Accent on Design winners from NY gift show

The New York International Gift Fair presented awards for design creativity and innovation to six exhibitors in the Accent on Design section. The gift show concluded last week.


Excellence in Product Design
Stelton (New York). Pure Black Pure White knives forged from a single piece of stainless steel and coated in black matte titanium, and held on a single, white magnetic strip. A reinterpretation of the classic form, the judges liked its sleek, minimalistic high design.

Black + Blum Hot Pot BBQ

Excellence in Product Design
Black + Blum (London). Hot Pot BBQ, a humorous take on the everyday barbecue grill. Made from stainless steel with a heat-insulating ceramic coating, the Hot Pot BBQ serves as a terracotta pot for growing herbs while concealing an actual grill underneath.

Brendan Ravenhill's Bare Light

Excellence in Product Design
American Design Club (Los Angeles). Brendan Ravenhill’s Bare Light utilizes the natural electrical insulating properties of glass to create a light socket allowing the electrical components to be seen, yet safely protected. Judges appreciated the reinvention of the iconic object with its surprising use of materials.


Excellence in Product Design 
Hongjie Yang Design (Chengdu, China). Veer, a soap dispenser that fuses function and style. Inspired by the shape of bamboo, the ultra modernistic form in stainless steel is a sleek alternative to the mundane.

K Studio soft goods

Best Collection
K Studio (Grand Rapids, Mich.). Pillows, pouches and wall décor, which are charming, artistic interpretations with a nod towards eco-friendly design. The hand-stitched collection uses hemp, organic cotton and flax – a warm contrast to the strong, industrial designs found in Accent on Design.


Overall Excellence
Creative Danes representing Menu (Copenhagen, Denmark). For innovation in outdoor, dining and living products, presentation and technology. Menu’s Scandinavian design originals boast clean lines with unexpected functionality to surprise and delight the user. Creative Danes’ use of QR codes allows the user – via free iPhone and Android apps – to immediately access product information and video on YouTube.

Judging criteria included innovation, function, originality and design. The Accent on Design selection committee for winter 2011 includes: Miguel Calvo of Design & Research, Ilene Shaw of Shaw + Co! Productions, Kathy Thornton-Bias of The Museum of Modern Art, Wilma Wabnitz of Wabnitz Editions; and Noel Wiggins of Areaware.