Introducing 12 new patterns, Donghia debuted its Spring 2012 Textile Collection with exclusive presentations starting in New York and Los Angeles. Entitled, Footloose & Fancy Free, the lighthearted collection is filled with bold patterns and whimsical colors that reflect Donghia’s enthusiasm for design; ever evolving and always innovative. This latest line, true to its title, [...]
Please see videos from my walking tour of Paris’ Design District with Ludovic Darricau of Elitis and Jessica Romm of The Editor at Large. See exclusive footage of the most recent collections from Donghia, Bergamo and Elitis along with our favorite places to visit in Paris! A Walking Tour of Paris’ Design District with [...]
I have returned from Maison et Objet and Deco Off; two parallel luxury Home furnishings expositions; one in Paris and one outside of Paris. As our companies (Rubelli, Donghia, Sahco) all have beautiful showrooms in Paris, I was forced, forced to spend five days in Paris and did not attend the fair at Villepint, which [...]
I was thrilled to read this post by Jennifer Boles on Donghia’s NY flagship showroom. Included are images by renowned photographer Miguel Flores Viana and magical renderings by Donghia’s longtime designer, Masaru Suzuki. If you have not already, check out her fantastic blog at the link below. http://thepeakofchic.blogspot.com/2012/01/donghia-and-its-flagship-showroom.html
Please see videos from my walking tour of Paris’ Design District with Ludovic Darricau of Elitis and Jessica Romm of The Editor at Large. See exclusive footage of the most recent collections from Donghia, Bergamo and Elitis along with our favorite places to visit in Paris! A Walking Tour of Paris’ Design District with [...]
It is 60 degrees outside as I sit in my office in Westchester. One year ago there was four feet of snow piled up and it was freezing. Myabe it’s not global warming, but it is certainly odd. Day lilies are trying to send up shoots, and crocus are tentatively appearing. Now that the Northeast is [...]
I have returned from Maison et Objet and Deco Off; two parallel luxury Home furnishings expositions; one in Paris and one outside of Paris. As our companies (Rubelli, Donghia, Sahco) all have beautiful showrooms in Paris, I was forced, forced to spend five days in Paris and did not attend the fair at Villepint, which [...]
Check out this exciting photograph from Jamie Drake’s room using Donghia furniture and textiles at the Greystone Doheny Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA. This was not an ordinary showhouse, but a showplace. I urge you to visit it! Other beautiful rooms include designs by Barry Dixon, Timothy Corrigan and many others.
It is now almost May of 2012. Since 2008, four LONG years ago, the interior design industry has sagged, slumped, languished, recovered, slowed, sped up, slowed, hiccupped upwards, and in general done everything except provide a steady growth curve for the majority of the firms that make up this industry. However, for some firms, [...]
The above headline was the original intent of this blog during the worst of the recession. Lots of ideas and suggestions, from one designer to another, were shared using this medium as the messenger, and I am grateful to have heard from many designers that they read this blog, tried a new idea for their [...]
When A Glass Half Full was started, things looked particularly bleak for the interior design industry! Starting in 2008, and continuing through today, we have experienced four years of belt-tightening, and many of the members of our ranks have left the business. Hundreds of showrooms have closed, and thousands of interior designers have merged, quit, [...]
The recession is over. That was said 2 years ago, I think. Since then we have had… exactly what? Headline-driven consumer confidence? In our field, clients have the resources, would love to spend it with a qualified interior designer, but seem to live from WSJ to WSJ headline. Start! Wait, Stop! Hold Off- wait OK [...]
By now everyone knows that Albert Hadley, globally renowned and celebrated interior designer, passed away last week. I wish I could say that Albert Hadley was a close friend, but I can say that he was a close acquaintance throughout my many years in the design industry. Also, he came from Nashville, and I lived there [...]
Just a quick note to wish everyone a happy, healthy, profitable, and successful 2012! I wish each of you joy and peace in your life as we end 2011 and start 2012. Happy New Year!
Every year, at our house, whenever family and friends are gathered at the table, we go around the circle or rectangle and ask people to tell us all what they are most grateful for. So, as an industry, for those of you who read this blog, maybe you could add to the gratitude list I am [...]
I recently returned from a business trip to Las Vegas, an epicenter of this recession. Starting with President Obama’s inadvertent swipe at their convention business and continuing through their severe housing crash and significant homeless situation, Las Vegas has had it worse than many cities in America. The casino business dropped significantly as did hotel [...]
It is now almost May of 2012. Since 2008, four LONG years ago, the interior design industry has sagged, slumped, languished, recovered, slowed, sped up, slowed, hiccupped upwards, and in general done everything except provide a steady growth curve for the majority of the firms that make up this industry. However, for some firms, [...]
Do you think things are getting better, and in some cases much better? I am suddenly seeing drops of water from all over the country slowly filling up this half empty glass. Business is picking up here, and there, and then over there, and then up there. I like the title of “A Glass Half [...]
The recession is over. That was said 2 years ago, I think. Since then we have had… exactly what? Headline-driven consumer confidence? In our field, clients have the resources, would love to spend it with a qualified interior designer, but seem to live from WSJ to WSJ headline. Start! Wait, Stop! Hold Off- wait OK [...]
First of all, I wish each of you a joyous holiday in every size and flavor! Our family’s mini-diaspora is getting together in Connecticut for the holidays, and I am profoundly grateful that everyone is well and has survived all that life has thrown at each of them in the past year. Gratitude seems to be in [...]
The Neocon market in Chicago may not have broken the records for attendance, but it was very busy nonetheless. It was gratifying to see so many people out visiting showrooms and poring over new introductions. Herman Miller and Steelcase were very busy as was Knoll. Interestingly enough, so was the Donghia Showroom (us). Brentano, Boyd and Pollack all [...]
I always like to offer what might be good news for a change. HD, the Hospitality Design Show in Las Vegas this week, was extremely busy on opening day, and steadily busy on the second day. Designers and clients from San Francisco, Florida, Los Angeles, Las Vegas (of course), New York, Montreal, Vancouver, Dallas, Houston, Chicago and [...]
There is a lot of talk right now about how the interior design profession must allow its suppliers to sell directly to the public. After all, designers sell retail products to their clients, so why can’t suppliers such as ourselves sell directly to those same clients? I mean, fair is fair, right? So, I guess [...]
Here we are in January 2012! The year of the dragon- the first year of the post-recession economy! The first year of whatever comes next! I am off to Deco-Off and Maison et Jardin, the exciting decorative interior shows in Paris, and I thought I would share with you some sneak previews of the new [...]
In October, Donghia opened its finest showroom in New York to rave reviews! Below are a few images of the lifestyle section of the showroom, which comprises 50% of the total showroom space. The second half is devoted to an extraordinary collection of textiles and wall coverings featuring some of the most exquisite fabrics woven [...]
Rubelli, our parent company of Venice Italy, recently supplied the new main main curtain and box upholstery fabrics at Moscow’s newly renovated Bolshoi Theater, all woven by Rubelli. The curtain contains real gold! Follow the link for more! http://www.rubelli.com/INTERnet/sito_v5/en
Just about this time of year in 1996, I was the current President of Cowtan & Tout, and a nervous candidate to become President & CEO of a much smaller company- Bergamo Fabrics, Inc, based in Long Island City, Queens. I had interviewed twice, had another interview scheduled around Thanksgiving, and was trying to do my [...]
Harry Lawenda passed away on Wednesday, thankfully in his sleep, surrounded by friends, and at peace. For those of you who may not know who Harry was and what he stood for, this blog is a small tribute to one of the founders of the multi-line design showroom business in America, and to a friend whom I [...]
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