NEW YORK—Havwoods, a leading global specialist in wood flooring, announces its showroom-exclusive Bog Oak product from the Hand Grade Collection, derived from semi-fossilized trees that have been sourced from European lakes, rivers, and peat bogs, where they remain untouched for 100 to 1,000 years, creating a premium, high-end timber with uniquely colored boards. The deep, fully saturated black color results from a complex chemical reaction with the tannins. To create luxury flooring from ancient logs, Havwoods’ millworking specialist employs its custom drying process on the wet logs to produce less color variation from board to board. To preserve the color...

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—Native Trails, a leader in artisan-crafted, sustainable kitchen and bath products with large-scale availability, exhibited for the sixth time at Boutique Design New York (BDNY) on November 12-13 at New York’s Jacob Javits Center. This year, in addition to showcasing Roma, a brand-new sink in the Murano Collection—available in two new design series, Marina and Seaspray—and Gunmetal, a new sultry, titanium-colored finish for the Precious Metals Collection, Native Trails displayed a number of pieces from its celebrated product portfolio. Show visitors were able to stop by to see Topanga, Solace, and Cuzco vanity bases paired with...

UMLUJ, SAUDI ARABIA—Enveloped by the majestic Arabian desert, The Red Sea Destination blends visionary tourism with sustainability and heritage. This is where Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea has found its home, inviting guests on an out-of-the-ordinary journey of discovery and enrichment. Inspired by the pillars of innovation, adventure, and heritage, the resort embodies the brand’s trademark wellness formula and respect for centuries past. Fredrik Blomqvist, General Manager of Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea said: “Everything we’re doing here reflects our unwavering commitment to sustainability and cultural preservation, while also pushing the boundaries of adventure and wellness. This...

RACINE, WIS.—Hotel Verdant, a full-service, upscale boutique hotel that serves as a gathering place both for the community and travelers, is now open. The 80-room, four-story hotel is in the historic Zahn’s Department Store at 500 Main St. on the centrally located Monument Square. Construction for the historic preservation project cost more than $40 million, with the start date in January 2022. Built by Dominion Properties of Milwaukee, the nearly 80,000-square-foot building includes amenities such as a first-floor signature restaurant, a rooftop restaurant and cocktail lounge with a large outdoor patio facing Lake Michigan, a dry sauna, a fitness center,...

With its LEED Green Building Program, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has certainly changed the way developers and architects approach hotel design and operations. Walking its talk, USGBC has made its new headquarters in Washington, D.C. a standing example of what to strive for. In fact, USGBC just announced that its headquarters has been awarded a prestigious triple Platinum certification in LEED, TRUE, and WELL. This trio of certifications reflects USGBC’s commitment to healthy, productive, sustainable, and responsible work environments. The headquarters, which also houses Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI), reflects the changing office landscape, with a clear emphasis on decarbonization, indoor environmental...

CALGARY, ALBERTA—Canadian hotelier Germain Hotels announced the official opening of its 19th property in Canada: Alt Hotel Calgary University District. This is the group’s third establishment in Calgary, following the opening of Le Germain Hotel Calgary in 2010 and Alt Hotel Calgary East Village in 2018, marking the hotelier group’s first property inauguration in Canada since 2019. The hotel is ideally situated in the heart of University District, a thoughtfully designed, mindfully made urban community in Calgary’s northwest. University District is an award-winning community. It is the first community in Alberta that has been certified LEED-ND Platinum, the highest distinction, for its...

LONDON—1 Hotels, the nature-inspired mission-driven hotel brand founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, announces the official opening of 1 Hotel Mayfair, its U.K. flagship and first European destination, developed in collaboration with Crosstree Real Estate Partners. Located on a fashionable corner of historic Mayfair overlooking the mature trees of Green Park, 1 Hotel Mayfair brings the beauty of nature to central London through vertical landscapes, sustainable design, farm-to-table food, and nature-inspired immersive experiences. The hotel’s proximity to prestigious galleries, Michelin-starred restaurants, and chic shopping on Bond Street, Mount Street, and Regent Street, plus important landmarks like the Royal Academy of Arts...

Boutique Design New York BDNY is less than two weeks away. It will be held November 12 to 13 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The list of hundreds of exhibitors can be accessed by clicking here. Expect to find many products with a sustainability story. For example, this week I heard from Greenington, maker of fine bamboo furniture, and the sustainable, artisan-made kitchen & bath brand Native Trails. BDNY will also feature a slate of conference sessions focused on some aspect of green design. Those sessions include: Sunday, November 12 Making of a Designed Space: Designed by Nature NEWH Green...

CROSSVILLE, TENN.—The Crossville Native Metal collection, one of its new carbon-neutral porcelain tile series, has been recognized with a Planet Positive Award. The Crossville Native Metal collection was recognized as the winner in the Surfaces, Tiles, and Materials category. Recognizing the most creative projects and products from around the world that benefit people and planet, Metropolis’s Planet Positive Awards are judged by four expert juries across product categories. The winners represent the highest achievements today in design that addresses climate change, ecosystem health, human health, and equity. “Metropolis has been a trusted resource for the architecture and design industry for more...

SOLON, OHIO—Tarkett has launched the full Collaborative portfolio, which includes eleven total designs across soft surface and LVT flooring. Initially unveiled at Design Days this summer, Collaborative has been one of Tarkett’s most anticipated collections of the year. Designed with the modern workplace in mind, the collection’s mix of patterns provides spaces with agility to meet changing demands and embrace neurodiverse work styles, offering solutions for busy, collaborative areas as well as quiet, heads-down zones. “In recent years, we’ve had the opportunity to rethink culture, how communities engage, and how to support an inspiring environment, wherever that may be,” said Paul...