International Contemporary Furniture Fair

This past weekend I went to the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Javits Convention Center in NYC.

This past weekend I went to the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Javits Convention Center in NYC.  Now in its 26th year, the ICFF draws close to 30,000 visitors who browse over 600 exhibitors.  Since I missed the last ICFF, I was so glad to be able to attend this year.  The ICFF is completely inspirational to me!  I don’t understand how other people can go to this event and only buy one or two things.  I just want to hoard everything and not share new sources, but at the same time I want others to be inspired by all of amazing products I saw.

From innovative items to re-imagined classics and even archived elements that have been brought back to life, the ICFF had aisle upon aisle of products that left me feeling energized.  I saw so many artisans from Brooklyn and a ton of great items that I can’t wait to use in the right environment.  Here are my favorite finds from the ICFF.

These new Trove wall coverings, printed on foil, look so beautiful in person.

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I love this amazing outdoor sculpture and bench by Atelier Vierkant.  I am absolutely crazy for these organic objects and vessels.  The sheer scale of their products is unbelievable.

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Tibetano has a great range of rugs.Amy Aidinis Hirsch ICFF 7Amy Aidinis Hirsch ICFF 6Amy Aidinis Hirsch ICFF 5

This is one of the sources I am tempted not to share but keep all for myself!  This collection by Gilles Caffier of Paris is handmade and each piece is a work of art.

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There was a ton of Danish inspired furnishings throughout the show.  These pieces by Vitra were so comfortable!  The Petit Repos is a cool swivel chair, super good for kids spaces.  The Grand Repos – it’s not your grandfathers recliner.

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I am seriously obsessed with this tile from Walker Zanger, especially the chevron pattern.  It would make a cool kitchen floor, mudroom, or handsome master bath.  I can’t wait to use this!

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Heated outdoor furniture by Galanter and Jones – can you believe it!  This is absolutely the best find of the day.  It would be amazing for my Montana project.

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Textiles by Hiroko Takeda, a beautiful company who uses alpaca kid wool and silk, woven to your specification and oh so luscious to the touch.

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Talk about an endless amount of choices to make your head spin!  Cosmopolitan Glass is a very cool company from Brooklyn – this is how creativity starts!

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Bernhardt Design is a staple in the design world.  Beautifully crafted!

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I cannot wait to incorporate many of these finds into my designs!

Artist Marc Harrold

I found myself mesmerized by the sleekness of Marc Harrold’s photography at the Samuel Owen Gallery.

Typically, I am late for everything and recently on my mad dash to get lunch I stumbled into the Samuel Owen Gallery. With absolutely no time to spare, I found myself mesmerized by the sleekness of some photography at the gallery.  I knew the artwork would be perfect for a project I’m working on in Southampton.

From the gallery I learned the artist behind these fascinating images is Marc Harrold from Paris, France.  To create his photos, Marc purposely overdevelops the images then selectively adds color back into the images.  The photographs are back mounted with 1/4″ UV acrylic with an aluminum backing to hold them rigid.  On the back of each photo is a cleat with a coordinating wall piece which allows the photo to rest flat against the wall.  The resulting artwork appears to float over the wall.

Marc primarily photographs beach scenes in his native France.  The wide spaces in his large-format prints combine with the brightness of the over-exposure, and prominent and sweeping horizon line, truly evoke the feeling of being at the beach with the sun in your eyes and feeling that you can see all the way to the edge of the world.

Later that day I actually had a meeting with my Southampton client and expressed my interest in the artwork of Marc’s I had seen earlier.  She perked right up and said, “I saw the same thing!” and we both were totally excited like two 5 year old children!

Art is so difficult to choose for a client.  It is just one of those things people have a very visceral  reaction to, sentimental and expressive of one’s personal reflection.  I can’t wait to install this artwork for my client; it is going to totally set the overall feeling of the house!
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Of his own work, Marc says, “‘I take photos of places at different times of the day, sometimes randomly, to emphasize the interaction between the light and the shade, the effect of time on the beauty of the instant. This way, probable or more unlikely encounters unveil the invisible from the visible. My photos are a reflection on the fickleness of people, of things. Signs that draw their way through light and shadow. Aestheticism is important to me to carry my thoughts and feelings.  My work is not intended to carry any specific message, but rather to share an emotion that is magnified by the experience of the observer.”

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It’s difficult to do this artwork any justice on a computer screen!  To see more examples of Marc Harrold’s photography, including detailed images, visit Samuel Owen Gallery or look them up on Facebook.