MIAMI—Pelican Reef Inc, DBA Rainbow Outdoor Furniture North America, a commercial grade Turkish outdoor furniture brand, has launched for the first time in the United States following Europe and Asia. Rainbow Outdoor is considered one of the world’s highest quality manufacturers of poly-resin commercial-grade outdoor furniture and has received worldwide accolades revitalizing the outdoor furniture market incorporating innovative design, lasting quality, and value. The resin and aluminum products have been designed and inspired by modern and lineal elements, applying only the finest gas injection machinery with 100 percent Polypropylene materials to produce lightweight, resistant, and contract functional styles. All items are...

NEW YORK—Humanscale’s newly-launched Path task chair has been awarded a 2022 iF DESIGN AWARD, bolstering the company’s status as a leading designer of high-performance solutions for work-life and beyond. Receiving nearly 11,000 submissions from 70 countries this year, the iF DESIGN AWARD is recognized as a symbol of design excellence and innovation worldwide. Path was selected to receive this prestigious honor by the 132-member jury, consisting of high-profile design experts from over 20 countries, and joins the brand’s portfolio of award-winning solutions, including the Nova task light, Freedom chair, Float sit/stand desk, Diffrient Smart chair, and M2 Monitor Arm. Designed by Todd Bracher and the Humanscale Design Studio,...

NATIONAL REPORT—A rain garden is a great way to make use of natural rainwater to create an eco-friendly, visually spectacular border or flowerbed. Rain gardens are typically created in areas where the landscape naturally dips or receives a large quantity of runoff from hard surfaces like roofs or tarmac. Rain gardens also have the benefit of being low-maintenance spaces that reduce erosion and attract birds. This combination of innate sustainability and improved biodiversity makes rain gardens perfect for the hotel and hospitality architecture, as gardens that make use of natural resources are usually cheap to maintain and help hotels achieve...

SOUTH RIM, GRAND CANYON—Travelers headed to Grand Canyon now have a new option for in-park accommodations. After its $35 million reconstruction by Xanterra Travel Collection, Maswik South Lodge is the first new lodging inside the park in over 50 years and is just footsteps away from the Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim. Constructed in 1971, the original 90 rooms have been replaced with 120 new lodging units across four new lodging structures in the same general location. The 4.5-acre property features two types of accommodations: 90 standard rooms and 30 kitchenettes. The rooms now include private balconies, and the...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA—The first phase of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority’s (DGDA) master plan has been awarded platinum-level precertification for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The USGBC’s LEED certification is a globally recognized, prestigious symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership, providing a framework for healthy, efficient and cost-saving green buildings and is the world’s most widely known sustainability certification scheme. LEED certification can be achieved at different levels: the building, neighborhood, community and city levels. The first phase of the Diriyah development has targeted the certification at both the...

CROSSVILLE, TENN.—Domestic tile manufacturer Crossville has released its 2022 Design Trends Look Book. This digital publication showcases three current aesthetics prevalent in commercial and residential interior design. The trends were first presented by Crossville’s VP of Marketing Lindsey Waldrep as part of the Global Design Trends panel discussion at the 2022 Coverings Expo. In this presentation, Waldrep identified the trio of trends relevant in North America and illuminated the influence of each on modern tile design. The three trends, Courtly Conduct, Era of Contrast, and Take It Outside, have emerged based on societal shifts and cultural perspectives. Courtly Conduct reflects a contemporary...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Valley Forge Fabrics, the largest supplier of custom textile products for the hospitality industry, announced Yeldina Beauchamp as Senior Manager of Creative & Marketing. This transition comes on the heels of the company’s in-house marketing department leadership restructuring and forthcoming digital transformation of the entire business from quote to cash. Over the last six years, Beauchamp has provided invaluable leadership within Valley Forge’s marketing and communications teams and boasts 15 years’ experience in graphic design, visual communications, and marketing. Previously serving as Creative Manager with growth to Senior Manager role her responsibilities included overseeing all creative, advertising, social...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton announced the opening of the Royal Palm Galapagos, Curio Collection by Hilton, a boutique estate with 21 villas and deluxe rooms brimming with the charm of an Ecuadorian Hacienda. Secluded on a 160-hectare estate in the lush Miconia Highland Forests adjacent to Galapagos National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Curio Collection by Hilton’s newest tranquil sanctuary is a haven for serenity and once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters. “Debuting in a destination that organically welcomes travelers to connect with nature, dream and discover, this momentous opening marks the first international hotel brand in the Galapagos Islands, while making Ecuador the...

DELANCO, N.J.—Commercial furnishings expert Stylex announces the release of its latest accent table Umo, the perfect piece to outfit lounges, work nooks, and spaces that blur the lines between residential and commercial. Cleverly designed by Stylex’s Brandon Walker to lend function, form, and texture to a variety of multi-purpose spaces, Umo can serve as an occasional table, sculpture, and—in a pinch—extra seating. “An exercise in minimalism and material purity, we strove to create an ambiguous object that lies between sculptural and functional,” says Walker. “Taking inspiration from the iconic arches found in a de Chirico painting, the table’s architectural, minimalist form is...

Washington and Colorado recently took exciting steps to ensure new buildings in their states are built ready for the all-electric future. Washington State’s policy, that just passed the state’s building code council, requires all new commercial buildings to use high efficiency heating equipment that can run on 100 percent clean power. The Colorado bill that is on its way to the Governor’s desk requires that any municipality that chooses to adopt or update building codes also update to the latest international energy conservation standards. These are two states that have recently felt the devastating consequences of the climate crisis and are now taking...