Botanist Spreads Happiness -

One Bench at a Time!

Pat Aiken raves about her ‘Pixel Burst’ bench by Yves Behar as a conversation piece in her new Santa Barbara loft

Friends are wide-eyed when they come up the stairs to behold Yves Behar’s ‘Pixel Burst’ bench

 The Aiken’s great room comes to life with Behar’s explosive design

The view from the open kitchen reveals the appropriate role ‘Pixel Burst’ plays in this space

After spreading the word about how Botanist ‘Pixel Burst’ series owners can receive a free bench pad by sending photos in use, we had a tremendous response from happy customers who were willing to share.  Pat Aiken of Santa Barbara, CA generously provided stunning photos of her new modern loft highlighting her ‘Pixel Burst’ bench as a focal point in the living area.  

Pat and her husband built the mixed-use space with an upper residence and lower office for a “downtown experience” in Santa Barbara.  “It was such fun researching and creating a contemporary look instead of the typical style,” Pat tells us.  It is easy to see the beautiful outcome of their design goals through a perfect balance of streamlined architecture and modern furnishings.  Well done, Pat!

We interviewed Pat for feedback about the role her Botanist bench plays in her life.  Here is what she had to say.

How did you hear about Botanist?
I took a leap of faith and purchased virtually every item for this space online, from faucets and appliances to lighting and furnishings.  I came across Botanist in one of my Google searches for contemporary furniture.

What made you choose Botanist?
As soon as I saw the Botanist benches online, knew I had found exactly what I was looking for: versatility, uniqueness, graphic punch - they definitely have the “Wow!” factor.  I also appreciated knowing that my purchase would benefit a non-profit.  The big challenge, though, was selecting just one among all those stunning designs. 

What do your friends say about your Pixel Burst bench?
Friends are wide-eyed when they come up the stairs.  Our Pixel Burst bench is the first thing they see.  They’ll exclaim, “Where did you find this?!” or simply, “That’s awesome!”

How do you feel about the finish and level of quality in fabrication?
A great design with a great price: it’s heavy, durable, and beautifully finished.  First class product.  I love it.

Would you recommend Botanist?
Although the shape is contemporary, I believe that the variety of designs offered would allow these benches to work really well with any style, and I would highly recommend them to anyone - they exceed expectations!

Thank you, Pat, for helping us to inspire others to choose Botanist through your great experience with ‘Pixel Burst.’  After all, a happy customer is a lifelong customer!

‘Pixel Burst’ Owners:

Get a Free Bench Pad! 

A picture is worth a thousand words and we want to share your Botanist story with other readers around the globe 

Here’s how.  Send us an image of your Botanist ‘Pixel Burst’ product by Yves Behar in use and you will receive a $225 bench pad for FREE!  We want to see the role your Botanist bench, end table, or cocktail table plays in your space.  If you have a similar story to the one featured in today’s newsletter please share your photos and responses to the questions in bold!  Pull out your camera and capture the beauty of Botanist ‘Pixel Burst’! 

Send your 300 dpi JPG images to: botanist@orange22.com  See below for pad colors and materials.  Offer good while supplies last.

Extra!  Extra! 

Read All About It!

Leading architecture bookstore showcases Botanist products to promote positive change for world issues

Hennessey + Ingalls Art & Architecture Bookstore (Santa Monica, CA) 

Hennessey + Ingalls, located on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, is the largest art and architecture bookstore in the western United States dealing solely with books on the visual arts.  The broad collection and knowledgeable staff make this an important stop for anyone who has a passion for design.  Artists, architects, designers, photographers, advertisers, and film directors flock to this location when searching for the best selection of research materials available.

“When I go to Hennessey + Ingalls, it feels like going on an architectural tour of the world, like going on vacation,” says Mina Oh, architecture student at Otis College of Art & Design.  “I spend five hours in their store at a time.  I speak on behalf of other students when I say there is no where else that has so many amazing books all under the same roof.” 

Founded by Reginald Hennessey, the family-owned outlet is a hot spot for rare and out-of-print architecture books.  Hennessey + Ingalls is unequalled in their in-depth selections of books in art, art history, all phases of architecture, photography, interior design, graphic design, and landscaping.

Botanist was showcased by Hennessey + Ingalls for the last two months.  “We were honored to be provided the opportunity to have them dedicate their store front to the Botanist cause,” stated Dario Antonioni, founder of Orange22 Design Lab.  The display attracted many on-lookers and encouraged investigation into Botanist and its platform.  Frank Gehry and Michael Rotundy have also been featured in the Hennessey + Ingalls display window.

+ Visit Hennessey & Ingalls Online

The Botanist mission statement was stated on the store front window to educate passing customers 

All Botanist designers and charitable foundations were posted along side the mission statement

 The Inspirations and Spark Design Awards were also highlighted in the case

Botanist end tables, benches, and cocktail tables were donated for display

Soak Up the Sun

Solar panels provide excellent solution for natural energy and sustainable design

Did you know that the days are longer during the summer than the winter?  That means there are more hours of sunlight, and the sunlight actually has a shorter path to travel to reach the earth’s surface during summer months.  The point?  Each hour of summer sun has more energy than an hour of winter sun, and now is the best time to install solar panels to translate all that energy to your home.

There are panels available on the market that can essentially provide you anywhere from three to eight years of free power. Recent legislation has mandated in many areas that the power company must buy excess power that you generate… so you could potentially receive a check rather than writing one.  Now that’s hot.

If you are searching for where to buy all things green, we recommend products available at www.solarhome.org.  A FREE solar evaluation is also available by calling 1-888-587-5501.

Go put that 45 spf on, and head to your roof to make your home greener this summer!

Brilliant

Creativity

Flare

“Burst of creativity, of self-expression and ideas is what drives us as creatives, so how does this idea get expressed in a simple visual?“ -Yves Behar

Botanist Designer, Yves Behar

The answer to this question is found in Behar’s ‘Pixel Burst‘ collection, composed of explosion-like patterns reminiscent of the sun’s bright rays. 

Energy from the sun in the form of light supports almost all life on earth and drives the earth’s climate and weather.  Without it, life would cease to exist.  Behar’s inspiration reaches far beyond the expanses of space to harness the flares occurring on the sun’s surface.  Now the energy of the sun can be experienced in modern eco-friendly furniture.  The collection includes a nesting system of an end table, cocktail table and bench.

In 1999, Behar founded the San Francisco design studio, fuseproject with a focus on establishing new markets and disrupting old ones through smart design.  He is focused on humanistic design and the ‘giving‘ element of his profession.  Behar believes that the creative energy and time invested in the project can make a difference, and the values he aspires to create will have long term impact.  “Design has a democratizing power,” says Behar.  “As designers we need to use that power.”

During this time of economic turmoil, people everywhere are frantic to find hope and optimism for the future.  Yves Behar’s design concept reaches out to those who need assurance in a time of darkness.  Just as the sun rises each morning, the dawn of a bright future is sure for all.

End table

Cocktail Table

Bench

Each Botanist piece includes an authentic badge signed by the designer.

Botanist founder Dario Antonioni, Yves Behar, and associate at the Chelsea Museum launch party in New York City.

 Making Waves…

The Surfrider Foundation offers dedicated protection of our world’s oceans, waves, and beaches

Summer has officially arrived, and with that millions are heading to the beach.  Some venture into the water to catch some waves and others simply soak up the sun on the warm sand.  It just wouldn’t be summer without these traditions.

Imagine if the earth’s most beautiful features — the ocean and the beach — became inaccessible due to harsh environmental impacts.  Thanks to  Surfrider Foundation, a charitable organization that has been protecting our oceans and beaches since 1984, we can be sure to enjoy these beautiful places for years to come.

The ‘Pixel Burst‘ collection by Yves Behar donates funds to Surfrider Foundation.  By purchasing a ‘Pixel Burst’ end table, cocktail table, or bench you support the safety of our beaches. 

Join the 50,000 Surfrider Foundation members and help save our oceans, waves, and beaches.

Botanist Wins Idea Finalist Nomination

IDSA has been honoring design excellence via the IDEA Awards since 1980.

The Internation Design Excellence Award (IDEA) is dedicated to fostering business and public understanding of the importance of industrial design excelence to the quality life and economy. This year Botanist was honored with a Finalist Nomination recognizing its innovation, aesthetics, the benefits to the end user and the environment, as well as the commitment to its mission: Collaborate, Create and Give Back. Each Botanist piece donates a percentage of sales to a charitable organization chosen by the designers themselves.

Current designers participating in the project include: Milton Glaser, Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Yves Behar, Karim Rashid, Joseph Ricchio, Claude Zellweger, Kahi Lee, Margo Chase and Botanist’s founder and creative director Dario Antonioni.

The designers gather at the Chelsea Museum in NY for the Botanist 2008 Launch, from left to right: Kahi Lee, Claude Zellweger, Joseph Ricchio, Margo Chase, Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Karim Rashid and Dario Antonioni.

Botanist is currently in preparation of the 2009 Launch, which will introduce new collaborating designers as well as a new product line. The new products and designer line up will be unveiled at a venue in Los Angeles, CA. Special guests will include the participating designers, members of the press and selected members of the design community.

Check back for the latest updates and to discover the Botanist 2009 Designers.