To Market, To Market

The Decorator and Design Building in New York hosted its 2014 Fall Market this week.  Great presentations, product launches, book parties and lots of design tips!

The event kicked off (for me anyway) on Wednesday morning at a keynote presentation by New York Magazine’s Design Editor Wendy Goodman and designers Lydia Marks and Lisa Franz.  If you like Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada, that is Marks and Franz set design!

Wendy spoke to the designers about how working in film, television, fashion and design helps this duo create extradordinary interiors and sets for all of their projects, including their new furniture launch for Lewis Mittman Atelier.

Their new furniture line is “refined traditional” with a twist.  It was important to the designers to create something with the perfect pitch, that was comfortable and timeless.  Also the right scale.  Not oversized, but not too small either.  Wendy Goodman was a fabulous MC and it was so much fun to hear Marks and Franz tell stories about their FUN projects!  I didn’t want it to end.

  
Next, I wandered over to a fireside chat with Bunny Williams and Alexa Hampton.

Chesney’s has introduced beautiful fireplaces by both of these interior designers.  Modern and chic, with gorgeous accessories.  Bunny Williams told the audience that she sees the trend moving toward gas fireplaces.  She has converted all of her own fireplaces over to gas and left one wood burning fireplace in her barn.  Bunny also thinks the decor on the mantle should always be changing, as it is the focus of the room.  Not static.  Like mine….  Rut row.

 Over to Farrow and Ball to see their new wallpaper launch.

Inspired by the ties between traditional Japanese craftsmanship and British design, Farrow and Ball launched four new wallpaper patterns this fall.

Love the subtle designs and soft colors.  Beautiful.

Madeline Stuart, an LA based interior and furniture designer, gave a fabulous presentation about who and what inspires her.  She took the audience through a stunning slide presentation of what influences her vision.  Among them, rooms designed by legendary designers Frances Elkins, David Hicks and Billy Baldwin.

Some other inspirations for her beautiful designs are fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, painters El Greco and Edward Hopper, singer David Bowie  and – my favorite – the movie “All About Eve.”  Her furniture line came out of client’s requests for specific designs in their home.  Fabulous.

The Intersection of Fashion and Design was a lively panel discussion with fashion designer Ralph Rucci, interior designer Julia Buckingham and LA Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising VP, Barbara Bundy.

Vogue’s Home Editor, Mieke ten Have, moderated the topic about how fashion and home design influence each other in so many aspects of color, texture and design.

Ralph Rucci designed a chair from a couture dress for Holly Hunt.  Julia Buckingham textured a hallway after seeing the picture of Audrey Hepburn (above).  An interesting comment from the audience asked why home design does not seem to influence fashion in the same way fashion influences the home.  Hmmmm……

the wry home