Miami Design District

    I was recently in Miami and visited the Miami Design District. I frequent this area once in a while. If you never have been there, and wind up in Miami,  check it out. It is different from the design center in NYC, because in NY most of the "trade" showrooms are in a few high rise buildings. One of them is of course the D&D building and the other is NYDC. There is also the A&D building, and a few others that are smaller.
   However in Miami it is all spread out within a few blocks. There are many store fronts which feel more like charming shops, parts are also in larger buildings but there is an almost quaint European feeling to the place. Most of the showrooms are shops with ground floor windows. A few of the places were new to me.. One was Bobby Berk Home (great for kids)  the other one that I thought had great style was Uzca... Take a look... I hope you have a wonderful 2012!!!

ANKASA

      People always ask me "where are your favorite places to shop?"  One of my favorite places is Ankasa, www.anaska.com . They just opened a new retail store on Madison Ave. between 87th & 88th streets. They carry mostly high-end  accessories, pillows, lighting and small pieces of furniture.. They have a very glamorous look, their merchandise always intrigues me. Ankasa's pillows always look handmade. They use wonderful textiles, like cashmere and lace, skins and embroidery... Their products would help finish off any room in your house, check them out the next time you are in the Upper East side of Manhattan.. Happy Holidays!!!! Enjoy!! 

ELEGANT DINING

  With the holiday season already upon us, I thought it was apropos to discuss setting a table for the holidays. I always go for very dramatic tables. For me setting the table is as much fun as actually eating, if not more. For the holidays I always take out my "best" china and silverware. There is nothing more festive...
  BUT... things have changed lately. There are beautiful tabletop items to buy for the holiday table without spending a lot of money. This dining room is a project that was just completed. It is an elegant dining room made for entertaining. The walls in this dining room were upholstered for a feeling of warmth and drama. The chandelier, sconces, and mirror are all vintage pieces.  The server as well as the dining table were custom made... we waited almost a year for the rug. 
  However, for the photo shoot I ran right over to one of my favorite sources for great style (without the big price tag). www.crateandbarrel.com/ I bought the place-mats, dishes, goblets, napkins and napkin holders all at Crate and Barrel. The silverware was my Grandma's ( but I am sure there is gold flatware out there somewhere...) 
  What I am trying to say is: decorative items can be mixed, some things are antiques while others just look very high end. Good design does not have to be very expensive...it just has to have great style...Another wonderful place to shop for table decor is estate sales . Don't forget the flowers.... Enjoy the holidays...   

RECIPE BLOG

One of my favorite clients , Nicole has just launched a new recipe blog" Nibbles by Nic" . I was lucky enough to be invited to the party of this new endeavor. Nicole filled her newly decorated (by me) dining room with the most delectable tasting menu. 

Her food was seriously delicious.  Her menu was a fall medley of pre Thanksgiving tastes. I loved the Grandma Jane's Thanksgiving Squash as well as the Old fashioned Corn Pudding. All the food was so colorful... 

Her desserts were equally as yummy... Nicole writes about meals that are fun, easy, as well as fast to prepare. The best thing about Nicole's food is how passionate she is about it, that passion translates into great taste! 


Here are some photos of last night's party!  Enjoy!!


Check out her new blog: www.nibblesbynic.com

INTERIOR DESIGN CAMP NYC

      My very good friend and new (venture partner) Susan Morrow and I have just launched a new business. Interior Design Camp NYC, Inc.  Since we both have been inundated by young people around the country asking for advise on how to get into the Interior Design field, we have decided to run a camp for teenagers 15-18 years old. 


There will be two (one week) sessions starting in August 2012. 


Kids will come to NYC with a parent or guardian and stay with family, or in a nearby hotel. 


Our sessions will be Monday -Friday 10:00-4:00PM, with an end of the week competition, and celebration. 


The week will comprise of seminars by professionals in the field, visits to all the principal showrooms and leading design centers and a tour and seminar of the prominent New York School Of Interior Design. 


By the end of the week the campers will have a much greater understanding of this field after exploring the industry from the inside out....  Save the date...


We will start taking reservations December 1, 2011..  


Please check out our web site for more details...


 INTERIORDESIGNCAMPNYC.COM       1-855-CAMP-NYC     

"CECIL BEATON & THE 1930's"

  On Thursday evening Sept. 15, I was invited to a very interesting event at the NYDC. It was an exhibition of Beaton images and evening gowns created by Chanel, and other very high profile fashion designers that Cicil Beaton photographed in the 1930's . His photographs were produced in magazines such as Vouge. British born Beaton (1904-1980) was very talented in many aspects of the arts including stage sets for ballets and illustrations.  The full presentation will be at The Museum of The City of New York from October 25, 2011 - February 20, 2012 This was just a small preview of his incredible work....

FALL IS IN THE AIR

                                                  

     No matter how much I love the spring and summer, it is time to admit that Fall is now in the air. The first thing I do when I realize that the seasons are changing is get myself into all the high end clothing stores. I always get my inspiration from high end clothing for my interior design business. Color, texture, fabric selection, hardware, pattern it's all here. I hope you are inspired by the following photos too.  Enjoy! 

QR CUSTOM DESIGNS

A brand new web site just launched, that I think has incredible potential to the way we market ourselves. 

QR (Quick Response) Custom designs features clothing and products with custom codes that give people the ability to simply scan information specific to that unique code. Quick Response is a new method of advertisement, offering a new level of interaction with the public. Instead of putting a lengthy web address on a shirt or business card, all the customer has to do is apply a symbol (that looks a bit like a barcode) to their advertisement. The public can then easily scan the code using their smart-phone camera and a free application, and Voila! the information they need is at their fingertips.  Each product is custom made and designed specifically for your style. I’ve already ordered new business cards and tote bags for my company! Granted, not all products appeal to all consumers, but this is definitely a great new tool to get yourself out there to the masses. It could even lead to a revolution in the marketing world.

Check it out!

Website: http://www.qrcustomdesigns.com/#!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/QR-Custom-Designs/136741283082363

ART NOUVEAU AT THE MET

Here is a great example of Art Nouveau (French for 'New Art') used in Interior Design. What you're looking at is a fireplace surround that is capturing the true essence of nature itself. The beautiful ceramic glass uses colors that are found outdoors. Unlike most fireplaces that are characterized by harsh 90 degree angles, this surround only uses soft curves -- just like you'd find in a natural environment. Personally, I find it amazing that an artist can take a hard material, like ceramic, and imbue it with such flowing lines, reminding us of waves -- the tide coming in. Most importantly, the focal point is a mask representing humanity.  Art Nouveau celebrates the relationship between humanity and her environment.
This style is best used in rooms that are meant to make us feel welcome.  Although this piece looks harsh standing on a bare wall, it would be right at home in an Bohemian hotel with young Parisians sitting nearby arguing passionately, wine glasses in hand. Perhaps a beautiful accent to this grand surround could be a classic candelabra (Beauty and the Beast style) with a piece of art by Gustav Klimt --perfect for above the mantle. If this is the taste you desire, then Art Nouveau is exactly what you're looking for!

Attributed to: Desire Muller( French, 1877-1952) French Luneville, ca.1900 Glazed Stoneware

Alexander McQueen Exhibit

“You’ve got to know the rules to break them. That’s what I’m here for, to demolish the rules but to keep the tradition.” -Alexander McQueen

I was lucky enough to find myself at the Alexander McQueen Exhibit in New York last week. “Savage Beauty” was the theme of the show and it definitely lived up to its name. Of course the always fabulous Metropolitan Museum of Art is where the exhibit was shown. A show that features pieces entitled “Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims” and “It’s a Jungle Out There” is sure to raise a few eyebrows — and that it did! It was definitely a “savage” show, but it was undoubtedly beautiful as well.  

Each gallery of McQueen’s collection had its own room and corresponding theme — giving each room its own unique ambiance. The overall purpose of the exhibit was to celebrate McQueen’s life and productions through the years. The designer always pushed the envelope when it came to his art and that was evident last week at the Met. There were about one hundred outfits and over seventy accessories on display that he created throughout his career. It was a great opportunity for me to see each and every ensemble up close. Luckily I got a chance to snap a few photos, as well.

The show runs until August 7. Be sure to check it out!

New York Design Center

As you may know, The New York Design Center, or more commonly referred to as “200 Lex” asked me to be a part of their new Access to Design service. 200 Lex, 16 floors of designer exclusive showrooms, is now being opened up to the public through the Access to Design program. This great new service gives anyone the ability to sign up online or simply walk right in off the street. Consumers are paired up with an interior designer to help them gain access to the buildings great resources, and to help them choose the best furniture, fabric and accessories for their home.

(Interested? Sign up at: http://www.nydc.com/www/design_services.php )

Access to Design also has a number of interesting partnerships. Specifically, it’s partnered with an AOL blog called Shelter Pop. When the New York Design Center called me and asked me to share a photo of my work, I jumped at the chance! I thought, “what a great opportunity!” The title of the blog was “Home Remedy: How to Stay Healthy” which instantly brought to mind the story of one of my recent clients. The kitchen I designed and installed changed her and her husband’s life for the better!

Read all about it:

http://www.shelterpop.com/2011/07/25/how-to-stay-healthy/

ANN GISH IN THE FLATIRON DISTRICT

      I was lucky enough to know about Ann Gish bedding for a long time. I always introduced my clients to Ann's exceptional bedding line. In the past I had to drag my clients all the way up to her warehouse  or just show them the website. Now Ann Gish has opened a retail store at 4 West 20th Street, in the Flatiron District. Ann is a very talented lady with a super incredible eye for style and quality. She has stocked the store with the most gorgeous bedding, pillows, lingerie and even some furniture and lighting... All ARE TO DIE FOR.....

Images by New York Interior Design