BlogFest2012 sponsored by Kravet – Highlights and Happenings

I was very fortunate to attend BlogFest2012 (along with Sharon)…a three day insight into the future of interior design.  The event was held in New York City and was sponsored by Kravet, whose family now includes Lee Jofa and Brunschwig & Fils.  The magazine sponsors were Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Veranda, Traditional Home, Interiors, and New York Spaces. As Cary Kravet, president of Kravet, mentioned in his opening, the event was booked within four hours! There were bloggers and designers who blog from 28 states and 4 foreign countries.

Day 1…Kips Bay Decorator Show House, proceeds benefit the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club…fabulous room designs and were there designers in the house? Oh my yes!

 

Day 2… Veranda Panel, House Beautiful Panel, visiting Elle Decor’s Modern Life Concept House,  Traditional Home Panel

Veranda, Editor in Cheif Dara Caponigro… Dara “American designers embrace a mix!” Oh yes we do! Designer panelist Darryl Carter…”clients are more empowered  with design knowledge but they still need designers to know how to mix.” Designer panelist Timothy Whalen…likes to install a room all at once “to create the magic at the end!” It is fabulous fun to see a client’s wow reaction to a room!

House Beautiful Editor in Chief Newell Turner…congratulations to their “live pages”, bringing stories to life from print to mobile app…grab a copy and check it out! Newell is loving the whole design story and “aha” moments in design and designer’s lives. Designer panelist Michael Herold’s “aha” moment….he was fired and then became motivated to start his own firm. Designer Jill Goldberg’s “aha” moment…yep, watched Oprah and decided to follow her dream of getting into interior design…go visit her glam Hudson store in Boston! Designer Jon Call’s “aha” moment…naming his company Mr. Call…loves to get instant feedback on ideas from FaceBook! All three panelists were so fresh in design talent… and so real in attitude, sharing their triumphs and insecurities…refreshing!

Elle Decor’s Modern Life Concept House…so fun! Lots of twists of color and art….

Traditional Home Editor in Chief Ann Maine and Designer Alexa Hampton….Ann expertly served up the intriguing questions and Alexa knocked them out of the park! Oh people, not just for design, they would be the perfect pair at a dinner party! What a riot…on design and life! Alexa “my biggest stretch was working in China on a villa…there is a love there of pattern and I am using pattern everywhere…and if it doesn’t turn out, well, I don’t need to tell you about it…it’s in China!”  ”I don’t think there are trends in color. I think there are colors that put us in our happy zone”….before having twins, didn’t relate to the impact of children in a client’s design requirements “just train them” but “oh, I get it now!”…then there was her meeting her husband, stories of her famous father, what she product she uses to grow her eyelashes …HELLO, you are invited to dinner (or I’ll buy) if you are in LA!

 

Day 3…Kravet Studio Tour, Benjamin Moore Color presentation, Interiors Panel

Benjamin Moores’ John Turner…”colors are becoming a little smokey”…trends…red or red coming through as pink…orange or towards coral…yellow with hues of green and combined with greys and beiges…green like Kelly green or soft apple green signifying the importance of the outdoors….blues becoming watery…dusty purples…neutrals.

Kravet...Wow! The future is looking bright…did I love this tour or what?! Here’s the news…Jonathan Adler fun new fabrics and carpets starting this fall! Fabric design comes from many sources…for instance…Barclay Buttera might show them a handkerchief for fabric inspiration…Barbara Barry likes to create little paintings for inspiration. Kravet does custom fabrics for clients…like funky prints for Anthropologie or new Disney prints with input from the animators or fabric for the White House!   Just loving the new Windsor Smith fabrics on the horizon…and Barclay oh your future is bright! Colors…this year loving the strong pastels, plums, greens, yellows…next year softening the pastels. My group’s fabulous Kravet tour guide, Vice President of Showrooms, Doug Garfinkle “Fashion is typically the leader …used to be 2 to 3 year lag time to interiors…now much tighter.” Loving all the new outdoor fabrics…for inside too!…and the Brunschwig  embroidery fabrics and the Lee Jofa wovens…final word “we think people are designing with a mix of patterns…playful”   Oh, and am I motivated to play!!