NYC in May…and the ICFF show

This weekend I was in NYC for some business, and pleasure. My husband wasn’t suppose to be there for the weekend, but ended up being in the city week before me with work. We stayed at the Carlton Hotel on 29th and Madison, designed by David Rockwell; a hotel that looked great on the website, but like many, the front desk service was poor. The beds were VERY uncomfortable, but it was well designed, and they did have a large bathroom with a bathtub. This time I spied the Library Hotel, close to Grand Central Station; I loved the location, and the building. I will check out for my next trip.

We did some shopping at some of my favourite shops…Talbots and Macy’s. I bought some new dresses, and my hubby was there to give me his thumbs up or down. Why do we care what they think? I don’t know. We spent some time in the Flatiron district, which I found very charming. There were these statues of men in bronze…one at the intersection square of the Flatiron building at ground level, and many more installed on the tops of buildings…it was fun to look up and spot them all over the neighbourhood.

The International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Javitz Center was great…I had never been, and want to shout out to all of the Vancouver companies exhibiting: Brent Comber, who I finally had a chance to meet, even know I have specified his reclaimed wood products many times. A side note with Mr. Combers work…Brian and I ate at Dos Cominos the night before, around the corner from the Carlton. Brent told me he worked with Yabu Pushelberg (a Toronto firm) to produce the lighting plan for this restaurant, as well as the other Dos Cominos in Las Vegas. Christian Woo was there, with his wood and lacquered pieces, as well as the Molo wall crew, who showed their cloud lanterns for the first time, in full configuration. They are known for their paper wall systems.

 

The lighting at Dos Cominos by Brent Comber and Molo Wall, both from Vancouver and exhibited at the ICFF

 

White veneer lanterns from Lzf of Spain and corrugated cardboard pendants from graypants out of Seattle.

Amuneal from Philadelphia did this metal flower installation, which was 8’ high, each flower being 18”wide…stunning.

I found the show colourful, green, and innovative. Lets start with colour: the Corian colour selections were amazing, and so was the '’tube” you walk through to view their translucent samples. You can add imagery and texture, and play with the translucency and thickness of your design. You saw colour as you came down the escalator, but also noticed the push for responsible design. I talk about the triangle of green design often, which I feel, not only includes the product itself, but how it is manufactured and transported. There is still another corner to this (making it a square I would guess), and that is the lifetime of the product, and how often you will be replacing it over the years. Hastens mattresses are a great example of this. Here is me pushing this long needle through the mattress with the help of their master construction technician from Sweden. The innovation came in many forms…design schools showed amazing forward thinking design, there was a focus on  lighting technology, like LED and fibre optics that were dynamic, with touch and smart computerized technology. Walls, ceilings, floors and other surfaces that respond to us as users is quite innovative in my book.

That needle is pointed on both ends…ouch! I’m trying not to lose a finger, while hand stitching a Hastens mattress…as the master tech looks on, of course! They are made of organic cotton, wool and horsehair, which is curled first. Every one by hand.

   

Jackie from Jackie Blue Home

Jackie from Jackie Blue Home and I ran into each other at the show, and I met her daughter, Angelica, who is also going to school for Interior Design. She is as sweet as she sounds on her blog…we took a couple of pics, and I was off to meet my hubby. We ended up walking up 8th Ave., where there was a really large street fair, with music, food and shopping. I grabbed a cup of fresh watermelon chunks, and people watched for a half hour of so. This little girl was dancing in the street to the Spanish music vibe, with a smile from ear to ear, and a melting ice cream cone in her hand. That evening, my business coach, my husband and I had a wonderful meal at our favourite Italian antipasto bar, Figerellos across from Lincoln Center.

The 8th Ave Street fair I came across walking from the Javitz Center and ICFF to the Lincoln Center neighbourhood…that’s people right to the end of the perspective…wow.

The next day, after my morning meeting, I went to see Francine Gardner for lunch, and to see her new showroom, Interieurs on E59th. She really is an amazing talent, and the showroom is now positioned on the same block as the D and D center, the A and D center and many showrooms to the trade. I visited a few, like B Berger and Ann Sacks. Interieurs has a wonderful back deck space, and a great line of outdoor furniture.

Cooper Hewlitt is undergoing a renovation, but I took time to see the Triennial Exhibit, featuring innovative and socially responsible design. It was small, but powerful…check out the website here. That day I must have walked a hundred blocks, but I couldn’t have asked for better weather…I’m so used to really hot days and humidity in NYC, that it was a relief, and made it possible for me to walk everywhere. I wish I was coming back in time to see the bamboo exhibit at the Met…that is going to be so cool!

The last night I spent at my husband’s airport hotel near JFK, and waited for a Cathay Pacific flight that was late leaving, and got me home at about 3am. yuk…the only sucky part of going to NYC.

So it’s been an action packed week…a couple of new rendering commissions, some good news on the publishing front (can’t wait to share), some very inspirational emails from students of ID who have discovered my blog,  and meeting some amazing blogger/designers during a whirlwind trip to the city.

I’ve had some inquires about my rendering videos…yes, the first one is coming soon! My apologies, as paid work takes priority at the moment. We are in the middle of voice-overs.…I hope to have it out soon.