MICHAEL S. SMITH TO CREATIVE DIRECT BRUNSCHWIG AND FILS FABRICS

 Photo courtesy of WSJ Magazine by François Halard Styling by Carolina Irving

It is not an understatement to say Michael Smith is a design wunderkind of sorts. He started his own firm at a tender young age and has gone on to design major homes for American titans of industry as well as the Obama White House. So it makes sense that he has recently been tapped to advise on Kravet's latest fabric house acquisition, the esteemed print - centric grande dame, Brunschwig and Fils.  As creative director, he will assist on brand direction, design, and archival mining, working alongside one of the creative fabric geniuses I adore, Stephen Elrod.  He will be doing this in addition to everything else, so it makes for one packed schedj. Smith's layering of textures and prints in his interiors, use of unusual rich/dirty color combinations (a good thing),  and primo antiques makes him someone we all watch for inspiration, education and elevation. He has created a covetable niche in color palette and print execution with his Jasper line, so I cannot wait to see what he cooks up with B and F! Stay tuned..

Photos courtesy of Jasper

Indian Flower in blue

Tree of Life in sage

Moghul Panel

Remy in brown

IT'S BLOGFEST!

A red and purple arrangement for the debut of Robert Brown Home Furniture

 by MacRae in the front room at Lee Jofa 

Yes, it's that time of year! The spring is here, it must be time for Blogfest 2012. Attracting a diverse network of design bloggers from around the country, the three day event,  hosted by Kravet Inc,  is in it's second year. With a bevy of fun events in the jam- packed schedule, we were off and running yesterday at 8:30am. 

We kicked off the day with breakfast at Hearst Tower, which included candid conversations with Dara Caponigro of Veranda and distinctly American designers Darryl Carter and Timothy Whealon. Their designs have that elusive play of light and color with an architectural bent and use of strong pieces for impact.

Tables were set with the most glorious pure pink peonys

House Beautiful followed, where the hot issue was  uncovering life-changing Ah Hah moments from HB Next Wave designers Jon Call, Jill Goldberg, and Michael Herold.

 The HB Connect App works like this:

Staying close to the leading edge of technology, their just launched House Beautiful Connect app scans scans images on the magazine pages to unlock behind - the - scenes video from photo shoots and additional content. It is a great way to feel like you were there, as a fly on the wall editor. I am very impressed with their early adapter initiative, it engages readers to interact with the print copy to gain access to that ever-desirable thing: more content.

 The ever-inspiring interior and fabric designer Katie Leede left us all with a mantra for the day-

Most of Katie Leede's bedroom for a college gal included catalog - shopped finds. And yes, Laduree Macarons that matched her tented fabric swag.

Followed by a  tour of the just-opened Elle Decor Modern Life Concept House, where participating designers Katie Leede and Sherrill Canet among others, were on hand to discuss their inspiration.

Southern gent Atlanta-based Robert Brown sharing his design inspiration with Lisa Kravet

From there, we headed to the  D and D for a delicious Lobster Roll lunch at Lee Jofa and got to know Atlanta-based interior designer Robert Brown, whose just-launched sophisticated traditional yet minimalist Macrae furniture collection was debuted in the front showroom.  

The beyond hilarious speaker Alexa Hampton regaled us with tales of design excursions with her dad, including a class trip to Kips Bay in  2nd Grade.

We then headed over to Kravet, where we were privy to a spirited design conversation with Alexa Hampton and Traditional Home Editor in Chief Ann Maine.

Interiors latest issue

More fun is to come tomorrow, and I am very excited to participate in Blogfest on an Interiors Magazine panel hosted by Editor in Chief Michael Wollaeger.  Joined by the effervescent interior designer and creative director for Oscar de la Renta Home,  Miles Redd, along with photographer Peter Aaron, the panel is entitled "Interiors Insider: Beautiful design results from inspiration, experience and creativity whether the goal is a magazine spread, a photograph or simply a happy client. Join Michael Wollaeger for Interiors Insider, a panel discussion which will address the various functions of designer, photographer, and blogger, and the important role each plays in achieving success through design. Learn tips and tricks from top experts in their field: interior designer Miles Redd, noted photographer Peter Aaron, and blogger and former editor Marisa Marcantonio. You’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories of how the most beautiful work in our industry is created."

The venue is one of my favorite Old New York institutions, The  Museum of the City of New York at 1220 Fifth Avenue (at 103rd St.). 

More from the final day as it unfolds. Please standby...

Outside the Lee Jofa Showroom, Kravet goodie bags lining the entire length of the hall.

TABLE TALK: MATTHEWS AND PARKER

Good things come to those who wait. This is often the case with custom furniture. You may have to wait ten to twenty weeks for a custom bench made piece from Matthews and Parker, but they are worth the wait! Their hand - crafted designs are produced in the New York area, and are built by highly trained craftspeople. From shagreen to bronze, their well honed skills can create an array of table, etagere and bench designs. In addition, they are Springer experts and can repair and authenticate his designs. Here are a few standouts from their assortment, which can be found in trade showrooms such as Michael Smith, Brunschwig and Fils and Ainsworth Noah.

photos courtesy of Matthews and Parker
Telephone Tables have such an allure for me. Tiny tables, like the K.S. shown here, done originally by Karl Springer for the Duchess of Windsor, are close to my heart-- they serve a function and look great while doing it.

J'adore these gems. Like a classic Cartier Rolling Ring, these French 1950's Pirouette Gueridon tables will be around and used forever. The spring coil design has a dynamism and sense of fun.

The Butler's Table is in lacquer with a gilt top. Perfect for a book, a drink and free time.
Their K.S. Jansen Table is a Karl Springer design is clean with it's bronze and brass detailing.
The JMF Double Shelf Table, that's Jean Michel Frank, the French furniture genius. The slight sweep of the leg is elegant and supports the scale of the top.

The Duchess Coffee Table is linen wrapped and lacquer sealed. It has a smart shallow profile and a storage shelf.

The KS Philippe X Bench would look great in a pair at the foot of a bed or around a center hall table. It's sleek iron frame work design makes the upholstery choice really stand out.
The Delacourt Bench is a French 1940's design, made of carved cerused oak with campaign detailing.

BRUNSCHWIG AND FILS HAS A NEW HOME IN THE KRAVET FAMILY

Their Bibliotheque wallpaper is a classic, seen here in a project by Nina Campbell

Thank goodness! I must admit I was worried there for a minute. When I heard Brunschwig & Fils had declared bankruptcy I was distressed-- would some giant company swallow up all the beautiful prints they are known for and liquidate? I am happy to report this is not the case, as Kravet has come out the successful bidder, buying Brunschwig from the Peardon family. We can feel good that Kravet, a superbly run, family - owned company, will play to the strengths of the B and F legacy. The Kravet's takes the helm late March, as the brand joins their stable of companies, including Lee Jofa, and GP and J Baker. What would I do if my favorite Zebra stripe linen was gone? What is your favorite Brunschwig print?