Textile Talk

Alpaca Throws

2011-12-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

For Warmth, comfort and luxury this winter, wrap your clients' and yourselves in one of Casa Bini's sumptuous Alpca Throws, to the Incas "The Robes of the Royals".

Casa Bini's new Alpaca throw blankets are made from the soft and luxurious hairs of the Alpaca animals, which are produced in a loving and cruelty free environment. The Alpacas roam freely outdoors in a mild climate and enjoy being farmed by small block holders who are passionate about caring for their animals.

They are shorn every year when the weather warms up in the early summer. The animals are not harmed during shearing and they are free to enjoy the summer without their winter coat. The fiber is processed in a certified organic mill and woven in an energy efficient boutique weaving mill, where textile waste is recycled. The self renewing nature and the longevity of Alpaca fiber contributes to the sustainability of a cleaner, greener environment.

The Alpaca is the only animal which can offer an enormous variety of natural colors in a soft, attractive and hard wearing animal fiber. The range of colors extends from white to black including diverse brown and gray shades. Approximately 20 shades of colors can be found in the natural wool. This extraordinary feature of the fiber allows us to present our Alpaca throws in beautiful colorways that are free of any dye and naturally hypoallergenic.

These incredibly soft and luxurious Alpaca throw blankets will make a beautiful and functional accent for your winter home decor or a gift of warmth for your loved ones during the holiday season.

Interiors & Sources

2011-10-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

Casa Bini's pattern Arbor has been featured in October / November issue of Interiors & Sources. Be sure to check it out as well as other great sources and information on this publication!

Color Inspirations

2011-08-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

Light and airy, yet still brilliant !

Who said neutrals have to be boring? Layering a few crisp tones of neutrals can be a surprisingly refreshing way of lightening up a space for that breezy, serene atmosphere. If you are designing a summer vacation home for your client, this definitely is a fun and easy color scheme you should experiment with. The low intensity of the neutral hues help to produce a tranquil and airy feel, even in the warmer shades. Keeping the pattern simple and basic is another way of helping the eyes and mind relax. Incorporate lively decors such as fresh flowers or plants for that extra touch of brilliance !

SHOWN IN PHOTO

Top: Karma in color Tibetan Cloud

Left: Glenn Squared in color Sand

Center: Intertwine in color Tea Lights
Right: Tristan's Rings in color Sand
Bottom: Insight in color Mystic

: : a green inspiration from Casa Bini : :

2011-07-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

Plush.. Luxurious.. Elements of Green

Elements is such an appropriate name for this incredible fabric in our Green Collection. It combines multiple elements of textile design to produce a sophisticated appearance while the combination of the chenille yarn, boucle yarn and the tape yarn produces the plush, luxurious hand. The neutral shades of this pattern (Metal, Earth, Wood) can be applied to larger areas to serve as a comfortable background, while the more vibrant colorways (Water, Fire) can be used as an accent that will create an illusion of depth.

Elements is woven with combination of Bamboo and Rayon as a part of Casa Bini's effort in incorporating renewable fibers to our product. It is also produced here in the USA, minimizing the use of fuel during the transporting process.

Proposte 2011

2011-05-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

Melissa and Alex are still in Italy finalizing their business agenda for the trip, but here is a quick review of what they saw at the Proposte 2011 Texile Fair: The most predominant and influential colors seen at the fair are dark blues, dusty roses and shades of tans. They saw more manufactures using linen as their new choice of fiber. Lots of laceworks and lattice motifs are to be seen in the upcoming collections of the textile vendors throughout the design industry, and last but not least... Florals! Florals! Florals! They seem to be everywhere. In very traditional style and patterns. 'Going back to the traditions' seems to be the underlying theme whether it's the color, materials, or patterns.

We are very excited to see what else they'll be bringing back from Europe, and we'll be sure to keep our readers posted. Have a safe trip back home, Alex & Melissa !

Now it's easier than ever to join Casa Bini on Social Networks

2011-04-20T14:22:00.001-07:00

We've added cute, and convenient buttons(links) at the bottom of our web page, so when you are done browsing through our website, you can simply click on those links to see our latest updates on our Blog, Fan Page or Twitter!

Plastic Bottles as Fabric ?

2011-04-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

Did you know that two million plastic bottles are used in the U.S. every ten minutes? 51 million plastic bottles go into landfills annually?

Shown in photo: Pattern Eco Wave

That certainly is a frightening thought. Well, here is a little effort that Casa Bini is making, which we hope could serve also as an encouragement for our designer friends and end users to do their part in reversing the harmful effects of these waste produced daily. Recycled plastic bottles are showing up in more and more unexpected places, like upholstery and carpet. In order to create our environmentally friendly fabric, recycled bottles are collected from curbside and community recycling centers, and then sorted by type and color. They are stripped of their labels and caps, washed, crushed, and chopped into flakes. The flakes are then taken to the plant to be melted in huge vats, then melted into liquid. The material goes through spinarettes to shape it. After cooling, the fibers are formed and then stretched. This stretching process strengthens the recycled fibers. The next step in the process uses an entangling system to weave the fiber filaments together to create yarn.

Shown in Photo: Pattern Eco Link

Our patterns Eco Wave and Eco Link are made with these recycled fibers, turning the harmful waste materials into something brand new that we all could use as part of our sustainable and eco-friendly design. The protective and durable nature of the fiber source gives a high double rub counts which makes it suitable for both residential and commercial design.

2011-03-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

Casa Bini Textiles has a Facebook Fan Page.

We are hoping to network with more design professionals to share what's new at Casa Bini, and to encourage our designer friends to give us feed backs and insights from their knowledge and experience. By becoming our fan on Facebook, you can easily follow and read our latest postings, leave comments, or ask any questions you may have for us.

The Runway Collection: Spring 2011

2011-02-15T15:12:00.001-08:00

It's Official !! Casa Bini's New Collection is Released.

Casa Bini is proud to build on its philosophy of bringing beautiful fabrics made from sustainable fibers to the marketplace. In 2008, we introduced our first sustainable collection, BELLA VERDE, which quickly produced some of our best sellers. We are now adding another handsome collection made with sustainable fibers, the RUNWAY COLLECTION.

Casa Bini believes in the importance of supporting a greener environment through sustainable product. We are always on the look out for new and exciting product that is both appealing aesthetically and environmentally sound. Our goal is to introduce textiles that will appeal not only to the eye but to designers who value sustainability.

The Runway Collection fabrics are made of two luscious, sustainable fibers; Peruvian Alpaca and Egyptian cotton. Combined, they produce textiles like those used in men’s high-end, haute couture clothing that graces the runways of Milan, Paris and New York.

Alpaca is a creation of nature. They live on mountains in the Peruvian highlands. They are sheared (this actually protects them and gives them a longer life) and the fibers are hand sorted by experts to give us FIFTEEN undyed, natural shades! This fiber is rich, soft and luxurious. In Incan history, Alpaca clothing was known as “the robes of the royals.”

Egyptian cotton, of course, gets its name from the place of origin, Egypt. When grown in the US it is referred to as Pima cotton. It is grown to produce incredibly long, sturdy and staple fibers which, in turn produce a luxurious, soft hand with a beautiful sheen. Most people are now familiar with Egyptian cotton used in sheets, blankets and towels.

The Runway Collection has two beautiful patterns, Haute Couture and Haberdashery and a beautiful new finished throw, Lana Throw. The colors are combined to coordinate with bolder or softer palettes. Haute Couture is a stripe made of a satin weave and a small herringbone to give it a high-fashion look. Haberdashery conjures visions of a very high-end men’s hat shop that you would see on the streets of London. This is a beautiful herringbone pattern with some of the colors forming soft and sophisticated tweed like a fine Fedora.

Animal Prints

2011-01-12T10:19:00.000-08:00

Call-of-the-Wild Prints as a Bold Decor

For all you fashionista designers out there, you already know how chic a leopard print could be when you wear it right. The animal prints become high in demand every few seasons or so, but you never see it completely going out of style. Same goes for interior design. We always have designers requesting samples for complete set of animal prints in our line. What's even better is that animal prints in interior decor is much easier to pull off than in fashion!

Using animal prints on your accent pieces are probably the easiest and most popular way of making an eclectic, bold statement in a space. It's completely okay to layer two or three different prints as long as you don't over do it. Mix and match with variety of decors by using the color as the key element to tie everything together. Consider the size of prints before applying on a larger area, since too small of a print can result in looking 'too busy'.

With the current economic situation influencing people of every economic level, giving a small but sophisticated makeover to your interior can give you the sense of refreshment you needed, and using animal prints is the way to go!

A tip for our designer friends: Upon completing the project for your favorite client, make a set of accent pillows using animal prints and elegant trimmings. Tie your beautifully hand written thank you note with a pretty ribbon and give them to your client as a small gift of appreciation. You'll leave them feeling impressed at your thoughtfulness and eagerness to work with you again in the future!

2010 Readers' Choice for Best Textile

2011-01-05T15:24:00.000-08:00

Casa Bini's pattern "Insight" received a Honorable Mention in Readers' Choice for the Best Textile of 2010. Thank you Interiors & Sources Magazine and everyone who voted for our product!

We will be working hard in 2011 to win the first place for the Best Textile of 2011.

Winter Design Inspirations

2010-11-17T08:57:00.000-08:00

Winter certainly is a season which makes you feel like relaxing somewhere warm and cozy with a hot cup of tea. Well, if cuddling up with a fuzzy blanket is all you could think about, let me try to inspire you to get up and start designing with Casa Bini's winter color stories. With fuzzy blankets in it, of course. : )

: : Soft, Classic Floral : :

Classic florals have never gone out of style and they always seem to work well as something exquisite, something elegant. With the increasing popularity of vintage style in both fashion and interiors, we've been seeing more designers interested in using beautiful, traditional floral patterns. These traditional florals usually contain a combination of harmonious colors within the pattern itself, giving designers various options when choosing their accent elements. Working with classic florals are surprisingly easy since they work well with most solids, stripes, classic geometric shapes and even other florals when layered properly. However, you should stay away from layering too many ornate patterns in a small area as it might make a space look too busy.
Shown on photo(from left): Alpaca Throw in color Cream, Anastasia Mocha, Anastasia Cream

: : Lofty Expressions for the Modern Interiors : :

This color scheme works great for a modern, minimalistic, airy concept. Lighter shades of neutrals serve as a great canvass for your overall design scheme without overpowering the space. Use light neutrals on larger areas of the space. Choose a bold primary hue such as red as your secondary color and use on accent furniture to provide focal points. Putting these bold secondary colors on one of the walls can also provide a sense of division in a large area without closing off the space. Accessorize with objects in geometric or abstract patterns, or choose something with a strong contrast to reflect the mod and chic sense of style.
Shown on photo(from left): Intertwine Tea Lights, Ecologia Sand, Alpaca Throw in color Freisian, Intertwine Zen Red

: : Textured with Neutrals : :

Neutrals, Earth tones, and nature inspired colors have also gained their popularity within the past few years. How are the designers dealing with these potentially too simple, potentially too subtle natures of these quiet colors? It's quite simple. Choose something with interesting texture and layer the texture. The textile manufacturers are getting more and more innovative on providing unique textures, experimenting with different blends of fiber, various yarn types, and weaving methods. It's your turn to experiment by mixing these unique textures to add depth and interesting dimension to your soft, natural color scheme.
Shown on photo: Alpaca Throw in colors Plateau and Pumice, Ecologia Earth, Intertwine Yin Blue, Pathways Foothill

New from Casa Bini: ALPACA

2010-10-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Casa Bini is excited to present a new addition to our Green Collection, Alpaca throws. Made from 100% all natural, dye free, and cruelty free Alpaca fiber, these throw blankets are incredibly soft to touch and naturally hypoallergenic.

The renewable nature of the fiber contributes to the sustainability of a cleaner, greener environment.

Look for my next posting on more details of Alpaca.

Color Inspirations

2010-07-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

Soft Blues for the Summer Decor:

Strongly thought of as color of the sky or ocean, blues are the most popular colors.

It represents consistency and truth. The ocean and sky are consistently in ours lives. Blue inspires confidence, freshness, brightness, and even restfulness. It actually works on the brain in a tranquilizing way. However, brilliant blues become dynamic and exhilarating. Perwinkle becomes playful with undertones of purple and deep navy is serious and powerful.

Fabric Shown on Photo (from top):
Andora Cream, Tudor Steel Blue, Zalia Steel Blue, Pathways Mountain Stream

A tear drop? Kidney? Or a giant comma?

2010-06-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

What does it remind you of?
To some, they are even known as the "Persian pickles". Well, regardless of what you might call it, paisley definitely has been a popular motif for design since the olden days of Persia (modern day Iran) and India. You can read more of the interesting historical facts on paisley from wikipedia.

Commonly, a paisley pattern consists of curving and sweeping lines accompanied by intricate details of dots, leaves, vines and flower like elements. These elaborate and organic details of paisleys are what makes it popular for designers seeking something sophisticated, but I've found that the complexity of such details can make it difficult to work well with other organic motifs.

When using paisley patterns in your design concept, try to stay away from using busy florals or botanical motifs as your background elements. Instead, go for the solids, stripes, or geometric patterns in muted tones for more of a balanced and harmonious design statement.

Photo: Casa Bini's pattern Naru in color Terracotta

Color Inspirations: Spring Greens

2010-05-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

Of all the colors of the spectrum, green offers the most choices.

Greens are thought of as cool, clean and inevitably stir up thoughts of nature. Green is so pervasive in nature that it easily combines with other pallets. Contrasting with purple, pink, yellow, orange or red, green can truly be thought of as a nature’s background. While most greens are a part of nature, blue greens are signs on calmness, spaciousness and the cool feeling of seas and oceans. When blended with deep blue, it becomes more serious. So greens can mean many things and can be used in many ways.

Fabrics shown above (from left to right): Antoinette in color Spring Green, Aaron's Leaves in color Green, Ginger in color Bronze, Intertwine in color Koi Pond, Ophelia in color Green.

Casa Bini's fabric Elements fefatured in Architectural Digest Show

2010-04-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

Casa Bini recently had an opportunity to work with furniture designer, John Strauss, on his exhibit at the 2010 Architectural Digest Show and here are some pictures from the event. What an amazing collaboration of natural materials and beautiful design elements!

And here is a picture of Casa Bini's pattern Elements in color Fire on the dining chair...

If you are are a designer who's always looking to nature for inspirations, you should definitely check out these beautiful fossil stones from Green River Stone Company. You can see more of John Strauss' design works from his website: straussfurniture.com.

Ikat

2010-03-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

Exotic Inspirations from "Ikat"

Ikat is a method of dying a fabric that is similar to tie dying. Although the word "Ikat" has its origin in the Indonesian language, this type of fabric has been woven in cultures all over the world including South East Asia, India and Japan. In many cultures, the drawings and designs of Ikat fabric has symbolic or ritual meanings and in the olden days the finely woven Ikat silks spoke as the status of wealth and prestige. Casa Bini's pattern Chiaro is a blend of silk and linen and the design reflects our interpretation of the exotic, luxurious elements of ancient Ikat fabrics. The flame-like edges of the drawing is a classic characteristic of an Ikat. These dynamic lines, combined with the geometric layout of the pattern, create a perfect rhythmical element and adds a hint of exotic ethnic flare to a space.

Green Day: March 17th, 2010

2010-03-12T11:03:00.000-08:00

Casa Bini's San Francisco showroom, Gaul Searson, is helping to organize the "Green Day" event, which will be held on the 17th of this month at the San Francisco Design Center, Showplace Building 3rd Floor. The event will go on all day on St. Patrick's Day ( Think Green!! ), and a series of speakers will be giving informative talks about green bedroom from the floor up.

Casa Bini's Vice President Alex Pulver will be there to talk about Green Textiles (Eco Linen, Bamboo, Recycled Polyester, etc. ) and their applications, so we hope to see you there!

Sunbrella Facts

2010-02-26T13:29:00.000-08:00

As the spring time approaches and the weather warms up, you may be coming across more design projects which involves the outdoor life styles of your clients. Many designers provably are familiar with the wonderful advantages that Sunbrella has to offer, but here is a quick highlight on why you should consider Sunbrella for your outdoor, as well as many of indoor design projects.

Sunbrella fabric are design to withstand the harsher weather conditions of the outdoor. They are UV resistant, giving them a long lasting appearance of the original colors. This fade resistant quality of Sunbrella makes it not only ideal for the outdoor, but also for the area such as the sun room, where the furniture would have a greater amount of sun exposure. They are inherently resistant to molds and other harmful microbials which makes it ideal for the families with children and pets. It is easy to clean, and you can even use bleach on these fabric!

Casa Bini's pattern Feline is a Sunbrella which would go perfect for any of your outdoor project requiring elegance and style. The plush hand and the sophisticated design also makes it perfectly suitable for any of the indoor application, and it will provide you the peace of mind especially in the stain prone environments!

Quick Recap: Design San Francisco

2010-02-10T09:54:00.000-08:00

Design San Francisco 2010 certainly had a great turn out. All of the seminars that we've attended were packed, which means that there are many design professionals eager to educate themselves with the latest information and network with others to build better business. We were also glad to see that there were numbers of seminars focusing on the "Green" issue. Gaul Searson did an excellent job at bringing together a panel of experts to open up a great discussion on how to bring in more money for the interior design business. Overall, it was a great opportunity for Casa Bini to get an insight of what designers are looking for and we got a chance to brainstorm about creative ways in meeting the needs of the design professionals, which will be incorporated into our business plans for the year!

3D Magazine, Color Trend 2010

2010-01-19T11:54:00.000-08:00

Casa Bini Textiles' pattern Breeze was chosen as the showrooms' choice for "The Next Best Thing" on 3D, published by the San Francisco Design Center. And here is the short article on 2010 Colour Trend for Textiles:

Jewel Fabrics

"Where color is headed is in monochromatic plays of each color group," said Doty Horn, Benjamin Moore director of color and design. "what this means for designers is that they will probably want to add more texture, depth and surface components into their designs to offset that monochrome appearance. For 2010, the naturals are gaining momentum in popularity over grayscale, with bright acidic yellows, fresher true greens, and warmer and more vibrant reds adding brilliant splashes.

Article Source: 3D Volume 2

We would like to thank Gaul Searson, our San Francisco Showroom for choosing our fabric as one of their trendiest, and also for their excellence and hard works in providing the best products and services for the interior design professionals.

And don't forget, Design San Francisco is coming up for those designers/architects working in San Francisco, Northern California area and anyone plannign to attend the event from another area. It is scheduled to be held from February 3rd ~ 5th at the San Francisco Design Center. It looks like there will be lots of great speakers giving presentations and it will be a very educational event for sure. While you are there, you can also visit Gaul Searson and view Casa Bini's latest products as well~ :)

2010-01-15T15:49:00.000-08:00

The American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund

As we all know, the massive earthquake which took place earlier this week in Haiti left tens of thousands of people in a state of devastation. The staff at Casa Bini would like to encourage everyone around us to join us in making a contribution in helping Haiti receive the needed supplies, relief workers and the financial resources for their recovery.

Please visit www.redcross.org to find out how you can make contributions.

Dramatic impressions, inspired by devoré

2010-01-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

Devoré is a fiber etching technique developed in the 17th century. It is an effect achieved by chemically burning out the cellulose from the fabric. The pattern can be created on the areas where the cellulose is burnt out or in the areas where the cellulose is left intact. Although, it is an age old method of embellishing fabrics, devoré, and the variations of this fiber etching technique are still being used by today's textile artists and designers. Casa Bini's Florence was inspired by the unique characteristics of a devoré fabric. It's luxurious, plush, and elegantly crafted by the finest artisans of Italy.

Design Tips for using Florence :

* The faded edges of the drawing add a gracefully aged looks of an antique piece, making it ideal for a 'vintage inspired' interiors.

* Take advantage of the dramatic scale. Florence has a vertical repeat of 46", and the grandeur of its design makes it a great focal point as a wall piece or a panel.

* The fluid movements of the lines create an organic and abstract impression for this fabric. Juxtapose with unusual materials and striking colors to create an avant-garde piece that is hip and stylish!

* Most important of all, always experiment with possibilities and have fun designing~ :)

Holiday Message from Scuppers, the Giant Schnoodle

2009-12-21T13:28:00.001-08:00

The members of Casa Bini Textiles
would like to thank everyone for their business and support for 2009.

We wish everyone a happy holiday
and a fantastic new year!

Best wishes from everyone at Casa Bini
& Scuppers, the new pup!

Organic Matters

2009-12-16T14:42:00.001-08:00

Environment, ecology, organic, GOTS... Does it really matter?

Of course it does. Every effort counts when it comes to eliminating and eventually reversing the harms done to the nature that we all live in. There are many things we can do, as design professionals, to promote environmentally and socially responsible ideas and designs. One of the things a designer can do is to specify 'green product' for their project whenever possible.

As a textile company, Casa Bini is always searching the market to acquire fabric that are good for the people and the environment, without sacrificing the quality in design and aesthetics. Casa Bini's last two Green Collection (Bella Verde and Paradiso) includes fabrics composed of organic bamboo, linen, cotton and hemp fibers that are made in accordance with GOTS.

GOTS stands for The Global Organic Textile Standard. It is a definition of requirements to ensure the organic statues of textiles through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing. Dye stuffs and chemicals including heavy metal, formaldehyde, pvc, aromatic solvents, disperse dyes and many other toxic chemicals are banned or prohibited above a certain threshold. In addition there are numerous requirements the dye stuffs must meet regarding oral and aquatic toxicity and biodegradability. The standard also specifies how the waste water will be treated and requires extensive record keeping and internal quality assurance on the part of the dyer.

Familiarizing yourself with the various standards for the 'green products' is another important thing you can do. I hope this blog post was helpful for you, if you have wondered what GOTS is all about. :)

Image above: Organic Linen fibers composing Ecologia, made in compliance with GOTS

a gift that keeps on giving...

2009-12-11T09:20:00.000-08:00

Casa Bini has an annual holiday tradition of giving a small gift to Heifer International in honor and appreciation of our Showrooms / Representatives. The staff of our showrooms and the independent representatives of Casa Bini have done excellent works for the year 2009 and we highly value their commitment in helping us provide exceptional service to the design professionals through out the country.

Heifer International is an organization that provides livestock and training for the families in need all over the world. These gifts become an important investments for those families providing income for their health care, shelter and education for the children. It's a gift that multiplies and keeps on giving, because every family that receives a Heifer animal promises to give one or more of their animal's offspring to another family in need.

This year, Casa Bini has chosen to give ducks. Ducks provide poor families protein from eggs, money from the sale of eggs and ducks, and better crops in the fields as they remove weeds and bugs and add fertilizer.

We hope the ducks will grow healthy and multiply! :)

Happy Holidays to our showrooms and representatives~!

COLOR INSPIRATION: warm, muted & glowing

2009-12-02T09:31:00.000-08:00

Incorporating bold, strong hues like 'red' into your color scheme can be a challenging task to accomplish. When used properly, red can be a slick and sophisticated accent for a modern environment or adds elegant and luxurious details to a classic interiors. However, using strong reds in abundance can be overwhelming in some cases and you may run into a problem finding colors that will work harmoniously with your reds. Using muted red is an excellent way to tone down the intensity of the hue. It creates more warmth and has a radiant glow. Mix the quiet shades like brown, gold, caramel or any other neutral with the muted red and now you have a the perfect base color scheme that is lush and mellow. You'll find it easier to introduce your third, or fourth accent color into your overall design concept.

Fabrics shown on photo

Left: Pietra in color White Opal
Stack (from top to bottom): Pathways in color Autumn, Ecologia in color Sand, Elements in color Metal, Insight in color Radiance, Beach Cloth in color Anguilla
From CasaBini's Green Collection

Crewel and Unusual...

2009-11-10T15:41:00.000-08:00

Casa Bini's "Nepal" in Color Brown

Crewel is a type of embroidery that has been used for more than a thousand years by the textile makers to embellish the surfaces of drapery, upholstery and many different types of fabric. Generally, two-ply wool yarns are used in crewel embroidery, and the thickness of this wool yarn creates an opulent texture, which is one of the signature characteristics of a crewel fabric. Most crewel embroidery involves multiple rows of chain stitch, which is one of the most difficult embroidering technique to master. Floral, botanical, garden and small animals are often used as the main subject of a crewel embroidery in a colorful and extravagant composition. While possessing the "usual" sought after characteristics of a crewel fabric, Casa Bini's Nepal, nevertheless, offers an "unusual" charms to the designers that are looking for 'something different'. 'Nepal' is created with the use of silk yarns (on silk ground fabric) instead of wool, which gives it a more soft and supple texture. We've kept the ornate composition and used tone-on-tone colors instead of bright, multicolor to keep it subtle, comfortable, and delicate enough to blend into any elegantly designed interiors.

Adding an embroidered fabric to your design is an excellent way to enhance the luxurious feel and it adds texture without overwhelming your overall design. Be creative and use it as an accent piece in a minimalistic scheme, or mix and match with variety of textures for a stylish decor.

Have fun designing and stay tuned for our next posing~! :)

Alex & Andrea's trip to Dallas

2009-11-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

Casa Bini's Vice President Alex Pulver and our new Texas rep Andrea Cepale had a very successful showing in Dallas:

They got together with some of the area's most influential architectural / design firms to show our line, putting their major emphasis on the new "Paradiso" collection. The firms they've visited on this trip are: Marco French Studio, Wilson Associates, Looney & Associates, Duncan Miller, Ullmann Design, Watermark Design Studio, RDH & Associates , Paul Duesing Partners and Forrest Perkins. If you have missed this opportunity to see them, there will be more chances to see them in the future. If you would like to meet with our reps on their next trip, send me an e-mail to jeeyun@casabinitextiles.com .

( photo: presentation at Wilson & Associates, Dallas )

Casa Bini's "Insight" Featured in Interiors Sources October / November 2009 Issue

2009-11-03T10:26:00.000-08:00

It is always an exciting experience to come across our fabric being featured while casually flipping through the magazines. The Interiors Sources Magazine is filled with the latest product sources for the interior design industry and its professionals. This October / November 2009 issue especially caught my attention because its entire focus is on "Green". Click on this link to read the articles about "Insight", our 100% bamboo fabric for Bella Verde Collection.

Casa Bini announcing the new "Paradiso Collection"

2009-10-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

A sneak preview of our new Paradiso Collection...

Casa Bini has just released the new addition to their Green Collection, "Paradiso". Following the success of our Bella Verde Collection, we have kept Paradiso Collection all green and natural. We have chosen fabrics woven with natural and renewable fibers such as organic linen, bamboo, organic cotton, and hemp.

While keeping the collection beneficial and friendly to the nature and the people, we've also achieved success in selecting fabrics with lavish and luxurious hand.

Paradiso Collection will be available exclusively to designers and architects through our showrooms and representatives. The beautiful collection photos and detailed stories on each patterns are also available for everyone to view on our website.

Natural Ambiance & Leno Weave

2009-08-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

Incorporating Natural Light into a space is not only a great idea esthetically, but by maximizing the use of natural light for the daily tasks and activities, we can conserve energy and electricity which contributes to keeping a sustainable lifestyle.

Using beautiful open-weave sheers in your design allows you to:

1. Provide elegant and visually pleasing treatment for your windows.
2. Bring the outdoor in by letting the natural light and air come through.
3. Provide veil like effect for semi-private spaces.

The low fiber density in open sheers are what allows you have some of the desirable characteres mentioned above, and here is a quick textile terminology lesson on Leno Weave and how its construction helps to strengthen such open-weave types of sheers.

LENO WEAVE

Leno Weave is a form of plain weave used in many sheer fabrics where the adjacent warp fibers are twisted around consecutive weft fibers to form a spiral pair, effectively locking each weft in place. Leno weave improves the stability in open fabrics which have a low fibre count. You can use leno weave sheers by itself to maximize the amount of sunlight and air coming through, or use in conjuction with other window treatment fabric for more privacy and interesting ambiance effect~! :)

Resource for Sustainable Design

2009-07-07T11:20:00.000-07:00

As the society move towards creating a sustainable and environmentally responsible world, staying educated in 'Green Trend' and familiarizing yourself with the latest green technologies and products are becoming a crucial benefit for designers and architects of today.

Here are few of the on-line resources that I found useful in finding out the latest development and guidelines on 'Green Design'.

1. WBDG (Whole Building Design Guide) outlines the key elements of sustainable buildig design and list many useful links and resources on this page.

http://www.wbdg.org/design/sustainable.php

2. USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) explains the goal of LEED Certification Program for sustainable design and provides answers on how you can educate yourself on their certification process.

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=124

3. GreenSource offers the latest news on the trends, technologies, innoviations, products, projects, network resource and more...much, much more on Sustainable Design. I could totally get lost reading all the interesting articles on what people are doing to be "Greener".

http://greensource.construction.com/

Getting on the internet is a great way for taking a glance on what's going on around the industry, throughout our country, and the world as a whole. Taking a portion of your time in regular basis to educate yourself is definitely an investment worth making! : )

Sheer Inspiration for Local Designers

2009-06-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Luminoso Collection Showcased at Juniper Hill Furniture

If you are a designer working near or visiting Reno area, Juniper Hill is a great place to stop by to preview exquisite collections of fine furniture and beautiful selections of functional & decorative accessories for your design projects.

Juniper Hill Furniture and Casa Bini Textiles have made a collaborative efforts to showcase our latest Luminoso Sheer Collection for the local designers. On the left is the photo of the sheers I took at the showroom. :)

My personal favorite is the pattern "Breeze", a horizontal stripe casement sheer. The openness of this weave creates such a unique, ambient atmosphere when it meets the sunlight coming through the window. It drapes so beautifully and naturally, and Yes!, the Leno Weave DOES help this sheer to maintain its shape and structure when it hangs.

I'll be uploading a post on "Leno Weave" and how it is used in casement sheer design, so please stay tuned~! :)

If you want to find out more about Juniper Hill Furniture Showroom, click here for more information.

Nature in Design, Design in Nature

2009-05-11T11:16:00.000-07:00

Leonardo Da Vinci's airplane design has come from the study of bird flying; boat after duck; radar after bat; jet plane after squid. It is essential that companies look to nature and engineering to help create natural environments. In many cultures, particularly Asian, some of the examples of biomimicry are part of age-old traditional customs.

Breeze

Japanese culture, architecture and interior design reflect the influence and connectedness of Nature and Man in every aspect of their culture. Homes are designed to open out to the natural world, blend in with nature and let in the sun's natural light. When Melissa Pulver (President of Casa Bini Textiles) was putting together the "Luminoso" Collection, she was inspired by how the pattern Breeze and Sundance blend boucle rayon yarn on a linen warp resulting in a simple, textural look which mimics the nature's play with lights. They let in the natural light from the sun and cost nothing to the environment. The result is a beautiful and efficient way of creating an ambiant interior using and conserving the daylight.

Sundance

Bamboo Facts

2009-05-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

It is quite common these days for a designer to come across bamboo products in all aspects of interior design from furnishings to finishes. So, what is the big deal with bamboo and what about textiles? Read on, and find out about the Eco-Friendly and People-Friendly qualities that Bamboo has to offer.

Some Great Qualities of Bamboo Yarn are:

1. Bamboo possesses a property called "Bamboo Kun", which means that it is naturally anti-microbial. Even through processing into fabric and after fifty washes, bamboo fabrics retain their anti-bacterial nature, according to research by Japan Textile Inspection Association. This makes it suitable for those sensitive to allergens.

2. Bamboo takes in five times the volume of greenhouse gasses as an equivalent stand of timber trees and releases 35% more oxygen. It needs no replanting, pesticides or fertilizers, and its roots retain water in the watershed, sustaining riverbanks and reducing water pollution.

3. It has many of the qualities sought in "performance" and "easy care" fabrics without the drawbacks of synthetic material and it has many of the fashionable qualities of silk, while being sturdy and vegan.

Textile Talk

Alpaca Throws

Interiors & Sources

Color Inspirations

: : a green inspiration from Casa Bini : :

Proposte 2011

Now it's easier than ever to join Casa Bini on Social Networks

Plastic Bottles as Fabric ?

The Runway Collection: Spring 2011

Animal Prints

2010 Readers' Choice for Best Textile

Winter Design Inspirations

New from Casa Bini: ALPACA

Color Inspirations

A tear drop? Kidney? Or a giant comma?

Color Inspirations: Spring Greens

Casa Bini's fabric Elements fefatured in Architectural Digest Show

Ikat

Green Day: March 17th, 2010

Sunbrella Facts

Quick Recap: Design San Francisco

3D Magazine, Color Trend 2010

Dramatic impressions, inspired by devoré

Holiday Message from Scuppers, the Giant Schnoodle

The members of Casa Bini Textileswould like to thank everyone for their business and support for 2009.We wish everyone a happy holidayand a fantastic new year!

Best wishes from everyone at Casa Bini& Scuppers, the new pup!

Organic Matters

a gift that keeps on giving...

COLOR INSPIRATION: warm, muted & glowing

Crewel and Unusual...

Alex & Andrea's trip to Dallas

Casa Bini's "Insight" Featured in Interiors Sources October / November 2009 Issue

Casa Bini announcing the new "Paradiso Collection"

Natural Ambiance & Leno Weave

Resource for Sustainable Design

Sheer Inspiration for Local Designers

Nature in Design, Design in Nature

Bamboo Facts

The members of Casa Bini Textiles
would like to thank everyone for their business and support for 2009.

We wish everyone a happy holiday
and a fantastic new year!

Best wishes from everyone at Casa Bini
& Scuppers, the new pup!