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On March 15, 2012, the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Design Standards for Accessible Design became fully effective and compliance is now required.  To understand how this might impact your new construction or remodeling project, Chuck Sawyer provides an excellent overview in his article “Understanding ADA:  An Overview of the Requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act as it Pertains to Decorative Surfacing” in the most recent issue of Countertops & Architectural Surfaces (the official publication of the International Surface Fabricators Association).

Per the 2010 standards:

-All new public facilities must be accessible and usable by people with disabilities.

-Commercial facilities that do not provide goods and services directly to the public are only subject to the ADA’s requirements for new construction and remodeling.

-State and local laws and building codes applicable to accessibility must meet or exceed ADA requirements.

Sawyer writes that the surfacing industry will be most affected by new standards for showers, kitchens and vanities.  A few highlights pertaining to laminate countertops and solid surfacing countertops include:

-In residential homes required to comply with the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, at least one, 30-inch-wide minimum section of countertop needs to comply with section 804.3.

-The kitchen work surface must be 34 inches maximum above the finish floor or ground (exception:  a countertop that is adjustable to provide a kitchen work surface at variable heights, 29 inches minimum and 36 inches maximum, is permitted).

-Likewise, lavatories or sinks must be installed with the front of the rim or counter surface (whichever is higher) 34 inches maximum above the finish floor or ground. For top-mount sinks, the countertop needs to be below 34 inches to compensate for the thickness of the bowl rim.

Check out Sawyer’s article for illustrations and resources.  More information also can be found at www.ada.gov.

Will 2012 mark the end of monochrome and the explosion of color?  Design Centre Manager Lorraine Brigdale, from Formica Corporation sister company The Laminex Group in New Zealand and Australia, says yes.  The company’s annual interior trends forecast outlines four fresh looks that will bring new life into living spaces for the next 12 months and beyond.

Trend 1 – Modernist
One of the key design directions for 2012 is Modernist. This trend focuses on using as little as possible and as much as necessary to achieve a stylish look. The 40s and 50s are key style influencers of the Modernist look, which relies on clean geometric lines and decorative details that are reminiscent of Art Deco, New York Chrome, Scandinavian style and Bauhaus design.  In furniture, this trend is highlighted by oblique coffee tables and sleek natural wood table tops and cabinets paired with wood or black metal furniture with splayed legs.

Trend 2 – Revisit
One of the most sought-after interior movements for 2012, the Revisit trend blends past with present by mixing arty, hand-crafted patterns and color with the best of vintage design to create a completely contemporary look.  Refound patterns and florals work alongside organic shapes and feminine silhouettes to form striking spaces. To recreate the trend, pair printed soft furnishings with wooden or metal decorative details like vases, light fittings or lamps.

Trend 3 – Stone, Concrete and Wood
Being close to nature is inherent in the style direction of Stone, Concrete and Wood.  This trend imitates nature with authenticity to achieve the feeling of comfort. The rise of concrete being used for surfaces inside the home also is a key element of Stone, Concrete and Wood.

To bring this trend indoors, use naturally finished wood grain and stone patterns that are washed, weathered, softened and blended to create harmonious interiors. White or colorful accents can brighten and lighten the look.

Trend 4 – Chroma Quench
The Chroma Quench trend challenges and expands the concept of color harmony.  Two, three or more shades, in both common hues and complex arrangements, are being mixed to create interesting and vibrant schemes within interior spaces.

Hues range from one extreme to the next – orange spans from almost blood red to mandarin; peacock moves toward green and petrol blue; lime remains strong though other greens go organic; yellow is interesting in acid, mustard, clean or bright; and caramel re-emerges.

With Chroma Quench, color pops next to neutrals, hessian and black in small accents on a base of tonal grays.

During the 2012 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, our new IdealEdge™ decorative edges had everyone talking. If you missed it, IdealEdge™ enhances the realism of laminate by eliminating the brown seam.

The No. 1 question posed about IdealEdge™: How in the world did you do that?” We’re not going to give away all of our secrets … though we are sharing a bit of insight in our new IdealEdge™ step-by-step fabrication video.

Happy viewing!

Ever face this design challenge? You have brushed nickel decorative hardware and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, though you’ve fallen in love with a matte gold light fixture that will be a focal point in the room … and wonder how to make it work.

Good news — just as we no longer have to worry about mixing brown and black in fashion, it is no longer taboo to mix up the metals within a room. Rather, it is a matter of finding the right balance so the metals complement vs. compete with one another. Walls, floors, countertops and cabinetry with a neutral base (versus overly cool or warm) can be good foundations for a mix of metals, as seen in the above image featuring our DecoMetal® surfacing.

Freelance writer Shawn Gauthier takes things a step further by demonstrating how to incorporate silver and gold hues in her recent slideshow on Houzz. Click through the images to find some techniques to apply to your own home.

The 20th Century Cincinnati show took place last weekend with its annual retrospective of vintage modern design, attracting both serious collectors and those who just wanted to add a little Mad Menesque fun to their living spaces.

Best known for its fantastic selection of furniture and lighting, 20th Century Cincinnati also featured period decorative objects including art glass, pottery, paintings, posters, metalwares, textiles and dinnerware.  Fashion specialists offered vintage clothing and apparel, exotic accessories and a very popular mix of the era’s precious and costume jewelry.

Gerri Chmiel, senior design manager for Formica Corporation, was on the lookout for laminate — and was not disappointed.

A classic and pristine example of a gray “cracked ice” pattern used in a dinette — complete with matching vinyl chairs and metal edge…

A table featuring a laminate top with a two-toned wood inlay. The top was completely smooth; the inlay was done as paper and then laminated. The process is so labor intensive that we don’t see it much anymore…

These vintage industrial carts were used in hospitals and feature real wood on the drawers and laminate on the top. Note: These lovelies now belong to Gerri and will become bedroom nightstands.

Do you have Mid-Century Modern treasures that feature laminate? Extra points for Formica® Brand Laminate patterns, of course. Share the love and post some images to our Facebook page.

Looking to overhaul your kitchen and bath and don’t know where to start? If you are like many homeowners, you may have an inspiration file full of magazine clippings or a Pinterest board … but do you have the right tools to set your plan in motion?

The National Kitchen and Bath Association, an industry association for nearly 40,000 kitchen and bath professionals, offers free, downloadable kitchen and bath planners to homeowners looking to remodel. Taking you step-by-step, from start to finish, the information-rich planners include:

* Tips for setting a budget range

* Planning guidelines

* Design and layout options

* A checklist of health, safety, environmental and long-term family considerations

* Assistance on finding the right professional for your remodel

* Links to online resources and photo galleries

To obtain a copy of the NKBA planners, click here.

1950s

Formica Corporation experienced a postwar boom, thanks to six million kitchens built between 1945 and 1953.  Formica® Brand Laminate, the company’s mainstay product, was promoted as a worry-free countertop solution for the modern housewife.

Early 1960s

The kitchen becomes the ultimate hub of efficiency for the lady of the house, with the focus being on various stations for prep and storage.  There also is more interest in open floor plans, which enabled Mom to keep an eye on the comings and goings of the family.  Kitchen colors are anything but neutral – many designs are overtly feminine and almost fantasy like, as seen in the pink “carousel” kitchen above.

Late 1960s

Formica Corporation responded to the psychedelically attuned late 1960s with ads featuring “Formica Girl,” who was a contrast to the happy housewife imagery of a few years before.

As the women’s movement progressed into the 1970s, our ads began to reflect the major social changes.  No longer focused on the feminine, the ads began to look much more than the ads we create today, featuring well-designed, gender-neutral kitchens with copy focusing on product benefits.

More retro Formica Corporation ads can be viewed on our pages on Pinterest and on Facebook. Which one is your favorite?



Formica Corporation had a great time at the 2012 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, February 8-11.  For those of you who stopped by our booth, it was great to see you!  For those souls who experienced the show from their desktops (or who bypassed our booth, shame shame!), this recap of our IBS activity is for you.

Product Launches

We expanded our 180fx® Collection with five new sweeping exotic granite and bold quartzite patterns in neutral tones.

The excitement for our new patterns was equally matched with the buzz surrounding our new IdealEdge™ decorative edges suitable for curved, clipped or 90-degree corner installations.  Their ability to curve and encase all sides of a countertop surface eliminates the telltale sign of laminate — the brown seam.

In addition, we launched the Formica® eChip™ app – available free for the iPad and packed with features that make it easy to find the perfect Formica® Brand Laminate, 180fx®, DecoMetal® and Formica® Solid Surfacing pattern.  The eChip™ is fully loaded with information for each swatch, including finishes, applications, tech specs, a size/grade guide and more.

Check out what Consumer Reports and BobVila.com had to say about our launches.

Celebrity Appearances

Although we felt our new products were the stars of the show, we were still a bit star struck by the celebrity appearances in our booth.

Gary Sullivan, fellow Cincinnatian and host of At Home with Gary Sullivan, broadcast from our booth on Wednesday and Thursday.  He interviewed Mitch Quint, President of Formica Corporation North America, about IdealEdge™ and Mark Johnson, FAIA, on the Cool Energy House.

You can listen to Mitch’s interview here and Mark’s interview here.

Mark and Theresa Clement, hosts of MyFixitUpLife, came to our booth on Thursday.

They brought with them Paul Dimeo and Tracy Hutson from Extreme Makeover Home Edition…

…and Norm Abram and Rich Trethewey from This Old House.

In addition to media celebrities, we were honored to be surrounded by the best and the brightest industry professionals during a kitchen and bath TweetUp held in our booth on Wednesday.

Formica® Brand Product Spotted at the Show

Our booth was hopping, though when given the opportunity, we walked the show to visit industry contacts and to see our product installations.

Mastercraft Cabinets featured a beautiful vignette with the new 180fx® Dolce Vita.

Outside of the convention center walls, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Program-sponsored Cool Energy House featured both FSC® Certified Formica® Brand Laminate and e Series Solid Surfacing.

To see more about Formica Corporation at IBS, visit our IBS albums on Facebook and Pinterest.  Mark Johnson also gave us a wonderful post-show treat by creating a fantastic Pinterest board dedicated just to our IBS happenings.   Special thanks to Mark—we appreciate what he does for the industry and encourage you to follow him @MarkJohnsonFAIA.

Open Outcry. Image by Michael Tropea.

Who’s coming to dinner at the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago Feast exhibit on February 16?   Formica® ColorCore2™, one of the key materials used to create the piece Open Outcry.

Open Outcry was designed in collaboration between the American conceptual artist Mary Ellen Carroll (MEC, design studios) and British architect Simon Dance (Simon Dance Design).

January 23, 2012, Open Outcry Debut at CME Group. Image by Leigh Loftus.

Originally debuting in a viewing room high above the active trading floor at CME Group in the Chicago Board of Trade Building on January 23, Open Outcry is a unique sculptural arrangement comprised of the basic elements of the table and chair.  Surfaced in black laminate, each individual table and chair can function as a singular unit…

Open Outcry. Image by Sara Patrello.

…and be combined to form a circular pattern or a sinewy line.

Open Outcry. Image by Sara Patrello.

Open Outcry features five limited-edition sets of 12 tables and chairs.

The process of design for Open Outcry began through working sessions with Medgar Evers College mathematician Philip Ording — a specialist in knot theory — who explored the ways that various seating arrangements might facilitate different kinds of interaction among guests.

Carroll and Dance then used various geometric forms to mirror the give and take of the communication process on the trading floor, thus the name Open Outcry, a reference to the process of communication and trading between securities professionals on a stock of futures exchange.  Carroll and Dance gleaned inspiration from the trading pits themselves, Shaker furniture and movements, tables designed for diplomatic negotiations (The Paris Peace Talks) and set designs by Ken Adam for Stanley Kubrick films.

A commission for Feast, Carroll’s Open Outcry (2012) is the latest iteration of a long-running project in which Carroll creates site-specific conversations around meals under the title “Itinerant Gastronomy.”

Exhibit Details

Feast, February 16 — June 10, 2012

Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago, curated by Stephanie Smith

5550 S. Greenwood Avenue

Chicago, IL 60637

773.702.0200

As of press time, additional tour dates include:

Blaffer Art Museum, University of Houston, Texas

Fall 2013

SITE Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Winter 2014