Winter Furniture Market

	Before arriving at California Home + Design magazine three years ago, associate editor Jennie Nunn worked as the assistant editor of 7x7. Her work has also appeared in San Francisco, Surface and Los Angeles magazines, and online at DailyCandy.com.		CH+D assistant editor Erin Feher takes pleasure in running obscene distances, making good use of bike lanes and obsessively feathering her nest in downtown SF; for the well-being of all involved, her credit card isn’t invited on her excursions to the SF Design Center.
	CH+D executive editor Sarah Lynch has attended enough furniture fairs, design markets and gift shows to offer a few tradeshow survival tips. "Every year, I wear my new favorite heels and carry a big tote bag that I inevitably stuff with free pens and samples of really heavy materials. As a result, I accept the first glass of wine I'm offered and by 8 or 9 pm, I have to go home while everyone else heads out to fabulous after-parties. This year, I've got a new plan ... Stay tuned."

 
Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Design It Forward

After I spent the day catering to my covetous tendencies, taking in all the drool-worthy new pieces and over-the-top parties, I was excited to end Friday night at Design It Forward, a charity event held at the Galleria Atrium and benefiting Philanthropy By Design.

I got to learn about this amazing organization a couple months ago while writing a story for CH+D’s January issue on its latest project with the International Interior Design Association. Together, their team of volunteers, which include interior designers, manufacturers, contractors and architects, is giving San Francisco’s largest homeless shelter a face-lift. The ambitious project’s budget got a boost from the night’s events, which included performances by Trapeze World (yes, that’s why those gentleman were half dressed), a raffle and the best food spread of the day—mussels, crab cakes, garlic potatoes, fruit filled crepes and, my fave, vanilla bean gelato.

Trapeze World performers

Jill Schnaps & Jason Jackson

Jason Jackson, PBD event coordinator, hosted the night alongside Jill Schnaps, director of events for the SFDC. And thankfully, everyone was feeling charitable—Scott Palmer of Scott Palmer photography provided me with these great images of the night.

Posted by Erin Feher, on January 30, 2008 at 10:35 AM, PDT EMAIL THIS | LINK TO THIS


Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Enter: The Web

The Web sure has changed my job. In just the past week, I was torn from the comforts of producing a monthly print magazine and tossed into the lion’s den that is the blog world. On assignment to cover the Winter Furniture Market, I had to attend, document and report back on the events within 24 hours. Where I once had weeks to fine-tune my final product, the breakneck speed of blogging offers no such luxury. And honestly, I can’t say I excelled at my new task: My day-of coverage turned into two-and-three-days-later coverage and the dozens of pictures I took mysteriously disappeared from my memory card, forcing me to beg, borrow and steal images from other attendees. (Thanks to Timoni Grone from Decorati for all these great shots!)





But I learned that the Web has entered my industry in more productive ways as well. The folks from the innovative online design resource, Decorati.com, organized and hosted a great panel discussion at the Shears & Windows showroom. They wrangled a truly amazing cast of designers to weigh in, including Ted Boerner, Martha Angus, Lisa Jasper and Agnes Bourne. The anecdotes were a highlight: interior designer Lawanna Cathleen Endonino told us about a client who frequents design sites and fills her inbox with images of his favorite pieces and looks, while Agnes Bourne, who relocated to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, said that she uses the internet for all her shopping and sourcing because “frankly, where I live, there are no stores.”

Agnes Bourne and Ted Boerner	Lawanna Cathleen Endonino

Appropriately, Shane Reilly, CEO of Decorati, moderated the event. Her website, based here in SF, digitizes hundreds of manufacturer catalogs from top showrooms and features an expanding photo library of completed designer projects, which are all searchable by style, room and keyword. No more misplaced manila folders stuffed with torn-out magazine pages of your favorite rooms. Now if only I could master my digi-camera …

Posted by Erin Feher, on January 29, 2008 at 5:59 PM, PDT EMAIL THIS | LINK TO THIS



Tuesday, January 29, 2008

A Brand New Vibe

Parker Suede	Ashbury Powder Blue	Oval Orbit Blue

A cold and very rainy day made the comfy (and tasty) offerings inside the showrooms all the more desirable last Friday. I started off the morning at Walker Zanger, where not only was I pleasantly surprised by the attractive goody bags and the chicken salad sandwiches (with raisins!) but also by the presence of Leon Zanger, founder and CEO of the venerable tile and stone company.

A slide show presentation, given by VP of sales Mike Bastone, went over how the stone travels from the quarry to our homes. And while I knew it had to be a tough process, Mike’s images of quarries from around the world—granite in Brazil, limestone in Portugal and travertine in Turkey—and the school-bus-sized machines it takes to slice through the gigantic blocks, gave me fresh perspective on why Walker Zanger’s tiles and custom-cut natural stone are in such high demand in the design world. The company has employees on-site at nearly every stage of the process, selecting only the best quality stone, even custom matching colors to pieces already installed in homes worldwide.

And while towering white marble columns won’t likely find a spot in my 500-square-foot condo, the colorful, graphic porcelain and ceramic tile designs from its brand new Vibe Mosaics Collection (pictured here) caught my eye immediately.  It seems the hottest styles these days are taking a cue from the past, and these tiles are no exception. Inspired by the retro designs of the ’60s and ’70s, they come complete with clever names referencing pop-culture’s past—from Ashbury (our very own famed intersection) to Andy (Warhol, that is)—and are available in colors such as Shag Green, Powder Blue and Boogie Brown.

Posted by Erin Feher, on January 29, 2008 at 3:16 PM, PDT EMAIL THIS | LINK TO THIS


Saturday, January 26, 2008

 

Troscan Design       

Deirdre Jordan, co-founder of Chicago-based furniture company Troscan Design, began her presentation on Friday at the De Sousa Hughes showroom highlighting the history of the company and their new designs.

 

Erik Hughes introducing Troscan Design’s Deirdre Jordan.

 

Jordan was poised, gracious and one of the most eloquent and engaging speakers I’d ever heard. She opened with an old Shaker lesson and explained that this was the basic philosophy behind Troscan (the Celtic word for “furniture”):

Don’t make something unless it’s both necessary and useful;
But if it is both useful and necessary,
Don’t hesitate to make it beautiful.

 

With a background in both architecture and interior design, Jordan also works with her husband Bob Robinson (who handcrafts all of the pieces). “He’s so meticulous, he’s like a surgeon when he makes the furniture,” she said, explaining that at one point, Robinson wanted to be a veterinarian.

 

But, when it comes to gaining inspiration for the designs (she also creates pieces for Boyd Lighting on the side), Jordan confessed she’s obsessed with art, pretty pictures and books. She’s even had to place herself on a “strict monthly book allowance.” But, she’s also very inspired by nature and organic shapes and textures.

 

For the grand finale, Jordan revealed their latest 12-piece collection, with showstoppers including the shiny Catena side table and the lacquered Chelsea Etargére. For more info, check out Troscandesign.com.

Posted by Jennie Nunn, on January 26, 2008 at 11:33 AM, PDT EMAIL THIS | LINK TO THIS

 

 

Friday, January 25, 2008

Winter Market Party Highlights

 

I arrived at the San Francisco Design Center yesterday afternoon with a thick stack of invites and big plans to hit every party in my planner—an ambitious scheme, but not nearly as hedonistic as it may sound. In fact, maybe I should clarify the type of parties we’re talking about here. Like any industry-centric conference, once the SFDC’s daytime schedule of Winter Market seminars and panel discussions are over, there are a slew of events hosted by individual furniture showrooms in celebration of anything from a debut collection to a banner year in sales. These parties are scheduled either from 4–6 or 6–9 and all are located within a two-block radius in the Design District. For the most part, the same people move from one showroom to the next, repeatedly asking, “Have you been next door yet?” Now that I think about it, the only things that change from one party to the next are the signature drinks and the atmosphere—but since you’re dealing with some of the finest space-makers in the city, this is one industry where progressive schmoozing is well worth the trouble.

 

A quick rundown of last nights highlights:

 

Ed Hardy’s eponymous independent showroom is always an elegant reprieve from the main SFDC centers. This year, Hardy chose an intimate fete of designer Ken Fulk in lieu of his usual Winter Market extravaganza. Ken led a virtual tour through some of his favorite recent projects–including one of the Wine Country homes that we published last April—while guests enjoyed lavender-infused champagne.

 

Ken Fulk post-presentation at Ed Hardy

 

Janus et Cie hosted a celebration of Luxury Living at their relatively new corner showroom at Showplace center. Filled with faux boxwood topiaries, the space is always bright and cheerful and filled with modern outdoor furniture, including a new collection featuring felted wool upholstery.

 

The deep sounds of tribal drums heralded the 2nd floor parties in the Showplace. The drums were coming from De Sousa Hughes’ party sponsored by Western Interiors. Inside, rosy lighting, a dj playing loungey music and catering by Living Room Events helped to explain the 10-deep line at the bar.

 

Across the street at the Galleria, Design It Forward, a charitable event that CH+D co-sponsored with Philanthropy by Design, was getting underway. The main Galleria floor was transformed with modern sitting areas and a juggler, acrobats and trapeze artists provided amazing entertainment on stage and overhead. A raffle, which offered bottles of Dom Perignon and a full weekend in San Francisco, ended around 8.

 

Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Candace Abbott offers Design it Forward attendees a free subscription.	Trapeze Artists from Trapeze World

Since I didn’t win any of the raffle items and I’d had my fill of roasted mussels, I headed across the way to 111 Rhode Island to a debut party for the new Tai Ping rug showroom. Featuring an Edward Fields store within the store, the rugs on the display range from Tai Pings intricate colored designs to the retro shags of Edward Fields’ collections. The highlight for me was the mini ice-cream cones and meringues from Paula LeDuc.

the new Tai Ping rug	Yasmina Kossman, design director at Tai Ping, with publicist Jessica Olshen.

 

Posted by Sarah Lynch, on January 25, 2008 at 12:50 PM, PDT EMAIL THIS | LINK THIS


Thursday, January 24, 2008

The Best Accessory

I’m a self-proclaimed design junkie and even more obsessed with good fabric. When I heard textile designer Barbara Beckmann would be debuting new pieces at her showroom, Beckmann MooreYaki, at this year’s Winter Market, I knew I couldn’t miss it. It seemed no one else could either. After a good 30 minutes of circling the Showplace Center, I finally scored a parking spot at least a half mile away.

Once inside the showroom, I was beyond relieved to see she hadn’t begun speaking yet, and settled into a seat next to my designer friend Gioi Tran.




“A good fabric is like wearing a good accessory, but a little goes a long way,” Beckmann said. “Fabric really makes the room,” she added as she explained that silver and gold create the ultimate image of luxury and how they are making a strong comeback in the home. 

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“I’m known for my jewelry and I like to wear a lot of fun things, so I took inspiration from these for my new designs,” said Beckmann, who named pieces in her collection after stones including Amber, Topaz and Citrine. Her newest Sunbrella fabrics (above) reminded me of a fabulous beach house with a Brocade-inspired pattern. The best part is that they can be washed in cold water and are good for at least five years. “We’re always trying to develop new things and we’re always working on custom projects,” she said.

Posted by Jennie Nunn, on January 24, 2008 at 11:06 AM, PDT EMAIL THIS | LINK TO THIS