San Diego’s Sexiest Second Act
Not just another wedding venue, Wedgewood Weddings at The Headquarters by Los Angeles-based AAHA Studio is a full-scale transformation of San Diego’s historic former police gymnasium. Completed in 2025, the 14,000-square-foot adaptive-reuse project reimagines a 1939 registered historic landmark as a flexible, multi-level event venue that includes a grand event hall, a lounge, bridal and groom suites, sales offices, and a commercial kitchen.
“Everything you make is building an archive. Design it so it's accessible. … Make it so that someone 50 years from now can look at your body of work and know exactly where you stood—what you believed, what you fought for, what you refused to let disappear.” |
—Artist and designer Malene Barnett, founder of Black Artists + Designers Guild; excerpt from her commencement speech at FIT, May 20, 2026
History Meets Maximalism at The Painted Lady
In a world of boring beige and greige, Birmingham’s newest gem, The Painted Lady, is leaning into its colorful and slightly scandalous history. Designed by Fifth Dimension Architecture & Interiors and housed in the historic Eyer-Raden building, this 22-room boutique hotel trades cookie-cutter vibes for "Victorian maximalism," inspired by the city’s legendary madam-turned-nurse, Louise Wooster. Expect floral wallpapers, artifacts like turn-of-the-century liquor bottles found during demo, and a Michelin-selected seal of approval. Located in the heart of the vibey Southside, you’re just steps away from 11 Michelin-recognized eateries. It’s a bold, whimsical history lesson you can actually sleep in.
Productivity and Wellbeing Go Hand in Hand at nanimarquina’s New HQ
Rug company nanimarquina has earned its avant-garde reputation. Known for artist collaborations, non-traditional patterns, and experimental techniques, the company has worked to elevate the rug from a purely functional object into a central design element that transforms spaces and creates atmosphere. But for the redesign of its Barcelona offices, a more serene aesthetic was needed. The renovated HQ is designed to reduce stress while increasing concentration, well-being, and creativity.
Five Questions With Michael Johnson II
Michael Johnson II, FIIDA, AIA, NOMA, approaches design as a form of emotional storytelling rather than decoration. The associate principal and director of interiors at Hickok Cole applies that philosophy across projects ranging from corporate interiors to cultural spaces, always with wellness, equity, and inclusion in mind. In this Fab 5, the D.C. native discusses designing with curiosity instead of judgment, why “safe” spaces are forgettable, his dream of learning furniture-making, and how Outkast’s Aquemini fuels fearless creative thinking.
The HON Company, Ignition 2.0
Whenever, Wherever: Sit Easy on These 6 Ergonomic Chairs
In the workplace, ergonomic seating is a must, regardless of whether you work in a corporate office or at home. Today’s tremendous selection of task chairs makes it easy to specify the right look and feel for any contract setting. Besides offering a wide variety of colors and shapes, the current crop proves circularity has finally gone from theory to action, with exciting sustainable materials like upcycled marine litter as part of the story, too. All along, ergonomic experts have been building on the important work of Bill Stumpf in his 1976 Ergon Chair with Herman Miller. Spinal health, comfort, and adjustability continue to be top concerns. It’s easy to find a great-looking task chair, but ergonomic seating continues to be serious business—especially with the current focus on wellness., These ergonomic models from Workspace, Poltrona Frau, HON, Andreu World, LiberNovo, and Allsteel—come in many shapes and colors with a growing focus on sustainability.
Maximalists, This One’s for You!
Artistic Tile has unveiled one of the most fashion-forward tile collabs we’ve seen in a minute. Partnering with heritage textile brand Donghia, the tile company has transformed iconic woven patterns into jaw-dropping natural-stone mosaics, Casino Royale and Decadence. The graphic marble shapes, moody color palettes, and fine craftsmanship makes you want to touch every surface immediately. These two collections are all about honoring Donghia’s legacy while pushing stone in a more contemporary direction. And these luxe mosaics that feel equally at home in boutique hotels, statement bathrooms, and ultra-glam restaurant interiors.
Craving Take-Out? Landscape Forms Has Gotchu!
Landscape Forms’ popular Take-Out collection of lightweight, reconfigurable connected seating was launched during the pandemic and designed to reclaim the outdoors—helping people socialize, repopulate public space, and feel part of the city again. Proving there’s always room to improve on the original, the Kalamazoo, Michigan-based brand has expanded the collection to include a Tall option with an integrated footrest, a Mini version ergonomically scaled for K–5 education, and Wedge, a shape that encourages more natural, conversational postures.
Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things © Vitra Design Museum. Photos by Bernhard Strauss
Exploring the Brilliant Mind of Hella Jongerius at The Vitra Design Museum
The Vitra Design Museum is about to become a must-visit destination for design nerds everywhere, thanks to Whispering Things, the first major retrospective dedicated to Dutch designer Hella Jongerius. Featuring more than 400 works pulled from Hella’s newly acquired archive, the exhibition dives deep into her world of textiles, ceramics, furniture, color studies, prototypes, and wildly experimental material research. Expect everything from giant installations of hand-worked vases to emotionally charged ceramic creatures called Angry Animals. More than just a career retrospective, the show explores Hella’s belief that objects can communicate quietly, thoughtfully, and emotionally—if we actually slow down long enough to listen.
A Celeb Home? Or a Monterey Peninsula Hotel? You decide.
Blending serene coastal inspiration with residential warmth, Narrative Design Studio creates a nuanced hotel experience at Kimpton Mirador Pacific Grove.
6 Funky Finds From Salone del Mobile.Milano
This year’s fair introductions returned to narrative-based materiality, indulgent tactility, bold colors, and kinetic designs, encouraging human connection.
Peru’s Past Powers This New Hotspot
Drawing from Peru’s Nazca lines and layered cultural history, //3877's designs for this gastrobar transform a bustling corner into a vibrant, transportive dining experience.
20,000 Steps Later: The Best of Milan Design Week 2026
FAB 5 Interview with Tihany Design Owner Alessia Genova
SNEAK PEEK: räkkhaus Atari Hotels Phoenix Is a Playable Dreamscape
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The Comm Sheet celebrates the commercial design world while sparking community connection. Our twice-monthly newsletter delivers bite-size content—including insights from top designers; spotlights on new projects and innovative products; and deep dives into topics like neurodiversity, inclusivity, environmental sustainability, and democratization in design—all in a sharp, lively, easily digestible format.