Ayaka in Laut Restaurant, Manhattan

Some of you may still have the perception that J-Wall @ Zen Wall is only used in Japanese architecture/ design. There is really no boundaries to design, colors and textures. The only limitation is our creativity, indeed.

J-Wall is an eco-friendly alternative to paint, stucco, wallpaper and other plasters, and the fact that it is made of natural ingredients from mother nature, makes it more appealing in terms of the textures and look.

If you visit Laut (a well decorated Malaysian/Thai restaurant) on 15 E.17th St, Manhattan, New York, you would notice the colorful straw laced Ayaka on the walls by the entrance, counters and rest room area. Instead of applying Ayaka flat and smooth, you will notice it is done in a semi-rustic texture, which portrays the warmth and friendliness of beautiful Southeast Asia.

The elegant and warm owner Kathy of Laut is the proud designer of the restaurant, and it is not difficult to feel the multiculturalism of Malaysia through the design of the restaurant.

PS: Some of the very authentic Malaysian dishes such as Assam Laksa, Rendang Curry and Char Kuey Tiaw are served here. New Yorkers are really lucky to have Laut conveniently located in the center of Manhattan.

Ayaka again - March Featured Product

I will put Ayaka back to the spotlight again this month, because it is simply irresistible...beautiful...charming...sophisticated...and fun! Let's get to know Ayaka a little bit better~

Ayaka is the only interior series of Jwall - simply the healthier wall, which comes in 18kg or 39.6LBS of wet material. What does this mean? The fine color ceramics, stone aggregates, diatomite earth, bonding emulsion and water are all added.

All you need to do is to open the can lid with an industrial can opener...ok ok we admit that the opening of Ayaka cans are really tiny, and we shall improve. But for project, the top lid is meant to be opened to make application work easier. The colored wara (straw) come separately in sachets identified by letters of A, B, C, D, F; each representing the wara to be added to specific color series of Ayaka. For example, Ayaka #106A means #106 is mixed with "A" wara. We make life really easy for applicators and DIY home improvement enthusiasts. ^^

Because the materials are already mixed with water, it inevitably sinks to the bottom of the water. Thus, prior to mixing, it is advisable to flip the can up-side down or shake it slightly then open the lid and mix the material with a hand-mixer. For this series, I don't recommend using your hand to mix. I did that for all samples we made, but it's not so smart.

Now Ayaka will be for the first time used in an upscale Sushi Bar in New York~ How exciting! Check us out more at www.japanesewall.com

Certificate of Material Excellence for Ayaka~

Material ConneXion of New York announced that Jwall has been accepted into its library of innovative materials. The process was accessed by a panel of creative professionals with material experience and voted in by a majority. Now, Jwall will be displayed in Material ConneXion's four locations; New York, Cologne, Bangkok and Milan.

Jwall has now become part of the world's largest innovative materials library, accessed by Fortune 100 companies, architects, designers and more.

It is our great pleasure to be part of Material ConneXion's library.

January Spotlight on Ayaka ~ truly innovative eco wall

Ayaka - 彩華 is truly a revolutionary product. Sounds like a really elegant name, isn't it? Aya(彩)means colorful, vibrant, like rainbow which is full of life, passion, love and fire. Ka(華)means elegance, superior and sophistication. When the two are combined it's indeed a powerful, colorful superior elegance.

Ayaka is an innovative wall coverings of Healthy Wall series featuring new textures for interiors. A unique blend of diatomite, non-toxic dyed natural wara, with a specially formulated color ceramics which produce a deep finish whereby the natural material of straw matches the variegated color tone.

Composed of high quality emulsion with more than 60% color ceramics produced under 800°C or 1472°F temperature, the color is non-fading and prevents algae/ mold growth thus resulting in easy maintenance and low overall costs. It is worth mentioning that being a product of nature, these color ceramics has the ability of emitting far infra-red rays to refresh the body and promote blood circulation.

In addition, the diatomite composition which disintegrate odors, formaldehyde, VOCs and its ability to adjust humidity means that the indoor air is always clean and fresh.

We thank Material ConneXion of New York and its panel jury for selecting Ayaka for inclusion in its innovative Material Libraries.