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!

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!

Part 3: good news from talents helping with IFDA Take A Seat charity and chair auction on May 16 at Lillian August Showroom in NYC

a beautiful chair featured on Nest by Tamara
written by Tamara Matthews-Stephenson

 More glimpses of  designer's "before" chairs
 as they transform for the
IFDA NY chapter's

TAKE A SEAT charity and auction

We have exciting new developments,and all of us at IFDA NY are very grateful to have professional auctioneerKarl Green of Bonhamsas our auctioneer for the evening on May 16With Jamie Drake hosting, and Karl Green utilizing his expertise to auction off these 25 chairs,we are in for a special evening.

About Karl:

Karl Green is the Director of Furniture & Decorative Arts at Bonhams, New York.

Green has 30 years experience in the European and American auction markets as an appraiser and auctioneer.  He has worked in a variety of auction houses from Freeman’s and Butterfield & Butterfield to Switzerland's Koller.  For six years, Green was also Secretary General for International Auctioneers.  He specializes in French and Continental Furniture and Decorations in Bonham' Furniture and Decorative Arts auctions in New York. 

Jamie Drake, FASID IIDA

world renowned interior designer, Drake is known for his glamorous spaces, and exuberant color sense, his eye for the unique and telling detail, his practical approach to planning, and his equal facility in traditional and modern styles.  He creates inviting delightful and resolutely livable environments. 

take a look at a few more designer's 
refurbishing chairs...

17. Rose Ott

is the owner of Rose Ott Interior Design in Merrick, Long Island.  She had a plethora of discarded chairs in her neighborhood to choose from after they were hit with Hurricane Sandy.  Ott chose this discarded beechwood bergere chair with lovely swan carvings, and plans to use a vibrant, large scale fabric to give the chair a happier future. 
Note:  the chair and finish has generously be donated by fellow Sandy victim, Frank Vacarro of Master of Furniture.  Upholstery generously donated by Emanuel Decorators and Upholsterers.

Rose Ott Interior Design

16. Andrea Algaze

is an interior designer and alumni of the School of Visual art.  Algaze has spent her career journeying through many fields in the design world, art ,fashion, jewelry ,home furnishings and architecture.  Inspired by her love of travel , color, design, fabric, food ,the arts, colleagues, friends, volunteer work, family & the creative energy of NYC will be repurposing an old back room find, fireside chair with the idea of the the beauty of nature.

15. Nancy Fire

designworksintl.com

is the Creative Director Founder of Design Works International

Since 1989, Fire has served as founder and creative director of Design Works International. Initially a fashion and lifestyle studio, Design Works has expanded into the home furnishings arena.

Fire found an antique metal chair in NYC that she will use in her "Heavy Metal" theme combining metal inspired fabrics and finishes. Nancy loves to repurpose furniture while keeping an updated sensibility by using trend inspired influences. With the importance of metal accents in the home, this is a perfect way to combine trend and tradition by bringing fabrics, finishes and style to a simple structure.

14. Lois Croce

http://www.windowfashions.com 

is the design director for Metropolitan Window Fashions, a chain of retail stores in New Jersey & New York City specializing in custom window treatments, furniture re upholstery and fabric accessories.

the "before"

This chair will be colorful, whimsical and contemporary, the 80's Retro Chair has been repurposed into a modern one-of-kind creation! This vintage upright chair, purchased at Habitat for Humanity Restore in New Jersey. Inspired by Pantone's Color of the Year Emerald Green, the seat was re-upholstered with a bright green, black and white graphic fabric from Waverly's HGTV Collection and replaced the back with my own original naive ‘modern art’ acrylic painting. This chair leads the viewer across decades and artistic styles.

13. Rosemarie Hittmeyer, IFDA NY
ifdanyny@verizon.net
Hittmeyer is the IFDA NY chapter administrator, as well as her Alma Mater FIT's marketing and design associate
Green Goddess

You can take the girl out of fashion but you can’t take the fashion out of the girl. Rosemarie's chair saunters right off the fashion runways.

Wearing the latest coat of sea glass colored metallic paint and shimmering apple green peau de soie, she exudes femininity. This French Rococo-style fauteuil has cabriole legs and is paired with a petit footstool so her delicate feet needn’t touch the ground. The piece de résistance is the millinery details on the chair backs. Appliqued ombre silk ribbons create a spring garden complete with small berries, inspired by ladies hats of yesteryear. The discreet scroll and floral details on the chair are touched with plum and mauve paint to pull the whole ensemble together.

 

12. Mary Little
 www.designbius.com

Wear the chair, a chair to wear

Built on Little's esteemed reputation, she co-owns design bius with husband Peter Wheeler.  For Little's chair, she wove two threads together:  a frame from the historic collection of master upholsterer Al Mario, and the beautiful fabrics of Rosemary Hallgarten.  The luxurious sensation of wrapping oneself in a shawl of Alpaca was her inspiration, as well as the shawls worn with 1950s couture evening dresses.  She is experimenting with the Alpaca "wraps" and the open arms of the chair and how one may look wearing them.