In the News: Eddie Ross at Lenox Hill Spring Gala

This year's Spring Gala at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, themed You're the Top! featured tabletops created by top designers and honored Elizabeth Rohatyn, long-time Board Member and Honorary Chair. The evening included a cocktail hour, dinner and dancing and benefited Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, a widely recognized nonprofit organization providing an extensive array of human services on the East Side of Manhattan.

Lifestyle expert and former Martha Stewart Living Editor, Eddie Ross and partner Jaithan Kochar, who were included in the roster of tabletop designers who collaborated with Carleton V to create their interpretation for the evening.

"Eddie Ross and Jaithan Kochar created a fabulous tablecloth using our Growing Wild pattern," said Carleton V Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Brittany Bean. "The pattern is a colorful hand-screened print from 1975 that was just reissued for Spring 2011.

Jaithan explained that the handmade matchbooks at each place setting were from his and Eddie's friend Susan Schneider of Shandell's in Millerton, New York. The perfectly matching matchbooks were centered at each place setting and couldn't have been a better pair with the Carleton V tablecloth.

The design committee also included Scott Snyder, Harry Heissman, Lyndsey Coral Harper among other notables.  Clo and Charles S. Cohen were also among the A-list attendees.

Holiday Tips, Tricks and Tales: Eddie Ross

We asked tastemaker, lifestyle expert and former Martha Stewart Living editor Eddie Ross to share some of his favorite stories, tips and tricks with us for the holiday season.

GDG: What was the best gift you ever received over the holidays?

ER: Last year for Christmas, my partner Jaithan gave me a beautiful Jadite candy dish that he found at an antique store in Milwaukee. I loved it so much that by the end of Christmas day, I had a set of 12 and had them in time for New Year's Eve!

GDG: What should people never give as gifts?

ER: Candles are a big no-no to me. Unless there's a personal importance between you and who you're giving it to, it just says "I don't care" to me. I'm not a big fan of gift cards usually either, and I also hate when people use gift bags and tissue paper. Presents look so much better when they've been wrapped. Find the time to wrap, people!

GDG: What things are crucial to keep in mind when you’re decorating for the holidays?

ER: Be aware of what you've put out and don't let one decoration throw off another. Things don't have to be green and red in order to be holiday decorations. Some of the most beautiful and tasteful decorations have nothing to do with those two colors but are adorned with tinsel or are frosted or have a special way of giving off a holiday glow just as well.

GDG: What are you most looking forward to during this holiday season?

ER: Jaithan and my new house being finished! It will be done in time for the holidays and we can't wait for the paint to dry and the decorations to be up and our friends and family to come enjoy it with us!

Leave a comment and share with us what you're most looking forward to this holiday season!

Eddie Ross’ Winter Window Display at DDB

Who better to take on the task of designing a show-stopping DDB window environment for Carleton V than Eddie Ross and partner Jaithan Kochar? We caught up with the lifestyle expert and former Martha Stewart Living editor—despite his busy holiday schedule and his recent move—to find out about his process.

GDG: Who or what was the inspiration for the window?

ER: Jaithan and I envisioned a personality who lived in the spaced named Diane, nicknamed “Dede,” who drinks and smokes. She’s either your best friend or your worst enemy, you either love her or you hate her but those are her heels and her leopard print scarf!

GDG: What mood were you going for?

ER: We wanted to go for something that had a holiday feel without being actually Christmas décor. We used a lot of the indigo blue and cranberry colors and tones. It was really fun to do because we thought about wintery places like Aspen and country homes and skiing.

GDG: What was the best part of the project?

ER: Creating the mood and inspiring people to do things that they normally wouldn't—which is one of the reasons the fireplace was painted indigo. Why not paint something a really beautiful color blue?

GDG: Can you share your design process?

ER: We made sure to use all of the walls and created a look with the patterns and colors that felt more traditional but still very modern. We also made sure to use every bit of space we could without making it cluttered because the window display size is just about what spaces can be like when you're living NYC, so it was fun practice!

GDG: Do you have any other windows in the works?

ER: We now do all of the lobby window displays for Carlton V; six per year, and this current one is our second. The next one will be in February and the only reason we're not already planning anything for it yet is because the fabrics we want used in it haven't arrived yet!

GDG: Last question, Eddie. Would you and Jaithan sit in that room with Diane?

ER: Absolutely!

Check back with us in a few months to see what Eddie and Jaithan dream up for their next window at the end of February!