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Guest Blogger of the Week: Tina of Life in Sketch - BlogTour 2013 Part I

Hello! My name is Tina Ramchandani and I am an interior designer and author of the design blog, Life in Sketch. I'm very honored and excited that Robin has asked me to share a few things with you today! I just returned from BlogTour Cologne, hosted by Modenus. During BlogTour I, along with 14 other bloggers, had the opportunity to visit the IMM trade show, and spend a day in Amsterdam. IMM is one of the largest trades shows in the world, with 11 inter-connected buildings filled with designer goodies. It was a fabulous and eye-opening experience. I've been to many trade shows, but they are nothing like IMM! It was impossible to get through everything! Today I have my top picks from IMM Cologne 2013. I hope you enjoy! IMM Cologne top picks by Tina Ramchandani The "Angel Wings" armchair caught my eye because of it's retro look. It has a 1950's look, but is updated with the soft, yellow upholstery. The chair is designed by Kare and it proves that classics are still, and will always be in! IMM Cologne top picks by Tina Ramchandani The Asta Sunlounger, by Gloster, is a genius idea. In addition to being stackable and weather proof, the Asta allows us to change the fabric to suit our needs. This is the first outdoor lounger I've seen that can be changed without having to be reupholstered professionally. You can change the look to suit your party needs! IMM Cologne top picks by Tina Ramchandani The Starck Collection is a new faucet line by Axor. It was designed by the well-known designer Philippe Starck, who you may know as the designer as the Ghost Chair. The new line of faucets is organically shaped and is also environmentally friendly. The pictures don't do it justice, you have to see it in person! IMM Cologne top picks by Tina Ramchandani Another Philippe Starck piece is the Mademoiselle chair, available at Kartell. The chair is not new, but the fabric is. Starck has handpicked a new range of upholstery fabrics for this chair, which has a slight, curved wing. The upholstery is available in houndstooth and polka dot patterns, which are really trending right now. IMM Cologne top picks by Tina Ramchandani I was really interested in Miele's new release - a cup sensor. On Meile's new coffee makers, a cup sensor is included which determines the height of your cup and adjusts to that height. So there is no spill or splash! It's a small change but it makes a world of difference. IMM Cologne top picks by Tina Ramchandani The “Lönneberga“ was interesting to me because it's difficult to find day beds that easily transform into sofa beds. The bed was designed by Alexander Seifried for Richard Lampert, and will hopefully be available soon in the United States. If you don't need an extra bed, but do need more storage, you can remove the mattress from the drawer and use it as you'd like. It's very diverse. IMM Cologne top picks by Tina Ramchandani In the United States, good-looking outdoor fireplaces are hard to come by. The Bloom by Keilbach is handsome and well designed. It can stay outdoors year long and will not fade. Instead the color will develop a unique patina that blends into it's outdoor surroundings. There is also an optional rack, so it can be transformed into a charcoal grill. IMM Cologne top picks by Tina Ramchandani I adore the Globe chair an ottoman by Riva 1920! The italian furniture line prides itself on it's carved wood furniture, and I know they are very proud of this piece. Not only is it comfortable, it looks like a piece of art! IMM Cologne top picks by Tina Ramchandani The WAVY bookshelf by Alivar is functional and beautiful. It has a thin structure but is quite strong. It can be extended length and height wise to fit your space. It also looks like a sculpture and will be great as a feature wall, with the books adding color. IMM Cologne top picks by Tina Ramchandani Another thing I liked by Keilbach was the Naomi coat rack. I'm not a fan of the traditional coat rack, but I do love this modern, updated piece. It has a slim, sculptural look that will look fabulous in any corner. Plus, it comes in a range of colors. There were so many fabulous things at IMM Cologne this year, it was hard to pick favorites. I'll be covering more of my trip to Cologne and Amsterdam, and the gorgeous things I found at IMM Cologne, on my blog Life in Sketch. I'd love for you to pop over and visit! {All images were provided by IMM to the press}

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