I am so honored and pleased to announce that I was chosen as a 2012 New England Home Magazine 5 Under 40 Award Winner for Interior Design! Receiving this recognition from one of my favorite publications has certainly been a highlight of my year. Thursday night I attended a special winners’ reception at the Landry and Arcari Showroom in Boston and felt very humbled to find myself in great company!
Each year, the 5 Under 40 award focuses on up and coming talent in the areas of architecture, interiors, furniture, and home design products and accessories. Winners are chosen by a committee of regional design leaders, and are “people to watch, producing some of the most innovative and beautiful work available today.” At a celebratory event in Boston on Thursday, April 26, the winners were officially announced.
John Day and Me
Winners with NEH Editor-in-Chief Kyle Hoepner and Publisher Kathy Bush-Dutton
New England Home Magazine’s July/August issue will also announce the complete winners list and the September/October issue will feature profiles of the 2012 winners in a special magazine section as a prelude to the September 13 awards celebration.
As part of the awards celebration in September, an auction will be held featuring custom rugs designed by each of the 5 Under 40 winners. Proceeds from the auction benefit Barakat, Inc., a Cambridge, Mass.–based charity promoting educational opportunities for women and children in central and south Asia. Sponsored by Landry and Arcari, the auction promises to be a really fun event showcasing some extremely creative designs.
Display of my rug design
Texture and layering is a signature element of my design aesthetic. The area rug was designed with that in mind, taking an antique sumac construction fabricated from wool and layering the large scale Moroccan pattern in silk. Two very simple elements, yet a complex overall design pattern. The Moroccan tile originated in the 10th century; always inspired and influenced by the past, I wanted to incorporate a sense of history in my design choice. The rug is made up of two colors, cream and chocolate brown. Initially, I struggled to insert a bold, vibrant hue which is familiar with the Moroccan tiles, however, I always found myself returning to a monochromatic palette. This color selection is a true representation of what I gravitate towards. I decided to finish the rug with a leather bound border. This added element makes you aware of something unexpected and adds a slight modern twist to a traditional design.
