Editor's Bookmarks - June 2010

www.neocon.com
Hoping to maximize your time at NeoCon? Or can’t make it to Chicago but want the full scoop? You’re in luck: Merchandise Mart Properties enhances its digital coverage of the commercial interiors show by teaming with online product library DesignerPages.com. All introductions being unveiled by the 700-plus exhibitors will be viewable by June 14—and much of it is already live. Click on the “exhibitors” link to browse companies’ virtual catalogs, complete with photos (some too small for my taste) and downloads. Registrants can use My NeoCon [http://my.neocon.com/] to customize show guides and share fodder with colleagues. A caveat: although exhibitors are supposed to post only what’s new, some have uploaded complete catalogs, making it less obvious what’s hot off the presses.

www.wood.stonesource.com
Despite its name, Stone Source is not just about marble and granite (and porcelain likenesses thereof). Last year, the company added reclaimed and old-growth wood—most of it FSC certified—to its product mix. Now the textured wall panels, wide-plank flooring, salvaged rafters, and custom millwork get a dedicated website, which manages to be at once comprehensive and tightly edited. Graphically clean and easy to navigate, the site features stunning photographs that capture surface texture and grain variegation. Even the thumbnails—clickable for close-ups—are large and detailed, making for quick and easy browsing. True to Stone Source form, the site also includes plenty of resources, including a glossary and a step-by-step explanation of how wood is reclaimed.