The Comm Sheet

Inclusive by Design: A Women-Led Vision for Humanscale

Designed by architect Suchi Reddy of New York City–based Reddymade, Humanscale's San Francisco showroom opened in January. The new, light-filled space features garden views, a flexible layout, and material choices reflecting the City by the Bay’s culture of sustainability, innovation, and well-being. It also serves as a hub for the local community while setting a standard for how inclusive design can be practiced as thoughtfully as it's produced.

5 Small Tables With Even Smaller Carbon Footprints

This international selection of eco-friendly tables from Loope, Knoll, Haworth, KFI Studios, and Andreu World represents the vision of designers from Poland, Denmark, Finland, Spain, as well as the United States. These products offer smaller proportions for office lobbies, cafes, hotel lounges, and other intimate commercial spaces, while also introducing sustainable features such as FSC-certified wood, biodegradable components, and recycled and recyclable content, bringing a truly circular design to the table.

No Fuss, No Muss: How the Zenith Retractable Screen from Corradi USA Protects Our Coveted Outdoor Spaces

Outdoor space is no longer optional—it’s expected. The Zenith Retractable Screen from Corradi USA accommodates openings up to 23 feet wide while resisting winds up to 75 mph and offering sun, heat, glare, and bug control without interrupting sightlines. With automated zoning capabilities and a sleek, zip-guided system, Zenith helps designers create flexible, comfortable environments that blur the line between indoors and out. And no swatting required!

A Chair Designed to Disappear: PEEL by PROWL Studio

What if furniture were designed for its death as thoughtfully as its birth? With the PEEL chair, PROWL Studio does exactly that, working backward from the end of its life to eliminate waste at every stage. Developed with M4 Factory and finished using hemp bioleather by Studio Veratate, the stacking chair replaces plastics that take centuries to break down with a hemp-based bioplastic that decomposes in about six months. By mimicking how hemp is harvested and reused, the project challenges the fast-furniture cycle, suggesting the most responsible product might be the one designed not to stay forever.

A First-of-Its-Kind Preschool Is Rewriting the Future

The Woodlands in Los Angeles is redefining transitional housing by transforming a former motel and a Denny’s into a vibrant, 100-unit community with a community center and preschool. Designed by Kadre Architects, the project features a radical prototype: the net-zero Betty Bazar Community Center and Preschool, which provides free childcare and case management for resident families. By integrating bold design with passive sustainability like solar chimneys and reflective paint, the site reduces utility costs to fund essential social services. Inspired by founder Nerin Kadribegovic’s own experience with displacement, the center proves that high-quality architecture and built-in support systems are the keys to breaking the cycle of housing insecurity.

A Century Deep: Inside the Jonathan Club’s Thoughtful Revival by Tim Barber Architects

The Jonathan Club is officially 100 years old—and looking very good for its age. As Downtown LA’s Renaissance revival icon hits its centennial, Tim Barber Architects has been quietly (and carefully) modernizing the landmark since 2013. From restoring the jaw-dropping indoor pool with historically accurate mosaic tile to reimagining a 1920s barbershop as a modern internet lounge, every update balances preservation with real-life use. The result? A living, breathing club that honors its storied past while evolving for today’s members—proof that good design, like a great club, only gets better with time.

The Brodins Double Down in LA With a Studio—and a Gallery to Go With It

Two spaces, one vision. Gavin and Kelley Brodin are expanding their sculptural universe in Los Angeles with two new spaces: a dedicated monumental sculpture studio for their practice Formed For, and Brodin Gallery, a platform for conceptual and collaborative exhibitions. Launching during Frieze, the dual debut signals a deep commitment to immersive, emotionally resonant art.

Fab 5: Tom Polucci

Equal parts architect, mentor, and big-picture thinker, Tom Polucci brings 25+ years of insight to his role as global director of interior design at HOK—and a deeply human perspective on how spaces shape behavior. Known for pushing bold ideas and nurturing young talent, he champions timeless materiality, pattern-happy experimentation, and environments that truly support well-being. Here, Tom shares the philosophies, surprises, and creative instincts guiding his work today.

Hotel Ancora Cortina Is Back—and It’s Cooler Than Ever

The newly renovated Hotel Ancora Cortina reminds us why this corner of Italy is pure magic—just in time for the world’s eyes to turn toward the Dolomites for the XXV Olympic Games. Reopened in June 2025, the historic hotel, originally founded in 1826, has been thoughtfully reimagined by Renzo Rosso, who envisioned a place that “surprises at first sight but feels like home.” Interiors by Vicky Charles layer alpine heritage with bold, soulful design across 38 one-of-a-kind rooms, many overlooking the slopes set to host events during the Olympics this February. Add a buzzing restaurant and bar, a secretive underground club, and those cinematic mountain views outside your window, and, yeah, dream vacation unlocked.

Ellerman House Launches Curate in Its Iconic Wine Gallery

A new dining experience called Curate transforms the Ellerman House's Wine Gallery, designed by sculptor Angus Taylor, into an intimate stage for storytelling—where art, terroir, and a hyper-seasonal menu emerge course by course. Chef Kieran Whyte approaches South African cuisine with restraint and clarity, drawing inspiration from the landscape, season, and local produce rather than nostalgia. The experience unfolds within a sculptural setting, designed by property co-owner Nell Harris—in collaboration with Natalie Haarhof of Just Design and Christoph Karl from Guideline Design—where art, architecture, and atmosphere quietly shape the meal.

The 3D Textbook: How Maya Bird-Murphy Built a Sanctuary for Design Activism

Mobile Makers has officially parked in a permanent home: a former semi-truck loading dock turned into a kid-friendly makerspace on Chicago's South Side. This isn’t your typical education space/office: Exposed systems and translucent walls show youth exactly how buildings work. From high-energy fabrication workshops to collaborative workspaces, this flexible industrial hub is a masterclass in design activism. Maya is building a literal foundation for the next generation of architects.

Mar Bar Is Palm Beach’s Newest Reason to Stay for One More Drink

Arriving as Palm Beach’s newest social landmark, Mar Bar offers a fresh take on the town’s legendary glamour through the lens of NXN Studio. The space masterfully balances classic coastal influences with unexpected, modern layers that keep the atmosphere feeling vibrant. Featuring a sophisticated mix of warm textures and inviting curves, the interiors create an environment of relaxed luxury that encourages guests to linger. Mar Bar blends aspirational design with an approachable soul, making it feels like an instant classic that perfectly captures the unique magic of Palm Beach style.

To Protect & Serve: 6 Wonderful Wallcovering Looks

While vinyl continues to be an industry player due to its durability and cost efficiency, wood and other bio-based options are steadily eroding its dominance, as owners target LEED credits and lower embodied carbon. Crafted from materials such as recycled sneaker cork, cellulose composite, and postconsumer PET, these six new wallcoverings from Submaterial, Carnegie, Wall/Pepper, Casalgrande Padana, Wolf-Gordon, and Turf offer benefits beyond interior wall protection, including acoustics, green cred, and a range of unique artistic expressions for interiors.

Enjoy the Quiet With Sabin’s New Lighting System

A pendant that not only illuminates but also absorbs sound? Now that’s some double-duty design. That’s Layer, a new fixture by Sabin. Regardless of whether designers specify Layer for its powerful acoustic properties or lighting options, the system’s simple geometric shapes can take on any design mood—playful, elegant, minimalist—or disappear quietly into the background. The collection has an NRC rating of 0.85 or higher, ensuring superior sound absorption capabilities to reduce noise and echoes in large or open-plan areas. Layer comes in four, customizable shapes—Disc, Obround, Triangle, and Rectangle—which are made from post-consumer, recycled PET felt. The result is a targeted, aesthetic, and effective acoustic treatment so end users get the sound absorption they crave.

Sit, Stay, Work: Central Bark Redefines Inclusive Office Design

More than a simple pet bed, this "shelter" unit by DARRAN integrates seamlessly with professional workstations to foster a truly inclusive environment. Designed by Chrissy Fehan and Maison Fee, Central Bark is a groundbreaking office furniture solution specifically crafted for service animals. Featuring sound-dampening, PFAS-free upholstery, locally sourced materials, warm lighting, and expandable beds to accommodate various breeds, Central Bark was crafted with sustainability in mind. By prioritizing the needs of neurodivergent individuals and those requiring physical assistance, Central Bark proves that high-end aesthetics and functional accessibility can "sit and stay" together.

Fab 5: Vishakha Joshi

A high school elective class got Vishakha Joshi hooked on interior design, and she never looked back. Now an interior designer at Abel Design Group’s Atlanta office, she’s known for her people-first mode of practice, shaped by curiosity, empathy, and intention. Vishakha believes good design lives in the details, values trusting the design process, and isn’t afraid to protect bold ideas—or to groove to a little Whitney or MJ to get her creative juices flowing.

ATRA Takes Manhattan: See the Studio’s New Experimental Gallery in NYC

ATRA just planted its flag in New York—and it’s not your typical gallery opening. ATRA COLLECTIVE FORM is part showroom, part research lab, and part immersive experiment, bringing the studio’s sculptural furniture and architectural thinking into a whole new dimension.

See Why Diageo's Gurgaon Office Is the Ultimate Cure for the Sunday Scaries

Designed by M Moser Associates, Diageo’s Gurgaon workspace abandons the traditional cubicle for a community-first "distillery" aesthetic. Spanning 7,700 square meters (about 83,000 square feet), the office prioritizes togetherness with more than half the area dedicated to social hubs for collaboration. Featuring locally sourced brickwork, artisan installations, and a stunning copper helical staircase, the design masterfully blends Indian heritage with sustainable innovation—creating a soulful, vibrant environment where life is celebrated alongside work.

Colombian Furniture Maker Fango Takes on Deforestation

Can you believe this furniture collection isn’t made from trees? Designed by Medellín-based Fango Design Studio, the Ibuju collection reimagines furniture through an environmentally conscious lens. Crafted from yaré, a rapidly renewable Amazonian vine harvested without cutting down trees, the collection includes a table, bench, and stool woven by Colombian artisans. Created by Fango founder Francisco Jaramillo, Ibuju highlights the responsibility designers share in using local resources thoughtfully and sustainably.