NEW YORK—Interior designer Joanne De Palma will introduce her line of sustainable carpet, furniture and hardware at the HD Boutique 2007 Exposition & Conference in Miami Beach, Fla., September 18.
“From high-end residential and commercial interior design to environmental product design, I made a shift as a traditional designer,” says De Palma. “Given the current conditions we face in the environment, to me the decision was obvious. Not only do I approach my work from a design standpoint, but from one that is socially and environmentally responsible. This perspective is one that is necessary for the hospitality market. It is what we all need to embrace now and in the future.”
The thoughtful use of natural and sustainable materials and manufacturing techniques combined with her strict adherence to honoring the artisan in product design are principles that are reflected in all aspects of De Palma’s work. Her “Oak,” “Etruscan,” “Nature” and “Transition” furniture combines high style and sustainable manufacturing. All materials for the line, which consists of beds, side and lounge chairs, arm chairs, night stands and cabinets—with the exception of the designer’s own sculptural metal elements that make up the hardware for the pieces—are natural and biodegradable. Through these lines, De Palma hopes to initiate the move into full sustainability in high-end luxury furniture. Mystic Journey, De Palma’s carpet line with Bentley Prince Street, is an Invista broadloom weave with 50 percent recycled content.
In her continuing efforts to refine the manufacturing process, De Palma considers worker health and safety, increased air quality, reduced waste and recycling, and the least toxic production methods available today.
Ninth Vision for Joanne De Palma Inc., located in Columbus Circle in New York City, is an environmentally, socially and fiscally conscious product design company. As part of its overall plan to strengthen awareness of the environment and foster a social consciousness in the world, it handles all aspects of the design, from research and manufacturing, to the distribution and installation process.
