Mark your calendar: 2 CEUs at the DDB

We hope you're free this coming Tuesday, September 18 to join the DDB for two interesting CEUs.

Perplexed by panels? Flummoxed by valences? Stunned by Roman shades? Be at Astra from 9:30-10:30 as Michael Tavano, talented interior and product designer will lead us through "Understanding Drapery Fundamentals". Tavano used peppy panels in the room pictured above. He'll advocate for how custom window treatments can accomplish "design miracles."



Explore examples that show how the right draperies for a room can make a room or window appear larger, act to heighten the ceiling, and create a focal point for a room that might lack architectural interest. Equally important, the right fabric treatment can disguise other flaws in a less-expensive-than-construction way. We also hear that Tavano will open up his address book and share some of his favorite sources for the best lining , hardware and trim to create a unique, stunning site. 1 CEU credit; Fee: $50.

Then, from 11am-12pm in the 14th floor Designers' Lounge, join Jeff Sinclair, Director of Automation of Hartmann&Forbes who will discuss what exactly home automation is and why it's important for designers to know as much as they can about it!



Get to know the components of automated window coverings like motor, control and integration technologies. Learn what you need to know when specifying and who can help you along the way. A reception will follow in the Hines & Company showroom (Suite 1010). Click here to preregister. In the meantime, be sure to check out some of their latest introductions we shared here on Wednesday.

Design Seminar Series at the DDB

The DDB's DESIGN SEMINAR SERIES continues with DESIGN HISTORY SERIES on the HISTORY OF THE INTERIOR. Sign up now and brush up on your decorative arts history. We We promise it'll be more fun (and insightful) than summer school! This five-session program examines the history of the 20th-century interior through the filter of the major design movements that influenced the modern home. The discussion highlights key concepts of the development of the modern interior, such as taste, class, style, identity, hygiene and modernity. By viewing icons and some of the most important interiors of their time, the series will include analysis of furniture, furnishings, lighting, objects, wall coverings and the decorative arts of the interior.


All lectures by Daniella Ohad Smith, Ph.D. Sponsored by Modern Magazine. The five-week series with Optional CEU certificate is in partnership with NYSID costs $25 per course credit (.1CE .1LU per course). To register as CEU, please contact 212-472-1500 ext. 209 or visit www.nysid.edu. General RSVP to RSVP@DDBuilding.com.


Tuesday, May 29, 9:30AM, Crestron, Suite 400
The Birth of the Modern Home | CE145-W-A 
The campaign for the modern home and the transformation from Victorian concepts of domestic culture into those adhering modern living were initiated by William Morris and the fathers of the Arts and Crafts Movement. In the wake of industrialization, they proposed alternative visions of production that integrated art and labor as well as manifesto that focused on furniture, furnishings, and the appearance of the modern home. Breakfast reception to immediately follow.


Tuesday, June 5, 9:30AM, Donghia, Suite 700
Art Nouveau – The Art Home | CE145-W-B
The attempt to reform and renew the domestic sphere through a complete design program in fin-de-siècle Europe, had informed the European Art Nouveau home. Concepts such as an 'artistic' home, the Gesamtkunstwerk interior, nationalism, and a transformation from a historicist tradition into modernist ideals came to inform and define that unique home that tells the story of its time. Breakfast reception to immediately follow.


Tuesday, June 12, 9:30AM, Pierre Frey, Suite 1611
The Art Deco Interior | CE145-W-C 
Two streams and concepts regarding the modern interior were developed in France between the two world wars, reflecting historical-traditional vocabulary on the one hand and an avant-garde approach on the other. Issues such as machine-age aesthetics, mass culture, antimodernism, and domesticity became apparent in the construction of the French Art Deco interior. Breakfast reception to immediately follow.


Tuesday, June 19, 9:30AM, Designers Lounge, 14th Floor
The Midcentury American Home | CE145-W-D 
The postwar suburban projects, the Case Study House Program, furniture production and promotions, are at the center of discussion of the American midcentury home. It is contextualized within postwar modern design and the work of such key figures as the Eameses, Eero Saarinen, Knoll, George Nelson, Robin and Lucienne Day, and Eva Zeisel.
Breakfast reception to follow at Knoll Luxe, Suite 1702.


Tuesday, June 26, 9:30AM, de le Cuona, Suite 914
Living with Postmodernism | CE145-W-E 
The departure from modernist ideals in home design toward the Postmodernist home reflect a critical shift in the practice of culture and consumption and in the understanding of concepts relating to the essence of interior design. Themes such as consumption of popular culture, kitsch, the transformation of the 'good taste,' and nostalgia, all came to play central role in the emergence of the postmodernist interior. Breakfast reception to immediately follow.

April Events at the DDB

Tuesday, April 17, from 9:30 - 10:30 AM in Astra Cafe, Floor 14. Cost: $50.
CEU329  Design Fairs 101:  How to Tackle and Shop the Fairs like a Pro.
Instructor: Brook S. Mason, US Correspondent, The Art Newspaper.
Design Miami, Design Basel and the key fairs at the Park Avenue Armory can be glamorous, but intimidating for the novice and experience designer alike.  Students will learn how to tackle and shop the art, antiques and design fairs like a pro.  With art fairs now emblematic of millennium culture and literally popping up in profusion internationally, find out which fairs are mandatory for the design trade. Discover what not to miss, who the key dealers are, and which areas of art, antiques and design are a great buy now. Reception to follow.
To register, call 212.472.1500 ext 209 or visit www.nysid.edu
Tuesday, April 24 at 11:00 AM, at Creation Baumann, Suite 1522.

DDB Design File |  Sustainably Chic : Rethinking Green Design
Instructor: Arlene Angard, Sustainable Expert and Interior Designer

Join Sustainable Expert and Interior Designer Arlene Angard, pictured above, at Creation Baumann for an engaging discussion that navigates the way through sustainable design. Disregard the misconception that green is grunge and granola, but sophisticated, bold, and beautiful.  Learn of the variety of resources, the certifications from factory and production practices to final product, and how to filter through the green noise that exists in the marketplace today.

Arlene will highlight some of her favorite eco-chic projects, products, and resources, as well as share important knowledge to keep in mind when sourcing and designing for sustainable spaces. Arlene will also present the holistically sustainable philosophy and progressive approach of Creation Baumann, a leader in the world of socially and ecologically aware luxury design.

Lunch Reception to Immediately Follow. Sponsored by New York Spaces. RSVP@ddbuilding.com or 212.759.2969.
About Arlene Angard
Arlene Angard, a native of Venezuela, is one New York’s top Interior Designers. Her Latin roots influence her design concepts, and her vibrant personality and take-charge attitude are inspiring. She is motivated by travel and encouraged by beauty in design. She shows her creative thought process and sensibility to Mother Earth by the widest possible use of sustainable products in her design.

Arlene is a modernist at heart. She is stylish and elegant as are her interiors.“My transitional spaces include plenty of classic silhouettes. They are a great way to bring comfort and provide instant upgrades to any room. Complemented by carefully selected textures and patterns, I like to mix something old with something new. Never be afraid to add some flair with colors, details and accessories. I bring my Venezuelan roots to my Interiors, which is where I believe my magical love for colors comes from. I love to make bold statements even in small areas. Many clients and friends can initially be reluctant to such bold statements, but eventually, they simply fall in love with the idea and the spaces I design for them.”

Save the Date: Methods, Materials & Mechanics of Carpeting Today with Stark

Looking to learn more about working with carpeting in your home? If so, the DDB's CEU Series with the New York School of Interior Design has just the seminar you're looking for.

Join instructor Tim Sheridan of Stark Carpet to explore traditional and contemporary carpeting options to source and use in today’s ever-changing marketplace. Learn about different carpet constructions that create interiors beyond the expected, and how to explore your design options using the knowledge of an expert workroom and vendor.

The event takes place Tuesday, March 20, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the DDB's Astra Café on floor 14. A reception will follow at the Stark Carpet showroom, in Suite 1102. For speaker information and reservations, visit NYSID online or call 212-472-1500, ext. 209. The fee is $50.

Save the Date: DDB Shares Working with a Custom Lampshade Designer

Looking to learn more about working with a custom lampshade designer? If so, the DDB's CEU Series with New York School of Interior Design has just the seminar you're looking for.

Learn the difference between custom and off-the-rack lampshades and find out how lamps are wired and how that wiring affects the style and size of a lampshade. Instructor Patricia Sullivan, of Abat-Jour Custom Lampshades will discuss how to size a lampshade for different types of lamps, how lampshades are sewn and how to choose suitable fabrics, lining and trimming for custom lampshades.

Reception to immediately follow at the Vaughan showroom in Suite 1511.

The event takes place Tuesday, February 21, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the DDB's Astra Café on floor 14. A reception will follow at the Vaughan showroom in Suite 1511. For speaker information and reservations, visit NYSID online or call 212.472.1500 ext 209. The fee is a $50.

Meet the Designer: Keith Lichtman Helps You Love How You Live (Part 1 of 2)

New York-based interior designer Keith Lichtman's philosophy is to 'love how you live.' Keith explains this and more when we had the chance to talk to him recently. Keith opened KL Interiors in 2002, and has been working his magic into his clients' homes and apartments ever since.

GDG: How did you get started in the interior design world?

KL: In the early days, well before selecting interior design as my career, I found myself subscribing to and collecting countless design magazines and loving everything about the design and decoration world. Having decided to make a career change from a figure skating choreographer, I enrolled in school at the New York School of Interior Design. I would also visit open houses because I was so fascinated by the way other people lived. To this day, I still visit open houses, immediately announcing I am viewing them solely as a voyeur!

I then landed a job as a junior designer at Sills Huniford, one of the top firms in the US, after just one semester at school! Our clients were Tina Turner and Vera Wang, among other notable celebrities. I was on the fast track! I then moved on as a senior designer and project manager at Thomas Jayne Studio before establishing my own business nine years ago.

GDG: What made you love the industry you’re in?

KL: I have always been a big believer in 'home' and 'home life.' Everyone needs that safe retreat, particularly in a big, crazy city. Creating a beautiful home with just the right character and vibe gives a kind of emotional support to the homeowner.

GDG: Have there been any particular people who have helped along the way?
KL: There isn't necessarily one individual who has been the most help in my career. Instead, I'd have to say that my accumulation of experiences with my clients keeps elevating my levels of creativity and inspires me!


Stay tuned to GoDesignGo to hear more about Keith's work. He'll share what he's been super busy with lately as well as a few fun facts about himself.

Save the Date: Donald Albrecht & Thomas Mellins on the American Style

New York has long been home to some of the great revivalist styles of architecture and design, which the Colonial Revival style perhaps more prominent than others. Potterton Books in the DDB hosts as authors of The American Style: Colonial Revival in the Modern Metropolis Donald Albrecht and Thomas Mellins explore this revival style as it is expressed in New York form the end of the 19th century through today.

Looking at the work of architects such as McKim, Mead & White and Delano & Aldrich, one instantly recognizes the style's characteristics, including red brick walls, limestone trim and multi-pane windows with shutters--to name a few.

The exhibition The American Style runs at the Museum for the City of New York through October 30th.

The event takes place June 20 at 6:00 p.m. in the gallery space at the New York School of Interior Design. Admission is $20. RSVP by emailing potterton.books@verizon.net or call 212-644-2292.

Save the Date: The Insider's Guide to Working with a Decorative Painter

Venetial plaster, strie, trompe l'oeil, or faux bois? If you’re struggling to decide which faux finish effect to use, you're in luck. Renowned decorative painter Dean Barger comes to the DDB to share tips on the best ways to work with a professional decorative artist to create just the right painted technique to complement your interior design work.

Dean will review the process from formulating the initial concept, developing the design and choosing the right technique, effect or illustrative mural, to developing a work schedule and various forms of agreement for services.

A reception will follow at Gracie in suite 1411.

The event takes place June 21 from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. at the DDB's Astra Café on floor 14. There is a $50 fee with 0.1 CEU credit. For speaker information and reservations, please call 212-472-1500 ext. 209 or visit www.nysid.edu.

Save the Date: Annie Kelly Speaks on Historic Preservation from Litchfield County to the West Coast

Now’s your chance to check out the homes of historic Litchfield County and beyond without leaving the comfort of Manhattan. Potterton Books in the DDB hosts author Annie Kelly and photographer Tim Street-Porter for their latest book, Litchfield Style.

Using the book's look at the historic homes of Litchfield County, Annie will discuss the importance of historic preservation in Connecticut and across America. She will outline specific design choices to help guide interior designers when renovating interiors of historic value, such as the importance of keeping original windows.

Annie lives in an 18th-century Colonial house in Litchfield, CT and a historic cultural monument in Los Angeles, giving her a perspective from both coasts. She was also on the board of Historic Preservation Overlay Zone in Hollywood and won an award from the L.A. conservancy for her work on F. L. Wright's La Miniatura.

The event takes place June 14 at 6:00 p.m. in the gallery space at the New York School of Interior Design. Admission is $20. RSVP by emailing potterton.books@verizon.net or call 212-644-2292.

Guest Blogger Julieta Alvarez Shares Her Experience Volunteering at the Kips Bay Decorators’ Showhouse (Part 1 of 2)

Julieta Alvarez, Pierre Frey Sales and Marketing Assistant, gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of the Kips Bay Showhouse last week. As a volunteer for the showhouse, she gave us the inside scoop shared her experience working with top designers.

By Julieta Alvarez

After deciding to volunteer at Kips Bay Showhouse with three of my favorite classmates from New York School of Interior Design (NYSID), I got to be part of one of the best events in the industry—and it was a blast! I had never been to the Showhouse before, but after seeing it in person, I'll be there every year from now on!

This year, 22 top interior designers were chosen to decorate rooms in a beautiful neo-Federalist style home on 63rd Street in Manhattan. The spaces included bathrooms, kitchens, stairways, hallways patios and a backyard, leaving no space un-designed.

One of the tasks of a volunteer included learning about the materials in the rooms, including the wallpaper, carpeting, furniture, colors and more. By doing so, we were able to learn about a few rooms we loved and then spend time in them while telling the coming and going visitors all about it.

My job at the D&D Building also made me even more interested in knowing which product came from the showrooms I love. Everyone wants to know what materials and product make up the room, and as long as I made sure they didn't go beyond the red velvet rope, I had the luxury of talking shop with them for as long as they wanted!

Stay tuned for more from Julieta's experience at Kips Bay Showhouse to learn which rooms stood out most for her, and visit her design blog to hear more from her.

New Faces: Julieta Alvarez at Pierre Frey

The latest addition to the New York staff at Pierre Frey is part-time Sales and Marketing Assistant, Julieta Alvarez. Originally from Argentina, Julieta also studies at the New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) and amidst her hectic schedule, she found some time to tell us a little bit about herself.


GDG: How did you initially get into interior design when you moved to New York City?

JC: It took some time! While interior design has always been my first love, I was afraid of leaving my comfortable first job in New York City in the real estate world. I finally decided to take some classes at NYSID to see how I would like it. A month later, I decided to ditch real estate completely and dug into school full time!  Even though I was broke most of the time, I was the happiest I had ever been!





GDG: Where did your interests take you next?

JC: While enrolled in school I interned for Alex Papachristidis and Zach Bliss. I also started a blog in October of 2010 as a way to express myself and record my inspirations. The blog includes everything from interior design to photography, fashion, jewelry and much more.


GDG: How did Pierre Frey come into your vision?

JC: I started working at Pierre Frey in April thanks to Alex Papachristidis, who highly recommended me to Kim Huebner. I'm thrilled with it!





GDG: Other than work and school, what else would we find you doing?

JC: I love to research interior design for my blog as well as take pictures. I became an amateur photographer two years ago with my trusty Canon Rebel. While at home, I work on my blog because it keeps me creative and up to date with new trends and new resources for interior design. When I am out, I take my camera and take lots of beautiful pictures!


Stay tuned to GoDesignGo for more about Julieta and her blog.

Upcoming Event: The Arts & Crafts Movement from Europe to America

The Industrial Revolution brought forth a wave of protest from tastemakers and critics, most notably the Englishman John Ruskin. As a response to the “evils of the machine,” the Arts & Crafts Movement sought a return to the appeal of handcrafted objects and the satisfaction of the designer-craftsman in making his own creations.

In this lecture, Historian and NYSID Professor Judith Gura will discuss this period in design history, its distinctive characteristics, main figures such as William Morris and Gustav Stickley, and their enduring influence on American design in the 21st century.

As a specialist in the history of interiors and furnishings with a focus on the past century, Judith applies her skills in lectures, books and articles that have established her reputation as a scholar with a lively, accessible style. She combines strong academic credentials with practical marketing experience as an authority on period styles, Scandinavian furniture, interior design and the contemporary design market.

The event will take place on December 21, 2010 from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. at the DDB's Astra Cafe with a $50 fee. There will be a reception to follow.

For speaker information and reservations please call NYSID 212-472-1500 ext. 209 or visit www.ddbuilding.com

Photo Credit: www.william-morris.co.uk

Special Presentation: The "Dream Cube"

Join designer, author and artist Edwin Schlossberg tomorrow, November 10, at the New York School of Interior Design, for a behind-the-scenes look at his "Dream Cube."

The installation was designed for the 2010 World Expo in China, which ran for six months through October 31, 2010.

Edwin and his team at ESI Design worked with the Shanghai Corporate Community and a group of world-renown architects and producers to create this 43,000 square foot multimedia experience made up of cutting-edge technology, dreamlike environments, collaborative social spaces and sustainably designed materials.

Inspired by Shanghai and its citizens, the Dream Cube leads visitors through a story of the city's past, present and future. The experience also transforms moment-by-moment via their collective participation.

Seating is limited and reservations are required. Register online or by calling 212.472.1500, ext. 405. The event is free and open to the public.

NYSID Professor Reflects on Green Design

Green Design is the current buzzword, applied to virtually every design project, and many products of varying degrees of environmental-consciousness. But is the idea really such a new one? After all, William McDonough has been proselytizing the need for architects and designers to show concern for sustainable development decades… almost from the founding of his eponymous architectural firm back in 1981. His “Cradle to Cradle” book is almost a decade old.
But this kind of thinking goes back much further. More than a century ago, Adolph Loos, in his iconic essay Ornament and Crime, said that. And Frank Lloyd Wright spoke about it. Weren’t they making some of the same points? So are we finally beginning to listen?
-- Judith Gura, Professor of Design History and Theory, New York School of Interior Design

Some design is never out of date…..

Some design is never out of date…..new students at NYSID are just starting to learn the basics of the Greek and Roman classical orders. They really get caught up in the idea of recognizing Ionic and Corinthian columns, caryatids and gargoyles, on the buildings they walk by and never looked at closely before.

How many of us are too busy to stop and look carefully at what’s around us? In New York or anywhere else, notwithstanding the bad design we gripe about, there’s plenty to admire if we take the time for a closer look.

The Metropolitan Museum isn’t looking its best these days, with all the restoration going on. Same for the Public Library. But landmarks like these, Grand Central Station and others remind us just how beautiful historicist design and architecture are, even in this 21^st-century-modern world.

Judith Gura

Judith Gura, NYSID

The new term is under way, and I asked the first-year students in Historical Styles class to write a paragraph on why they want to be designers. I was struck by how many used the word “passion” in describing their interest. Isn’t it nice to think that people enter this profession with such enthusiasm? On the other hand, they have no idea what they’re getting into. Many seem to think it’s all about shopping for beautiful things – little do they know that it’s also about staying up nights to finish assignments, learning about specifications and codes, and cramming for the NCIDQ exam. And out in the business world, they’ll face the day-to-day routine of collecting samples, writing up orders, juggling budgets and dealing with temperamental clients. On the other hand, they can still get excited about helping to improve people’s lives by making their environments more comfortable, and more beautiful. I think most of them will be pleased with their career choice.

Here are some of my favorite comments:

“I think that to create spaces is to be one part of society and one part of history.”

“To me, design is a creative form of expression.”

“There’s no more meaningful medium in which to explore the creation of beauty than in the spaces we inhabit.”

Judith Gura, Professor and Coordinator of Design History and Theory Program
New York School of Interior Design