Design groups partner to furnish homes for deserving families

March 9, 2015, 12:37 pm

≫ Next: Storied fabric brand moves deeper into the digital realm

≪ Previous: The Shade Store opens NYC flagship, welcomes design trade

Celebrity designer Mark Cutler and online interior design and home décor platform nousDECOR partnered together for the “Design Matters” campaign, a new initiative that aims to showcase how design can change lives. First order of business: partnering with the nonprofit Dwell with Dignity to create, style and furnish homes for two deserving families in 2015.
The first home will be presented to the recipient family in Dallas in May. The second family in another city will be appointed and receive its “Design Matters” home before the end of the year.

The nousDECOR founding team: CMO Dorothee Fisher, Chief Designer Mark Cutler and CEO Heather Gillette.
“We are thrilled to partner with nouseDECOR on their ‘Design Matters’ campaign, which aligns perfectly with our core belief at Dwell with Dignity that if we can change a person’s surroundings, we can change his or her outlook on life,” said Lisa Robinson, founder and CEO of Dwell with Dignity.
Cutler will design each space using tools from nousDECOR, resources from Dwell with Dignity and products from retail donors. During the Design Bloggers Conference nousDECOR used a social media campaign based on the hashtag #designmatters to facilitate donations to Dwell with Dignity. Those who used the hashtag on social media and donated $5 or more were entered into a drawing for a $500 gift certificate to Crate and Barrel.

Lisa Robison and Kim Turner from Dwell with Dignity talk about the work their nonprofit does to impact the lives of disadvantaged families.
Additionally, nousDECOR is sponsoring a contest on its blog that invites interior designers and décor bloggers to tell their stories about how design can change lives. Stories must be submitted by March 31. The winner will be featured on the nousDECOR blog and have the chance to win more prizes, as well as being given the option to donate prizes to the Design Matters recipient homes.
Images courtesy of nousDECOR.

↧

Storied fabric brand moves deeper into the digital realm

March 9, 2015, 12:51 pm

≫ Next: Study predicts contemporary designs to dominate 2015

≪ Previous: Design groups partner to furnish homes for deserving families

Last year, Schumacher celebrated its 125th anniversary with parties across the country, a special anniversary collection and other major changes within the brand, all adding up to a historic company effectively keeping up with modern needs and sensibilities. And it’s continuing into 2015.
As of March 5, Schumacher has a completely retooled and fully redesigned website, FSchumacher.com. Created to be a dynamic and inspiring user experience, the site combines the impact of rich editorial content in the form of a new blog headed up by former shelter publication editors and a seamless e-commerce shopping experience.

Through the new website, design professionals can check inventory, reserve stock, approve samples, place and track orders and reference order history—all in real time. In addition, the site’s responsive mobile design means designers can tap into all the website’s features from wherever they are.
The new blog will include designer interviews, current obsessions of the design team and highlights of iconic moments in the brand’s history.

“Schumacher has had an incomparable legacy, and our new website sets the bar yet again,” said Creative Director Dara Caponigro. “Not only will it be a breeze to navigate, but with content created by a staff of well-seasoned magazine editors, the website will have an editorial look with a blog full of exciting design-related features.”
To learn more, Editor at Large chatted with both Caponigro and Interim CEO Stephen Puschel, who shared why right now was the right time for this move. (Editorial Note: as of the time of publication, Stephen Puschel as stepped down as interim CEO. The President and CEO of F. Schumacher & Co. is now Timur Yumusaklar.)
What will be the main differences between the new and old website and blog?
SP: For the new site, we had two goals: to facilitate an excellent commerce experience and to offer market-leading content. On the commerce side, we’ve added functionality that we think our customers love: inventory visibility on each product page, stored addresses, the option to have sub-users on a given account, order history and the ability to convert, extend or cancel reserves. On the content side, our homepage and blog are editorial and engaging. We hope that our customers will enjoy our market insights and guest postings as much as the shopping and browsing capability.
Why is it so important for an established fabric company to invest in an online presence?
SP: Our commitment to design, quality and service will never change, but the ways in which our customers shop and the ways in which we provide service are constantly evolving. Designers are and will be browsing, speccing and shopping digitally more and more—and this digital investment is an acknowledgement of the changing market habits.
How will each of the contributors of the blog bring something new and different to the table—since each has an editorial background?
DC: The contributors of the blog have had six magazines between them—domino, Veranda, In Style, WSJ, Elle Decor and House Beautiful. While they each have different points of view, they all come to the table with a deep appreciation of design and style. We'll cover a myriad of topics that excite us personally and we'll package them with a journalistic eye.
What type of content will the new blog have? Will it cover just Schumacher news, or other design industry happenings?
DC: The blog will focus on style, design, culture and entertaining, and will include everything from an eye-catching flower arrangement to a worthwhile museum exhibition to a history lesson on a style icon. Of course, there will be Schumacher-related content, too—with 125 years to draw on, there are some amazing things to include.
What impact do you hope/expect the new digital platform to have on the fabric business?
SP: We think our new platform will increase our level of service, making doing business with Schumacher easier and ultimately make our customers happier.

Images courtesy of F. Schumacher & Co.

↧

Study predicts contemporary designs to dominate 2015

March 9, 2015, 1:05 pm

≫ Next: Comings & Goings: Design professionals on the move

≪ Previous: Storied fabric brand moves deeper into the digital realm

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has tracked kitchen and bath design trends for 52 years, and this year has predicted a mesh of contemporary and Euro-style influences. The full breakdown, below:

The top 10 kitchen trends for 2015 are:
1.    Clean with an overall contemporary feeling, incorporating a fusion of styles and multiple colors in one kitchen
2.    European-styled cabinets
3.    Multiples of appliances
4.    An increase in steam ovens
5.    Furniture-look pieces
6.    Outdoor kitchens
7.    Fewer standard kitchen tables, replaced by counters or tall gathering tables
8.    TVs and docking stations
9.    Wine refrigerators
10. Focus on the user experience, from easy maintenance to accessible design, that considers the needs of all users in the space, including pets
The top 10 bathroom trends for 2015 are:
1.    Clean, white, contemporary designs.
2.    Floating vanities.
3.    Open-shelving.
4.    Electric heated floors.
5.    Purple haze (using purple tones as a color scheme for a bathroom)
6.    Trough sinks.
7.    Greater emphasis on user experience and accessibility.
8.    Amenities.
9.    Innovative storage.
10. Showers and freestanding tubs.
In regards to the kitchen trends for 2015, more than half of NKBA designers expect to do many contemporary kitchens, which are ranked second behind transitional kitchens. Contemporary and transitional kitchen designs have increased by more than 15 percent in four years. Close to 40 percent of designers surveyed said they would do more versatile shaker-styled kitchens.
Traditional styles were the fourth most popular kitchen style at the end of 2014. Though its popularity is decreasing, 63 percent of designers did at least one traditional kitchen in 2014.
The most common color requested for kitchens is white, followed by gray. Black or blue kitchens were done by about a third of designers, and 40 percent of designers surveyed completed green kitchens last year.

Specifications for pullouts and rollouts in kitchen cabinets were requested of 90 percent of designers, with 40 percent expecting to see an increase in popularity in 2015. In the same line of increasing functional space, multiple dishwashers, refrigerator, and other appliances, as well as docking and charging stations and flat-screen televisions are predicted to be in high demand throughout 2015.

Islands replacing kitchen tables as well as demands for outdoor kitchens also increased in statistically significant ways.
Looking at bathroom trends more closely, contemporary and transitional styles are the most common, and outpace traditional bathrooms—the third most popular style—by more than 15 percentage points.
In terms of color schemes, white and gray were used by 70 percent of respondents in 2014, with 50 percent of respondents expecting to see more gray in 2015. While the use of beige is largely decreasing, it remains the third most popular choice for bathroom fixtures. Respondents also reported using purple, lavender and lilac tones for the bathrooms.

Requests for steam showers, electric heated floors, anti-fog mirrors, lighted showers and shower seats increased in 2014 and are expected to increase in 2015. More unusual requests reported included iPhone compatible music sources and charging stations in family bathrooms, as wells coffee and bar areas, separate water closets and pullouts and rollouts for hair styling equipment. Fewer built-in tubs were requested but free-standing soaking tub requests increased for master bathrooms. Jetted tubs and whirlpools are no longer popular.

Another trend expected to grow in 2015 is undermount sinks, while vessel sinks are expected to decline. A twist seen on side-by-side vanity sinks was the appearance of large trough sinks with two faucets.

↧

Comings & Goings: Design professionals on the move

March 11, 2015, 11:24 am

≫ Next: Duralee marks 50 years at the DDB

≪ Previous: Study predicts contemporary designs to dominate 2015

The design industry is ever-evolving, what with the arrivals and departures in manufacturing and retail, marketing and publishing, interior design and architecture, and industry organizations and design centers. Editor at Large is keeping tabs on who’s coming and going in this monthly column.
Kelsey Keith, former Special Products Editor at Dwell, is now Editor in Chief at Curbed.
The Dallas Market Center named Cole Daugherty as Senior Vice President of Marketing Communications, and Amy Galindo as Vice President of Market Services.
Veranda magazine named Deena Schacter Luxury Director and Katie Tomlinson Home Furnishings Manager. Schacter, was formerly the Ad Director for Glamour magazine, and will be responsible for managing all jewelry, watch, beauty, fashion and tabletop accounts. Tomlinson will manage interior design and trade clients, and joined Veranda after a stint in Marie Claire’s marketing department.
Dustin O’Neal has left Strohl & Company to cofound creative development and strategic communications firm DNA with Alexandra Polier.
Dan Rubenstein has been named Home + Design Editor for Departures magazine by editor-in-chief Richard David Story. Rubenstein was most recently Editor-in-Chief at Surface magazine.
Samantha Snowden, formerly the Associate Managing Editor at Editor at Large is now the Marketing Communications Manager at The Shade Store, headquartered in Port Chester, NY.
Michelle Anya Anjirbag joined the Editor at Large team as Staff Writer.
West Elm hired Andres Ortega as Public Relations Manager.
Manufacturing/Retail
Timur Yumusaklar has been named the new President and Chief Executive Officer of F. Schumacher & Co. He was previously Vice President of Customer Care at the Berlin-based fashion ecommerce company Zalando SE.
Kevin Donaldson is the new General Manager of Anthony & Sylvan Pools’ division in Charlotte, North Carolina.
FontanaArte promoted Fernanda Chandoha to Vice President and General Manager. She is now responsible for the company’s U.S. and Canadian subsidiary.
Viyet brought on trade marketing consultant Beth Felsen as Vice President Trade and Showroom Partnerships, and designer and author of design blog Beach Bungalow EightMegan Arquette as its Los Angeles Chief Curator. Felsen previously was at Serena & Lily as Trade Marketing and Sales Manager, and has recently been consulting for various projects including this year's NYC Holiday House.
Interior Designers/Architects
Gladys Yue, Ron Alalouf and Tom Hughes were all promoted to Principal at TPG Architecture.
Perkins+Will announced that Douglas A. Smith, AIA, AICP has joined the firm as a Managing Principal, from AECOM in Chicago.
Thomas Banks, previously the Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Executive Director to the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has joined architecture firm ForrestPerkins as Vice President.
Miscellaneous
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) appointed designer, educator and administrator Roseanne Somerson as its 17th president.
Christopher Wise was appointed Department Director for Fine Silver at Rago Auctions, succeeding Sarah Churgin.
Hauser & Wirth has brought on Graham Steele as Senior Director at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel, based in Los Angeles. Steele was previously the Senior Director of White Cube in Asia.

↧

Duralee marks 50 years at the DDB

March 11, 2015, 10:45 am

≫ Next: IIDA Student Design Competition Winners Announced

≪ Previous: Comings & Goings: Design professionals on the move

As the Decoration and Design Building (DDB) marks its 50th anniversary, so does the Duralee showroom, one of three original tenants that maintains a showroom at the D&D Building.

Image courtesy of Duralee.
When the showroom originally opened in 1964, the north side of the D&D Building was not yet built, and Duralee’s eighth-floor showroom still had concrete floors and no walls. Duralee occupied what President Martin Rosenberger described as a “too-large” space, designed with rosewood paneling and soffits.

Martin Rosenberger
Over the years the Duralee showroom saw three remodels to remove paneling and make room for more product. In 2013, Duralee moved to a new location on the sixth floor that was more than double the size of the original showroom.
According to Rosenberger, 50 years ago the D&D Building was less a destination for designers. It had fewer and less diverse showrooms and a greater focus on kitchen and carpeting. Even the process of moving in to the building would be unheard of today: a trailer was backed up to the front door on Third Avenue.
Over the last 50 years, Duralee has expanded its brand offerings from fabric-only to furniture, hardware and trim, so designers can create entire spaces with Duralee products. The company also grew from two showrooms in the D&D Building and Chicago to an international company with more than 70 U.S. showrooms and more than 60 outside the country. Read on for the full Q&A with Rosenberger.
What was the original Duralee showroom like when it first opened?
When we first moved into the Duralee showroom in 1964, the D&D Building was smaller—the north side of the building was not yet built. Our showroom on the eighth floor was not ready; the floor was concrete and the walls inside the showroom did not yet exist. The showroom space was very large, actually too large for Duralee at that time, but we were dreaming big. It was designed with rosewood paneling and soffits, the modern look in 1964, and our offices were in the back of the showroom.
Over the years, as Duralee grew, we removed the paneling and remodeled the showroom three times to update it and make room for more product. As we continued to grow, the showroom actually became too small and, in 2013, we moved into a new space on the sixth floor, which is more than double the size of the original one.
Do you have memories of what the DDB was like 50 years ago?
The building had fewer showrooms and less diverse showrooms. There were more kitchen and carpeting showrooms, which is much different than today. There were less people in the building. As the D&D Building grew, it became more of a destination for designers, but it did not start out that way.
What are some of your favorite showroom memories?
When we first moved in, we backed up a trailer to the front of the door on 3rd Ave. and moved our fabrics and office supplies into the building—an unheard thought today!
What is the biggest milestone that Duralee has made since opening at the DDB?
Our biggest milestone is that we have expanded our product offerings from being solely fabric in 1964, to include furniture, hardware and trim—which has enabled designers to create entire rooms with Duralee products. As a result, we have grown from starting with two showrooms, in the D&D Building and in Chicago, to becoming an international company with our products now available in over 70 showrooms in the United States and more than 60 showrooms internationally.
What do you see for the future of the Duralee showroom at the DDB?
We just had a grand opening for our new showroom on the sixth floor of the D&D Building. It is stunning, with an expansive and diverse collection of fabrics, furniture, hardware and trim. We continue to grow with the publication of a new furniture catalog, which includes over 30 new pieces; a new hardware catalog; and the addition of new lines in our showroom—most recently, James Hare and Lulu DK. As we look to the future, we are optimistic and look forward to continued growth and success.

↧

IIDA Student Design Competition Winners Announced

March 11, 2015, 10:58 am

≫ Next: Postmodern architect Michael Graves dies at 80

≪ Previous: Duralee marks 50 years at the DDB

The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) announced the winners of the 2014 Student Design Competition, which challenged students to design an office that encouraged collaboration, productivity, health and well-being, while mitigating the negative effects of the open office.
Amanda Heineman, Student IIDA, University of Texas at Austin won first prize honors and $2,500. Her project, Spark, is an open office concept that introduces flexibility and choice for employees and contains three varied work environments: Ignite, Trigger and Kindle.

Amanda Heineman.
One of the judges, Betsy Vohs, said the project won because it “addressed the need for not only collaborative spaces but spaces for focus and well-being. The visualization techniques were successful as were the narrative components demonstrating the research and design concept for the submission.”
Second place went to Vivien Chen, Student IIDA, Savannah College of Art and Design, while Gisella Allen, Student IIDA, University of Texas at Austin, took home third prize. Chen’s project, Pencil Shavings, integrated sustainability, brand design, furniture and architecture into an overall design solution and complete design approach. Allen’s project Flourish presented a co-working space focused on employee well-being. The project implements a work-life cycle where employees work uninterrupted for 90 minutes and then take a break to encourage relaxation, renewal and replenishing.
Winning entries are available to view here.

Vivien Chen, left, and Gisella Allen, right. Images courtesy of IIDA.

↧

Postmodern architect Michael Graves dies at 80

March 13, 2015, 5:25 am

≫ Next: Stephen Nobel shows designers how to reach “the next level”

≪ Previous: IIDA Student Design Competition Winners Announced

American architect Michael Graves died on Thursday at his home in Princeton, NJ. He was 80. A statement by his firm, Michael Graves Architecture & Design, cited reason for death as natural causes. Graves’ architectural work exemplified postmodernism, and he went on to design housewares and establish his own school, the Michael Graves School of Architecture at Kean University in New Jersey. He designed over 350 buildings internationally during his lifetime.

Michael Graves in 1999. Photo by Fred R. Conrad for The New York Times.
Before developing a reputation as one of the most prolific architects of the latter-20th century, Graves was part of the New York Five, the group of architects who helped redefine modernism in the 1970s, also known as the Whites. Among his more celebrated buildings are healthcare company Humana’s Louisville, KY headquarters and the Portland Municipal Building in Oregon, which became iconic of the American postmodernist movement. Graves founded his Princeton firm in 1964 and designed office buildings, resorts, retail stores, hospitals, monuments and university buildings, including The Hague’s Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the campus master plan for Rice University in Houston, and Walt Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin Resort.

The Humera building, left. The Portland Municipal Building, middle. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, right.

The Swan and Dolphin Resort, Walt Disney World.
Despite his architectural prowess Graves earned his reputation for the over, 2,000 consumer products he designed for companies such as Target, Alessi, Steuben and Disney. He received the National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton in 1999 and the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) gold medal in 2000. AIA’s Eugene C. Hopkins identified Graves’ utilitarian direction saying he “brought quality designed products within reach of everyone in the country.”
Graves became paralyzed from the waist down due to a spinal cord infection in 2003, and thus confined to a wheelchair. Following this, he developed a reputation as an internationally recognized advocate of healthcare design. Along with using color in hospitals, Graves designed homes for people with disabilities and for the Wounded Warrior Project, and products specifically for the use by people with disabilities and lessened abilities such as bathtub handles, heating pads and a wheelchair. This work caused President Barak Obama to name Graves to the United States Access Board in 2013.
Graves was born in 1934 in Indianapolis and studied architecture at the University of Cincinnati and Harvard University. On top of his public practice, he taught for four decades at Princeton University.
In a statement, the Michael Graves Architecture & Design firm said it “will continue to honor Michael’s humanistic design philosophy through our commitment to creating unique design solutions that transform people’s lives.”

↧

Stephen Nobel shows designers how to reach “the next level”

March 13, 2015, 6:29 am

≫ Next: Stephen Nobel shows designers how to reach 'the next level'

≪ Previous: Postmodern architect Michael Graves dies at 80

Interior designers left equipped with tools to better market and grow their business after Stephen Nobel’s presentation for the Decorative Furnishings Association (DFA), “Meta-Marketing: going beyond what is to achieving what could be” at ADAC in January. Hosted by Dan Cahoon, President of Jerry Pair and President of the DFA, and held in the Jerry Pair Showroom, the presentation keyed on best practice strategies for moving beyond a plateau of success, touching on leadership, business management and maintaining relationships as a proactive part of gaining new clients.
Nobel’s presentation was informed by not only personal experience but also by a survey conducted by the DFA where individuals responded to questions about why they chose to use interior designers. Questions ranged from specifics about the process to why clients chose to use an interior designer, if the process was worth the end result, what they got out of the decision and how the clients found their interior designer.

One of the takeaways from the presentation was that effective leadership and a clear idea of where a business would be heading not only 20 years out, but within the next two or three years was important to how interior designers and principles need to direct their business and their creative efforts. Clear vision can be used as a “north star,” said Nobel, insisting that interior designers constantly reevaluate their intended direction by asking, “where do I want to go so I can get what I want to achieve out of this?”
Having a clear vision also impacts how effective the designer’s leadership is. Nobel reminded attendants that even if they held their own firm, they still worked with a large group of people to implement a project. Designers need to act like they “are the CEO,” meaning, that in their business, they implement a vision that others cannot necessarily see despite the minutiae and conflicts that might get in the way, similar to the actual process of design. Good project management and internal leadership that encourages all parts of the process to feel invested in the larger outcome also builds a more attractive business for both clients and employees. Having go-to people for different processes and a plan so clear that anyone can follow it and feel empowered to make a decision helps businesses to run more efficiently and productively. This can also prevent early burnout on the part of the designer.
Nobel also recommended that designers define what they want in terms of their long term goals, and then implement a plan as to how they will accomplish these goals, keeping their associates in mind, as well as defining what the business itself is in terms of pricing, implementation and the types of projects and clients taken on. The mistake commonly made by those without a clear vision is designating too much time to attempting to fix small problems. Though it may seem counterproductive, the more effective method is to stop and take stock of the big picture.
Once the larger picture is understood, designers can focus on what their particular brand is, and what it stands for. Nobel stressed that “designers are by definition a luxury brand, because no one really needs a designer. They want the emotional appeal of what a designer can provide.” Thus, designers should remember and internalize that as a luxury brand, something “demonstrably superior and pleasingly different that all the others available” their services are not for everyone. By being extremely selective about how they are utilized by others as a luxury brand and internalizing this philosophy in terms of their web presence and client relations, the designer’s efforts can yield the highest rewards. Nobel warned against “flowery, abstract conceptual language” as it “doesn’t mean much to anyone except your copy writer.” Designers should remember the less quantifiable reasons why clients turn to them in the first place, and use these to highlight what makes their practice unique. Things such as how deliveries, invoices and proposals are handled, how designers “realize creatively the clients’ visions for the future in their lives” and how designers decide what they will and won’t take on in terms of jobs or clients are all important to identifying a designer’s service as a luxury brand.

Images courtesy of Stephen Nobel.
More than the access to products and the overall service provided, it is the process of working with a designer that surveyed clients identified as a reason to hire an interior designer, and as more valuable than the sum of the products and services purchased. It is that distinction that makes or breaks a luxury business. Also important was the perception by clients over whether the designer understood their tastes, if the end result would reflect the client or the designer, if the designer would be respectful of time and money and if the end of the project would yield a custom result and experience.
Nobel identified “touchpoints” for before, during and after a project where designers could evaluate the client experience provided, such as ensuring that phone and email contact is timely, tasteful and polite, what the planning process and installation are like, and how they interact and keep in touch with the client at the end of the project so that the next client is the result of strategic direction instead of chance, as “the shortest distance between the current best customer and the next best customer is through one or the other.” This last point is one of the most important things that designers can do for themselves and the industry as a whole.
Nobel highlighted the importance of interior designers to the home furnishings industry by stating that interior designers do drive purchase of luxury brands. However, he also noted the changing relationship between showrooms and designers, and that at the time of the survey, only one in five affluent American designers relies on the services on an interior designer for decorating. Thus the future of the industry relies on interior designers being able to bring in new business. Nobel encouraged design centers, showrooms and designers to remember that they “are all in this together,” and that a cohesive presentation, where designers treat showrooms as an extension of their studios, and showrooms become more personable and attentive to the needs of clients brought in by designers, will result in a better future for the industry.
In sum, Nobel wished to impress upon designers that when it comes to reaching a new level of success and marketing themselves as a luxury brand, simple practices such as maintaining relationships, being selective about what kind of projects are taken on, and having and maintaining a plan for the future can boost a designer’s profile. As he put it, “it is not what you do, but what you know that makes you valuable.”

↧

Stephen Nobel shows designers how to reach 'the next level'

March 13, 2015, 6:29 am

≫ Next: Hot of the press: 10 new design books to round out the season

≪ Previous: Stephen Nobel shows designers how to reach “the next level”

After Stephen Nobel’s presentation for the Decorative Furnishings Association, interior designers left equipped with tools to better market and grow their business. Hosted by Dan Cahoon, the president of Jerry Pair as well as president of the DFA, the presentation keyed in on strategies for moving on from a plateau of success, touching on leadership, business management and maintaining relationships as a proactive part of gaining new clients.
Nobel’s presentation was informed by not only personal experience but also by a survey conducted by the DFA where individuals responded to questions about why they chose to use interior designers. Questions ranged from specifics about the process to why clients chose to use an interior designerIt asked clients what they got out of the decision to hite a designer and how they found their interior designer.

One of the takeaways: effective leadership means having a clear idea where a business is heading not only in 20 years, but within the next two or three years as well. Clear vision can be used as a “north star,” Nobel said, insisting that interior designers constantly reevaluate their intended direction by asking “where do I want to go so I can get what I want to achieve out of this?”
Nobel said designers need to act like they “are the CEO,” meaning, that in their business, they implement a vision that others cannot necessarily see despite the minutiae and conflicts that might get in the way. Good project management, and internal leadership that encourages all parts of the process to feel invested in the larger outcome, also builds a more attractive business for both clients and employees.
Next comes implementing a plan as to accomplish their long-term goals, keeping their associates in mind, as well as defining what the business itself is in terms of pricing, implementation and the types of projects and clients taken on. The mistake commonly made by those without a clear vision is designating too much time to attempting to fix small problems. Though it may seem counterproductive, the more effective method is to stop and take stock of the big picture.
Once the larger picture is understood, designers can focus on what their particular brand is, and what it stands for. Nobel stressed that “designers are by definition a luxury brand, because no one really needs a designer. They want the emotional appeal of what a designer can provide.”
Thus, designers should remember and internalize that as a luxury brand, something “demonstrably superior and pleasingly different that all the others available.” By being extremely selective about how they are utilized by others as a luxury brand and internalizing this philosophy in terms of their web presence and client relations, the designer’s efforts can yield the highest rewards.
Nobel warned against “flowery, abstract conceptual language” as it “doesn’t mean much to anyone except your copy writer.” Figuring out how deliveries, invoices and proposals are handled, how designers “realize creatively the clients’ visions for the future in their lives” and how designers decide what they will and won’t take on in terms of jobs or clients are all important to identifying a designer’s service as a luxury brand.

Images courtesy of Stephen Nobel.
More than the access to products and the overall service provided, it is the process of working with a designer that surveyed clients identified as a reason to hire an interior designer. It is that distinction that makes or breaks a luxury business. Also important was the perception by clients over whether the designer understood their tastes, if the end result would reflect the client or the designer, if the designer would be respectful of time and money and if the end of the project will yield a custom result and experience.
Nobel identified “touchpoints” for before, during and after a project, where designers could evaluate the client experience provided, such as ensuring that phone and email contact is timely, tasteful and polite, what the planning process and installation are like, and how they interact and keep in touch with the client at the end of the project so that the next client is the result of strategic direction instead of chance, as “the shortest distance between the current best customer and the next best customer is through one or the other.” This last point is one of the most important things that designers can do for themselves and the industry as a whole.
He encouraged design centers, showrooms and designers to remember that they “are all in this together,” and that a cohesive presentation, where designers treat showrooms as an extension of their studios, and showrooms become more personable and attentive to the needs of clients brought in by designers, will result in a better future for the industry.
In sum, Nobel wished to impress upon designers that when it comes to reaching a new level of success and marketing themselves as a luxury brand, simple practices such as maintaining relationships, being selective about what kind of projects are taken on, and having and maintaining a plan for the future can boost a designer’s profile. As he put it, “it is not what you do, but what you know that makes you valuable.”

↧

Hot of the press: 10 new design books to round out the season

March 13, 2015, 6:38 am

≫ Next: Benefit gala honors interior design greats, restoration efforts

≪ Previous: Stephen Nobel shows designers how to reach 'the next level'

Whether looking for books by interior designers or on interior designers, green design or garden design, or something else altogether, Editor at Large has compiled a selection of texts to check out this spring. Nicky Haslam’s A Designer’s Life offers a rare glimpse into the mind and rooms of one of Britain’s greatest talents, while Bunny William’s On Garden Style opens the reader’s mind to new aesthetics balancing practical advice with a sophisticated outcome.
By Interior Designers:

In the introduction to A Designer’s Life (Rizzoli), Nicky Haslam writes: “Personal taste, in all its variations—the eccentric, the grand gesture, the flamboyant, the simple and often downright hilarious—is the grist to my visual mill. It always was, it always will be.” Through his writing, Haslam interrogates this “grist,” the many experiences that have influenced his career, not only as an interior designer but also as an author, artist, singer and even a horse breeder. Available in hardcover, his colorful prose is enhanced by high-gloss photographs of interiors he designed, press cuttings, personal photographs and even some of his own artwork.

In Penny Drue Baird’s Dreamhouse (The Monacelli Press), to be published April 21, Baird takes the reader on a tour of some of the many iconic interiors she has created. From Manhattan and Paris, to family homes in Connecticut and out to Beverly Hills, Baird’s romantic yet contemporary approach to designing is on display around the world. The rich, detailed photographs are accompanied by her narrative, which outlines the process of each project. There's also a foreword by interior designer Mario Buatta.

Windsor Smith shares both her design and life philosophy in her first book, Homefront (Rizzoli), which includes a foreword by Gwyneth Paltrow. Her comfortable yet elegant aesthetic reflects her signature blend of glamour and practicality, a trend favored by her clients in the business and entertainment world. Smith guides readers through their own projects with advice on how to refresh tired rooms and bring balance to a home through design, so that livings spaces can reflect the lives of the people within them in a positive way.
On Interior Design:

Anouska Hempel (Thames & Hudson) by architecture critic and author Marcus Binney takes a close look at the homes, inspirations and life of Anouska Hempel. The renowned designer is known for her creative impetus in all facets of design, from architecture, landscapes and furniture to graphics and fashion. Including an essay by Belinda Harley examining the influences on Hempel’s distinct, opulent yet idiosyncratic aesthetic, the book allows the reader to visit her iconic homes and renowned hotels, as well as many of the interiors she has created over the years.
Entertaining:

Steven Stolman outlines his entertaining how-tos in Confessions of a Serial Entertainer (Gibbs Smith). Filled with menus and anecdotes, novices and seasoned party planners alike will learn how to refine their own entertaining, whether that means gaining confidence or just learning to let go and relax.
Garden Design:

Bunny Williams identifies her Connecticut garden as the “emotional center of her life” one of her “greatest creative efforts.” In her new book On Garden Style (Simon & Schuster), she applies lessons learned in interior design to creating outdoor spaces, giving readers a guide to how to garden with style and sophistication by demonstrating how to conceptualize color, texture and context outdoors as well as indoors.
Green Design:

Robin Wilson’s Clean Design: Wellness for your Lifestyle (Greenleaf Book Group Press) highlights design elements that fit her four principles: sustainable, recyclable, hypoallergenic and nontoxic. Inspired by her own childhood allergies, Wilson outlines an eco-friendly method for creating a healthy home without sacrificing style, and shows readers how to limit and eliminate allergen triggers in every area of a home.
Architecture/Urban Design:

Architect and artist Andrew Geller, “the architect of happiness,” is remembered for his unique, whimsical beach houses, including Pearlroth House, Elizabeth Reese House and the New York Hamptons Leisurama development. In Andrew Geller: Deconstructed (Glitterati Incorporated), Geller's grandson Jake Gorst has compiled two decades of interviews and a treasure trove of personal artifacts, including photographs and henceforth unpublished drawings by Geller.

Though a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright and a household name in country house architecture in the 20th century, Howard Van Doren Shaw was largely forgotten after his death in 1926. In Inventing the New American House: Howard Van Doren Shaw, Architecture (The Monacelli Press) Stuart Cohen takes a look at Shaw’s life and his many projects reflecting the theories of the Prairie School. From his Chicago practice, Shaw’s talents were commissioned by the leading industrialists of his time, including newspaper magnate Joseph Medill Patterson, Edward L. Ryerson of Ryerson Steel and printer Reuben H. Donnelley. Shaw also designed houses for the Lake Geneva and Hyde Park neighborhoods, the Lake Forest’s Market Square, and the first American shopping center that accommodated automobiles. His revolutionary methods for reinterpreting historic precedents for modern living influence traditionalists and modernists, and became a design hallmark of the period.

The new, expanded edition of Picturing Wright: An Album from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Photographer (The Monacelli Press) presents Frank Lloyd Wright’s life in photographs and is back in print after 20 years. Photographer Pedro E. Guerrero photographed Wright and his work from 1939, up to three weeks before his death. The candid shots of Wright and his work in process provide a unique, behind-the-scenes look at one of America’s most iconic architects.

↧

Benefit gala honors interior design greats, restoration efforts

March 13, 2015, 8:06 am

≫ Next: After 45 Years, Maya Romanoff rebrands as MAYA

≪ Previous: Hot of the press: 10 new design books to round out the season

The annual New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) Benefit Dinner took place on Tuesday, March 10 at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Plaza. At the sold-out event, designer Bunny Williams and antiques dealer John Rosselli received the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award, while architect Edmund Hollander and the New York Restoration Project were honored with the Thomas N. Armstrong III Award and the Green Design Award, respectively.
Alexa Hampton, Betsey Ruprecht, David Scott and Newell Turner served as benefit co-chairs for the evening, with a who’s-who of the design world in attendance for the celebration.

Bunny Williams and John Rosselli.

“[It’s] very moving, I’m very flattered,“ said Bunny Williams. “One of the most important things is to support education. In the design world, education is where it begins.”
“We were thrilled to recognize Bunny Williams, John Rosselli, Edmund Hollander, and the New York Restoration Project for their outstanding contributions to design,” said Patricia M. Sovern, chairman of the NYSID Board of Trustees. “Our benefit dinner, which supports scholarships for the designers of tomorrow, is one of the design community’s most anticipated annual events, and brings together leaders in the fields of architecture, interior design, and philanthropy.”

David Sprouls, Bunny Williams and Margaret Russell.
Williams has long been a trailblazer in the design world. Her classic yet unpredictable style as well as knowledge of decorative arts and skills as a designer earned her a place in the Interior Design Hall of Fame. Today, her works is featured internationally in newspapers and film, on television and online. She and husband Rosselli own Treillage, a shop offering antiques, ornaments, garden furniture and special accessories since 1991. Rosselli’s eponymous showroom in New York City has been a top resource for designers for over 50 years. His three additional showrooms in Washington, DC; Dania, Florida; and Chicago, Illinois have all developed their own loyal followings.

Jayne Michaels, Stacy McLaughlin, Joan Michaels and Amy Lau.

Miles Redd and Kate Kelly Smith.
"I felt so thrilled to be able to introduce John Rosselli (not to be confused with Bernardo Roselli, the Uruguayan chess master) and to present him with the New York School of Interior Design's well earned Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award," said Hampton. "He has gifted the design community with the spoils of his treasure seeking taste for so many years, providing us with the most beautiful objets, antiques, and smart reproductions besides, that to finally be able to give him something was a unique and special moment. He may have been the youngest of fourteen kids and the baby of his family; but, in our community, he is the ultimate beloved godfather, sprinkling us with his fairy dust."

Newell Turner and Betsey Ruprecht.
"It was a wonderful evening, high above New York in the famed Rainbow Room. Being honored by the New York School of Interior Design I felt that I had finally graduated!" said Rosselli.

Hollander is the president of Edmund Hollander Design, which encompasses landscape architects, environmental planners and horticulturists. He has previously been the president of the New York Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and was recently named a Fellow for the organization. The New York Restoration Project (NYRP) is a non-profit dedicated to the idea that all New Yorkers deserve beautiful, high-quality public space within walking distance. Founded by Bette Midler in 1995, the organization plants trees, renovates gardens, and restores parks across New York’s five boroughs.

Edmund Hollander, left. Alexa Hampton and Bunny Williams, right.
Also featured at the gala was the NYSID exhibition Rescued, Restored, Reimagined: New York’s Landmark Interiors, currently on view at the NYSID Gallery until April 24. The exhibition draws attention to the 50th anniversary of the New York Landmarks Law, and encourages an open discourse on the future of the city’s landmarks.
Also in attendance were several students, as guests of Donghia, Inc. and Amy Lau.
"I was fortunate to attend this year’s gala dinner and meet some of today’s most successful designers and industry leaders, a truly amazing and inspiring experience!" said NYSID student Krista Gurevich. "There was a moment during the benefit, as I looked around the room at all of these incredible designers, that I realized how lucky I am to be entering an industry that not only takes the time to honor the beautiful work of their colleagues, but also actively supports and encourages the future designers of tomorrow."
Photos by BFA NY, LLC.

↧

After 45 Years, Maya Romanoff rebrands as MAYA

March 16, 2015, 4:28 am

≫ Next: Pier 44, Neue Galerie among honored structures by women

≪ Previous: Benefit gala honors interior design greats, restoration efforts

Established in 1969 by the late, eponymous artist, decorative wallcoverings company Maya Romanoff is marking nearly half a century by rebranding as MAYA, a move that includes an overhaul of the company, a refreshed website and a new logo.

Maya website.
The brand renewal also marks the one-year anniversary of Romanoff’s passing. According to company president and Maya’s partner, Joyce Romanoff, the decision was made both to honor the legacy of company and look to the future.
“Maya taught us so much!” Joyce said. “In honor of his spirit and his legacy, we made the decision to change the company’s logo to just MAYA. At the 45th anniversary of our company, we are forging ahead with strength and a lawless sense of play worthy of our namesake—he would be thrilled to see us continue his legacy of creating beautiful, innovative materials.”
The new website includes a Gallery page highlighting professional installations of MAYA products all over the world.
“The [new] website was also designed with a clean, geometric aesthetic that complements the subtleties and nuances of our wallcoverings,” said Laura Romanoff, senior vice president of sales and marketing. “We are consistently blown away with the inventiveness and elegance of designers’ interpretations of our materials, and are excited to have this be a major portion of the new site.”

↧

Pier 44, Neue Galerie among honored structures by women

March 16, 2015, 4:52 am

≫ Next: The Shade Store opens first New Jersey showroom

≪ Previous: After 45 Years, Maya Romanoff rebrands as MAYA

In honor of Women’s History Month, the Center for Architecture is hosting the Built by Women NYC (BxW NYC) Exhibition.
BxW is a social and educational initiative that celebrates the many contributions of women to the built environment, to not only recognize and support women in these professions but also to provide students and current professionals strong role models and mentors.

Brooklyn Bridge Park. Photo by Etienne Frossard.
BxW NYC is an initiative by the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF), supported by grants from the New York Building Foundation and the New York Council for the Humanities. Last fall, the BWAF held a public competition for submissions of sites built by women. A jury of architectural, engineering and construction professions selected 98 sites designed, engineered or constructed by women. Each selection represented strong design, had historical or cultural significance or demonstrated social or community impact. Over the coming year, BWAF will host events to publicize these spaces, and walking tours, interactive maps and other educational materials will also be developed around the initiative.

The Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Photo by Chris Cooper.
Winning sites fell into the following categories: civic, commercial, cultural, institutional, landscape, mixed-use, transportation, urban design and residential. The Brooklyn Bridge Park, The High Line, Pier 44, Coney Island Hospital, Bronx Zoo Center for Global Conservation, Seven World Trade Center and Neue Galerie New York are just a few of the projects honored.

200 Eleventh Avenue. Photo by David Sundberg.
Jurors include architects Deborah Berke, Audrey Marlock, Andrea Leers and Joan Blumenfeld, architectural engineers Aine Brazil and Fiona Cousins, Cheryl McKissack Daniel, and landscape architect Laura Starr. Andrew Dolkart, Director of the Historic Preservation Program and Professor of Historic Preservation, Columbia University, served as an advisor to the jury.

African Burial Ground Interpretive Center. Photo by Lem Peterkin.
Beginning with New York City, BxW strives to profile and visually map women’s work across the US in order to raise awareness about spaces used for living, work and play. The free exhibition is open to the public for the duration of Women’s History Month, and runs from March 2 to April 11 at the Center for Architecture (536 Laguardia Place).

↧

The Shade Store opens first New Jersey showroom

March 16, 2015, 5:34 am

≫ Next: Lisa Perry turns to Schumacher for eveningwear collection

≪ Previous: Pier 44, Neue Galerie among honored structures by women

Following last week’s opening of its Midtown Manhattan flagship, The Shade Store opened its first New Jersey location in Paramus on Thursday, March 12.

“Establishing a New Jersey showroom was a top priority for us this year,” said Lisa McClelland, Vice President of Showrooms for The Shade Store. “We couldn’t be more excited about the space we’ve secured in one of Bergen Country’s most popular shopping plazas. It’s a beautiful location in a great community that we’re very much looking forward to serving.”

The more than 2,000-square-foot showroom features roller shades, solar shades, roman shades, drapery, wood blinds, woven wood shades, cellular shades, XL pleat shades, vertical systems, cornices and valances and drapery hardware. Also available are free swatches of over 900 materials.

The Shade Store team.

“This is really just the tip of the iceberg for us,” said McClelland. “We’re expanding across the country this year, doubling our showroom presence, and all the while we’ve improved on every aspect of the customer experience."
The Paramus showroom, the 22nd showroom opened by The Shade Store, is located in the Equinox Plaza, Unit 1-8, 776 Route 17. The showroom is open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Photos by Gaia Squarci for Editor at Large.

↧

Lisa Perry turns to Schumacher for eveningwear collection

March 16, 2015, 5:46 am

≫ Next: Rosanne Somerson accepts RISD presidency

≪ Previous: The Shade Store opens first New Jersey showroom

Known for ready-to-wear fashion that imbues the spirit of the ‘60s, designer Lisa Perry has teamed up with Schumacher to launch an eveningwear collection using the company’s fabrics, resulting in colorful, mod dresses and separates in classic, opulent fabrics.

Lisa Perry
“I have known of Schumacher fabrics since I was a little girl,” said Perry, whose family was in the home textile industry. “To be collaborating with them today feels totally right, and to see our first eveningwear collection in their rich, classic fabrics in our modern shapes, colors and details is thrilling.”

The 13-piece collection, which Perry describes as “eye-popping and completely unique,” features some of Schumacher’s most sought-after fabrics in Perry’s favorite shapes, such as the Serengeti circle pocket tunic ($895), Zebra Palm short sleeve gown ($1,795) and Les Gazelles Au Bois racer-back gown ($1,995). Tunics, dresses, gowns, skirts, pants and coats will retail for between $895 and $3,000.
“When Lisa Perry approached us about partnering with her, we couldn't have been more thrilled,” said Dara Caponigro, creative director at Schumacher. “Schumacher has had a rich history of collaborating with some of the best names out there, starting with fashion designer Paul Poiret in the 1920s. As creative director, one of my tasks is to bring Schumacher back to its roots as the premier home fashion brand.”

Left to Right: Serengeti Tigre, Les Gazelles Au Bois, Zebra Palm Linen Print.
As of Feb. 23, the collection is available for purchase exclusively at the Lisa Perry Madison Avenue boutique, Barneys New York in Beverly Hills, and at online. A portion of the proceeds of the collection sales will go to The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
“We've always had an eye for the cutting edge and a respect for classicism and this new partnership speaks to just that,” said Caponigro. “There is nothing extraneous about Lisa's designs; they are at once thoroughly modern and thoroughly elegant and completely right for today.”

↧

Rosanne Somerson accepts RISD presidency

March 16, 2015, 6:53 am

≫ Next: Luxe celebrates Gold List at Roche Bobois

≪ Previous: Lisa Perry turns to Schumacher for eveningwear collection

Furniture designer and educator Rosanne Somerson became the 17th president of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) last month. She has been a part of the RISD community for four decades, and interim president since Jan. 1, 2014.

Photo by Jo Sittenfeld for RISD.
The decision to name Somerson president came from an 11-member committee comprised of individuals from the RISD community, appointed by Board of Trustees Chair Michael Spalter.
“Her experiences as a RISD student, faculty member, department head, provost and interim president provide a depth of knowledge and almost instinctive understanding of the institution that no other candidate could match,” said Spalter. “She has also demonstrated the collaborative leadership style and informed vision RISD needs to expand its role in advancing global innovation in the 21st century.”
Though intent on studying photography when she arrived at RISD as a freshman, Somerson changed her focus after a woodworking course. “I was challenged as I never had been before,” said Somerson. “I was trying to find the right means of expression, and working in three dimensions was simpatico with my needs as an artist.”
She graduated with a BFA in Industrial Design in 1976, two decades before the school had a Furniture Design department.
Somerson became a leader in the field of studio furniture, as well as in art and design education. In 2011, she was named interim provost and accepted a permanent appointment in 2012. She became the interim president after the 16th president, John Maeda, left for a position in Silicon Valley.
Pushing through a campus master plan to improve studios, classrooms, student housing and administrative spaces was only one of Somerson's achievements as interim president. She also helped to articulate RISD's academic vision, Critical Making, Making Critical, which emphasizes immersive learning along with research, innovation, student engagement and diversity among RISD's academic priorities.
“I am honored to lead this institution, to build on its strong 138-year legacy and advance ambitious plans for facilities, programs and global partnerships,” said Somerson. “I know firsthand the value of an art and design education, and am confident that RISD’s model of immersive, studio-based learning has greater global impact and is more important and vital than ever.”

↧

Luxe celebrates Gold List at Roche Bobois

March 16, 2015, 10:45 am

≫ Next: Century parent to buy Hancock & Moore, 200 Steele

≪ Previous: Rosanne Somerson accepts RISD presidency

Editor in Chief of LUXE Interiors + Design magazine Pam Jaccarino hosted the annual LUXE Gold List honorees at Roche Bobois last week, complete with models dressed in gold dresses, a live band, a DJ and a photobooth where guests took fn photos in front of a gold, glittery background. The list included more than 400 architects, interior designers, home builders and landscape architects who graced the magazine’s pages over the last year.
The upbeat evening kicked off with a VIP hour for Gold List honorees only, and industry friends arrived afterwards. Part of the night's fun included a painting contest. About eight easels were set up and designers and guests could paint a design. The winner would recieve a Roche Bobois modular sofa with fabric featuring the winning design. About 600 people total attended the event.

Roche Bobois Commercial Director Adam El-Hout, Editor in Chief of Luxe Pam Jaccarino, Roche Bobois Communications Director Julien Bigen and Roche Bobois General Manager Pierre Berardo.
Attendees included Roche Bobois Communication Director Julien Bigan, designer Laura Bohn, Sandow CEO Adam I. Sandow, Roche Bobois Commercial Director Adam El-Hout, Mark Cravotta of Cravotta Interiors, Greg Dufner and Daniel Heighes of Dufner Heighes and Pierre Frey’s Patrick and Vincent Frey.

Designer Daniel Heighes, Pam Jaccarino and Designer Greg Dufner. Heighes and Dufner were Gold List honorees.

Katharina Plath of Head and Hand PR, Designer Laura Bohn and Mimi Faucett, market editor at Luxe.

Pam Jaccarino with Vincent Frey (left) and Patrick Frey of Pierre Frey.
Gold List Honorees included: Carmiña Roth, Carmiña Roth Interiors, LLC; John Bilotti, High Woods Restoration Co.; Thomas Kligerman, Ike Kligerman Barkley; Jen Going, Jen Going Interiors; Kara Mann, Kara Mann Design; Brendan Schwartz, Kwinter & Co.; Mark Bento, Mark Bento Construction; Steve Chrostowski, Alveary Architecture; Ellen Marshall, Ellen Marshall Gardens; Sheldon Harte, Harte, Brownlee & Associates, Inc.; Laura Bohn, Laura Bohn Interiors; Mark Cravotta, Cravotta Interiors; Britt Tanner, Britt Taner Design; Melissa Werner and Cass Smith, CCS Architecture; Dara Rosenfeld, Dara Rosenfeld Design; Patrick Dragonette, Dragonette LTD.; Carola Hinojosa, Hinojosa Design; Om Mandar Khrjekar, hord | coplan | macht; Marshall Erb and Mia Gargiulo, Marshall Erb Design, Inc.; Neil Bradford, Neil Bradford Design; Raymond Jimenez; Robyn Morgenstern Rosenblatt; Steve Rugo, Rugo/Raff; Shazalynn Calin-Winfrey, SCW Interiors, LLC; Kara Smite, SFA Design; Natalie van Zelm, Urban Eco Design; Allen Kirsch, Allen Kirsch Design; J. Foster Lyons, Horizon Builders; Joseph Kremer, Joseph Kremer Incorporated Interior Design; Nikal Conti and Robert Conti, PHX Architecture; Dana Lyon and Scott Fey, Palm Design Group; Alberto Villalobos, Villalobos Design; Stephen Muse and Farideh Muse, Muse Architects; Greg Dufner and Daniel Heighes, Dufner Heighes; David Rogal, Vicinte Wolf; Kevin Harris, Kevin Harris Architect; David Odishoo, David O. Inc. and Stuart Silk, Stuart Silk Architects.

Gold List honoree designer Shazalynn Calin-Winfrey and guest.

Photos by Matthew Carasella and Patrick Butler.

↧

Century parent to buy Hancock & Moore, 200 Steele

March 16, 2015, 4:52 pm

≫ Next: Kravet family to be honored at Kips Bay President’s Dinner

≪ Previous: Luxe celebrates Gold List at Roche Bobois

The parent company of Century Furniture and Highland House Furniture, RHF Investments, has agreed to acquire all the assets of Hancock & Moore and Jessica Charles and select assets from Thomas & Gray and Councill Furniture. In addition, it will acquire the 200 Steele building in High Point, NC, which houses these brands among others. The transaction is expected to be finalized later this spring.

Hancock & Moore display
“The combination of Hancock & Moore with Century Furniture has just felt right from day one. The two companies think alike and both pride themselves on strong foundations of quality craftspeople,” said Jack Glasheen, CEO of Hancock & Moore, Jessica Charles.

200 Steele Building
“Hancock & Moore is the finest Leather Upholstery Manufacturer in the country and I’ve spent my career appreciating the quality and integrity they build into their products. I can speak for my family and the Century team in saying that we see this as gaining new members to our family,” said Alex Shuford, III, President of Century Furniture. “The synergies between the two companies are too numerous to list; from the Cabot Wrenn opportunity in commercial furnishings to Century’s expertise in complex logistics, I can’t wait to begin exploring the possibilities.”

Jessica Charles display
Jack Glasheen, Jimmy Moore and Tim Rogers, the current owners of Hancock & Moore, Jessica Charles, will remain with the combined company in executive roles. Sales representation and distribution for both companies is not expected to change as a result of the acquisition.
Photos courtesy of Lennon.com.

↧

Kravet family to be honored at Kips Bay President’s Dinner

March 16, 2015, 7:29 am

≫ Next: Kate Spade adds furniture, rugs and textile lines

≪ Previous: Century parent to buy Hancock & Moore, 200 Steele

The Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club will celebrate a milestone 100 years at its annual President’s Dinner, on Wednesday, April 1, hosted by Architectural Digest and Kravet, Inc. The annual gala will raise funds for local youth while honoring the Kravet family of Kravet, Inc. and celebrating the 43rd year of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House.

Larry, Lisa, Cary and Utta Kravet.
Dinner Chairs Margaret Russell and Bunny Williams will join Board of Trustees President James P. Druckman and dinner vice-chairs Jamie Drake, Alexa Hampton, Richard Mishaan and Christopher Spitzmiller in welcoming guests to the black-tie event at Cipriani. Simon Doonan will emcee the event, which is sponsored by Elizabeth Bradley Home and the New York Design Center. After cocktails and a seated dinner, members of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club will perform top songs from the past 100 years.

Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Chorus, 2014.
The President’s Dinner is a prelude to the Kips Bay Decorator Show House, the organizations largest annual fundraising event. Proceeds from the dinner provide after-school and enrichment programs to more than 12,000 young people at 10 locations across the Bronx. The Kips Bay Decorator Show House is a month-long exhibition that attracts over 20,000 visitors annually.
For ticket information, call 718-893-8600 ext. 245 or look online.

The Kips Bar Boys & Girls Club President's Dinner 2014.
Photos by David X. Prutting for BFA NYC.

↧

Kate Spade adds furniture, rugs and textile lines

March 16, 2015, 7:55 am

≫ Next: Exhibition shows how design effects change in Africa

≪ Previous: Kravet family to be honored at Kips Bay President’s Dinner

Kate Spade & Company announced that it would be expanding its home category offerings through four new licensing agreements under the Kate Spade New York brand. Collections will debut between May 2015 and spring 2016, and will be carried by a range of retailers, interior design showrooms and on online.
"We are intently focused on our two key axes of growth—product category expansion and geographic expansion—and reaching customers across our four category pillars: women's, men's, children's and home,” said Craig A. Leavitt, CEO of Kate Spade & Company. “This robust expansion of home decor offerings under the Kate Spade New York brand is an important step toward our vision of becoming a powerful, global, multichannel lifestyle brand."
New collaborations include the manufacture and distribution of bedding and bath products by DWI Holdings, furniture by EJ Victor, fabric and wallpaper by Kravet and rugs by Jaipur.

Signature Spade and Larabee Road, Kate Spade New York by Lennox. Courtesy of Lennox.
The new collections will complement existing collections, such as the table linens and kitchen textiles made with Town & Country Living and the stationary and gifting collection made with Lifeguard Press. Kate Spade & Company is also expanding its license with Lenox to include a Kate Spade New York housewares collection featuring food prep items, cookware and bakeware, named All in Good Taste and available in August 2015.

↧