The Dwell on Design expo recently filled more than 200,000 square feet of the Los Angeles Convention Center with the latest for the modern home and garden. If you weren’t among the 30,000 or so people who attended the event, here are seven picks of new and novel designs. More are posted on our L.A. at Home blog at latimes.com/home.
- Berkeley designer Romy Randev lifts the handmade fused glass to reveal the LEDs that illuminate his Looma lamps, a new line of bamboo-framed light boxes built in California. They are available in three sizes and can be equipped with remote-controlled LEDs that change hues, so the color of the stripes shifts for different moods. Prices begin at $299. www.loomalites.com
- Venice, Calif., designer Ilan Dei’s latest retail product is a version of white concrete Pixel planters originally created for Lemonade restaurants. The interior of the planters is made with glass fiber to reduce weight, and the exterior has been formulated in a bright white hue that retains the tactile nature of cool concrete. The planters come in two sizes, each $590, and are fabricated in Los Angeles. www.ilandeivenice.com/store
- Micah Black, founder of the Southern California firm Ply Products, shows his Ply 90 brackets that help DIYers build their own furniture. The Ply 90 is metal hardware that joins three-quarter-inch or half-inch wood. Buy and cut boards to whatever dimensions you want, then use metal connectors ($30 for pack of four) to hold the pieces together. The sample projects on the site are rough, but the concept is intriguing. www.plyproducts.com
- Kohler demonstrated its new Moxie shower head, which has a waterproof wireless speaker that attaches via a magnet. The Bluetooth speaker runs for seven hours and pulls out for charging via USB port. It comes in different colors, starting at $149 through Home Depot, Lowe’s and Amazon, among others.
- We first reported on colorful outdoor furniture from MarkaModerna in our coverage of the spring International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York. The designs, now available in perforated metal, were a Dwell standout. Prices fall in the $400 to $500 range, available through www.markamoderna.com and Amazon.
- The Kiga kitchen garden launched about two months ago. Each set includes four raised planters made of UV-stabilized polypropylene that won’t discolor in the sun. Internal planter liners cleverly drain into the leg of each component, so water can flow out through a hidden hole in the base. Price: $299 for the set. www.hurbz.com
- The San Francisco area design firm Shades of Green showed prototypes of new outdoor stools by Ive Haugeland that blend angular aluminum bases with the soft curve of a wooden seat, made from wine barrels. The company said pricing has not yet been determined. www.shadesofgreenla.com
