Best of NeoCon 2024 recognized more than 100 products in 50 categories, bestowing a total of 126 awards. Selected by a distinguished group of 53 architects, designers, specifiers, enterprise clients, facility managers, and top business media who judged the products on-site at THE MART over the weekend, winners were announced at the start of NeoCon on Monday, June 10, with officeinsight Publisher Bob Beck once again taking the helm as the official master of ceremonies.
This year, Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering’s colorful collaboration with British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori received the coveted distinction of Best of Competition—marking the first time a product in the Wall Treatments and Textiles categories took home the top honors. The Yinka Ilori x Momentum collection, which won Gold Awards in both categories, brings the vibrant, modern design language of Ilori’s artistic vision to the commercial built environment. “This collection is designed so exquisitely,” the jury noted. “One’s mood and outlook is instantly changed as soon as you see this product in use. Bright and colorful, it brings joy and happiness. It’s definitely a statement.”
Momentum also won a Silver Award in the Healthcare Textiles category for Light Collection, and Silver and Business Impact awards in the Wall Treatments category for its Circon bio-sourced, carbon-neutral wallcovering collection.
“Best of NeoCon 2024 shines a spotlight on industry innovation,” said Best of NeoCon Director Eileen McMorrow of The McMorrow Reports. “Manufacturers are finding ways to solve the market demand for collaborative, connective spaces, as well as furniture to improve hybrid, remote working. Products like case goods and furniture systems are becoming more scalable for flexibility and adaptability. Bold and happy colors are gaining in prevalence as workplaces become more relaxed and inviting to encourage employee recruitment and retention. An emphasis on designing for neurodiversity was also evident as manufacturers presented inspiring solutions for the workplace, education, and healthcare environments that promote well-being and productivity for all.”
The company bringing home the most awards this year was once again Andreu World with five Gold, two Silver, and two Sustainability Awards, for a total of nine. Davis Furniture brought home three Gold and four Silver Awards for a total of seven. Haworth also received seven awards – three Gold, one Silver, one Sustainability, one Innovation, and one Business Impact Award. Other big winners included Shaw Contract, which received four Gold Awards plus a Sustainability Award; and OFS, which together with Carolina, an OFS company received four Silver awards plus a Business Impact Award.
BEST OF COMPETITION WINNER
Yinka Ilori x Momentum is a landmark collaboration between Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering and British-Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori. The collection blends Ilori’s signature, vibrant style, inspired by his love of color and passion for joyous design, with Momentum’s expertise in commercial textile and wallcovering design.
Renowned for his sustainability-driven work that uses color to inspire joy and a sense of community, this collaboration with Momentum marks Ilori’s first venture into commercial textile and wallcovering design. Known as the “Architect of Joy,” Yinka’s designs merge his British-Nigerian heritage with playful modernity, transforming spaces with vibrant colors, dynamic patterns, and compelling stories.
The power of color goes beyond beautiful design —it can shape our mood, energy, and overall well-being. Though each color has a primary effect, combining different colors can amplify this effect in a palpable way. Momentum has harnessed this power in this collaboration. Seeing the playful designs that Yinka Ilori creates for urban spaces, as well as how he effortlessly infuses dull, mundane objects with a new light, Momentum realized the unique opportunity to reimagine its approach to professional interiors. By incorporating his masterful use of color, designers can spark feelings of joy and optimism in their spaces and leave an everlasting impression.
Textiles in the collection beautifully blend cultural storytelling with imaginative design. The five distinct patterns—”Shower Me With Flowers” (geometric florals), “Dream Catchers” (whimsical shapes), “Eyes in Reflection” (rounded motif grid), “Blossoms Time” (woven solid-colored textures), and “Rhythms Surround You” (vibrant geometric stripes)—bring a burst of joy and artistry to any commercial space. Each is infused with lively colorways, captivating patterns, and compelling narratives. The collection draws not only on Ilori’s dual roots, but also on the themes of community and the power of affirmation — key tenets of all of his work. Ilori uses his work as a means to self-empowerment and positivity. The collection is bold and unapologetic in its colors and patterns, daring viewers to engage with it and reflecting Ilori’s point of inspiration that affirmation and confidence must too be bold, not timid. The collection’s joyful aesthetic infuses contemporary workspaces with color and playfulness, without compromising its modern appeal. Each pattern tells a story with a maximalist, unafraid approach to design.
Wallcoverings in the collection present a geometric array of artistry, with three playful patterns—”Rhythms Surround You” (also available as a dynamic textile), “Moving Mountains” (layered arches and circles), and “Shifting Motions” (a kaleidoscopic collage of shapes). Each design infuses professional environments with eye-catching exuberance and emotional impact. The wallcoverings also pioneer sustainability by being printed on PVC Free substrate or Momentum’s groundbreaking new carbon-neutral vinyl substrate Circon™, which integrates bio-sourced, rapidly renewable materials into over 70% of its composition, including renewable wood-based feedstock and a proprietary bio-based backing.
momentumtextilesandwalls.com/yinka-ilori
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