New York, NY (May 01, 2009) - The Precious Pieces exhibit at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) will introduce interior designers, architects, and home owners to the limitless possibilities of adding beauty and function to their spaces with Washi - handcrafted architectural parchment. ICFF takes place May 16-19, 2009 in New York City - Jacob K. Javits Convention Center - 655 West 34th Street (between 11th Ave. and 12th Ave.)

Variety of Artistic and Practical Applications
As the only U.S. distributor of Washi, Precious Pieces in Booth #2508 will share the many creative ways of using handmade Washi for residential and commercial interiors such as: art installations, lighting, laminated glass panels, doors (sliding and hinged), screens, window shades, signage, wall coverings, home and office furniture (ex. under glass tabletops) and more. The highlight of the display is a beautiful, seamless, 6ft. x 10ft. backlit Washi sheet accented with color variations. Precious Pieces creations have been featured in The New York Times, Interior Design, The Architect’s Newspaper, The New York Post, and more.

What is Washi?
Owner Hiro Odaira, an architect trained in Tokyo notes, "We are excited to educate ICFF attendees about an art form that is thousands of years old, but brand new to the U.S. Washi creations offer a unique blend of contemporary design and Japanese tradition.”

Washi is a highly respected craft involving the skills of brilliant artisans and the labor of entire villages. This luxury paper is handmade from all natural paper fibers including mulberry, shikoku daphne, bamboo, rice and wheat making it an excellent choice for "green" design projects. Mr. Odaira adds, “Washi from the studio we work with in Northern Japan is the highest quality and most beautiful available.” All Washi architectural parchment is completely custom ordered – from the size to the pattern and from the color to special coatings. Precious Pieces blends its expertise with each customer’s vision to achieve the look of their dreams.

Unique On Trend Product Features
    •  custom crafted to exact specifications –size, color, etc.
    •  single sheets as large as 30 x 100 feet
    •  green and sustainable – 100% natural and made by hand with an all natural process,
       no chemicals or waste
    •  value added air purifying effect
    •  fire protective coating can be applied to make Washi CLASS "A" FIRE RETARDANT
    •  Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating can be applied for water-resistance
    •  UL approval rate with styrene backing for lighting fixtures

About Precious Pieces
Precious Pieces is dedicated to exploring new realms, combining contemporary design and classic Japanese elements and has undertaken commercial and residential projects in the US and Japan. Mr. Odaira is an architect trained in Tokyo and his custom Washi projects include The Greenwich Hotel (377 Greenwich St.), Radisson Hotel (511 Lexington Ave.), Mikimoto NY jewelry store (730 Fifth Ave. NY), Megu modern Japanese cuisine (the trump world tower - 845 UN Plaza), and Ito-en Tea Store (822 Madison Ave.): In Japan, the Grand Hyatt Hotel Tokyo. Precious Pieces, 5 Tudor City Pl. #102, NY NY 10017, tel (212) 682-8505 fax (212) 682-6004, info@precious-piece.com, www.precious-piece.com

About ICFF
The 21st annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) will convert New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center into a worldwide wonder for design disciples. North America’s singular showcase for contemporary design, the Fair draws the most intrepid seekers of design truth and design trends to an extraordinary exhibition of the most inspired models of design on the forefront, as well as thought-provoking programs and a schedule of supplementary exhibits and features. http://www.icff.com