Paradigm Trends Creates Sleek Organization for Hotel Guests

For over 30 years, Paradigm trends has been a provider of bathroom and bar accessories, furniture, wastebaskets, storage solutions and hotel guestroom décor products. The woman-owned and family-run business was founded in 1984 by Bette Lissak, a mother of three small children at the time, who has since traveled over 90 times to Thailand and India to build the foundation for what Paradigm Trends has become today.

While the company is primarily known for its sleek bath and bar accessories, it recently began introducing occasional furniture in an effort to expand the brand, such as the Sling Fling Collection, which debuted in November 2018. The meticulously crafted pieces were designed by Jeanne Lissak, senior vice president at Paradigm Trends and daughter to Bette, who joined the family business in the early 2000s with her brother Seth Lissak.

The Sling Fling Collection includes the Sling Fling Table and Sling Fling Tall, both of which offer a creative option for hotel guests to keep belongings organized. The construction of the piece combines leather and wood, two materials that are found in many of Paradigm Trends’ products, and is available in a variety of finishes.

Learn more about the design process behind the collection in the Q&A below.

interiors+sources: When was Sling Fling developed?

Jeanne Lissak: The Sling Fling concept, which includes the Sling Fling Table and Sling Fling Tall, was developed in 2017 and officially introduced to the market in November 2018 at BDNY. We decided to launch at BDNY as we think Sling Fling exemplifies trends in hotel guest room functionality, design, materiality and the evolving needs of the present-day traveler and hotel guest.

i+s: How did the name for Sling Fling come about?

JL: We enjoy playing with words in our marketing and decided that for our inaugural furniture line, we would draw upon that linguistic creativity. The most distinguishing component of Sling Fling is its unique sling shelf, so we used the word ‘sling’ as our inspiration.

i+s: Who designed Sling Fling?

JL: I did. The construction of the piece combines leather and wood—signature materials of Paradigm Trends. We wanted to emphasize the softness of the leather and decided a sling shelf would be a fun representation. We paired the camel-colored faux leather with the warmth of a black-stained mango wood to emphasize these natural materials in a unique organization piece.

i+s: What was the inspiration behind Sling Fling?

JL: Organization is a primary focus for our furniture line. During our exploration process, we looked at options that would allow us to create organizational furniture using different construction and materials. For Sling Fling, leather is the showcase material and we decided to use it in its natural state as a soft fabric. By combining that with a simple frame and the natural finishes, Sling Fling has become one of our most popular designs.

i+s: What was the biggest hurdle in bringing Sling Fling to life?

JL: The biggest challenge with Sling Fling was finding the right amount of slack for the shelves. We needed them to be loose enough to highlight the flexibility of the leather, while simultaneously being sturdy enough to function as a shelf.

i+s: How was the response to Sling Fling?

JL: The response has far exceeded our expectations. It confirmed our belief that clients are looking for the unexpected. They are excited to see a creative way to organize belongings in a piece that is both functional and beautiful.

i+s: What was the most impressive project Sling Fling found its way into?

JL: We’re particularly excited to see how Sling Fling looks at The Redford Hotel. They recently specified it for their guest rooms and plan to install in the near future.

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i+s: What is your hope for Sling Fling?

JL: When a product resonates with our clients, as Sling Fling has, we always find it best to build on its strengths. We hope to build on this design and concept and see where it takes us!

i+s: What’s something people don’t know about Sling Fling?

JL: After almost 35 years in business, we’ve learned that our clients want options that allow them to make their vision a reality. As such, we offer extensive material options, stocking capabilities and customization at no additional cost. Sling Fling is no exception—it is entirely customizable, even on low minimum order quantities.