A call for designers: IFDA's Take A Seat event is in full swing - Register Today to showcase your talent in NYC, California or Japan

written by Tamara Matthews-Stephenson

of Nest by Tamara blog and @nestnestnest on Twitter

Join us over here at IFDA for a 
fun, creative project called,

Take A Seat

a new event this May

where designers can register to "up cycle" a chair 

(oh, please, be creative!) 

and

 have it displayed

then auctioned off to the highest bidder,

and all for a great cause.  

Three IFDA Chapters are involved, 

and all working simultaneously

New York

California

Japan

with exhibits in their own cities

photograph I took at Artistic Frame showroom

Here in 

New York City 

 Japanese company,

Toto 

at 25 Mercer Street

is on board to host a preview cocktail party 

Tuesday, May 7

where we will get a 

sneak peak 

of the newly refurbished chairs

Then, 

for 10 days 

Lillian August  

at 12 West 20th Street

is generously displaying the 25 chairs in 

their windows and throughout the showroom, 

culminating with a kick-off celebration

on Thursday, May 16th

where the chairs will be auctioned off 

to the highest bidder. 

and, great news just came in:

designer Jamie Drake, FASID will serve as the celebrity MC and host for the gala even and auction on May 16 at Lillian August.  

drakedesignassociates.com

chairs I spotted at last year's Brimfield Antique Show

I hope you will be one of the lucky designers 

to take part in this fabulously, creative venture.

It can be a chair you found at your local flea market,

 or maybe you make your chair out of some interesting materials, 

then showcase your creative talent.

funds will help support both the 

Japan Tsunami Relief

and

Hurricane Sandy Relief

For updates and more details please follow

 IFDA TAKE A SEAT Facebook 

chair from the reproduction collection at the Federalist showroom

There is only room for 25 entries, 

and we are half way there, 

Register Here
for your very own spot to enter your chair

my very own Chippendale style vintage chair I painted and upholstered 

in sea grass wallpaper from Hinson

every registered designer will be asked to provide
 a head shot and biography, 
and names will be included in
media efforts, 
with social media promotion as well.

I am choosing between a few chair ideas, 
and working on the details as we speak

maybe I will paint, wallpaper or upholster 
my chair,
or 
maybe, a combination of all three...

stay tuned!