The WestEdge Design Fair, now in its fifth year, swept Santa Monica’s Barker Hanger last weekend, running from Thursday, October 19 to Sunday, October 22. An extensive showcase of modern design, WestEdge 2017 served as a perfect platform for designers, exhibitors, bloggers and field specialists to meet and experience new products and concepts in lighting, furnishings, art and kitchen and bath appliances. With high-profile media partners like Architectural Digest, Designguide.com and Coastal Living and scores of well-established industry exhibitors, it’s difficult to narrow down our list of favorite events and booths. Even so, as our team wandered the aisles of the hanger, a few creative products and visions stuck with us. Read on to learn what caught our eye.
Design Milk: Milk Stand
The globally venerated Milk Stand made its first appearance at WestEdge this year with a series of carefully curated booths. The sequence of displays featured thoughtfully arranged offerings by independent designers, with products ranging from architecturally inspired jewelry to minimalist planters to “living” vertical dividers.
NewMade LA’s wire-framed planters
The Small + Savage Wild’s assortment of geometric shelving
What we love: “The Small + Savage Wild, part of Design Milk’s line up, brought crisp, geometric shelving to this year’s show. Ideal for a pared down or organic-inspired space, the seamlessly constructed, triangular wall hangings draw the eye without being ostentatious. A success in simplicity!” – Ginger
See more on their site.
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Duroque: Custom Neon Signs
Punchy, edgy and the perfect degree of brash, WeHo-based Duroque brought spunky illumination to WestEdge 2017 in the form of dynamic custom neons. Eye-catching slogans like “NEED MONEY FOR BOTOX” and “Follow the White Rabbit” covered the walls of the small showcase, easily garnering the attention of amused bystanders.
Duroque’s walled display of custom-made neons
“I’m a Rare Bear” Sign
What we love: “The Duroque booth was one of my favorite to visit—it grabbed my attention when I first entered the show and it was noticeably different from other booths promoting furniture, lighting and bath and kitchen fixtures. The slogans were definitely random, but interesting to read! My favorite sign of the booth was a vibrant pink display that read ‘You Are So F*%$ing Beautiful.’ I would love to hang many of these colorful signs in my apartment.” – Cassie
THG Paris: High-End Bathroom Fittings
THG Paris raised the bar for luxury bathware at this year’s show, showcasing meticulously made faucet collections from high-profile industry leaders like Timothy Corrigan and Baccarat. Their clean, sophisticated display conveyed the company’s insistence on flawless French design, rich materials and fine attention to detail.
Detail on a THG Paris handle
One of the THG Paris booth walls
A close-up of THG Paris’ high-end faucetry
What we love: “Experiencing THG Paris’ products in person gives you a true sense of the precise workmanship that defines the brand. Undoubtedly, the recently released West Coast collection lives up to the hype, showing (among other things) intricate finial handle details.” – Daniel
Buster + Punch: Industrial Hardware and Lifestyle Brand
Stealing the show with a custom-made motorcycle, specialty whisky and striking design, Buster + Punch’s booth showcased high-impact hardware, furniture, accessories, jewelry and their innovative LED BusterBulbs. Playing up on a new take on exposed bulbs, detailed knurling and unmistakable British flair, the display was as engaging as it was bold.
Buster + Punch’s industrial display
Buster + Punch’s beverage offering
Buster + Punch’s custom motorcycle, which elicited strong responses from WestEdge attendees
What we love: “Buster + Punch’s booth embodied their rock ‘n’ roll attitude. The bike, the solid metal hardware, the bar…. channeling interior design products into fashion…it all contributed to a rebellious aesthetic that stood out from the crowd. They even served 808 Whisky, a brand named after my favorite drum machine! These daringly flamboyant touches helped their booth catch the eye and draw visitors in.” – Andrew
See more on their site.
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DetroitWick: Glass-Enclosed Art
From a gallery in Eastern Market, DetroitWick brought sense-rousing art to the West Coast, presenting a series of captivating sculptures. Using solid lucite, DetroitWick encases common yet thought-provoking objects, making social statements through items frozen in highly transparent glass. This year’s display focused on SHREDS, a project intended to raise awareness of gun violence by showing fragmented remains of surrendered weapons used in crimes.
Lucite-enclosed bullet shells at DetroitWick’s booth
What we love: “The ability to turn something so tragic and so devastating into pieces of art is a beautiful way to ensure people would not forget that gun violence is a serious issue happening far too often. Having some of the proceeds from the sales donated to victims, their family and the community is also very meaningful.” – Cody
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