IFDA NY Chapter's 3rd Annual Take A Seat Charity Chair Auction & Gala is On The Horizon...

Our annual IFDA NY Take A Seat 

is coming up on May 27.  

Please read about the details of the 

3rd annual Take A Seat chair charity event below and 

purchase tickets here.

We are already making waves, 

and check out the fabulous press we have garnished on 

NYCXdesign this week!

We have a wonderful line-up of designers this year, and with reknowned interior designer Michael Tavano of 

Michael Tavano Design as our Emcee, 

we are in for a treat!

In the meantime, 

if you are heading over to this weekend's ICFF design show at the Jacob Javits Center, please stop by our very own IFDA NY chapter booth, Number 3033.  We look forward to displaying these creatively refurbished chairs this weekend, and please pick up your tickets to ICFF here!

We hope you will follow us on social media using hashtags #IFDANYtas and #IFDAtas

Part 4: Three more days until our Take A Seat chair charity auction: more profiles of more designers creating chairs for May 14: Vanessa Deleon, Scott Hohl, Toma Clark Haines, Michael Danielsen, Evelyn Miller & Studio Mod(ish)

Three days left till our 
2nd annual Take A Seat chair 
charity auction here in New York City.  
All 28 chairs are now displayed in the 
Room & Board showroom 
at 105 Wooster Street in Soho.

With NYC&G magazine as our media sponsor, 
Room & Board showroom hosting our event and proceeds benefiting Habitat For Humanity New York, we are ready to celebrate!
I hope you will stop by and take a look at the chairs, then attend our chair charity auction 
Wednesday, May 14 from 7-9 pm.  
First, let's begin with a special thank you to 
Cameron Hughes 
who has generously agreed to donate wine & spirits!
Here's what they have to say about their company,

"Cameron Hughes is an American négociant that makes, imports, and distributes ultra-premium wine under five wine labels; The Lot Series, Hughes Wellman, Cameron Hughes California, Greenlip, and Zin Your Face. Our wines are nationally distributed and carried in chains, grocery, broad market (fine wine and liquor shops), on premise (restaurants and hotels) and online. The company was founded by Cameron Hughes and Jessica Kogan in 2001 for one simple reason – to bring truly exceptional wine to the market at real world prices. We do this by partnering with the finest growers and wineries in the world and delivering consistently high quality wines and the highest degree of service to our customers". 

You've met the first 21 designers (in part 1, 2 & 3), now let's meet the rest of the designers and their chairs, 
28 in total... 
23. Ellen Miller's
GRACE KELLY

Evelyn M Designs

Evelyn Miller is the founder and owner of Evelyn M. Designs LLC, and an Allied Member of ASID. Evelyn attended the New York school of Interior Design and has a degree in Business Administration. Evelyn’s favorite designs have incorporated a theme of elegance and sophistication with beautiful silks and rich velvets on truly stunning antique pieces.  

24. Vanessa Deleon's

BUTTERFLY EFFECT

When Vanessa first saw the chair, the lines emulated a butterfly. With the idea of butterflies in place she searched for a butterfly print patterns and found Christian Lacroix recent line by Osborne and Little, a perfect match.  Vanessa thanks 
Chirstopher Guy

Christian Lacroix – Osborne & Little and

Eco Electrical Services, LLC 

for their generous donations

Vanessa Deleon is an interior designer, writer, award winning designer for the Italian Trade Commission, ASID & IDS entrepreneur, and television personality who is strongly inspired by her Cuban roots. While on Design Star she gained recognition for her own unique “Glamilistic” style, which she coined as a combination of glamour and streamline minimalism.  She lives by her motto, three D’s “drive, dedication and determination.”

 25. Scott Hohl's

CARMINE CHAIR; 
interlocking chair in salvaged maple plywood


In Hohl Home Furnishings woodwork studio, piles of scrap plywood are commonplace and soon find themselves in the garbage dumpster.  It begs the question -- “how can we transform these small scraps, not useful for most other projects, into something of long-lasting beauty?”  The result is the Carmine Chair. Carmine is wide in the shoulder and narrow in the waist; strong and handsome; highly effective with a no-nonsense attitude. Unexpectedly easy to cozy up to, Scott created the chair from salvaged maple plywood.  The chair is simple, strong, visually striking and comfortable.  

 Scott Hohl has been designing and building his entire life.  An early love for wood has stayed with him throughout his career and continues to be the main material in which he works.  His work is heavily influenced by mid-twentieth century furniture. Clean and simple, Scott’s designs often have an interlocking, puzzle-like quality.  Scott founded and runs Hohl Home Furnishings, a furniture and millwork company based in NYC and specializing in modern wooden furniture and woodwork for homes and retail spaces. 

All Hohl Home pieces are proudly made in the USA by local craftsmen.  Please find him on Twitter @Scotthohl or Facebook HohlHomeFurnshing 

26. Toma Clark Haines, The Antiques Diva

VIVA LA DIVA FRENCH FAUTEUIL

Toma Clark Haines is The Antiques Diva® - owner of Europe’s largest antiques touring and sourcing company. For her “Take a Seat” chair-ity donation Toma went classic French donating a period piece from circa 1760! This  Louis XV Rococo Upholstered Beechwood Fauteuil is older than America!  Choosing not to embellish it too much, Toma Clark Haines explains this chair is Classic, Elegant and Traditional! 

Toma thinks this chair should be titled, IT TAKES A VILLAGE!  Here's the serendipitous, inspiring story:

Alan Rauta of Cromatti attended the Design Bloggers Conference in Atlanta and won the $5000 grand prize donated by Michael Bruno of 1^st Dibs.  Alan said the main thing he learned about blogging was that blogging was about sharing – and thus – he donated $1000 to 4 of the bloggers he met at the conference whom he found most inspirational.  Toma was honored to be one of those bloggers, and decided to donate a portion of her prize to purchasing a chair from 1^st Dibs.  Wanting to source locally in the United States Toma turned to 1^st DibsTrace Mayer  and purchased the Louis XV chair that epitomized The Antiques Diva Style and donated it to Take A Seat.   Trace upon hearing the story offered Toma a substantial discount off the purchase price to make this donation possible. A community came together to make this donation possible!
27. Michael Danielsen's
THE MOLLUSK CHAIR

Michael has taken a simple utilitarian chair and transformed it into a work of art. The chair's frame has a mollusk crustacean base with a metallic pearl 
opalescent glaze and is finished with a beautiful gold and silver silk upholstered seat. 
Michael Danielsen is a celebrated textile designer and artist who works and resides in New York City.  A true artist at heart, Michael has been painting and experimenting with different mediums since he was in his late teens. His chair demonstrates true originality and is unique, reflecting his ability to conceive, create and execute. *a special thank you to Nancy and Kathy from "Its Simply Beautiful" for contributing the beautiful fabric.

28. Caty Tillman/Darlene Chimaliro of Mod(ish)'s 
DEFINITION MOD: 
fashionable, stylish, chic, modern, contemporary, up-to-the-minute, fly (ish): classic, timeless, livable, eclectic chair!

Studio MOD(ish) is a high-end, full service Interior Design Studio located just outside Washington DC whose company is founded on the 
principles of great design, true friendship and mutual respect; meaning exciting projects they are proud of, a fun environment, and the added bonus of delightful clients. If you’d like to join the fun check them out on Instagram @studiomodish 

There you have it in four separate posts - profiles of all 28 designers and artists and a glimpse of their chair.  We truly hope to see you 
on Wednesday evening, and please order tickets HERE!

IFDA's 2nd annual Take A Seat chair charity auction in NYC on May 14--Part 1, profiling the designers and their chairs

With only a couple of weeks until our 
2nd annual Take A Seat chair charity auction, we are happy to tell you more 
about this exciting event.

Acclaimed interior designer, Libby Langdon will MC our lively gala and auction on May 14, along with professional auctioneer Harrie E. Copeland III, who promises to work the crowd.  Add to that 25 talented interior designers and artists, all of whom will decorate then donate a chair to be auctioned off, with proceeds gifted to non-profit organization Habitat for Humanity, and Take A Seat promises to be one of 
spring's premiere design events! 

 This year, NYC&G magazine is our generous media sponsor and Room & Board showroom has graciously offered to host our May 14 auction in their gorgeous, expansive Soho store.  The chairs will be displayed throughout the Room & Board windows and vignettes in the days leading up to NYC's ICFF furnishings show.  On the evening of Wednesday, May 14 the chairs will then be auctioned off during a festive celebration.

 Room & Board in Soho

Take a look at a few of the 

designers and their 

"before" chairs and inspirations...

1. Michael Tavano's 

TANGO INDIGO

Michael Tavano brings his astute eye for color, scale and proportion mixed with a touch of whimsy and a passion to create a superb quality of life to his designs. Besides designing, he stars in the BBC’s hit television series House of the Year and is also the creative director of Marks & Tavano Workroom, which handcrafts custom draperies and upholstery for many of the country’s most respected designers. Please find him busy on social media as well at Michael Tavano Design on Facebook, and @MichaelTavano on Twitter.

2. Michelle Slovak's 

PENELOPE PRINCESS CHAIR

IFDA board member, Michelle Slovak

is a graduate of Parsons School of Design and has been involved in almost every aspect of the design industry over her career, including designing textiles, glassware, furniture and accessories.  Slovak often whips together makeover stories for print publications as well.  Utilizing her color expertise, she plans to transform the chair into a sparkling wonder.

3. Tracy Steele's

CLOTHES HANGER CHAIR

Since our chairs often hold our garments that may not make it to the closet, Steele's chair will become an unique perspective as a creative hanger.

Originally hailing from Virginia, Tracy Steele began her career here in NYC as a furniture designer, creating high-end custom upholstered pieces for select clients.  Since 2000, the firm has grown to offer full-service interior design options.  With a downtown, modern sensibility she specializes in residential work, often time focusing on family and kid's spaces.  Steele's work varies in scope, and she recently began offering specialized spaces for people with special needs, developing a furniture collection called Little People, BIG DESIGN.  

Look for Tracy Steele Designs Inc on Facebook

4. Saxon Henry and Pryor Callaway's 

MISS WELTY

Pryor Callaway and Saxon Henry teamed up to create a chair they aptly named Miss Welty.  The duo plans to bring their wit and talent to embody writer Eudora Welty.  The chair has great bones, a stylish profile and a resilient structure all symbolizing Welty's character.  They also plan to incorporate Welty's gentleness and gracefulness into the chair as well. To begin the process, Callaway covered the chair with fiberglass. 

Pryor Callaway (left) and Saxon Henry (right)

Callaway, a New York City-based artist and designer born in Mississippi, received her Bachelors in Fine Arts from Millsaps College, and a Masters in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute.  She began her career working in architecture and furniture design, and also pursues pure installation and sculpture work.  Henry is an author, journalist and new media strategist who has written for a variety of national publications, as well as the author of Four Florida Moderns and Home of the Brave, and has an extensive portfolio of design articles to her credit. Online publication credits include, The Curated Object and Roaming by Design. Saxon Henry is the founder of The Literary Blog to Book Movement on Google+ and an early adopter on social media.  Please read Henry's blog, Improvateur, 
Please find Saxon Henry on Facebook and Twitter @SaxonHenry; 
Pryor Callaway on Facebook and @PryorCallaway on Twitter

5.  Peter Fasano's
CLARENCE HOUSE chair
was inspired by Kazumi Yoshida's designs, which he read about in the lovely book gifted to him about the history of .Clarence House.  

For over 30 years, Peter Fasano has been creating hand-painted silk screened fabrics and wall coverings.  Fasano pulls from an eclectic array of inspirations to create myriad patterns and designs.  He uses water-soluble, earth-based pigments and all fabrics are printed to order with custom options readily available. The designs are offered in 23 showrooms in 14 states in the U.S., as well as in Australia, U.K., New Zealand and Singapore.  

6. Caleb Anderson's 

GEOMETRY MEETS VANITY

Caleb Anderson is the visionary and creative-force behind Caleb Anderson Design.  After earning his design degree he honed his skills under the tutelage of Jamie Drake and architect, David Mann.  Anderson utilizes his tasteful eclecticism and graceful color palette choices to forge an understanding between timelessness and today.  His diverse portfolio showcases his polished sensibility and unique design vision, while he balances luxury, curation, functionality and beauty. Please find Caleb Anderson on Facebook and Twitter, @CalebADesign

Please follow our MC, interior designer, author and makeover television personality, Libby Langdon over on social media as well.  Langdon is the creative force behind New York City-based design firm Libby Interiors, Inc.  Her residential and commercial projects embody easy, elegant, everyday style, and she is fast becoming known for her growing collection of branded home furnishings products. She shares her extensive knowledge in makeover television, drawing inspiration for her own collections from the thousands of conversations she has with consumers across the country about how we really live and what we really want.  You can find Libby Langdon active on Facebook;

and Twitter, @LibbyLangdon 

Please stop back for more profiles 

of our illustrious designers and hear about their chairs, 

and follow our IFDA TAS pin board to see the "before" and "after" chairs and designers.

jaunting through Europe sourcing antiques with IFDA friend, Toma Clark Haines of The Antiques Diva & Co.

image from the Paris flea market 

via board member, Andrea Algaze

 Please meet friend of IFDA NY, 

Toma Clark Haines, 

an American (from the heart of the country) who relocated to Europe and started her now burgeoning business helping others to source antiques throughout Europe, The Antiques Diva & Co.

In case you missed the informative talk given to our chapter members at the New York Design Center on March 25, Toma explained to a packed, captive audience about the ins-and-outs of shopping the coveted Paris Flea Market.  Additionally, she offered us a history lesson about the infamous show with an extensive slide show enticing designers to bring their clients over to Europe for her popular private tours through various European countries to source and buy antiques.  

A meet up with Toma in Milan ensued...

This past week while I was on a sponsored trip with the Modenus company's BlogTour to write about design, our group visited the Salone Del Mobile furniture and Eurocucina show, and we met up with Toma in Milan.  We had a dream-like afternoon with Toma and her local, well-informed guide, Valeria, providing us with a 3-hour jaunt through the Brera Art District's historic antique section.  We visited and chatted with antique dealers, checked out the wares and even picked up a few select pieces.  In true "diva" style, Toma then took us to the swanky La Scala historic theatre where the aristocratic society once whiled away their extravagant evenings entertained by a variety of arts. We were privy to a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the current ballet rehearsal preparing for that evening.  We sat in the dark wings of the historic and elaborate box seats, pinching ourselves that we were magically witnessing tid bits of 
Swan Lake hours before the debut. 

Then, Toma whisked our group over to one of the oldest and most stylish cafes in Milan, the Camparino in Galleria Caffe Milano, next to the famous Duomo.  She ushered us upstairs to our very own private room overlooking Milan, where we sipped an apertif and nibbled on traditional Italian bites, while learning about the Campari cocktail and it's connection and history to the neighborhood.  To be able to experience antique shopping with Toma and her well-informed local guide was such a treat, giving us a deeper understanding of Milan, Italian art history and the local art and antiques and their neighbors -- Priceless!  

 our very own Blogtour photographer, Chasen West 

with BlogTour leader, Veronika Miller of Modenus

after a very busy day in Milan 

Blogtour designers and writers enjoying the festivities while donning 

Venetian masks, a gift from Toma.

please check out our IFDA 

Antique Diva Pinterest Board

(left) The Antique Diva team

The Caffe Milano staff gifted us a walk through Campari history with Valeria interpreting into English.

the icing on the cake is that the IFDA relationship continues, because Toma will be decorating and donating a chair for our upcoming Take A Seat Charity Chair auction at the Room and Board showroom in New York City on 

May 14. -- won't you please 

Save the Date, 

We hope you will attend our 2nd annual Take A Seat, 

with the hopes of bidding on Toma's chair!

Please connect with The Antiques Diva's website!

And, feel free to read more about the

Blogtour Milan team as well.  Ciao!