. With these
project rooms, we want to explore,
in a very real sense, the boundaries
inherent to visions about how we
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3 4 5 6
might experience our future living
spaces, as part of the theme ‘Future
Primitives’. As a result, we can be very
radical, and explore that experience
in a more abstract context: this can
be a reflection on how we will use
our personal space in the future,
and what the impact might be of
a variety of natural, technological,
cultural and political developments.
The Project rooms want to make clear
that the Interieur Biennale is about
interior living spaces, not just about
design objects. An interior is a multidisciplinary,
multi-sensorial concept:
elements such as atmosphere,
proportions, spatial feeling, light,
smell, temperature, etc. are essential
components of an interior.”
In alphabetical order, the seven
designers are David Bowen, Ross
Lovegrove, Greg Lynn, Makkink &
Bey, Muller Van Severen, Nendo and
Troika. They develop the project
rooms from the observation that our
physical, sensorial and relational
points of reference are becoming
vaguer all the time. Within this fluid
future, they go and explore the way
in which new anchor points can be
determined and translated within our
future living environment.
Context of 60 m 2
The seven were asked to use their own
artistic vision to reflect on a design and
present the results within a context
of 60 m 2 of space. Every future room
needed to be surrounded by piazzas,
which function as meeting places. The
question is how they experience the
essence of our future being and translate
this into the context of a living
space. The project rooms in themselves
offer no added architectural
value: all emphasis is on potentially
relevant sensorial sensations.
David Bowen (°1975) is an immediate
example of Interieur’s broader
vision. Bowen is an American artist
who makes complex sculptural installations
exploring the relationship
between the natural and the mechanical.
He often makes use of natural
components such as light, wind and
plants or techniques such as flying
or floating in the air, to produce the
interactive experiences inherent in
his work. Bowen incorporates natural
influences into his installations. Interfaces
allow elements such as wind,
waves, house and garden plants to
control and steer mechanical structures,
often resulting in unexpected
and highly inspiring imagery.
British designer and visionary
Ross Lovegrove (°1958) demonstrates
how the physical character of our
three-dimensional world can be
changed. Inspired by the logic and
beauty of nature, his designs inhabit
the crossroads between technology,
materials science and intelligent
organic forms.
At present, his studio is working on
the development of new materials,
new structures in 3D printing and new
free-form growth structures. In his
installation for Interieur, he explores
the informal relationships between
materials and (moving) structures.
The American architect and philosopher
Greg Lynn (°1964) is a pioneer
in redefining design through digital
technology. He also produces complex
but functional and ergonomic forms
using CNC machinery. His studio is at
the forefront in a number of sectors
including environments, buildings,
products, transportation etc. Lynn’s
work is featured in the permanent
collections of the foremost design and
architecture museums worldwide,
including the CCA, SFMoMA, ICA
Chicago and MOMA. He is one of the
most important representatives of
‘blob architecture’, characterized by
its biomorphic formal language. As a
professor, he works for the University
of Applied Arts in Vienna and teaches
at the UCLA school of Architecture
and Urban Design. He is also a guest
professor at Yale University.
Fourth in the row is the Makkink &
Bey design studio, which will sound
familiar to Decostyle readers. It is
led by Dutch architect Rianne Makkink
(°1964) and Dutch designer
Jurgen Bey (°1965). Having been
active across a very varied spectrum
of contemporary applied art since
3 Dutch partnership Jurgen Bey and Rianne Makkink 4 Ross Lovegrove, a British designer
5 Oki Sato is at the heart of design studio Nendo 6 Lowie Vermeersch, curator of the Interieur Biënnale 2012

2002, each project is an opportunity
for them to explore the interaction
between the public and the private
spheres.
When designing their architectural
projects, their public spaces, interior
environments, objects and exhibition
concepts, Makkink & Bey look at the
world from a different perspective,
from behind as it were. Each of their
designs radically questions the underlying
logic of existing structures.
Their design team consists of people
with backgrounds in textile, architecture,
mobility etc. who always work
together closely. As a rule, they first
of all question the context and the
assignment, in order to generate new
alternatives based on a more fragmented
point of departure.
Belgians Fien Muller (°1978) and
Hannes Van Severen (°1979) are both
artists. Fien’s main medium is photography,
while Hannes’ work is best
described as ‘sculptural installations’.
They describe their cooperative work
as a ‘furniture project’.
Their furniture designs evoke the
work of artists such as Donald Judd or
movements such as the Bauhaus. Using
a very pure formal language, their
aim is for unique furniture objects
which combine diverse functional objects
such as a bookcase, desk, sofa
and staircase within a single object.
7 8
From this investigative position they
also select the materials for their
designs. The not-so-obvious marriage
of metal tubing, polythene planks and
leather, results in unique furniture
items which combine unity and diversity,
movement and rest.
The last but one is the Japanese
design studio Nendo, which since
a couple of years launches a wide
range of novelties, installations and
presentations. The Nendo signature
is sober and almost minimalistic, and
tends to make an object seem simpler
than it is in reality. It is only six years
ago since Nendo first showed its creations
at the international furniture fair
of Milan.
Nendo – the Japanese word for
modelling clay – has conquered the
foremost European furniture manufacturers
such as De Padova, Moroso,
Cappellini and Swedese. Under
the leadership of Oki Sato, Nendo
is working on about 130 projects,
more than half of this number for the
European markets. All are characterized
by the same lightness of touch. A
Nendo table is no more than a frame,
a steel wire chair nothing more than
the essential contours. For the fair,
Nendo will design a chair that is not
just an ordinary chair. It will be the
perception of a chair, a play with fine
materials in a sober presentation.
Finally, there is the British Troika
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collective, which is made up of Eva
Rucki, Conny Freyer and Sebastien
Noel. They met during their studies at
the Royal College of Art in London and
soon combined to form an interactive
platform and collective practice which
works through dialogue, experiment
and detailed research.
Their careful, experimental way of
working leads to concepts where
science and philosophy are never far
apart. While researching the changing
nature of reality and human experience,
they continuously move the
boundaries of perception, movement,
sound and time. At Interieur, the
viewer is treated to their ‘Architecture
of Light’. This promises to challenge
and change light itself. Where prisms
normally break up light rays, Troika
bends light into fine, moving lines. �
Interieur 2012
practical information
When: 20 – 28 October 2012
Where: Kortrijk Xpo, België
Organization: Biënnale Interieur
Website: www.interieur.be
E-mail: interieur@interieur.be
Opening weekend: Saturday 20 and
Sunday 21 October, 10 am to 6 pm
Professional days: Monday 22 and
Tuesday 23 October, 10 am to 6 pm
Public days: Wednesday 24 to
Sunday 28 October, 10 am to 6 pm
7 Muller Van Severen with their ‘furniture project’ 8 The British collective Troika consists of Eva Rucki, Conny Freyer and Sebastien Noel
9 David Bowen, an American sculptural artist

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1 Tatiane Batache: “Sometimes there is a very narrow margin between soft and hard floor coverings” (Image: 4m Europe)
2 (Image: Moduleo)

Round table
Flexible floors
“The individual aspect is becoming ever more important”
The market of flexible floor coverings is on the move. More than in most other areas of interior
decoration, this is a sector in which the technology evolves at lightning speed. But how does
this market deal with other trends, such as the increasing individualization of the interior?
And what about the ecology? We spoke to seven professionals from this sector.
Let us start by giving an overview of the
participants. Tatiana Batache is Sales
& Technical Manager at 4m Europe, a
company specialized in the installation of
epoxy resin and cast floors. Christ Taveirne
is product manager at Moduleo, which imports
modular design floors and tiles and
recently built a plant in Avelgem (Belgium,
West Flanders). Moduleo mainly targets
interior designers and architects for
residential and commercial applications.
mFlor is represented by sales manager
Tom De Rydt. mFlor distributes innovative
design floors, to be used in both
the project and the residential markets.
Next to Tom De Rydt sits Jean-François de
Meester, sales manager at Tarkett Benelux,
which offers vinyl, laminate floors
and parquet floors for the residential market.
Finally, the Balta group is represented
by Geert Vanden Bossche, Philippe Van
Hecke and Christian Ysenbaert. Balta
Broadloom operates in the wider carpet
sector, going from wall-to-wall carpet to
woven rugs and residential tiles.
Flexible floors
First of all, the subject must be clearly
defined. What do our guest speakers
consider to be ‘soft floor coverings’?
“A good question”, reacts Tom De
Rydt. “Not everywhere does this term
refer to the same thing. At mFlor, for
example, we don’t refer to the LVT
floors as soft floor coverings. “With
us it’s different”, says Jean-François
De Meester. “The consumer often
compares vinyl to laminate flooring. In
the DIY shops LVT is to be found in the
decoration department, but we wonder
why this cannot be offered along
with laminate floors?” According to
Tatiane Batache as well there is a very
narrow margin between soft and hard
floor coverings. “You can hardly call
an epoxy carpet soft. It is hard as rock.
Polyurethane on the contrary is a soft
material. The distinction is sometimes
difficult to make.” Philippe Van Hecke
draws a clear line: “Vinyl and textiles
belong in the category of soft floors,
all the rest we refer to as hard.” His
colleague Geert Vanden Bossche differentiates
a little. “Maybe the better
term to use would be ‘flexible floors’.”
Transforming a room
What does our panel consider to
be the advantages of ‘their’ variations
of ‘soft’ floors? Geert Vanden
Bossche: “In the UK, we recently ran
an advertising campaign by Balta
Broadloom under the slogan ‘Carpet
transforms a room’. This is spot-on.
Carpet is a cheap way to create a different
atmosphere inside a room. It
moreover has acoustic advantages, it
is soft and it is comfortable. Despite
the preconceived opinions, carpet is
also easy to maintain.”
“Epoxy resin floors are extremely
handy for renovations in both residential
and commercial environments”,
thinks Christ Taveirne. “This has a lot
to do with the minimal thickness of the
material.” Tatiana Batache agrees with
Christ Taveirne. “The same goes for
polyurethane cast floors. Polyurethane
cast floors weigh very little, as a result
they can also be used in the attic or in
apartments. The aesthetic story also
plays its role: any colour is possible,
we can insert drawings into the floor
and even imitate wood or concrete.”
“The same goes for vinyl”, says Jean-
François de Meester. “These floors are
available in an ever increasing amount
of beautiful colours. The installation
is easy, the maintenance simple, and
unlike laminate floors vinyl provides an
excellent acoustic barrier.”
“Vinyl is a product that is suited for
different kinds of projects”, judges
Tom De Rydt. “The technical side of
the story is right and the floors generally
look very good. But it remains a
fact that every product has its own
characteristics and that an architect
must choose which kind of floor best
meets his requirements. I notice a
certain increasing fluidity in the market
of soft floor coverings. Laminate
flooring, for example, became popular
in a very short period of time.”
Seamless cast floors
Jean-François de Meester already
talked about the installation, a subject
that is of particular importance in a
11 11

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project environment. But what about
the installation speed? “It is difficult
to make general statements about
carpets”, reacts Geert Vanden Bossche.
“The speed depends entirely on the
location, which is totally different every
time.” Tatiane Batache elaborates on
this: “We see this differently. Because
we organize installations ourselves,
good planning is essential. For a space
that has completely been cleared, we
would count on 100 m 2 per installer per
day. Our system of cast floors requires
three days of installation, during which
the floor cannot be used and during
which the space must be closed from
the outside world. The reason for this is
that the epoxy resin has to harden.”
Despite this inconvenience, it is clear
that epoxy resin floors are on their way
up. What makes this kind of floor so
popular? “A change in trend certainly
plays a part”, judges Tatiane Batache.
“In the past, people wanted to emphasize
the walls, but nowadays floors have
to be as white as possible. This is easier
with epoxy resin floors than with other
products. The product has been around
for a long time, but until recently it was
only used in the industrial sector. People
were not familiar with the product,
until more and more architects started
to recommend it. We notice a striking
change of mentality, in particular on
the project market. Polyurethane cast
floors are seamless, which makes them
interesting for the care sector. Moreover,
their maintenance is easy.”
3 4
Fighting a lost battle
Maintenance, finally the big word is
out. How maintenance friendly are
‘soft’ floors? “When talking about
carpet, its biggest advantage is in
a sense its greatest disadvantage”,
Philippe Van Hecke admits. “Carpet
has the ability to join together loose
particles of dust, so that they do
not float in the air. The drawback is
that carpet requires maintenance. In
residential environments often the
necessary discipline is lacking and in
the project world most of the cleaning
companies are not capable of
maintaining carpet well.”
“I am regularly frustrated with those
companies as well”, says Tatiana
Batache. “Many of these companies
have too little time and too small a
budget and use the same product for
parquet floors, tiles and cast floors.
We regularly organize information
sessions about the maintenance of
our products, but often these sessions
don’t suffice.”
Christ Taveirne recognizes these
problems all too well. “We advise
against maintenance products and
soap, because they are often used in
doses that are too high. This leads
to remains of soap that hold the dirt.
Our design floors can best be washed
with pure water. The varnish layer
makes the floor resistant against the
creation of stripes. In large projects,
we usually discuss this with the facility
manager.” “Maintenance is a line
of business in its own right”, thinks
Tom De Rydt. “It may lead to major
problems if it is not done properly, especially
with wooden floors. In most
cases, it is included in the warranty
that the right products need to be
used during the maintenance.”
Middle segment under pressure
Which tendencies and trends do our
speakers see on the market? “Modular
floors are becoming more and more
popular”, states Philippe Van Hecke.
“There is an evolution towards a
smooth, silky look, also in residential
environments. The yarn technology
evolves continuously as well. Now, we
install about 100,000 m 2 per month.
One and a half year ago, we would
never have dared suspect this.”
“The middle segment is under pressure”,
comments Christian Ysenbaert.
“Customers more and more opt for
high quality, while the lower segment
remains considerably big. The market
is ever more polarized”, adds Tom De
Rydt. “I notice how LVT floors are on
their way up. All major manufacturers
produce it nowadays, which about
sums it up. In the past, LVT had a
negative connotation, but that has
improved considerably. Nowadays, LVT
meets even the highest standards. The
printing techniques have improved as
well, up to a point that even profes-
3 According to Geert Vanden Bossche, carpet is a relatively cheap way to create a different atmosphere inside a room (Image: Balta) 4 (Image: mFLOR)

13
sionals hardly see the difference with a
planked floor. It is my fear that also LVT
of an inferior quality will be put on the
market, but that cannot be avoided.”
Digital print is on the rise
Throughout the entire world of interior
decoration, we notice an increasing
popularity of individualization. How
about this sector? “Digital print is on
the rise, particularly with LVT”, analyses
Tom De Rydt. “We will see how
this develops in the future, but the
quality of the floors obviously must
remain predominant.” “The popularity
of adjusted and unique drawings is
striking, and this in the project market
as well”, says Tatiana Batache. “As a
matter of fact, with subsidized public
assignments, part of the budget must
usually be invested in art. Thanks to
these drawings, created by a renowned
artist, the budget for flooring
can thus be moved to the art budget.
There is an increasing demand for this
kind of floors. Sometimes, customers
have the wildest ideas. Even floors
with a poster or the logo of a company
are on the way up.”
Carpets do not lag behind this trend.
“Balta Broadloom uses a Chromo jet
installation, with which we can print
our products”, explains Philippe Van
Hecke. “The individual aspect and
the unique aspect are becoming more
and more important, which is a nice
evolution.”
Ecology
5 6
And how environmentally conscious are
the companies around our table? “The
production is more and more subject
to stringent rules”, tells Philippe Van
Hecke. “A number of harmful substances
are nowadays forbidden or strictly
ruled. Balta tries to be a forerunner in
this, amongst other things through cooperation
with the Flemish government
to reach the Kyoto standards. In the
plant itself, we recently installed solar
panels measuring 55 soccer pitches in
total. In this way, we can now also work
with green power.” “Unfortunately, there
are no types of carpet that can entirely
be recycled”, adds his colleague Geert
Vanden Bossche. “Cradle-to-cradle is an
illusion, but we are working hard on the
reduction of the impact. For instance:
in 2013 we will participate in Domotex
with a collection in which the fibres
are only partly based on oil. The rest
of the product consists of fibres from
renewable, natural raw materials. As we
speak, we are still testing this product,
but it is already clear that it has a future.
This carpet moreover promises to be
excellent in the field of maintenance.
The latter is an additional trump card,
which leads to a total story.”
“He who speaks of vinyl, says petroleum”,
reacts Tom De Rydt. “The product
has a very poor image, but we try
to remedy this. Recycling is stepped
up and we also limit the quantity of
harmful substances. In the long run,
it is our intention to produce vinyl
without plastic.” Tarkett has been
producing environmentally friendly
products for many years”, comments
Jean-François de Meester. “For our
efforts we already received a Silver
Cradle-to-cradle certificate for our
linoleum and parquet floor products.
Our homogeneous IQ products are
free of phthalates and our vinyl products
have a VOC level that is ten times
lower than the European standard.”
According to Christ Taveirne of Moduleo,
ecological thinking is a complete story.
“By early 2013, we aim to have built
three windmills next to our factory. These
will produce enough electricity to cover
our entire need for energy. We process
up to 50% of recycled material into our
floors, which in their turn are entirely
recyclable. Local production considerably
lowers our ecological footprint with
respect to transport in comparison to
import products from the East. We also
score a lot better than the strictest emission
standards with our products and
print only with water-based inks.”�
Participants in this round table:
Tatiana Batache (4m Europe)
Christ Taveirne (Moduleo)
Tom De Rydt (mFLOR)
Jean-François de Meester (Tarkett)
Geert Vanden Bossche (Balta Group)
Philippe Van Hecke (Balta Group)
Christian Ysenbaert (Balta Group)
5 Jean-François de Meester: “Vinyl is available in an ever increasing amount of beautiful colours” (Image: Tarkett)
13
6 Christ Taveirne: “Epoxy resin floors are extremely handy for renovations in both residential and commercial environments” (Image: Moduleo)

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Young Talent:
Interior Design Awards 2012
Kick-start for design talent
The Biënnale Interieur jury recently announced the winners of the Interior Design Awards.
These awards are known to be an excellent way for young, talented designers to kick-start their
career and that reputation has been proven again this year. Apart from this, the Awards once again
stressed their international reach.
The 241 entries came from 33 countries,
including far off places such as
Russia, Japan and Nigeria. The jury
also consisted of a broad international
team, with Belgians such as
artist Jan De Cock and Sara De Bondt
as well as the Pole Oskar Zieta and,
from Kuwait, Majed Al-Sabah, who
has been called ‘the Sheik of Chic’ by
Time Magazine.
This year, the Interior Design Awards
focused on our living space, today
and tomorrow. The pamphlet ‘Klein
Duimpje en de Zevenmijlslaarzen’
(‘Tom Thumb and the Seven-League
Boots’) by architect Bruno Vermeersch
was the starting point. Prizes
were awarded in two categories,
namely ‘Space’ and ‘Object’. The jury
made a unanimous decision in both
categories, and in particular considered
the entries from Asian countries
to be of an excellent level.
Attention to the walls
In the ‘Space’ category, the instruction
was to furnish a small living
space of 30 m 2 . Based on Belgian
1 2 3
legislation, this is the largest space
that can be built without a building
permit. In his pamphlet, Bruno
Vermeersch advocates that beginning
architects start with this kind of
limited space, instead of venturing
to start with visualisations of mega
projects.
Young creative people were challenged
to translate their vision to this
compact space. The prize went to
the Japanese platform ‘Sandwich’, in
association with the Swiss Blue Architects.
Their ‘Deformable Wall’ project
focuses on the walls around us instead
of the objects inside. A double
membrane makes the wall look as if
it’s full of bulges, making the shapes
of the furniture inside visible from the
outside. This causes an interaction
between the inside and the outside,
between the object and the wall.
Mocking gravity
Finnish Elisa Honkanen was the
winner in the ‘Object’ category.
Participants had to design practical
objects that improve daily life. Her
design, ‘Purist’, consists of a simple
wooden chair, the legs of which are
kept together with a rope. The chair
seems to be mocking gravity, because
the same rope is also the back of the
chair. Purist reminds the viewer of the
famous ‘Windsor’ chairs, albeit in a
modern, trimmed down version.
The minimalist ‘Kishu’ by British
jeweller and silversmith Maya Selway,
won the second prize in this category.
The restful game of metal lines reminds
the viewer of vases and bowls,
but is, in a way, a subtle optical illusion.
The focus is on what isn’t there,
rather than on what can be seen.
Zascha Petkow, a German designer,
also won a prize. His installation,
consisting of rings on the wall, can be
used as a clothes hanger, but also to
put away shoes. In other words, the
rings are much more than mere eye
candy.
All these designs, together with a
selection of the other entries, can be
seen at Interieur 2012. This fair takes
place from 20 to 28 October 2012, at
Kortrijk Xpo. �
15 15
15
1 De ‘Purist’ - Elisa Honkanen (Alle images: Interieur 2012) 2 ‘Deformable Wall’ - Sandwich and Blue Architects
3 ‘Kishu’ - Maya Selway

16
21
2
1 The furniture with bright colours plays a key-role in the restaurant (All images: Thon Hotels)
2 In the lobby, led lighting creates a pleasant atmosphere

Thon Hotel EU
Energy and colour as dynamic contrast
In the centre of Brussels, right in the political heart of Europe, we find the Thon Hotel EU. This four
star hotel is a nice example of how business hotels, even when they are part of a large chain, can
also steer a wilful course. Interior designer Trond Ramsokar let his imagination run wild to offer the
many diplomats, along with numerous tourists, a moment of peace and quiet during their busy day.
The Norwegian chain ‘Thon hotels’
was founded at the end of the eighties.
At the start, these hotels were
known as the ‘Rainbow Hotels’, but
CEO Olav Thon changed the name of
his business in 2005 to ‘Thon Hotels’.
Today, Thon Hotels with its fifty or so
establishments is the third largest hotel
chain of Norway. There are hotels
in homeland Norway and in neighbouring
Sweden, but also in Belgium
and The Netherlands.
Thon Hotel has seven establishments
in Brussels, totalling 1,450 rooms.
This makes Thon Hotels the leading
hotel group in this city, at least with
regard to hotels that are run under
the same logo. Still, each of these
hotels is different, because the interior
every time guarantees a unique
experience. To achieve this effect,
Thon Hotel cooperates with different
interior designers, such as Helene
Hennie. An interesting, but important
detail: the Stanhope Hotel in Brussels,
also part of this chain, was the
very first five star hotel of the city.
Conversion
The brand-new Thon Hotel EU totals
405 rooms and 37 apartments and
is located in the ‘Wetstraat’, right
in the political heart of the capital,
nearby historic sites and well-known
museums. It opened its doors in April
2012 and mainly targets international
business people and staff members of
European diplomats.
In fact, the Thon Hotel EU is a conversion
of four existing buildings. The
renovation started in September
2009, under the creative impulse
of architectural office Altiplan. The
architects provided sufficient large,
open spaces that make guests feel
free and welcome. The interior design
contributes to this feeling as well, as
Norwegian designer Trond Ramsoskar
worked with plenty of light and serenity.
“The idea was to let the interior
be in contrast with the hectic city life
outside”, explains Trond Ramsoskar.
“I try to achieve this by adding a lot
of energy and colour to the public
spaces. The ‘Wetstraat’ is grey and
cold and therefore I try to convert this
hotel into a cosy oasis of peace and
quiet.” This approach becomes very
clear when we enter the building and
“Interior contrasts
with the hectic life
of the city outside”
head for the well-lit reception desk,
which is combined with pink and lime
coloured furniture. The soft and pleasant
led lighting merely contributes to
the cosy atmosphere. On the floor we
notice wall-to-wall Balta Broadloom
carpet.
The same approach is used in the
rooms, though here we mainly observe
a discreet use of colours, with
light pastel colours such as green,
orange and purple. The colour palette
has a fresh and modern feel, but is
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3
at the same time comforting. One
experiences the luxurious touch and
feel, as may be expected from a four
star hotel everywhere. Every room is
equipped with the most modern technology.
Here, the Balta Broadloom
wall-to-wall carpet has a modern
and quiet pattern and creates a cosy
atmosphere.
Heart of the hotel
The showpiece of this hotel is ‘The
Twelve’, the restaurant than can seat
350 people inside the hotel and 60
more outside on the terrace.
The name of this restaurant refers to
the twelve stars of the European flag,
which obviously is a hint to its special
location. The bright lime colours
from the lobby make their appearance
again in the bar. The chairs are
turquoise and pink amongst other
colours. Still, thanks to the several
metre high windows the restaurant
gives a peaceful and airy impression.
Chef Jeroen Demuydt serves a modern,
international brasserie kitchen.
The terrace is inspired by a traditional
Moroccan ‘riad’ or courtyard and is
entirely surrounded by the hotel.
Especially on sunny days, this is an
ideal place to relax for a moment. The
courtyard literally is at the heart of
the hotel: from almost anywhere in
the hotel, visitors can see this terrace.
4
5 6
3 7
In the Thon Passage, underneath
the hotel, there is a shopping mall
of about 900 m 2 . A logical choice,
because parent company Thon Gruppen
in Norway mainly owns shopping
centres.
Playful pattern
Attention was of course devoted to
the business market as well. The
Thon Hotel EU comprises no less than
ten meeting rooms and all of these
are equipped with the most modern
conference techniques.
Every room is named after one of the
countries that were among the first
to become a member of the European
Union. The largest conference room,
not coincidentally called ‘Belgium’,
can be subdivided into three smaller
rooms. This makes it the perfect
space for gala dinners, conferences
and even wedding parties. A striking
element is the purple wall-to-wall
carpet that we often see in business
areas. The playful pattern gives the
rooms a special touch.
Even though the Thon Hotel EU is
part of a large hotel chain, every hotel
in the Thon group is conceived in a
different way. This depends in part
on the location. To illustrate this, we
refer to the new wing in the Thon Hotel
Opera in Oslo, which is the work
of the same interior designer, Trond
Ramsoskar, but emanates a totally
different atmosphere compared to the
one in Brussels. “This hotel is located
next to an opera house and that is
why we allude to this, even in the
rooms”, the designer clarifies. “The
lighting in Oslo has a very theatrical
touch and feel and behind the beds
there is a picture of ballet dancers.
This once again proves that even a
large hotel chain does not as a rule
have to offer uniformity, but can with
a little sense of adventure present
totally unique and very cosy hotels.”
In the future…
Even though the Thon Hotel EU
has opened its doors only some
months ago, Thon Hotels already
announced some new plans for
the future of the capital. In the
‘Bolwerkstraat’, there is the Thon
Hotel Brussels City Centre. This
is a hotel that will undergo a
dramatic redecoration later on
this year. Both the lobby and the
rooms get a total facelift. In a
future issue of Decostyle, we will
deal with this in more detail. �
19 19
4 The wall-to-wall carpet provides playful, cosy accents
3 The Thon Hotel EU is located in the middle of the busy ‘Wetstraat’
6 The terrace is at the centre of the hotel 7 Every room is equipped with the most modern comfort items
5 In the rooms as well, the same bright colour palette is taken up

Niko Mysterious
A chameleon in every interior.
Niko Mysterious invites you to be creative. You can paint over this unique
switch, put wallpaper over it, or incorporate it into other materials such as
wood or marble. Make a selection between push buttons or wave control.
The wave control allows you to switch on the lights with one simple gesture.
20
www.niko.eu
PA-051-11

People choose more consciously”
The trends in consumer products for the second part of the year can be spotted at Tendence,
from 24 to 28 August. Around 2,000 exhibitors present their latest novelties at Messe
Frankfurt. The ‘Living’ area (in halls 8, 9, 10.2 and 11) promises to be of particular interest to
professionals in interior design.
Covering no less than nine halls,
Tendence is the biggest and most
important fair for consumer goods
in the second half of the year. It is
an important event in the run-up to
Christmas, but here and there, visitors
can already take a look at some
of the trends and novelties for the
spring and summer of 2013. Thanks
to an impressive calendar of events,
Tendence will be the ideal place to
spot novelties, meet new people or
just be inspired.
Home&Trend Award
An event to look forward to, for
example, is the presentation of the
‘Home&Trend Award’, for this year’s
most innovative product. This prize is
awarded by consumers themselves,
along with a panel of experts. The
nominated products often stand for
top quality and authenticity, which
makes this among experts a highly
regarded prize.
“These awards help consumers and
retailers make important decisions”,
says Nicolette Naumann of Messe
Frankfurt. “We notice that these days
it’s no longer about looking for the
cheapest products. More and more
people choose more consciously”,
adds Haralt Schultes of the LifeCare
campaign, which co-organizes the
award. “It is important in this regard
to recognize quality.”
Launching pad
At the same time, Tendence wants to
be a launching pad for undiscovered
designers. For the eleventh time,
‘Talents’ is organized in hall 11. This is
an exhibition for young talent in categories
such as product and furniture
design. Tendence is the ideal place to
show their skills to a large audience.
“Every year, I’m impressed by the
ideas and creativity of these young
designers”, says Naumann.
The exhibition ‘Talents 10+1’ shows
work by designers for whom ‘Talents’
was their major breakthrough. Along
with this exposition, a book will
come out in which Hansjerg Maier-
preview
1 2 3
Tendence:
Achen, professor in Product Design
at the Karlsruhe University of Design,
presents sixty ideas that have been
well received by exhibitors, visitors
and journalists at Tendence.
Congress
Be sure to keep an eye on the companies
carrying the ‘Next’ label in halls
11 and 9. This way, Tendence further
highlights young design companies.
Nicolette Naumann: “We have always
considered it our duty to support
young international talent. We have
noticed that visitors appreciate this.”
Right before the fair, on 23 and 24 August,
the ‘Living & Concepts’ congress
is taking place at Messe Frankfurt as
well. Here renowned speakers and
scientists throw light on the sales and
production of decoration.
Dr. David Bosshart of the Gottlieb
Duttweiler Institute will give a talk
about economic and social trends in
retail. The congress is the ideal appetizer
for Tendence.�
21 21
1 At Tendence, the trends in consumer goods for the second half of the year are presented (All images: Messe Frankfurt)
3 The fair wants to support young talent
2 “This kind of events helps retailers to make decisions”, says Nicolette Naumann

22
preview
B-DECOoh! Open Door Days
Renewed, festive total concept
Don’t be alarmed when you no longer find DECOoh! in the fair’s calendar at the back of this
Decostyle. This professional fair for indoor and outdoor decoration is experiencing a total
re-launch this year and is even getting a new name. Get acquainted with the B-DECOoh! Open
Door Days, which takes place from 2 to 4 September in the expo halls at the Heizel in Brussels.
“Over the last couple of years, we
noticed that visitor numbers kept
going down”, admits Anabel Casimiro
of organizing Brussels Fairs and
Exhibitions. “A major renewal was
necessary or the continued existence
of the fair would be in danger. Now
we are going back to the essence:
actual trends, innovative design and
products that do well commercially.”
DECOoh! new style is a compact fair,
which is held in one single hall (hall 5)
of the Brussels Heizel. Here you will
not find the traditional fair booths, but
contemporary modular boxes. “The
atmosphere to surround DECOoh!
is that of an open day, albeit of 150
companies at the same time. The
visitors will receive a welcoming drink
when they enter and can have their
photograph taken in one of the many
themes rooms that are decorated by
the exhibitors themselves. Even more
than a fair, DECOoh! will become an
event, a festive total concept.”
Emphasis on exclusivity
“A major problem of the fair was
that, at least according to us, too
little exclusiveness was to be found”,
remembers Anabel Casimiro. “This
made people judge it was not worth
travelling to Brussels for. There was
too much emphasis on the sales
part, but this we have now remedied.
For instance: all of the visitors will
receive a cheque book, in which
every exhibitor highlights a product
and offers this at an advantageous
price. Additional price reductions will
be advertised throughout the fair,
in a straightforward way. That way,
visitors of DECOoh! will find special
items and offers that cannot be found
elsewhere.”
The enthusiasm of the exhibitors
proves that the renewed concept of
DECOoh! Open Door Days is a hit. Two
months before the fair, more than 110
exhibitors had already confirmed their
presence. “Among those are a lot of
familiar names, but there are also new
participants who believe in the innovative
path that DECOoh! has now taken.”
Digital platform
The centre of DECOoh! will be the
Patio, the space of the fair that is
1 2
reserved for events. Anabel Casimiro:
“This is an ideal location for networking
and establishing contacts. There
will also be flower demonstrations and
other events. The link with the ‘exhibition
hall’ will never be far away.”
Together with B-DECOoh! Open Door
Days, Brussels Fair and Exhibitions
also launches a new digital platform.
‘B-DECOoh! Objects’ becomes a site
that links manufacturers and professional
buyers all year round. “What
makes this website so interesting
is that people who are interested
no longer have to search via the
manufacturer, but via the product
itself. Someone who is looking for,
let’s say, a red vase, just enters ‘red
vase’ and gets an overview of all of
the red vases that can be found at the
fair. Frome there he can click on to the
manufacturer of his favourite vase.”
B-DECOoh! Open Door Days takes
place from 2 to 4 December in hall 5
of the exhibition halls at the Heizel in
Brussels and can only be visited on
invitation, by professionals in indoor
and outdoor decoration. More information
on www.bdecooh.eu. �
1-2 All images: B-DECOoh!

Argent Alu
Solutions for interior doors
‘Discreet interior doors’ – thé trend for a timeless interior with a
tight and minimalistic design. With its invisible door system Argent
Alu takes advantage of this trend. This innovative solution combines
the argenta ® invisidoor ® and the argenta ® invisible. Thanks
to these systems, the door closes perfectly in line with the wall,
without any disturbing door frame or hinge being visible.
The new argenta ® invisidoor ® is an invisible aluminium frame for
interior doors, standard equipped with a primer coating. In this
way the door can perfectly be painted together with the walls.
This door system can be applied for brickwork and plaster walls
with a minimum wall thickness of 70 mm. The dovetail profiling
results in a good adhesion of the plaster work against the profile.
Cracks in the plaster wall belong to the past. This system can be
used for all doors with thicknesses of 40 mm, left or right. The argenta
® invisidoor ® is standard delivered with a magnetic lock, an
integrated grey seal, absorbing the impact of the door closing,
and concealed 3D-adjustable hinges argenta ® invisible.
This argenta ® invisible, made of zamak, is available in three versions,
depending on the door width and weight: Small, Medium
and neo L-7. Contrary to most other invisible hinges this argenta
® invisible can be installed left or right. After installation, the
height, width and depth are easily adjusted (3 dimensionally)
without having to dismantle the door or the hinge. What’s more,
you get a lasting solution: the strong and stable adjustment mechanism
means doors stay level, even after intense usage. �
Contact information
Website: www.argentalu.com
Contact: Dimitri Robesyn
E-mail: dimitri.robesyn@argentalu.com
24 – 28. 8. 2012
Time for business –
time for trends
More than 52,000 international trade
visitors, over 2,000 exhibitors from all
over the world, innovative design areas,
high-profile creative competitions and
inspirational special shows. A unique
platform for the entire consumer goods
industry.
Tendence – the trade fair highlight of the
second half of the year for the home and
gift sectors.
tendence.messefrankfurt.com
info@belgium.messefrankfurt.com
Tel. +32 (0) 2 880 95 88

A look at tomorrow’s market
From 7 to 11 September, there is once more the autumn edition of Maison&Objet.
In fact, this fair in Paris hardly needs an introduction: twice a year, Paris Nord Villepinte
is the fixed venue for professionals from the world of indoor decoration and other sectors.
An overview…
First of all, there are the traditional
components of Maison&Objet.
When we look at hall 2, we see that
this hall is once more totally dedicated
to textiles. Here obviously the
major manufacturers can be found,
but Maison&Objet prides itself on
highlighting smaller, less well-known
designers as well. The section interior
decoration is extended for this edition
and now takes up two halls. Moreover,
this exhibition was totally renewed by
interior designer Jean-Philippe Nuel.
As ever, a number of designers are
given the opportunity to demonstrate
their skills at Maison&Objet. This year,
the choice befell the brothers Fernando
and Humberto Campana. They
are two Brazilians who are considered
to be the most important furniture
designers of their generation. The two
grew up in Sao Paulo, a city that is
known for its many ‘favelas’. Exactly
these slums are an important source
of inspiration to them, for the work of
these designers is often made of recycled
material. Discover it in hall 7.
Seducing visitors
Still in hall 7, there is once again
‘Scènes d’Intérieur’. This is where the
decorative techniques and styles of
times past and present are showcased.
Every exhibitor here is active in
the high end of the market and gives
it all he’s got to seduce the visitors.
This year, the scenography is made
by Italian interior designer Paola
Navone, while sculptor Hubert le Gall
is the designer who is highlighted at
‘Scènes d’Intérieur’. This Frenchman
combines humour with emotion in his
highly praised work.
‘Now! Design à vivre’ in its turn looks
at the future. In hall 8, it is all about
new talent and new designs during
Maison&Objet. At the same time,
experts and trend watchers are trying
to analyse the buying behaviour and
tomorrow’s market. To reinforce this
progressive point of view, the work of
the Japanese artist Tokujin Yoshioka
is showcased. He makes crystal-like
preview
1 2 3
Maison & Objet
objects that are as unpredictable
and random as nature itself. At ‘Now!
Design à vivre’, Yoshioka presents his
vision of the future. French designer
and interior designer Philippe Boisselier
is in charge of the scenography
of this hall.
Project market
Don’t forget to visit ‘Projets’ at
Maison&Objet, an exhibition that is
entirely devoted to the project market.
This exposition is subdivided into
three themes: ‘outdoor and wellness’,
‘craftsmanship and decoration’ and
finally ‘technical and technological innovations’.
The brands that according
to a committee of experts guarantee
the best quality get the special-
ARCHI.DESIGNER* label. During the
selection process these experts have
decorators, designers and architects
at the back of their minds.
More information can be found on
www.maison-objet.com, where you
can also register. �
25 25
1 Maison&Objet once again highlights less well-known designers (Image: Cyril Lagel, GraphicObsession)
3 Tokujin Yoshioka presents his vision of the future (Image: Maison&Objet)
2 Fernando and Humberto Campana get inspired by poverty in Brazil (Image: Fernando Laszlo)

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27
preview
“The ‘Fluxus’ is achieved in three different ways” (Image: Patrick Dekeyser)
MoOD 2012
“Challenges create design opportunities”
From 11 to 13 September 2012, there is MoOD – Meet only Original
Designs – in Brussels. As it does every year, this fair highlights
designers and producers.
MoOD will be a clearly structured fair in halls 11, 7 and 9 of Brussels
Expo. In hall 11, the manufacturers of upholstery can be found,
while halls 7 and 9 are mainly dedicated to manufacturers of wall
and window coverings.
MoOD always puts the emphasis on innovations and novelties and
this year this is even more the case than it was in the past. Small
initiatives and starters get more attention than before, because
according to organizing Textirama these are the entrepreneurs of
the future. The trend forum this year is an interactive junction, from
where visitors can reach the rest of the fair. In the seventh hall,
there is also a ‘Discovery Zone’, with three exhibitions.
FLUXUS
MoOD’s central theme will be ‘Fluxus’, which can literally be translated
as ‘movement’. “The world is on the eve of a number of
major changes”, says Art Director Niek De Prest. “The old way of
thinking, for example about economy, is history. The future of the
textile industry faces a turning-point as well. Because of the overpopulation
and an imminent lack of originality I predict a rise of
small-scaliness and economic spiritualism. Textile manufacturers
and designers alike are faced with an important challenge.”
This ‘Fluxus’ is achieved in three ways. First and foremost there is
‘transition’. Secondly, there is ‘Prorsum’, or progression, and finally
there are the eccentrics, who break through the dullness and determine
their style all by themselves. Looking at the future implies
more than just this. At the seminar ‘For the love of innovation’, renowned
people from the world of textiles look at the future. Marco
Waas, dean of the TU Delft in The Netherlands and the source of
inspiration of the YES!Delft programme has already confirmed
his participation. The seminar takes place on 12 September. �
International Trade Fair
for producers of
Upholstery, Window
& Wall Coverings
is organised by Textirama vzw, Poortakkerstraat 90, BE-9051
Gent, Belgium - Phone +32 9 24 38 450 - fax +32 9 24 38 455
email: info@moodbrussels.com
27

28
preview
1 2
Architect@Work
keeps expanding worldwide
When the event Architect@Work was launched in 2005, nobody could have imagined the impact
this event, which is focused on architects and interior designers, would have. Over the past years,
the innovative fair concept was widely picked up internationally, so that Architect@Work currently
takes place in no less than twelve locations, even in China (Shanghai). As from September, one
edition follows the other on the calendar.
The event that was developed by the interior
designer collective Creative Fo(u)
r focuses on uniform stands, where
the emphasis is on demonstrating
nothing but innovative products. This
means there is no longer room for fair
arrangements in which one exhibitor
tries to outswift the other by putting up
bigger stands all the time and in which
smaller exhibitors with often pioneering
products may well ‘drown’, caught as
they are in a battle between giants.
Autumn starts in Shanghai
The most exotic of the new locations,
Shanghai, heralds a very busy autumn.
In the Expo Center, the concept of owner
Kortrijk Xpo is organized on 6 and 7 September.
This is a two day event, which
both in nature and duration is perfectly
in line with the other Architect@Works.
Following this, the various editions follow
one another at high speed: Rotterdam
(12-13 September), Lyon (La Halle
Tony Garnier, 20-21 September), Paris
(La Grande Halle de La Villette, 11-12 October)
and finally an event in Germany, in
Messe Stüttgart (7-8 November).
There will be no end to this interna-
tional expansion in 2013. For example:
in London (Earls Court, 30-31 January)
and Zürich (Messe, 15-16 May) first-time
editions will be organized and further
editions are planned in Berlin and Milan
(dates are yet to be fixed). Besides we
mustn’t forget the appointments the
fair has with its visitors in home town
Kortrijk (Kortrijk Xpo, 25-26 April) and
the Walloon ‘counterpart’ in Liège (F.I.L.,
23-24 May).
What is Architect@Work’s strength?
Exhibition manager Nathalie Sandra
was already present when the first
edition took place in Kortrijk Xpo:
“The concept meets the demands of
professionals from the sector. Creative
minds, such as architects and interior
designers want to get a quick and efficient
overview of what is new on their
market. Thanks to its floor plan and
the general arrangement of the halls,
Architect@Work meets these demands
optimally. We make sure visitors have
an agreeable visit on a limited amount
of space and optimize the networking
opportunities. This goes even as far as
providing free catering and organizing
numerous fringe events.”
3
Fringe events in Rotterdam
A nice example of these fringe events
can be seen in Rotterdam. There,
among other initiatives, the exposition
‘Ceramics by Materia’ is organized by
Els Zijlstra, who also gives a seminar
on Thursday. Next there are Art by
EKWC (Filip Jonker and Yasser Ballemans)
and ‘Images’ under the theme
‘clay’ (with support of main sponsor
CRH Clay Solutions) by DAPH. Interesting
seminars will also be given by Filip
Jonker en Harrie Vekemans.
“We show Filip Jonker’s ceramic car
(The Netherlands, °1980), in which he
changes the bodywork of a Pontiac
by ceramic panels, made by the Cad/
Cam technique. Harrie Vekemans in
his turn talks about the brick laying
robot (ROB Brick Design). These are
only two examples of how we try
to surprise our audience time and
again. Apparently, this is appreciated.
By mid-July we already sold 288
modules, 28% more than in 2012,
even though the selection committee
was even stricter than in previous
editions.” �
1-3 All images: doc. Kortrijk Xpo

29
ContRact
“Working with a focus brings added value”
Textirama vzw and Meubelbeurs Brussel vzw look back on a successful second edition of
ContRact, which was held on 13 and 14 June at Tour&Taxis in Brussels. Once more it was proven
that the concept is right, the result being a stylish and very open fair.
“I look back with a feeling of happiness,
and this for three reasons”, says
Patrick Geysels, general manager
of Textirama. “First of all, I notice a
general feeling of satisfaction among
the visitors. Secondly, they clearly appreciate
the concept and the atmosphere
of the event. And finally the offer
is extended and above all enlarged,
which means we can serve even more
aspects of the project market.”
Long term
“Visitor numbers went up as well and
the quality of the visitors was very
high. People came to do business in a
much focused way. Everybody wanted
to negotiate and this ensured a cosy,
but busy atmosphere.”
Is this enthusiasm also translated
into a positive buying behaviour?
“This is less relevant at a fair like ContRact.
Our visitors and exhibitors are
mostly active in the higher segment;
they may deal with many hotel rooms
at the same time. Here, the long-term
view is more important and as such
this is an ideal networking event,
with very open stands, making the
threshold a lot lower than on other
fairs. The success of this edition gives
us the possibility to ‘fine-tune’ ContRact
even more in 2013. But that the
concept works, is for certain.”
Viewpoint exhibitors
How did the exhibitors experience
ContRact? Herewith a selection of
almost nothing but positive reactions.
“A good visitor score, the right exhibitors.
Our relatively new product was
received well. Also a good atmosphere”,
we hear at mFlor. Almost the
same story with Slabbinck: “We feel
good progress. Many and good contacts,
in an excellent environment.”
Intede confirms the testimony about
the location and the good contacts:
“A hip design, pleasant. Why not consider
moving Intirio to this location?”
At Accanthus the same enthusiasm:
“The result will be better than last
year. Nice new contacts and new
projects lurk in the distance. This cosy
fair attracts the customers that are
difficult to reach for us, by which we
mean architects and project managers.”
Next is Libeco: “Good concept,
review
1 2 3
excellent location, even though we
feel no improvement compared to last
year.” Kobe: “Wonderful fair, although
it might have been better to show
our Koroseal wall coverings, instead
of our fabrics. The number of visitors
still needs to improve, but this initiative
deserves a follow-up.”
The furniture sector reacted with
enthusiasm as well. Moroso: “Bigger,
more traffic and most importantly:
aimed at the professional. I’ll be back,
especially as I notice the quality of
both the visitors and the contacts.”
Jori: “A poor first day, a much better
second day. An exceptionally cosy
event, good atmosphere, but not
enough visitors yet.” Rolf Benz: “Fantastic
concept, excellent location, but
sometimes a bit too quiet. We did receive
a selective audience, architects
and interior designers, and noted
down a lot of good contacts.”�
1 “We will see more and more events of this kind” (All images: ContRact)
29
3 ContRact is, even more than other fairs, an excellent networking event
2 “There is a lot more eye-contact than on traditional fairs, the threshold is lower”

30
Maes Home Textiles
“Keep on innovating”
“We want to continue to excite people”, says Saskia Casaert of Maes Home Textiles. This Waregem based
family business celebrates its sixtieth anniversary, but is still on top of all the latest innovations. “It’s important
to keep on following the latest trends”, thinks Casaert. “That way, it’s possible to innovate. Because of
our experience, we have an infallible eye for quality.”
Maes Home Textiles is a textile company
with its own weaving mill. “This
gives us the chance to respond even
better to the customer’s wishes and
personalise his order. An own weaving
mill also shortens the delivery time. It
gives us more control over the production
and the fabric. Thanks to our own
machines, we can be sure that the finest
cotton yarns are being used for our
products.” According to Saskia Casaert,
customers are always welcome to visit
the weaving mill. “Many customers
actually do this. They enter a workplace
with an impressive range of machines
but with remarkably little personnel.
Obviously, having most of the work
done by machines is more lucrative.”
LASTING COLLECTIONS
The textile company offers four
standard collections, all of which are
fabricated with combed yarn. In other
words: they are products that are built
to last for a long time. “’Excellence’
is our top collection”, says Saskia
Casaert. “This wide collection consists
of 45 colours, including the traditional
ecru as well as trendy colours such as
fuchsia. The second collection, ‘MAOM’,
is a more placid collection. ‘MAOM’ has
the same construction as Excellence,
but a different border. This collection
consists of 24 softer colours that blend
per three hues.” Maes Home Textiles
can count many laundries and wellness
centres among its clients. Especially for
them, the ‘Imagine’ collection was created.
“This textile is particularly robust.
It can be washed at 90° C and still keep
its colour.”
HONEST PRICE
The fact that the company is an avid
supporter of durability and ecology
is proven by ‘Mano Verde’, the fourth
large collection. It is no coincidence
that this collection, which is entirely
made of biological yarns, won last year’s
Intirio Award for best ‘Eco-friendly’ total
concept. “The collection is marked by
the Eco label and adheres to the strict
‘Oeko-Tex’ ruling”, says Casaert. “Social
justice is of equal importance to us, and
Oxfam’s ‘Fair Trade’ label is proof of that.
The farmers have gotten a fair price for
their cotton.” This collection comes with
a display of detailed information, so that
consumers in shops know what ‘Mano
Verde’ stands for.
Apart from these Standard Collections,
Maes Home Textiles also works with
countless smaller, personalised collections
for the project market. “For this
type of arrangements, the finishing is
done entirely according to the wishes of
the customer. For example, it’s possible
to weave the name of the business
in the textile. Wellness centres and
laundries are particularly interesting
to us. They demand strong and longlasting
products and from there we can
continue focusing on innovations.” �
Maes Home Textiles
E-mail: info@maestextiles.com
Website: www.maestextiles.com
Phone: 056 60 37 58

Luxaflex wins
iF Product Design Award
This year, the prestigious international iF
Product Design Award was awarded to the
Luxaflex Roller Blind EOS 500. The roller
blind was especially designed for large
windows and won the prize because of
its functionality, its operating comfort and
its design. The EOS 500 roller blinds have
a system that makes the blinds roll up
evenly, which is a big advantage, especially
with larger windows. The manifold finishing
possibilities made the jury single out
this product. The iF Product Design Award
is known as an important quality label for
product design. �
New colour combinations
for Balta Broadloom
Balta Broadloom, European market leader
in tufted and woven wall-to-wall carpets,
presents three new colour combinations
in its Funky Stripes collection. The new colour
pattern is designed in red, white and
blue. Stripes in various widths throw the
colours into relief, which gives the carpet a
lively, exciting look. “Thanks to these new
carpets, our customers have more choice
than ever”, says Geert Vanden Bossche,
Marketing Director with Balta Broadloom.
“Thanks to this new combination of red,
white and blue, sales people can offer a
totally ‘trendy’ product.” One of the new
patterns is inspired by the British flag. �
New CEO for Balta Group
The Balta Group has announced that CEO
Jules Noten will resign on 31 July 2012. Until
a permanent replacement has been found,
Carl Verstraelen takes over his function.
“I leave behind a strong team with clear
plans for the future and a company with a
positive business culture”, says Noten. “I
had a wonderful time at Balta and wish all
of my colleagues the very best for the future.”
Balta is the second largest manufacturer
in the world for mechanically woven
carpets. �
Levis brings colour
to the classroom
Under the motto “Let’s Colour”, Levis is
determined to bring more colour into this
world, starting with the schools. All Belgian
primary schools can register for this
initiative, using the website www.dekleurrijksteschool.be,
where Levis helps schools
with dull and out-dated classrooms.
By means of private sponsoring schools
can ‘earn’ square meters of Levis paint.
In this way, the paint brand wants to be a
catalyst for renewal and enrichment of the
entire society. In the meantime, some 600
schools have already registered for the initiative.
Later on, both in Flanders and Wallonia,
the ‘most colourful school’ will be
awarded a prize. �
Future Floors cancelled
this year
The organization of Future Floors informs
us that this professional fair for the entire
flooring sector will not take place this
year. “Due to a number of external factors,
the enthusiasm of many companies has
cooled down somewhat”, explains exhibition
manager Nathalie Sandra. “Many of
deco� info
them are playing a waiting game. Since we
do not want to create the wrong impression
for either participants or visitors, we
decided to cancel Future Floors.” However,
Sandra remains convinced Future Floors
has potential, and does not exclude that
this professional fair will be taken up again
in the future.” �
Occhio opens shop
in Merksem
Early May, the first Belgian Occhio shop
opened its doors in Merksem (near Antwerp).
In this shop, an example of modern architecture,
the German brand of lighting presents
its entire range of possibilities, both for
residential and professional environments.
In the new shop, all possible Occhio heads
and bases can be found, including the Occhio
Divo and the new Occhio io 3d-series.
Customers assisted by a professional team
of consultants. More information can be
found on http://be.occhio.de.�
Prestigious prize for
Vi-Spring
Vi-Spring, the British manufacturer of
luxury beds, was recently awarded the
prestigious Queen’s Award for Excellence.
“According to us, this success is due to our
commitment to combining sublime crafts-
31 31

manship with a determination to only work
with the best possible materials”, judges
Managing Director Mike Meehan.
These materials are fabrics such as Austrian
Moosburger horsehair, cashmere and
Real Shetland Wool. Through its use of Real
Shetland Wool, Vi-Springs helps to revive
the wool industry of the Shetland Isles. In
Europe and North America, Vi-Spring sells
by means of exclusive retailers. �
MHZ interior and exterior sunblind
MHZ Hachtel S.àr.l.
27, rue de Steinfort
L-8366 Hagen
32
deco� info
Interiors United
new in Nieuwegein
From 9 to 12 September ‘Interiors United’
takes place in Nieuwegein in The Netherlands.
This is an event for the entire interior sector.
‘Interiors United’ replaces the Home & Interior
fair and is organized by HTC and Woonmodecity.
A first info session went extremely
well: following this meeting, around 60% of
the entire fair surface had already been filled
in on paper. At ‘Interiors United’, you should
particularly visit the ‘Woon Inspiratie Plein’
(Home Inspiration Square), where the latest
home fashion will be demonstrated.�
www.mhz.lu
info@mhz.lu
Tel. (L) +352 31 14 21
Fax (L) +352 31 23 28
Day&Co
presents work by Robin Day
Belgian Day&Co since recently offers the
furniture collection of the famous English
designer Robin Day. This collection is produced
under licence in the UK and can be
used in both residential and professional
environments, and the project market. The
collection includes the stackable ‘Polo’, the
seat ‘Delphi’ (see image), the lounge sofa
‘Club’ and the arm chair range ‘Leo’. All of
this furniture is available in different colours
and fabrics finishings. More information can
be found on www.dayandco.be. �
MHZ TWINLINE
venetian blind
Handle with rotary wheel
for turning the slats
Control cord for blinds
that are hard to reach
www.mhz.be
info@mhz.be
Tel. (B) +32 53 76 84 20
Fax (B) +32 53 76 84 21

Marc Lagrange shoots new
Modular campaign images
Belgian lighting company Modular has
established a cooperation with top photographer
Marc Lagrange. “This artist has
become known thanks to his pictures in
which beautiful women in a special setting
tell a whole story”, explains Lieven Messiaen,
CEO with Modular. “His typical, dark
atmosphere sets the tone for our designs.”
For Modular, Lagrange works around the
theme ‘circus’. His pictures will be used
in the new advertising campaign and in
Zinetta, the in-house magazine published
by Modular. �
New General Manager
for Hotel BLOOM!
The German Jan Henningsen (left in the
picture) has at the beginning of May been
appointed new General Manager of the
Brussels based Hotel BLOOM!. “Jan has a
lot of experience in managing and further
developing concept & destination hotels in
the United States. We hope Hotel BLOOM!
will benefit from this”, explains Aldert
Schaaphok (right in the picture), Vice President
Operations of Pandox AB. In the past,
Henningsen already worked for the Hilton
Fontainebleau Resort in Florida and for The
Social Hollywood. Henningsen succeeds
Christel Cabanier. �
Europa 2000 launches new
brand of affordable design
furniture
With Flexfurn, Europa 2000 offers a new
brand of design furniture for both indoor
and outdoor use. The tables and (lounge)
seats by Flexfurn combine a rigid design
with a reasonable price and are moreover
adaptable to the buyer’s needs. The collection
consists of three products. The Conic
is a stackable party table which the user
assembles himself, using modules and accessories.
The Conic Lounge (see image) is
a collection of modular blocks that can be
arranged as seat or as table. Finally there is
the Titan, an aluminium folding table that
can be equipped with attractive led lighting.
�
Winners Prize for
Design 2012 announced
The province of West Flanders (Belgium)
has announced the three laureates of the
Prize for Design 2012. The winners are
Jurgen Maelfeyt, Hespeel and Sabbe (all
graphic designers), and furniture designer
Dirk Wynants. This prize is awarded every
four years and goes to all disciplines that
make up the world of design, going from
textiles to even web design. The jury, which
among other people consisted of journalist
Chris Meplon and Inge Vranken of DesignV-
deco� info
laanderen, was pleasantly surprised by the
high number of registrations and certainly
by their average quality. The Prize for Design
is worth 2,500 euro in cash and comes
with an honorary silver plaque. �
Diolen Safe takes off
The last edition of Aircraft Interiors Expo in
Hamburg witnessed the launch of the new series
of textiles by FR Safety Yarns and Prevent
Gaenslen & Völter. The collection also uses
different filaments of Diolen Safe. The textile
is amongst other things used in the new
‘Rectiflame Hybrid’-airplane seat by Recticel
Aviation. “We are very happy with the attention
that was devoted to our new seat”, says
Johan Van Blitterwijk, business manager with
Recticel. “The technical characteristics and
the appealing design of the new material by
Diolen Safe convinced a lot of professionals in
our line of business.” �
Unilin now also
presents ClicWall
Following the launch of a new furniture collection
based on the ‘Uniclic’ system (see
Decostyle 51), the company now introduces
a wall covering system. ClicWall Deco is
based on the existing ‘Clicwall system’, but
the MDF panel was given a varnish carrier
foil instead of the traditional décor layer.
33 33

34
This way, everybody is free to finish the
panels himself with paint, wall paper or
even a digital print. Dirty and moist plastering
is therefore not needed and the seams
are invisible. This is moreover an environmentally
friendly system, as it uses PEFC
labelled wood species. �
Drapilux launches
new website
Early June Drapilux, a brand of the German
textiles manufacturer Schmitz-Werke,
launched a new website. “Our products
subscription to decostyle
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deco� info fair calendar
combine design and technology, and now
we can also transfer this combination by
means of our website”, explains Dr. Norbert
Rehle, Sales director with Drapilux.
Thanks to the clear navigation, visitors get
a better overview of what Drapilux has on
offer. The ‘Specialist Partner’ section of the
site is particularly interesting, along with
the new fabrics database. The site address:
www.drapilux.com. �
Yes, I am interested in a one year subscription and transfer 40 euro to the
account number 380-0177167-19
Tendence, the fair for consumer goods, is this year
organized from 24 to 28 August 2012. In the ‘Living’
section of the fair the newest furniture, decoration
and interior products can be found. At the same time,
Tendence is an excellent fair to spot the trends for the
autumn. More information at http://tendence.messefrankfurt.com.
Professionals from the world of home textiles
can travel to distant China from 28 to 30 August.
There, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles
takes place. This professional fair is an organization
of Messe Frankfurt. More information at
www.messefrankfurt.com.hk/.
From 2 to 4 September 2012 hall 5 of Brussels Expo is
the place to be for the de B-DECOoh! Open Door Days,
the totally renewed version of the well-known DECOoh!.
Even more than a trade fair this will become an event,
where around 150 companies will be presenting their
novelties. More info to be found at www.bdecooh.eu.
You can note down the autumn edition of Maison&Objet
as well in your agenda. From 7 to 11 September,
Paris Nord Villepinte is once again the background
for this professional fair. More information at
www.maison-objet.com.
A totally new event is Interiors United, which takes
place from 9 to 12 September 2012 in the Dutch village
of Nieuwegein. To the sleeping and living sector
this fair is an excellent opportunity for networking
and for presenting novelties on a broad platform.
More information at www.interiorsunited.nl.
The next edition of MoOD (Meet only Original Designs)
takes place from 11 to 13 September 2012, once again
in Brussels Expo. This is the international professional
fair for furniture and decoration fabrics, next to (glass)
curtains and wall coverings. What distinguishes MoOD
from other fairs is that producers play the central part
here. More information at www.moodbrussels.com.
On 12 and 13 September, it is once again time for Architect@Work,
the total event for (interior) designers and
prescribers in the Ahoy hall of Rotterdam. Designers,
engineers and project developers as well find what they
are looking for at Architect@Work. This fair is organized
next year in Kortrijk Xpo on 25 and 26 April 2013 and
in F.I.L. Liège on 23 and 24 May 2013. More information
can be found on www.architectatwork.nl and www.architectatwork.be.
Kortrijk is meanwhile getting ready for the Biënnale Interieur,
from 20 to 28 October 2012. Obviously this fair
is a must visit for lovers of modern design, from Belgium
as well as from abroad. For the first time, the Biennale
breaks through the walls of Kortrijk Xpo and offers a lot
of fringe events throughout the city. A complete overview
can be found on www.interieur.be.
This year, there is also once again the Meubelbeurs Brussel,
from 4 to 7 November 2012. The furniture fair has built
up a notable international appeal, with a varied and interesting
total offer. In this way, this organization remains a
cosy, qualitatively high class event. All information can be
found on www.meubelbeurs.be.

collection Noctis
35
wallcoverings for the ultimate in refinement
T 011 81 93 00
F 011 81 93 01
sales.belgium@arte-international.com
www.arte-international.com

architect meets innovations
ARCHITECT
@WORK
THE NETHERLANDS
A h o y R o t t e r d a m
12 - 13 Sept. 2012
4 th edition - 1pm - 8pm
© DAPh
Specially tailored contact days
with a focus on innovation for
architects, interior architects,
designers and other consultants
Leading TRADE FAIR with innovations
from more than 250 manufacturers and
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SEMINARS ‘Clay and Architecture’
EXPOSITION
‘Ceramics’ selected by MATERIA
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IMAGES by DAPh
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