about It Gets Better: NYC Designing Men.

Sometimes, all you have to do is ask. I learned that valuable lesson when I asked my esteemed colleagues if they would join me in a design industry contribution to the simply brilliant, and brilliantly simple "It Gets Better Project," created by Dan Savage, to reach out to the vulnerable youth in the GLBT community. John Eason, Carl Lana, Michael Tavano, Ken Wampler of The Alpha Workshops, Darrin Varden of Drake Design, and Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, all, without hesitation, said yes. So did Jeff Cadge, of Cadge Productions, who donated his time, team, equipment and post-production... an invaluable donation, and the real reason this project happened.

I was humbled by these stories... so genuine, so heartfelt. And eternally grateful for all who made this happen.

While the project is aimed at youth who feel alone, disenfranchized and defeated, I think it is important that our contemporaries understand what many of us faced in our formative years. And how far we were able to come.

Since the original airing at the lovely home of Michael Tavano and his partner Lloyd Marks, the video has had over 3500 views, and was also screened at NIBA Rug Collections, in another show of generosity and support, made possible by CEO Beth Arrowood and her lovely team, and with the facilitation of the exuberant Andrew Joseph.

I've never been more proud to be part of the design community.

about Michael Tavano.

Patrick J Hamilton, of AskPatrick.blogspot.com, interviews Interior Designer Michael Tavano, about his career, his own home, and his tabletop designs for ELLE Décor and DIFFA's Dining By Design. Listen in on the conversation now, and visit Michael's House Tour for Apartment Therapy!

about 1stdibs at the New York Design Center.

It was one hot ticket: the opening night party to launch 1stdibs at the New York Design Center (1stdibs@NYDC). It was DJ’ed, cater-waitered and star-studded… Amy Lau, Vicente Wolf, Mario Buatta, Alexa Hampton, Charlotte Moss, Joan and Jayne Michaels, Matthew White, Scott Salvator, Christopher Coleman, Robert Passal, Carl Lana, Noel Jeffrey… to name-drop but a few of the many. The halls were packed, the energy palpable, the music pumping, the invite list cut off at least a full week before the event, at a whopping (and building-unprecedented) 2500 lucky guests.

Photo: New York Design Center

Why such a buzz? Partly, it was the sponsorship by ELLE Décor and a chance to glad-hand new(ish) editor Michael Boodro, whose upcoming April issue will bear his full stamp. But mostly, it was the Midas touch of that other Michael, 1stdibs Founder Michael Bruno, whose name alone gets people to show up, pony up, and attempt to weather a recession underneath his apparently water-tight umbrella. With his Clark Kent good looks, he’s become the interior design community’s new superman.

Very few besides Bruno could get such press, reception and response to the announcement that an online venture was setting up shop, brick-and-mortar. This reversal of trend is seemingly a non-event in the .com and app-driven world, especially as the industry leans more heavily on internet trade. But no, this somehow was big news, and Bruno was the man of the hour, the 54 lucky proprietors (competition was so fierce the NYDC enlisted a lottery system to dole out spaces) basking in Bruno’s golden glow on opening night.

At the party, there was giddy chatter about how “revolutionary the concept.” Perhaps bringing multiple antiques dealers under one roof (and brand) in an existing trade-only design center is newfangled, but consolidated antiques sales by multiple dealers is not a brand new concept. Just ask the dealers at, and folks behind, the not-too-distant Center 44, a venerable and well-marketed antiques center in Manhattan, one example of many that probably wonder what the hoopla is all about. One respected independent dealer not part of 1stdibs@NYDC agrees: “1stdibs’ space at NYDC is just another antique mall,” he says. He also thinks the highly curated and extremely tasteful displays (something that does set the 10^th floor apart from some other dusty, crowded antiques malls) are gorgeous now, but wonders what will happen when the reality of square-footage to sales ratios start to register. “I bet that within 6 months they start getting a little desperate and start cramming stuff in.”

Providence, RI's HEIR Antiques

The whopping 33,000 square foot space is airy, stunning, shiny and new, now, no argument, but it seems more gallery or installation than a high-powered retail concept, leading to some visitor confusion. In fact, Tyler Doran of Providence, Rhode Island's HEIR Antiques said, “People were asking how long ‘the show’ was going to be up, so I'm not sure people realize it is a permanent fixture within the NYDC.”

Permanent, yes, but apparently the building hopes the merchandise turnover will maintain the opening night energy (where lots of “Sold” and “Hold” tags were scattered about on furniture and accessories before the last wine was poured), and they’ve apparently built in turnover, with short term leases to keep the curious coming back, as merchandise, and vendors, change.

Mariette Himes Gomez' "The Shop"

Dealers with big names and storefronts elsewhere in Manhattan have also chosen to board the 1stdibs train… Wyeth, Mariette Himes Gomez’ “The Shop,” Hostler Burrows, and Patrick Parrish's and Greg Wooten's Mondo Cane among them. They’re perhaps banking that visitors will be tempted enough by these small tastes of their wares to venture elsewhere in town to sample the full buffet. All these vendors could have joined the NYDC roster before… but chose to do so only when 1stdibs announced its upcoming presence. But that’s the power of Bruno.

WYETH

Larry Weinberg was one vintage pioneer who predated the 1stdibs deal, taking space on the building’s 4^th floor for his Weinberg Modern, now represented also on the 1stdibs floor in a small display, a nice way for the rest of the showrooms to leverage 1stdibs traffic, and remind visitors there are 15 more floors to the Design Center worth exploring. “I’m already seeing an uptick in traffic, and a spillover of shoppers since 1stdibs came in to the building,” notes Weinberg, so it seems the touted “express elevator to the 10^th floor” is not the only way people find their way in and out of the building.

Small bays promote showrooms from the building's other floors, like this display for the 4th floor'sWeinberg Modern

In an article published in 1stdibs own “Introspective” e-zine, Adam Charles Greenberger of Charles Bank Gallery says he would consider standing in line for a booth of his own. “I think fine art in a decorative setting would be great,” he says. Some current vendors on other floors might beg to differ: as much as fine art has seemed a natural fit to high end décor, it’s traditionally been a tough sell in these halls.

New Orleans’ Karina Gentinetta disegno

The draw of this deal has also brought dealers from across the country, putting big stock into the dual appeal of a tony Manhattan address and the Bruno touch, including the boy’s club quirk of Doran’s HEIR Antiques, and the sophisticated patina of New Orleans’ Karina Gentinetta disegno. Like the frequent art and antique shows that bring national dealers to New York’s Piers and Armories, the broader perspective brought by these out of towners is a welcome invasion.

Vintage pottery by Hostler Burrows

Bruno’s original mission was to bring the Paris Flea Market to potential buyers the world over, but the 10^th floor is currently more mid-century, industrial quirk and folk art than Clignancourt. No doubt that will change as merchandise turns and eager new vendors come through the doors. The concept of antiques and one-of-a-kind vintage pieces in a largely custom furnishings building also has the potential to jumpstart sales… there is a sense of “now or never” urgency, and gives designers and shoppers some instant gratification in an industry where 12 week lead times are not out of the ordinary.

ELLE Decor's Michael Boodro and the New York Design Center's Jim Druckman; Photo: NYDC

Without stealing Bruno’s thunder, full credit for revolution really goes to Jim Druckman (he owns and runs the NYDC) for sealing the dibs deal and reinventing his building. In doing so, he’s helped reawaken sleepy to-the-trade showroom buildings in the process. That’s where credit for smart, creative thinking fully lies. That’s the reinvention.

But it’s not without risk. Druckman’s gamble here is that this floor, open to the public with or without their designers in tow, will draw an audience that’s never before set foot in “200 Lex,” the nickname given to the NYDC by generations of designers and decorators. Merchandise can be purchased without a designer (but also without their designer discount) from any of the 1stdibs vendors. As far as retail traffic in a trade-only building, Weinberg is a believer. “I can’t think of a business model in this industry that would work right now without a retail component.”

The other hope, no doubt, is that the activity on 10 will trickle down… and up, giving much needed foot traffic, and the energy that comes with it, to the entire building. The building has even added official Saturday hours to this previously Monday through Friday schedule to draw weekend shoppers. But risk or not, Druckman is a happier landlord when these 33,000 square feet are rented out.

Mondo Cane

1stdibs@NYDC is still working out how to tell the story to visitors, since 1stdibs has worked so hard to brand itself as an online purveyor. The pieces here are also represented online, in a special section of 1stdibs.com, adding to some of the confusion. In fact, the saleswoman at the desk seemed more eager to show the wares on the website than just steps behind her. Interesting, too, that on 1stdibs@NYDC on 1stdibs.com, the name of the dealer is nowhere to be found... items are listed only as "Available at 1stdibs@NYDC." Call me demanding, but if I were paying Manhattan rent, I'd want my name even on the virtual shingle.

Like the online version of 1stdibs, there is wild range to pricing, and vintage pieces that far exceed licensed re-issues which are still available. Case in point: a Serge Mouille fixture shown here for $8150 is available new for $7810 at re- and e-tailers like SwitchModern. And also like the online 1stdibs, the reputation of the dealers, added to the panache of the 1stdibs name, drive prices up for merchandise you can indeed already buy on eBay for far less, if you look carefully enough. Perhaps that’s the price of shopping one considerable link up the antiques food chain.

Once the waiters packed up the glasses, the experience on the 10^th floor is quite different. Computers replace the champagne flutes at the concierge-style front desk, where a pair of salespeople is on hand to answer questions and (hopefully) close the sale on behalf of the absentee sellers. The dance music is still pumped in, but in this whole-floor space, the crowds are gone, the booths and bays are unattended, and the word “museum” comes more quickly to mind than “store.”

Will shoppers get the difference? Will retail pennypinchers pay more for provenance and the 1stdibs style blessing, or shop the deal online, as they have been doing pretty aggressively since websites like SwitchModern, DesignPublic and HiveModern started up? Will retail be a conflict to the design trade that this building was, well, built for? Will Bruno save the day, leaping into this tall design building in a single, stylish bound? Time will tell. If this is what it takes to get more people into this gem of a trade secret building, great. There’s always been beauty, art and sophisticated tenants here. Now, with 1sdibs as the latest name in a building that already boasts many (Kravet, Baker Knapps & Tubbs, John Saladino, Tucker Robbins, Odegard, Dennis Miler & Associates, and Druckman’s own Profiles, a few examples), maybe their secret is no longer safe. That’s not a bad deal for anyone involved. Thanks, Superman!

about finding inspiration in Designer Showhouses, Kips Bay 2010

Designer Showhouses intrigue me. I devour every detail, filing ideas away (to be inspired by, never to steal from, of course!!). Even in over-the-top rooms where budgets soar as high as the celestial ceilings, I can find some idea to tuck away, be it color, juxtaposition, or clever use of space.

But as a Designer who aspires to my own Showhouse moment some day, I mostly am intrigued by how designers choose to handle the opportunity. Do they make it a room chock full of their own signature style, pulling a living page from their own portfolio? Do they treat it as the ethereal folly it can be, this temporary space needing no real function, and satisfying no factual or fickle client? Do they use the chance to take a chance… breaking out of their own crayon box to play with more (or less) color than usual? Do they design the rooms to “read” in person, with tactile and subtle choices, for the benefit of those lucky enough to wander the halls (aka, potential clients), or do they go for the big gesture, designed to catch media eyes and reporter’s attention, even at risk of jolting the real-time visitor?

While the 2010 Kips Bay Showhouse may have been dismantled, its rooms still unlock lots of answers… and remain worth another look!

Camera-Ready, Theatrical or Practical?

Walking down Park Avenue from the black-tie opening to the Kips Bay Gala Dinner, and during quite civilized pre-dinner cocktails, several of us (Dennis Miller of Dennis Miller Associates, and the terribly-talented two-some, Frank Webb and Matthew White of White Webb, among others) placed gentlemen’s bets on which rooms would garner the most media attention (our version of Fantasy Football!). We agreed on many of the photo-ready frontrunners… the Penthouse suite of spaces from Jennifer Post, certain to gain notice partially for its decadent dedication of a barn-sized (by Manhattan standards) room for two massage tables and a pair of yoga mats, but also for its signature Post luxurious minimalism. And Jennifer’s crisp contrast and gutsy shapes work well in photos. Surely a shoe-in for the NY Times coverage, we all agreed.

Other rooms we wagered would make the papers? The Fruit-looped Kitchen by Eve Robinson, the poem-in-a-room by 2michaels (more on that, and them, later), the bed-and-bath suite by Coffinier Ku Design (for its theatrical and playful bubble theme, pictured top, if not for the photogenic purple silk sconce shades and ceiling mural, turning a white tiled bathroom into eternal, and eternally flattering, twilight), the ice-blue boudoir of Elizabeth Pyne of McMillen Plus, the mythological His and Her spaces by Darren Henault.

Hollywood Chic Master Bedroom by Noel Jeffrey

Others that were sure to Win, Place, or Show, we guessed, were the dining room of Cullman and Kravis and the close-up ready Master Bedroom of Noel Jeffrey, for its sheer Hollywood glamour dreaminess punctuated by Carol Lombard-esque canary yellow silk.

We were right on most counts. If only we could pick lotto numbers.

Small Moments, Grand Gestures

Image: Stylebeat

Without fail, some of the most memorable moments of Showhouses happen in what otherwise might be considered throw-away spaces… a landing, a hallway, an area tucked beneath a staircase… and much like Harry Potter in his own little under-the-stairs world of wonder, they can be filled with all sorts of surprising magic.

Kips Bay proved the rule: the tiny hallway designed by Rod Winterrowd was among my most favorite spaces, and packed full of inspiration and style. Symmetry, but not the kind that can’t be broken. Mixed vintage, provenance and pattern. Modern art in a not-so-modern space. Elements both dainty and heroic. And a hydrangea-blue palette that would equally amuse both lord and lady of the manor.

So what’s the lesson there? No space is too small to get the royal treatment. Or to house a little magic.

Story Tellers

Walk into either of the His or Her spaces of Darren Henault, and you just feel the details were chosen and placed to tell an epic story about the room’s inhabitants. And like most great art, the story comes to life in the mind of the visitor. I took the cues of the minotaur head in the gentleman’s dressing room and the stylized Grecian folds of the plaster screen on the lady’s side to make this a story more God and Goddess than merely mortal His and Hers. Mythology, through an art deco lens.

Image: VandM.com, DesigninTell

Story telling is often a trick used by designers when there is no real client… start an empty room, the blankest of canvasses, with a fictional client, be it dandy, hipster or grande dame, and run every decision through your own fictional filter. But that’s not just a trick… it’s a lesson. Look at the details of your own life and loves to inspire your next home makeover. Tell—and celebrate— your own story with the interior choices you make.

I also loved Darren's adjoining, mirror-image spaces for their compare and contrast qualities… each had a banquette, each balanced color contemporary art in a field of spare but splendid antiques. But with all their structural and functional similarities, they could not have been more different. Proof that when you make the client the hero, the room tells the inhabitant's story first, the designer's, second.

Themed to Inspire

The dining room of Cullman and Kravis was also built around a story, but with more literal cues. The space itself was staged as a Dining Room (a great cube of a space just begging for that equally grand perfect circle of mahogany table), and the theme was indeed dining-driven… with Pop-art takes on food via the art, images of famous chefs, and all the way down to placecards on the table. This was either to be a feast like no other, or the setting for an Agatha Christie adaptation of “Who’s Killing the Great Chefs of America?” Either way, their layer cake of food references (some subtle, some cheeky, some grandiose, like the showstopper photograph by Candida Hoffer) proved that even a literal theme can find fresh manifestation.

The delectable take-out idea here? A pale palette comes to life with an injection of a brash color, like the cerulaean/teal blue accents here (a color, and color trick, I’ve also seen hue-master Jamie Drake use years before, with equal effect.)

Living Portfolios

Image: VandM.com, DesigninTell

Some designers simply did what they do best at Kips Bay. Vicente Wolf’s room was classic, well, Wolf, a mix of furniture that shouldn’t work but does. He did surprisingly little to the paneled room itself (with an amazing plaster ceiling, a chalky collection of constellations that reminded one of the ceiling of Grand Central) but filled it with items that bore his unmistakable mark. He did seem to have a bit more fun with accessories than usual, with a trio of Mao’s and some medicinal modern art that only underscored his ability to make dissimilar notes sing harmoniously.

Were it me, I would have made the ceiling more the star, but fans of Wolf’s didn’t seem to notice or care, wowed by how his pale collection of interesting pieces, and his clever furniture groupings made practically an entire apartment from one ample room. And to any potential client wanting a primer on the recognizable style of Wolf, this room was living proof.

All of the Above

One room that brought theme, theatricality and practicality together, held its own in both photo and reality, made the most of a small but challenging space, and was living example of the designer's style was the walk-in haiku of ever-chic sister act Jayne and Joan Michaels, the two halves of 2michaels design.

Their meditation space deep-breathed new life into the oft cliche concept of interior “Zen” design. The bird theme in their avian aerie was both subtle and specific, with bird sculpture and nest-and-egg references… most notably, the egg-shape plaster fireplace, porcelain screen, and twiggy light fixture.

But whereas Henault’s motif was artfully open for interpretation, and the Cullman and Kravis dining hall was deliciously specific, 2michaels struck a balance between fact and fiction. Who spends time here, reflecting on the stacked Buddhas, with birdsong as the score? I imagined it as a setting fit for the emperor in “The Nightingale,” reworked to cast a soigné bachelor with killer taste as the lead, in a production directed by Cocteau, set design by Gio Ponti.

So it seems, among the ranks of the design elite assembled for this past 2010 Kips Bay Showhouse, there were storytellers and poets, the media darlings and the walk-in ready, those who made the most of just a little, and those who just do what they do.

And in each choice, inspiration.

...about wreaths.

I'm big on wreaths as a way to bring holiday greenery, color and festivity into your home. They put the cheer just where you need it, are budget friendly, relative to a full tree (allowing you to splurge on some of the elements), can be hung where a photo or painting is right now easily transforming a room, and they slide right out of sight after the holidays.

Here are some hints and inspiration to making the most of your holiday wreath, if you're still looking to expend a little holiday creativity.

Make it Personal

For a family with three boys and a mom who liked to bake, I integrated three little copper gingerbread men cookie cutters to make this wreath extra special (and pulled the remaining color palette from that coppery starting point, including copper jingle bells!). I've also used seashells, birds and birdhouses, and architectural elements to make wreaths that were perfect for their owner or the interior where I know they're headed. For a charity auction, I also created a wreath with exotic Arabian elements for a Three Kings-inspired wreath. Just have fun with your inspiration!

Fake It

My love affair with artificial wreath bases began with my South Florida roots... where even in December, tropic heat wreaked havoc with live greens. I also quickly realized that the pliable wire foliage and a solidly constructed base of faux wreaths gave the perfect starting point for wiring and hot gluing. Plus, it's sort of like decorating an already baked cookie... you get to worry just about the fun and pretty parts! Look for a fairly plain form, since you'll be adding all your own personality.

And pick a wreath base that matches the character of the finished look you're shooting for... lush and deep green for a traditional or woodsy look, pale and pine-y for a more rustic country look, frosted or flocked for wintry or fairy-tale inspired ideas.

Think Outside the Aisle

Don't just scan the Christmas décor section of your craft or hobby store. Many of the elements for this winter-white wreath came from the Bridal aisle. To keep it from looking too bridal, I made sure it had wintry elements in it... and was very lucky to find the frosted translucent pine cone ornaments.

Jingle, All the Way!

I'm a big fan of using jingle bells on just about every wreath I do. Jingle bells come in giant sizes you can use as focal points, or tiny size, which I like to use like sprays. You can spray them out in a color, but lately, I've found them in all sorts of hues. And bonus! When the wreath is hung on a door, the bells jingle their greeting with every entrance and exit!

Pull Things Apart

Don't be afraid to deconstruct the elements from things you buy if they're not exactly right the way they are. Here, I pulled apart pre-assembled rose sprays, and used foliage and flowers separately.

Knowing I was making this wreath for a woman who decorated her tree with whites and silvers, I looked for a form that already had a touch of white on it.

Work from Big to Small

Like most flower arranging, place you biggest elements in first. Get these anchor points in place (see "Dry Fit," below) and then work down to your smallest elements. I also tend to start with shape, and move to line... so, ornaments and pinecones find a home first, sprays and stick-like items get woven in last.

Add to the Green

I love using other preserved evergreen or silk botanical elements to beef up the wreath itself, and to take store-bought forms over the top, giving even a bargain basement starting point a high-end boutique florist look. Eucalyptus is a favorite botanical element, since in addition to adding depth, it adds fragrance.

For a bit more fauna than flora, peacock or pheasant feathers also fluff up your form, naturally.

It's About Balance

The temptation when creating or decorating a wreath is to make it completely symmetrical. Sure, that works, but it also gives you a wreath that looks a little like a clock face. It's more about even balance, not identical sides.

Focal Point

I like adding a focal point to a wreath where a bow might go (I find that bows don't weather the storage process too well... and, to be honest, I am really bad at tying great bows!). My favorite places are at the four o'clock, six o'clock, or eight o'clock positions... but again, without making the finished product as evenly spaced as a clock face.

Here, the homeowner's own large tin barn star inspired this cluster of twig and tin stars (and, how crazy-lucky to find the beaded wire star ornaments!) You'll also find another favorite wreath element here... cinnamon sticks. Love 'em, for the shape, color, and especially, scent!

Dry Fit

It may seem like double the work, but I ALWAYS start by composing my wreath elements before gluing or wiring to the form. That way, you can play with pieces and doublecheck how much stuff you have to work with. Once you like what you've got going on, then you can work to secure it.

What's on YOUR Christmas wreath this year?

Read all about my 2011 Custom Wreath giveaway here! Happy holidays, all!

All wreaths and photography: Patrick James Hamilton Designs