I can't believe this internship is coming to an end, 5 weeks have flown by. I have really enjoyed myself living in Los Angeles and working at Interface. This week I have continued to organize inventory and meet with clients from the firms Wirt Design, which is an interior design firm, and Perkins & Wills which is an architectural firm. I had the opportunity to go to a wine & cheese event that was held at Gensler, which I really enjoyed. Multiple different designers came and everyone who attended could casually meet and greet while viewing what the different designers had to offer. A fellow co-worker and I set up Interface's "station", we did a mini mock up of what the new product looks like when it is set up. We set up the carpet in a such a way to make it look the ocean, which is what net-effects is all about. This week I also went and saw a final installation at a hotel, which was really cool being able to actually see what the end result looked liked. Everyone that I have worked with has been more than welcoming to me, and I have had an overall great experience with this internship.

Attached below are pictures of the installation at the hotel.

Week 5 Trend

What has been catching my attention lately, are light fixtures and how they placed in a room. "The correct light fixture can add personality to a space and pull the entire room together." One of the new trends is Sculptural Lighting, which can add a unique statement to the room. Sculptural lighting can also be a form a art. Another trend seems to be Refined Rustic lighting, which has an "eclectic combination." I think that anything Rustic, whether it is a piece of furniture or lighting adds character to the room. Another trend are Crystal lights, whether it be a chandelier or just a single statement piece. Crystal lighting "is often associated with expensive, traditional luxury design." I think that a crystal chandelier is very classy and can pull a room such as a dining room together perfectly, it adds the perfect finishing touch. As far as lighting for the kitchen goes, Layered Lighting seems to be a new trend as well. People are starting to want bigger and bigger kitchens, allowing for there to be more light, so layered lighting ends up being the solution. Layered lighting is classified as "under cabinet LED lights, pendants, recessed lighting, track lighting, and wall sconces combined to create a layered, flexible lighting scheme." These are just a few of the trends that grabbed my attention that are used for lighting in 2013.

http://canadianhometrends.com/7-lighting-trends-to-watch-for-in-2013/?pid=1130

Week 4

This week at work is a shorter week because of the 4th of the july, but I have continued to learn more about Interface and how it works. I have continued to unload and organize the new & old inventory. I have helped with completing orders, in the sense that I make sure there enough of each sample available in the showroom. I have also continued to pull sample's for client's as well as restock different companies libraries. One task that I was assigned to do, was to come up with idea's that could be used as a "gift favors", for a party that Interface wants to host as part of promoting their new product, called "Net-effects". I have explained what this is in a previous blog but, once again, it's their new product that is made from the recycled fishing nets. The pattern on the new products look as if the ocean is hitting the shore, or the sand with the shore, it is really a neat product and I have never seen anything like it. Some of the idea's that I came up with were ones that people would actually use, silly ones, but one's that went along with the theme. Food is always a good gift :), so I came up with idea's of having simple snacks such as  sweedish fish candy, gold fish, or Ocean theme'd cookies and cupcakes. We are still coming up with more idea's of how to decorate the showroom and more gift idea's, but that is what we have come up with so far. 

Attached below are some pictures to demonstrate what the new product looks like. 

Week 4 Trend

One aspect that I don't really pay much attention to in design is the flooring, so I researched the newest trends for flooring of 2013. HGTV talks about 8 new trends, but only a couple caught my eye that I thought were really unique and different. One was flooring made out of Cork. Supposedly, it is known for it's "amazing acoustic-insulating qualities." It also provides comfort when walking on it, compared to other types of flooring. Another flooring trend that caught my attention was the Large Format Tile flooring. HGTV talks about how 36" X 36" are being used now compared to the traditional sized tiles that are 12" X 12". One of the advantages of these large scaled tiles are that they are easier to clean, since their are less grout lines. One last flooring material that caught my attention was concrete. Concrete gives off a "trendy, sleek, and durable" look. It is available in many different colors, allowing for it to "adapt to almost any decor", which I never thought about. 

http://www.hgtv.com/walls-doors-and-floors/8-flooring-trends-to-try/pictures/index.html  

Week 3

This week I have done pretty much what I have done the previous weeks. I have continued to help organize, and unload inventory as well as meet with clients and go to different businesses and update their libraries and their inventory with Interface's products. So far some of the client's I have met and gone to lunch with have been from Toyota, Wirt Design, Paramount Pictures, and Director of Housing from USC. I have been to countless other business firms to update their libraries, which I have really enjoyed seeing. We have gone to everywhere from architectural firms, to design firms, to a Jewish synagogue, to apartment buildings, and even to colleges such as USC and Pepperdine. This week, I went to a "Mock-Up" installation at the Law School of Pepperdine. We went there because two different installation companies disagreed on which was the best way to install Interface's tiled carpet in the Law building classroom. So far working for Interface has been a great experience because it has allowed for me to come out of my comfort zone since I didn't know much about carpet tile, or a commercial based company. I have learned a great deal about both, and continue to learn more as my internship continues.

Week 3 Trend

According to Freshome Design & Architecture, one of the Top 10 most talked about Interior Design Trends for 2013 is "Going-Green". There are many reasons why "Going-Green" is now such a popular trend; it is better for the environment, better for finical reasons and better for our health. A new trend that is now starting to be seen are green walls and garden rooftops. Green walls are literally live plants that are paneled onto the wall, which add a whole new and refreshing look to a room. These green walls can be set up in such a way to look as if they are a piece of artwork by directing lights on them. These green walls have many advantages to them: "Air cleaning, humidification, evaporation of the air and appreciations from visitors." A few more advantages are noise reduction, and overall they improve energy efficiency.

http://freshome.com/2013/01/29/top-10-interior-design-trends-for-2013/

Week 2

I wanted to give a little more background on the company Interface, starting with what their mission is. 'Achieving Mission Zero' is Interface's mission. "Interfaces dedication to sustainability has evolved into the company's Mission Zero commitment- our promise to eliminate any negative impact Interface has on the environment by 2020." Interface is located in 6 continents. This week once again, I have helped with inventory, I have organized carpet samples, and have had the privilege to ride around with reps, which teaches me the most. I am able to see how the different representatives present themselves and how they "sell" Interface's product. To be honest, being a sell's rep isn't something that I am interested in doing in my future, but it allows for me to learn what and what not to do. I not only watch and learn how the rep's sell the product, but I also watch how either the client or the dealer reacts to their "selling" of the product. I not only am able to see their initial reaction, and the questions that they ask about the product but I also get to hear their complaints or applause about their experience with using Interface's products. At first I was confused about what the difference was between a client and a dealer, but the woman who I work with in the showroom explained it to me. A client is the end user using the product and who actually buy's the product, and the dealer is a "middle-man" between the company (Interface) and the client. It's interesting going to lunch with a client or a dealer after we have had a presentation (presenting Interface's new products or products that we think they would be interested in), because after the business part is done, lunch become's a "personal experience." By that I mean the rep's have created personal relationships with each client and/or dealer, and it's interesting for me to listen to their conversation and see the kind of relationship they have built. I have learned a lot since I have been here about how a commercial business works.

Week 2 Trend

I did some research about what some of the new trends are for 2013. One of the new trends are to use the colors 'Emerald Green' & 'Manaco Blue,' which both are the new Pantone's "it" colors. If your not ready to paint an entire room a bright color, just try a pop of color by adding a colored piece of furniture into the room.  Another trend that seems to be reappearing is the use of Roaring 20's art deco, whether it is seen on the walls or on furniture. "Exposed elements", seem to be another trend of 2013. By exposed elements, I mean surfaces that provide a 'rustic look', such as stone of wood. I've also seen on my multiple sights, that metals are beginning to become a trend again; specifically gold and brass which "designers love how these metallics ooze warmth and pair well with almost any color." Even though bright colors seem to be whats most popular right now, if you aren't comfortable with that, Black and White design is also a trend of 2013, allowing for the room to have a "timeless style." Another trend is the use of "unadorned" wood furniture, which reiterates back to nature. Another home decor trend of 2013 is the use of different textures, it allows for the room to have a completely new and different look. Along the lines of texture, patterns seem to be popular as well, specifically stripes. These are a few of the new and upcoming trends of 2013. I have seen all of these trends from everywhere from personal residences, commercial businesses buildings, restaurants etc.

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/decorating-ideas/home-decor-trends-2013#slide-1 Provided me with this information.

Week 1 New Trend

Interface has recently created a new program called "Net-Works", which "provides socio-econimic benefits for coastal communities. This project turns recycles fishing nets into a material that can be used in their carpet tiles. They have asked locals from the Philippines, specifically from 15 villages, to collect all of the fishings nets that have washed up on the shore, which Interface then collects and and recycles it back into a re-useable material. Interfaces goal is to collect 20+ nets by April. So far, the end product has turned out to be a really neat and creative idea. The final products have been turned back into a carpet tile, and made to look like waves are coming up on the shore.

Week 1 at Interface

"Interface is the worldwide leader in design, production and sales of environmentally-responsible modular carpet for the commercial, institutional, and residential markets." I've enjoyed my first three days working at Interface so far, (June 10th-12th). This is my first time in LA, and I love the city! I was very intimiated the first day driving to work, I had no idea what to expect. I was greeted by a friendly face who made me feel very welcomed. I am working in one of the Showroom's which is located in downtown LA. The showroom is very "hip", and happens to be a loft, so the showroom is located downstairs, and upstairs they have a bedroom, a kitchen, and a lounge area where they are able to give presentations. So far, I have done everything from organizing, to meeting with dealerships, to watching presentations and going to lunch with clients, (of course with another co-worker). I have already learned and been exposed to so much in just three days, I look forward to learning more. Tomorrow, I am going to a Jewish Synagogue with a co-worker to present new ideas for their carpet. I had the chance to choose carpets that I thought would best work for the setting which was cool.

Here are some pictures of the showroom located in downtown Los Angeles.