The History of Wallcoverings event at Hearst was a huge success: a recap and Editor At Large feature

The History of Wallcoverings 

past and present, an event recap!

September 8 was a spectacular evening, a joint event for IFDA members and their guests, hosted by the Hearst Corporation's Kate Kelly Smith and featuring "The History of Wallcoverings" past and present. We are fortunate to have garnished attention in the media this week following the star-studded event, please see the Editor At Large's coverage.  Additionally, Our very own IFDA board member Hermine Mariaux graciously offers a recap of the event.

guest post 

By Hermine Mariaux,  

President/Founder HMI Digital & Print Media

History was brought alive by Gregory Herringshaw, Curator at the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum with examples of events driven

early examples he selected from the more than 10.0000 archival samples he oversees at the Museum. Whether inspired by the aero adventures of Charles Lindbergh or famous artists, design was a reflection of the times. Technology changed the process with new techniques making possible printing on gilded leather.

 

Gina Shaw speaking for York, the oldest and largest wallcoverings producer, brought us into the present with trend right designs running the gamut from natural base materials including grass cloth, cork, banana fibers, bamboo, and ready for introduction next Spring: lotus leaves - to 3-dimensional effects, shimmer, digitally created geometric, industrial looks and multiple panels for mural effects.  To enjoy easy removal of an existing wallcovering, the company's Sure-Strip technology comes to the rescue.

Orly Bandora, Marketing Editor for House Beautiful summed up the industry with a spirited and across the category round-up of the latest in patterns and techniques making a clear case for the rich return of wallcoverings as an all important element in the design and decoration vocabulary of our day.

special thanks to Orli Ben-Dor, Marketing Editor, Hearst Design Group; Gregory Herringshaw, Assistant Curator, Cooper Hewitt; Gina Shaw, VP Product Development York Wallcoverings; and Hearst's Kate Kelly Smith Hearst 

Gratitude comes to mind when recapping our 2nd Annual Take A Seat chair charity auction in New York City

Recap of  the 2014 IFDA NY chapter
Take A Seat chair charity auction!
With NYC&G as our media sponsor, Room & Board as our host, Habitat for Humanity NYC our charity, and 28 talented designers on board transforming chairs, the stage was set for a spectacular evening!  

sampling of chairs created and donated from
Andrea Mihalik of Wild Chairy (left) 
Karim Rashid (right)

Libby Langdon, Kendell Cronstrom, Editor In Chief of NYC&G magazine, Lisa McMahon

Libby Langdon and Harrie E. Copeland in action...

June issue of NYC&G (left); 

Michael Tavano's chair (right)

generously raising the paddle, member & chair contributor Scott Hohl

Board & Committee member, interior designer and 
chair designer, Rose Ott with her daughter

This year we are over the moon with how our event came together.  In short, there were over 250 in attendance, with all 28 chairs selling to an enthusiastic audience at Room & Board store last Wednesday evening.  Interior designer Libby Langdon and professional auctioneer Harrie E. Copeland did a wonderful job of engaging the audience to create a fun-filled event.  Additionally, the entire team from NYC&G magazine was in attendance, and the CEO of Habitat for Humanity spoke to our audience about the exciting organization. We had additional sponsorship from AXOR and shopping website VIYET this year. On behalf of all of the IFDA board and committee members, we want to thank you for helping to make this event a success.  We hope to see you at our TAKE A BOW celebration on October 1 at the AXOR showroom in downtown NYC.  It will be time to come together, thank our sponsors and participating designers while presenting our gift to Habitat for Humanity as well as to SKYPE with other chapters to celebrate their upcoming events.  The TAKE A BOW event will kick-off six other chapters around the country as they prepare to host their very own Take A Seat chair auctions as well.

Thanks to 
Take A Seat founders 
Karen Wirrig and Maureen Klein

Lisa McMahon and I were this year's Co-Chairs.  
We are grateful for the outpouring of support and dedication within the community!

First, let's begin with our signature cocktail, 

(Tamara's homemade basil, 

lime, lemon vodka gimlet) 

It was the talk of the town, a hit, 

and aptly named by Lisa,

TAKE A CAB!  

28 designers put their talent to work together with their generous spirit to gift us these beautiful chairs.  

 committee members and chair designing team,
Andrea Algaze and Deborah Martin

chair designers Justin Shaulis 

& Toma Clark Haines

Chair designers Michael Tavano and Robin Baron with the evening MC interior designer Libby Langdon

chair designers strike a pose 

with our generous media sponsor, 

Editor In Chief NYC&G, Kendell Cronstrom 

designers and IFDA members 

hamming it up for the camera 

blogger and designer Carrie Leskowitz
with public relations guru Andrew Joseph  (left)
Lisa McMahon with our photographer 
Kate Jerte from Editor at Large

some members of our committee:

Andrea Algaze, Andrea Brodfuerer 

& Catarine Wright

Chair designer Vanessa Deleon (center) with friends

The incredibly supportive and talented 

Room & Board team 

 Lisa playing Vanna White for the evening...

Popular blogger Rio Hamilton

chatting with Carrie Leskowitz

 IFDA NY chapter President, Kara Marmion with
Kravet's Jennifer McConnell

 Lisa and I posing 
with Sara Fox Tracy of Habitat for Humanity NYC

 design team Moncef & Sara Toijuer

Jade Ng, IFDA (left) and Amanda Mobley (right) 
AXOR Hansgrohe.  Axor is hosting the IFDA Take a Bow event on October 1 when all six chapters will kick off the fall exhibits.

with chair designers Toma Clark Haines, Saxon Henry & Pryor Calloway 

Dustin O'Neal and his assistant with Joan Dineen, interior designer and chair designer 
(and, this year's IFDA Rising Star) 

  We even garnished great press.  

With Editor At Large taking professional party pics and covering our auction, we were in good hands! Check out the Editor At Large recap. 

Andrew Joseph with NYC&G folks

Habitat NYC's CEO 

giving us the skinny on the organization

interior designer Robin Baron's Chloe chair