APRIL 2021
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DESIGNERS style. substance. soul. EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Bill McLoughlin bmcloughlin@pbmbrands.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jane Dagmi jdagmi@designerstoday.com
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CONTENTS
Inside Meg Rodgers’ Philadelphia design studio. Photo: Halkin | Mason Photography
I N E V E RY I S S U E . . .
SCOOP
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HELLO
Do you Clubhouse?
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ON THE COVER
NEWS
Publishing, art, good-looking doormats and more
Paige Gemmel
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46 Saana Baker photographed by Karl Petzke
WO R K S PAC E
Marguerite Rodgers Interior Design
RESOURCES
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N E W YO R K TA B L E T O P S H O W LAS VEGAS MARKET
BUSINESS
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DESIGNING BETTER
Organizations and designers delve into sustainability
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EXPERT OPINION
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Jana Platina Phipps is Instagram agile
I N S P I R AT I O N
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Applegate Tran gets swanky in San Fran Room anatomy: How elements come together Three textile-passionate pros to know
A sustainable design from Laurence Carr. Photo: Kelly Marshall Designers Today, ( ISSN 2643-0185) (USPS 22030), Vol. 2/No. 3, Copyright © 2021 by Bridgetower Media LLC, is published monthly except for February, June, August and December by Progressive Business Media, 7025 Albert Pick Road Suite 200, Greensboro, NC 27409. Business, Editorial, Accounting, and Circulation Offices: 7025 Albert Pick Road Suite 200, Greensboro, N.C. 27409. Call 818-487-2027 to subscribe.Periodicals Postage paid at Greensboro, N.C. 27409, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Designers Today, P.O. Box 16659, North Hollywood, CA 91615.
LANCASTER LancasterCCU.com | 336.431.6655 | To the Trade
hello
DEAR READER Within 15 hours of closing this issue, I will be getting my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and then promptly heading down to Florida to see my parents, my kids, friends and of course, designers — I’ve got a few L’s top of mind like Lisa, Lillian, and Lorna. Plus I will go to the Kips Bay Palm Beach showhouse! I am craving different scenery. I am fine with the isolation until I’m not, remembering when hugs were not life-threatening. Zoom has been my salvation, my preferred method for all communication. And now there’s Clubhouse, the new invite-only iPhone (Android coming soon) networking app. Are you on yet? I like Clubhouse’s open playing field — once you’re in — and its immediacy. The moment you see a discussion topic or person you are interested in, you can jump right into that conversation. One night about 10:30, Lisa Mende was on simply trying to “figure Clubhouse out.” I saw her face pop up and joined her. Jennifer Stoner followed and a handful of other designers did, too, and we got talking about markets, lead times, and more. Of course, part of me was like, “It’s the end of the day, why are we all still attached to our phones,” but it was spontaneous and casual, and the thought of everyone in pajamas was pleasing. Clubhouse is reminding us about the benefits of listening, using one’s voice and speaking up. That you have to raise your hand and be brought up to speak — there’s a certain level of decorum. I am interested to see how it will all morph. One of the weekly clubs I have joined is Leslie Carothers’ Saturday 9 a.m. CST Design Coffee Chat. Leslie, CEO of Savour Partnership and all-around champion of the industry, has scheduled this informal no-set-agenda gathering for the interior design community to meet at the end of the work week to share what’s on their minds. Leslie has quickly become a Clubhouse ace. She finds the app to be an intimate and serendipitous way to meet people from all over the world. “It doesn’t require you to create content ahead of time, it doesn’t require you to dress up, it doesn’t require you to look a certain way or have a certain kind of home,” she explains. “It simply requires you to listen and/or have something interesting to add to the conversation that adds value or knowledge to others.”
Top down: Plaid surrender — this was taken for you, Rich Schell ; Clubhouse group leader Leslie Carothers will be launching the blog www.designhappyliving.com later this spring; interior designer Meg Rodgers shows us her Philadelphia office on page 50.
Adding value is always a priority with every story, issue, webinar and Designer Experience (the next one is May 25). To open your eyes, mind and heart — not necessarily all three at once — is our responsibility and to do that, of course, we need to keep my eyes, mind and heart open too. It goes both ways, right? Geez, I’ve been doing this job away from you for far too long. Hope to see you soon along the path — and if you need an invite to Clubhouse, let me know.
JANE DAGMI EDITOR IN CHIEF jdagmi
DESTINATION: HOME
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SCOOP
Photo courtesy of FAIRE. Trish Andersen photographed by Chia Chong
“Launching a new magazine into the world in the midst of a global pandemic was really daunting,” says Ruth Ribeaucourt, the owner and editor in chief of FAIRE, a new quarterly print publication that celebrates the diverse lives of creatives like Trish Andersen who paints with yarn. Covering artists worldwide, FAIRE features rich stories printed on FSC-certified paper stock so delicious that each issue feels like a collectible. Turn the page to read more about FAIRE.
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S C O O P W H AT ’ S N E W
Hello
FAIRE
One
BY JAN E DAG M I Trish Andersen is on the cover of Issue One. Photo: Chia Chong. Above: Ruth Ribeaucourt, EIC at FAIRE, also designs jewelry, sources textiles for designers, and heads up communications at Julien Faure, her family’s ribbon company,.
Issues are constructed remotely. Ribeaucourt lives in Provence, France. Art director Marlene Moloney hails from Ireland and editor Tess Allen from Minneapolis. Overcoming time zones and full-time jobs, the three meet by Zoom to figure things out. “Marlene brings this phenomenal, clean, contemporary, emotional design aesthetic to our magazine which allows each story to soar,” says Ribeaucourt, “and Tess gently guides each story to perfection so that we get to the heart of a creative journey.”
whelmed when her goals were achieved in just four days. She attributes the generous response to her transparency about magazine costs and to the integrity of the project in general. “Our backers were very much fellow creatives who have followed me along my own creative journey these last few years,” she explains. “I think the big difference here is that I am a creative publishing stories about other creatives. I am not someone who has climbed the ladder of a big publishing house who sees a window of opportunity.” The bar is set starting with the silk paper cover treated with an eco-friendly matte finish. Inside Issue One, 12 creatives with specialties ranging from hat-making to fiber and floral art, baking and fashion tell their own stories, with eight or more pages provided for each. “We don’t control the narrative,” Ribeaucourt says, noting that photographers are equally free to create. The last section of the issue is devoted to the Paris flea market.
I want it to be a magazine that creatives of all ages can read and relate to, something they can’t wait to hold, a magazine that makes them put their devices down, and take an hour to pause and reflect.”
After contributing to several esteemed publications throughout the years — Where Women Create and My French Country Home — and then guest editing What Women Create in 2020, Ribeaucourt became deeply familiar with the physical process of magazine-making and the do’s and don’ts of traditional publishing. She realized that if she wanted to tell beautiful tales of creatives in a long-form way, FAIRE would have to be an independent venture. She architected a plan that involved her community, and consulted with peers, like Annabelle Hickson, editor of the indie Australian magazine GALAH for sound advice and cheerleading. When she launched a kickstarter to fund FAIRE’s printing costs, her creative friends rallied, and Ribeaucourt was over14
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Ribeaucourt is already gathering her wish list of creatives for future issues. “As the editor-in-chief what speaks the loudest to me is the heart of each story, the person behind the object or craft,” she says. “I am seeking stories that are less about aspiration and unachievable crafting rooms/creative spaces and more about bringing us inside the homes and studios and workspaces of real artists and creatives. Often messy, imperfect, but filled with soul and struggle, successes and challenges.” FAIRE will be available to purchase at Barnes & Noble and Books-a-million, plus specialty retailers and online at www. fairepress.com. The retail price per issue is $29.99.
Photos: (opposite page, top) room shot: Dabito/book cover courtesy of Abrams
Ruth Ribeaucourt is an astute storyteller whose intuitive approach to magazine-making has given rise to FAIRE, a 144-page print publication that celebrates creativity and is purposelydesigned by size and weight to ship economically from Europe where it is printed. “Given so many shops and vendors are now relying on online sales,” she says, “making sure it could be shipped cheaply without creating a barrier to sales was critical.”
Justina’s New Book Three years in the making and finished during lockdown, Justina Blakeney’s third book Jungalow: Decorate Wild (Abrams, New York, 2021) delivers the color wow and authentic warmth you’ve come to expect and love from the queen of Jungalow — and this time there’s more of it. With an overriding message that home is a place of nurture and that diversity adds spice to life and decorating, Blakeney’s goal as artist and author is to free the reader’s potential and inspire them to cultivate a space to grow and blossom. Blakeney more than adequately spreads this message in 270 visually rich pages featuring an array of color-drenched interiors and architectural imagery from Blakeney’s travels, design projects, and product collaborations. Principal photographer Dabito is a close friend; Blakeney calls him “a creative powerhouse.” Autobiographical and informative, Blakeney writes about her Black/Jewish roots, challenges she’s faced, and embracing her “mixed-ness.” Likening humans to plants which seek new connections to root, she encourages growing “aventitious roots,” the ones created by experience and discovery, not by inheritance. Highlights include examples of Blakeney’s new blended decorating styles such as Turk-Xican and Moroc-Cali, endless pattern and plant play, DIY projects, and thoughts on foraging. —J.D.
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Cotton canvas Picnic tote, 14 5/8”W x 8 ½”D x 18 5/8”H, with five pockets, Hable Torch roll-on essential oil blend with frankincense, vetiver and patchouli, Kenna Nicole APRIL 2021
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SCOOP ART
Hans Petersen; Pure Joy No. 3, 76 x 60 inches.painted in 2020.
Overlooking Lake Wylie in South Carolina, Danish artist Hans Petersen works on large canvases (as long as 10’), painting nearly every day, and extended hours since COVID. Educated at the Royal Danish Academy of Art, and influenced by the mid-century European CoBrA art movement, his style is bold and subject matter ranges from unconventional women to dynamic abstract forms and graffiti-inspired graphics. He prefers working in series, expressing ideas from one painting to the next. Recent series Abstractions and Danish Party convey emotions experienced during quarantine and 1960’s
Copenhagen nightlife, respectively, while Pure Joy interprets the 60s color vibe through a feminine lens. As for his Women of Eccentric Personalities series featuring 30 personas, that one is forever on his mind, he says. Prior to 2005, Petersen was a graphic designer and designed High Point Market’s Furniture Preview for years. As that industry turned digital, he returned to working with his hands. His wife Barbara, who worked at Home Depot and Springs, now serves as principal of Hans Petersen Art. Petersen kids, “She tells me what to paint.” She retorts, “Not that he listens.”
Marsia Holzer has always made things. Educated in art history, painting and sculpture, a move to the States opened her eyes to fashion, where she first worked as a stylist to celebrity portrait photographer Bert Stern and then as a costume designer, dressing the likes of the Rolling Stones, Carly Simon and Foreigner. Since 2003, on a whim to learn how to weld, Holzer’s tools of choice are a torch and chainsaw; her preferred materials are salvaged wood and recycled metals. She has two studios — one in Manhattan and the other in Watermill, N.Y. — and employs a welder and wood worker. The common thread being past and present work, she says, is the importance of silhouette, color, and shape. Inspiration for her collection of furniture, lighting and objects is largely taken from nature, influenced by memories of her family farm in England. Before crafting any form, she sketches it out on paper and makes a cardboard pattern so she can test its three-dimensional integrity. “Feeling the materials in my hand is so satisfying — it’s exciting to transform wood, metal and paper into new forms,” she says. Marsia Holzer; a 57”-long bronze raven; the Velvet Leaf chair.
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SCOOP GOOD THINGS
Good at Mat ELEVATING THE EVERYDAY Back when she was a designer, Stafford Meyer would observe photographers toss ugly doormats aside every time they took a shot. It made her wonder, “Why is the first impression the last thing we think about?” Years later, after recovering from a stroke and reevaluating her career, she set out to remedy that entryway situation and design a doormat that was durable and pretty enough to leave in the shot. Meyer navigated the path to prototyping step by step. She sketched ideas, found an industrial engineer to make her drawings official, and sourced materials in Italy and the Netherlands. She said the process was “exciting and terrifying” and leaned on friends for support. Pulling the trigger on her first order of 2,000 units, she couldn’t help but think, “What am I doing?!” Porte + Hall launched two years ago with indoor and outdoor mats, grossing over $1 million in online sales the first year. Recently, Meyer launched a designer program and notes that realtors have been buying them as closing gifts. In her wildest dreams she could not have guessed elevating the utilitarian doormat could be so fun. “It feels weird that I have a lot to say in this one category,” she says. At the time of this interview, she was training her dog to knock over a glass of wine on cue.
Left: Stafford Meyer with The Insider mat. Above: The Outsider’s polypropylene insert has a honeycombed rubber base for drainage and fits inside an engineered wood frame with powder-coated aluminum corners.
While we’re at the front door, check out Heymat, a Norwegian company that collaborates with Scandinavian designers and makes industrial-quality mats from 100% recycled PET. Teklan Mix (left) is a classic pattern newly recolored by Tekla Evelina Severin who says she was inspired by gemstones, the Mediterranean, and 70’s color schemes. Photo: Gabriel Söderbladh 18
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THE EXCITEMENT IS GROWING. The ARTS Awards is the premier awards program in the U.S. honoring top manufacturers, retailers, designers and sales representatives. Nominations for the 32nd Annual ARTS Awards are due by June 28, 2021. Award winners will be revealed during a gala event on Friday, January 7, 2022. Join Dallas Market Center and ART, in a celebration of home industry excellence. NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS Submissions are due by June 28, 2021 at DallasMarketCenter.com/ARTSAwards
PRESENTED BY
SCOOP ON THE COVER
Cover Q&A
Paige Gemmel
While she has been creating art and drawing since she was a child, self-taught artist Paige Gemmel took it to another level after her fourth child was born, wanting to both get back into it after a long break and also make a living from it. After a shop bought her first box of ceramic trays, which she handpainted in her garage, she was off. Known for her bold colors and detailed animals, Gemmel sells on Etsy and has had collaborations with such brands as Anthropologie and Spanx.—Andrea Lillo What mediums do you work in? Do you paint every day? “I paint in acrylic and interior latex paint. Right now I paint almost every day if possible. It’s the only way I can get enough done with four children on my own.” You clearly love animals and color. How do you choose your subjects? “In the beginning I wanted to put a quirky more current spin on the Staffordshire dogs because they are loved by so many and are a classic. They became very popular and I just went with it. I love the symmetry as well, it draws the eye in. I started painting monkeys because I love the mood they convey. I also hate a lot of the monkey art I see so I decided to create my own type of monkeys surrounded by the aesthetic I was drawn to.” What is your spirit animal? “I used to say the dolphin and it was very fitting. My life has changed a lot in the past few years and I’ve been through a lot of hard things. When I painted my white stag on orange, my children said that it reminded them of me and that it was my spirit animal. So now it hangs in my bedroom and it is a sign of strength, spirituality and rebirth for me.” Do you sell exclusively on Etsy? How do you reach interior designers? “I sell art prints on Etsy and my pillows and cocktail coasters wholesale to boutiques and home décor shops; originals and commissions I handle directly. My main source of marketing is through Instagram, and it has been a game changer. I also had a booth for two summers at the Atlanta market and reached a ton of new customers there. I’m hoping to do that again.”
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while also helping charities. They approached me as its second chosen artist, which was an honor. I loved how the products turned out. I have a lot of respect for [founder Sara Blakely].” Tell us about your other collaborations/licensed collections and anything on the horizon? “I did two collections with Anthropologie, one of chairs and rugs and another of tabletop. I’ve been inspired by Anthropologie forever and it was so exciting to work with them. I also did collaborations with luxury handbag maker Mehry Mu and interior designer Michelle Nussbaumer. Currently I have collaborations with Jayes Studio, which does beautiful toleware, cachepots and enameled trays, and [paper product company] Caspari.” What is your favorite place in the world? Where would you like to go?
Your collaborations have included one with Spanx — not something one associates with art. How did that come about?
“San Francisco and Cashiers, N.C., are two of my happy places and I’m always itching to get back. I’m dying to go back to Europe. I have a dream to take a trip to Europe just to go antiquing, and visit markets and abandoned castles and estates.”
“Spanx had the idea to combine artists’ work on products
Visit DesignersToday.com for the full interview.
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Designing Better WR I TTEN AND P ROD UC ED BY A N D R EA L I L LO
If you could give the industry an environmental grade, what would it be? Garbage is now the world’s most abundant natural resource, says the Sustainable Furnishings Council’s Susan Inglis. And 80 to 85% of a product’s environmental impact comes from what it’s made of, she adds. The home furnishings arena is more aware of sustainability than ever — as are consumers — and more companies are on board to create more sustainable products and processes. But how can we be better? Turn the page to learn more. 22
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Kitchen design by Renee Carman, using concrete countertops from JM Lifestyles. Photo: HM Collins Photography
BUSINESS
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Environmental issues have been top of mind in the past year, as we look to create healthier, cleaner living spaces because of the pandemic, as well as watch news about or experience such catastrophic events as the California wildfires last fall or the Texas ice storm in February. “People are realizing how interconnected we are,” says Susan Inglis, the executive director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, now in its 15th year. “The coronavirus lived happily in an animal until that animal’s habitat was diminished enough that it had to look for another host. That’s a huge reminder to us that we are connected to other ecosystems, even those on the other side of the world.” Since the SFC’s founding, more companies in the industry have joined the journey to become more sustainable, and now designers and consumers have even more green options from which to choose. In some aspects, the industry is doing pretty well, Inglis says, as it makes durable goods with an environmental footprint that’s spread out. However, Inglis would give the industry a C for its sustainability efforts. It’s average, but not good enough for a sustainable fu24
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ture, for our children and grandchildren, she says. “There’s still a lot of oblivion, not realizing the impact our choices have on the environment,” she says. Previously, people may have thought of sustainability as about the environment, as in, how do we save the planet — but it’s more than that, says Jonsara Ruth, the design director of the Healthy Materials Lab, a design research lab at Parsons School of Design that launched six years ago. “People didn’t really understand the impact on human health. And now it is much more prevalent.” But “I think we have a long way to go,” though she’s seen much more awareness in the past year. Designers and others have to learn about and avoid the harmful chemicals used and understand how important it is to reduce CO2 emissions, says Inglis. Both the SFC and Healthy Materials Lab have a robust amount of material for designers, and designers themselves are helping to sound the alarm.
Designer focus Lifestyle brand, author and designer Robin Wilson came to learn about environmental issues from the very start, because she had to. Growing up in Austin, Texas, in the 1970s, she had a slew of
This page: Image courtesy of Jonsara Ruth. Opposite: Photo: Lisa Russman
B U S I N E S S S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
allergies as well as asthma, so her parents took her to a “hippie doctor,” who told them they could “raise a strong child, or raise a child on strong medicine.” They chose the former and the family embarked on living a healthy life. Her mother became “a cleaning machine,” using natural cleaning products, and they began food shopping at this fledging supermarket called Whole Foods. Growing up with a hippie family in 1960s California, Renee Carman, founder of Mandeville Canyon Designs, didn’t think of sustainability as a choice, but “a way of life.” She thought everyone always rinsed out their plastic bags and reused whatever one could. “I grew up thinking this was a normal thing.” Designer Laurence Carr has always been passionate about environmentalism and focuses on creating restorative, regenerative and wellness spaces for her clients. “Human wellness does not exist in a microcosm,” she says. “Once I saw the amount of carbon and waste generated by the interiors field I made a commitment that I would work to improve the world, one space at a time, one client’s life at a time.” Carr is buoyed by people’s increasing awareness to climate change, and how innovative solutions and products are coming on board every day. The food industry is one, for example, with its aim on organic and more transparent ingredients, she says. The fashion industry is another, with brands such as Eileen Fisher treating sustainability more seriously. “The same movement is happening within the furnishings industry — slowly, but it is happening,” Carr says. “I’m really in awe in what some companies are doing in circularity and regenerative design,” such as materials being made from fungi or mushrooms.
Rethinking how we live Many products today are made to be more disposable, but the industry can satisfy consumers’ desire to change furniture in a more environmentally friendly way, says Inglis. Furniture stores can do repairs and sell used furniture, for example, or take back an old sofa when the consumer wants to buy a new one. And then there are also the offerings from rental furniture companies, which have elevated their furnishings and can be used for however long the consumer wants, she adds. Sometimes it’s a battle of the senses. Opening a can of paint, for example, may signal a fresh start or new beginning for people, and the smell of gas-powered lawn mowers may have people think of spring, but what people are really smelling are chemicals. “Smell is your strongest indicator of memory,” Carman says. “We have to re-educate people” on other options, such as low- or noVOC paints, “and that’s going to take a while … Some of our best smells are ones that we shouldn’t like but we do.” People also need to dive deeper into a material’s backstory, because sometimes a seemingly obvious green choice is not, Carman adds. Bamboo is thought of as a green product, but some bamboo is not harvested sustainably, she says. “So that item you
Opposite page: Jonsara Ruth designed this lakeside retreat, using unfinished cedar inside and out; even the light switch plates are cedar to avoid plastic. Above: Laurence Carr’s design includes a reclaimed wood vanity and WaterSense faucet from Kohler and Porcelanosa tiles.
thought was so great turns out to be no better or even worse.”
Education station Thankfully, there is an ever-growing amount of resources for designers who want to learn more. On its website, the SFC has a quick buying guide to help designers and others know what questions to ask when looking at products. In partnership with the National Wildlife Federation, it also has a wood furniture scorecard to help show which retailers and brands are implementing responsible wood sourcing practices through their supply chains. Bad wood can be hidden because of complex supply chains, says Inglis. “Designers need to be educated, they need to have the information so that they can educate the client on why this is APRIL 2021
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B U S I N E S S S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y important and what we can do,” says Inglis. The SFC also offers a GreenLeaders Certified Sustainability Training course, as well as webinars, a resource library and much more. One of its newest member benefits is its weekly working groups for peer-to-peer learning on sustainable topics. The Healthy Materials Lab offers a Healthy Materials and Sustainable Building program ($100 for admin fees) as well as a Healthy Affordable Housing program. (The organization’s main focus is getting the affordable housing sector to use better building materials, Ruth says.) It also has an online resource guide, for such categories as countertops, textiles and alternative finishes. Last year it launched its podcast, Trace Materials, which dives into a material each season; last year it was hemp, and plastic is next in June. The Healthy Materials Lab has also collected Healthy Product Declarations (HPD) from manufacturers, to list the ingredients in a product, which are then evaluated for their impact on human health and the environment. “We understand it’s not easy to change manufacturing, it’s not easy to change the ingredients,” says Ruth. “In fact we know a lot of manufacturers don’t even know what’s in their products” – they have to ask their suppliers, who have to ask their suppliers and so on. “It takes work.”
Cause for concern People cited finishes as among those areas that are concerning for the industry, particularly anything soft, such as sofas, carpets and mattresses. Many of these finishes, which may resist stains or are flame retardant, incorporate chemicals that are known endocrine disruptors, and affect people’s health, including their reproductive organs, they add. “They are persistent,” says Ruth. “They don’t break down and they stay in the environment for a long time.” If someone wants to have a child eating ice cream on a white sofa or drink wine themselves on that sofa, they should consider getting washable slipcovers rather than using a stain-resistant fabric, says Inglis. Antimicrobials are another class of chemicals that can also cause harm, and research has been shown that we don’t really need them, as soap and water will do the job, Ruth says. Besides the SFC and HML websites, Ruth recommends the website sixclasses.org, which offers free videos on six classes of chemicals, including flame retardants and antimicrobials. Carman wants to see more eco-friendly soft furnishings, such as eco-foam for sofas rather than traditional foam. However, 26
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An angel with
Killer Kitchens
Interested in procuring billionaires’ kitchens at a budget-friendly price for clients? Or getting tax deductions for recycling your clients’ luxury kitchens? If so, Renovation Angel is the answer. Founded in 2005 by Steve Feldman, the company recycles luxury pre-owned kitchens and other furnishings with the mission to “reduce landfill waste, create recycling jobs and repurpose kitchens and interiors,” he says. “Clients will buy a $10 million mansion or a $20 million apartment, and they just don’t like the finishes, either they don’t want someone else’s stuff or they want a different look,” or it’s a new kitchen from a spec house, he says. Instead of having that kitchen head to the dumpster, the company can take and sell that kitchen, offering the homeowner significant tax deductions and free white-glove removal, he says. It uses third-party appraisers and understands the tax laws, he says. And the homeowner’s name is kept private. Buyers get a deal too, perhaps scoring a $200,000 kitchen for $30,000 or $40,000, Feldman says. Besides kitchens, Renovation Angel also sells showroom displays and preowned and open-box appliances and bathroom fixtures, as well as furniture, lighting, artwork and more. “If it has value, we want it,” says Feldman, recounting some amazing finds including a still-in-the-crate $23,000 copper clad window that the owner ordered and then didn’t like the way it looked. Renovation Angel has an e-commerce site as well as a 43,000-square-foot outlet in Fairfield, N.J. It also offers a carbon-friendly program, where people can buy kitchens before they’re even removed from the home, so kitchens can be sent directly to the new home. Partner brands include Miele, which now offers 10% off new appliances to people who recycle their kitchen through Renovation Angel. The company recycles more than 500 kitchens a year, though that’s a fraction of the 100,000 luxury kitchens that are thrown out annually, Feldman says.
AMERICAN BEAUTY
stickley.com/to-the-trade
stickley.com
B U S I N E S S S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y eco-foam is too expensive for her suppliers to stock and so few people ask for it. “I would love to see that as an option for everybody.” Carr is excited by the innovation happening in new materials, such as insulation out of cork, leathers from linseed oil and wood fiber, and textiles from hemp. Textiles companies are start to look into water reduction in more detailed way, she said, including Lenzing and Libeco. “Waste is my big focus at the moment,” says Carr. And “the concept of circularity and regeneration is so topical.” If the industry does less of what she calls “make, take and toss” and designs waste out of the process, “the environmental impact will be tremendous,” she says. Going green can be overwhelming, adds Carr. “Just start by doing one thing.”
Show support to make a change One way to make sure the category continues to grow is to support those companies. “If the company is willing to pay for the [sustainable] certification and it’s a qualified certification, shop that company,” says Wilson, who recently launched her new brand, Clean Design Home. “It will make the industry change. It will make the consumer start to say, ‘I want that.’ We just need to support the businesses that pay the money to get that certification.” Transparency is the name of the game, Carr adds, and most consumers say businesses have a responsibility to take care of the planet. “It starts with consumer demand. So the more we — because we all are consumers — demand transparency from companies, the more furnishings manufacturers will move to take public responsibility for their systems and find solutions that appeal to consumer desires to support sustainable practices.” Sometimes people don’t know to ask for greener options, or “shy away from even asking about it because they think it’s not in their price range,” says Carman. Carman’s clients are open to greener materials, however; they just might not have known about them. “I’ll ask about hemp, and they might say, ‘Oh, I thought you could only smoke that,’” she says. “If I do nothing else, I want people to walk away with more knowledge and education than when they started the process.” “It’s not a style, it’s not an aesthetic,” says Ruth of sustainable design. “It is a way of understanding how to use materials that are healthier ... We know that it’s possible and we know that it’s not that hard.” “The ultimate goal would be that we don’t have to exist because all manufacturers are just making healthier products to begin with,” adds Ruth. “But that’s a long way out.” 28
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Luxuriously back to
nature
The lack of food on shelves last spring — as well as other essentials like toilet paper — got many people thinking about survival, sustainability and claiming space away from it all. Randy Soloman, a sustainability expert and the founder of Sustainable New Jersey, was already on it. Five years in the making, he had conjured a neighborhood, the Merriwood Sustainable Community, that was eco-luxurious and off the beaten path yet close enough to civilization. “I wanted this community for myself and couldn’t find it,” he said. Taking shape in Maine, Merriwood will be a collection of homes nestled in nature and built not only with low-impact design in mind, but with self-sustaining systems for power and water, and a 100-acre working organic, regenerative farm that will provide food for the community. Soloman imagines Merriwood as a place for families to vacation and to live nature-focused lives. While the plans are still fluid, the community is slated for 60 primary homes, offered in three sizes ranging from 900 to 3,000 square feet. Buyers will be able to build an additional home on their property for the in-laws or kids. “A lot of people vacation with extended family,” he says. The homes will be half manufactured by Prestige Homes and half stick built, he says, with FSC-certified and local wood. They will feature solar panels, back up battery storage, satellite and fiber optics and more. Heat pumps will both cool and heat the homes. Buying into Merriwood includes shared ownership in the land, farm, lodge and more. The interior design is in the hands of Blanche Garcia, a designer, author and Travel Channel personality, who is also the WELL AP/LEED AP consultant on the project and a branding partner. “I’ve always felt that design should be more than a pretty space, it should rise up to meet not only your life but support your future.” Home buyers can choose from packages with pre-selected materials and finishes, as well as customize. Garcia plans to source locally — including using local white oak and light fixtures of FSC-certified wood, and stone from the U.S. and Canada — as well as incorporate biophilia into the design.
Coastal Living is a trademark of the Meredith Corporation and is used under license.
AVAILABLE SUMMER 2021
Y OUR OUTD OO R RET REAT AWAI T S Introducing a new stylishly serene Outdoor collection. Featuring over 100 pieces of casually sophisticated silhouettes paired with premium materials including grade-A teak, powder-coated aluminum, all-weather wicker, cast concrete, and special order fabrics from Sunbrella. Find a store near you at CoastalLivingHomeCollection.com/Outdoor
BUSINESS EXPERT OPINION
AGILITY
WHEN GROWING YOUR BUSINESS, SOCIAL MEDIA IS ONE PLACE IT HELPS TO BE NIMBLE BY JANA P LATIN A PHI P P S
Agility is the ability to move quickly and keep your balance. In my business, on the tennis court and in life, I have varying degrees of being agile, depending on my skill level, energy and focus. Feeling unstable at the beginning of the pandemic, I sought out some new tools and daily practices to stay upbeat and centered. I pursued a life-long goal of getting my tennis certification so that I could start teaching professionally. I also took a leap into ecommerce and grew my social visibility on Trim Queen media channels.
From Fixing to Foundation: In trying to “fix Instagram,” you may realize that foundational work needs to be done around identifying and communicating your brand soul essence. Make a list of your core values (i.e. Beauty, Joy, Expertise, Innovation, Philanthropy) then create content that aligns (not all of them at once) to build a cohesive story. You will start to build a unique brand experience that will attract your ideal client and opportunities for press and influence.
I began teaching tennis to local friends and industry friends asked me to help them with social media. One by one, I started sharing my screen and best practices with them and was soon sharing to small groups. It was then I realized I was organizing my content-creation lessons just like the tennis clinics I had gleefully instructed all summer: a group lesson for an overview and assessment, followed by a customized private lesson to work on strategy and skill development.
From Overwhelm to Engagement: Brainstorming six to twelve content categories (i.e. mood boards, full rooms, design details, team profiles) streamlines the content process and cuts out the overwhelm of what to post. Focus on consistency, quality over quantity (also applies to followers), and maximize visibility by sharing every post to Instagram Stories as well. “Cook once, eat twice” to double the amount of eyeballs with this simple extra step and your engagement will grow.
After many social media trainings, I quickly distilled the common pain points of building Instagram for business, and formalized a course called Instagram Agility, officially adding teaching to my entrepreneurial mix.
People obsess about growing their following on Instagram, but they are looking at the wrong metrics. Instagram is the ideal platform for building your brand and business relationships through storytelling and connection. If you are agile in your Instagram practice, you are well on your way to some big wins.
Following are three of those pain points and ways to work them out: From Comparing to Clarity: Do you get excited to share on social media then feel defeated when you don’t get the engagement you think your posts merit? We compare and despair, then choke. However, the process of posting on Instagram can be a valuable exercise in itself – likes aside – giving you clar30
ity regarding your higher purpose and how to communicate it creatively in your posts while playing your own game.
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Jana Platina Phipps, the Trim Queen of the design industry, is a mentor and influencer offering one-on-one or small group training sessions for social media and Instagram (from beginner to advanced) based on her experience, skills, and proven strategies — building brand recognition and engagement — for business growth.
AmericasMart is
Welcome back! AmericasMart is open year round for you to restock your inventory or source for a design project safely and conveniently between markets. • Temperature checks upon arrival, masks are required in each building, and social distancing measures are in place • Access across gift, seasonal, fashion, home décor and commercial showrooms with bridges connecting Buildings 1, 2 and 3 • Complimentary valet parking at Hotel Indigo is open Restock, reenergize, rediscover your passion.
For open showrooms and virtual education, visit AmericasMart.com/OYR @AmericasMartATL | #AtlMkt
GABBY
TO THE TRADE ©2021 International Market Centers, LLC
RESOURCES
Celebrating
Spring
A new season is upon us, and Designers Today takes a look at the introductions at two markets planned for this month: The New York Tabletop Show and the rescheduled Las Vegas Market. They bring a mix of fresh looks for the home, for living and entertaining and beyond.
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Photo: Bauscher Smart dinnerware from Bauscher
P RODUCED BY A N D R EA L I L LO
Land & Sea Architectural
LAS VEGAS MARKET
A301
800 • 709 • 9004 | 20238 Plummer Street, Chatsworth, Ca 91311 | IHFC #H-203 | LAS VEGAS #A-301
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R E S O U R C E S N E W YO R K TA B L E TO P S H OW
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4 1 2 1 Casafina’s Elvissa is a range of handcrafted pieces, from tableware to serveware, with speckled reactive glazes. Perfectly imperfect patterns in beige-sand and sea blue, it is made in Portugal. 2 OH de Christofle’s insulated ice bucket, in the company’s signature mirror-finish steel, is part of a collection that includes a shaker and reversible jigger. 3 Revol’s No. W collection (which stands for No Waste), is the company’s first collection made of recycled porcelain and glaze.
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4 Kosta Boda’s Berry Tales, designed by Ellen Ehk Åkesson, interprets juicy berries in blown glass form. Available in ruby, emerald and amber. 5 Glass maker Qualia offers the elegant gold-and-animal print Roman collection in martini, flute and wine shapes. Each available in a set of two. 6 In three colorways, including apricot, Blue Pheasant’s Freda placemat features swirling abaca braids. Fourteen inches square. 7 Puiforcat’s PHI tea and coffee collection, designed by Normal Studio, is named for the letter of the Greek alphabet that represents the golden ratio. Made of silver-plated brass, American walnut and glass. 34
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8 12 8 Haviland’s Portofino collection draws from the colors of its namesake Italian village, in golden and blue mosaic shades.
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9 The new Coral Sea collection from Daum consists of vases, centerpieces and sculptures inspired by corals and seashells. 10 Sleek and tapered, Oneida’s Adjacent flatware combines torpedo-shaped black handles and stainless steel for a two-toned color contrast. 11 Alessi’s Dressed en plein air picnic set comes with enough cutlery, glasses, plates and soup bowls for four people. The wicker basket has straps to secure items. 12 Comprised of organic shapes with glazed finishes, L’Objet’s porcelain Terra dinnerware is handcrafted and glazed in its Portuguese atelier.
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13 TarHong uses the exclusive material Planta, made primarily of plant-based materials, for dinnerware that mimics ceramic and pottery while being shatterproof. 14 Made in Degrenne North America’s factory in Normandie, France, the Aquatic Couture collection reflects Degrenne’s know-how: the lace arabesques are finely engraved on stainless steel. APRIL 2021
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RESOURCES LAS VEGAS MARKET
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1 Part of a new luxury brand from Kaleen called Luxe by Kaleen, the Sikri rug collection is handknotted in India in an imported wool and cotton blend.
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2 Greenington’s Thyme side table has an open base that allows one to pull it closer to a chair or sofa. The amber finish is not a stain finish, but created through earth-friendly heat, steam and pressure. 3 D.V. Kap’s Bender pillow in navy offers a bold watercolor-like print on a basketweave base cloth. 4 From Unique Loom, the Nyla rug collection features bold medallion and all-over patterns inspired by traditional rugs, with a lightly distressed texture. Lowheight polypropylene. 5 Made of reclaimed chamcha wood, the asymmetrical Austin Gray Desk from Phillips Collection merges a rough-looking top and side with a sleek geometric leg. 6 A fun floor lamp from Pacific Coast Lighting, Zara has a black finish with a metal body and a natural rattan cylindrical shade. Stands 65 inches tall. 7 Jaunty’s Edgehill rug collection is handwoven of wool in India with viscose highlights. 36
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The Salina Collection High Point Market June 5 – 9 Market Square, Suite 145
To find your local sales rep, please call 800.779.0877
feizy.com @feizyrugs
RESOURCES LAS VEGAS MARKET
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1 Feizy’s Amira collection, handtufted of wool in India, has a painterly look of movement and fluidity in bold, refined colors.
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2 Organically woven with supportive webbing featuring striped detailing, the Flannery Chair from Norwalk Furniture is available in 800 fabrics and 100 leather options and can be customized in 40 wood finishes. 3 Hand dipped in a golden glaze, the Maude bottle vase from Napa Home & Garden brings an elegant look to a room. Twelve inches tall and in a champagne/natural finish. 4 Currey & Co. plays the shell game with its Cruselle pendant. Capiz shells are hung on a wrought iron frame that dangles from a thin stem in a mix of gold finishes. 5 In a gently rounded silhouette, Moe’s Home Collection’s Henrich coffee table nods to 1950s décor and midcentury modern design.
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6 Elk Home’s Nollen accent mirror has a round, porthole style design, matched with a natural wood grain frame. 7 From Nourison’s Parisa rug collection, this design is loom woven of 100% New Zealand wool. 38
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Harounian Rugs International
Rosewood RO-21407 Grey-Rust
Las Vegas Market | April 11 - 15, 2021 World Market Center, Building B - Suite B433
www.hrirugs.com | info@hrirugs.com | 800-682-3330 High Point Las Vegas New York
Together
Putting it
With resources aplenty — hats off to textile designers, mills, fabric houses, showrooms — you, designers, make daily material choices, weighing options and gathering the plush and sleek, woven and printed, loud and soft, creating a texture and color story that reflects each client. Proof positive, an end-of-day retreat for a confident and glamourous client, decked out by Applegate Tran, featuring Scalamandre grasscloth, mustard faux fur and a wool blend Tai Ping rug. 40
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Photo: Christopher Stark
INSPIRATION
designer
Authentic
RADICAL
Intuitive
FEARLESS
INSPIRATIONAL
Brave ADMIRABLE
ABLE
Making others feel calm, comfortable, deserved and safe is no small feat. Add to that a pandemic plus a movement to end racial inequity, and it’s easy to see we’ve been emersed in a world of change. You, personally. Our industry, as a whole. And the world, in general. At the upcoming Designer Experience, join us as we reflect on last year’s influx of challenges while celebrating this year’s movement toward positive change ... and new ways of being extraordinary.
May 25, 2021
12:30 – 6:00 p.m. EST
REGISTER TODAY!
designer-experience.com
Sponsorships Available Contact Katherine Hunniecutt at khunniecutt@designerstoday.com
ENTERPRISING
Inspirational
Distinctive
Intrepid
Courageous
Flexible
NOBLE
Heroic
Lofty
TRUE
SPECIAL Adventurous
Fair
INCLUSIVE Distinguished
Brilliant
VERACIOUS
Special
Creative
Diverse
Daring
Real
COLORFUL
Visionary
Gritty
Unique
Engaging
bold
Ingenious
Fearless
Resilient
Curious
AWARE
Idealistic
SURPRISING Open Plucky Entrepreneurial Empathetic
STRONG
Conscientious
Inventive Resourceful
Unforgettable
How do we define extraordinary?
I N S P I R AT I O N C O LO R - R I C H S PAC E S
Swanky in
San Fran
ESCHEWING EXPECTATION, APPLEGATE TRAN BOLDLY PERSONALIZES A RESIDENCE FOR LUXE LIVING BY JANE DAGMI PH OTOGRAP HY BY C HR I STOP HER STA R K
When their clients bought this newly constructed Pacific Heights four-level five-bedroom house, all parties thought the project would strictly entail decorating … albeit lots of it. Feeling their way around the dwelling, however, it became clear that to truly make the home theirs, they would need to do some remodeling as well as update some of the finishes — to replace the overused and trendy espresso-builder-brown of the day. The project lasted a year and a half. 42
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Vernon Applegate and Gioi Tran, principals of Applegate Tran Interiors, had worked with the woman previously. “We know her personality, where she travels, how she entertains,” Tran says, noting that he led that first project, and Applegate would spearhead the second. Tran, who considers himself more streamlined and risk-averse than Applegate, says his partner was the better fit – his intuitive approach to making bold statements with materials was more simpatico with her taste for glamour, shiny things and butterflies.
Opposite: While the woman of the house has a very adventurous style, the man’s taste steers traditional and structured. In his saff ron-hued study, for example, the designers gave the space oomph using texture instead of pronounced pattern. Tran says, “We wanted it to be bold but not busy. Rug: Kyle Bunting. This page top left then clockwise: The entrance’s restrained palette is enlivened by an array of reflective surfaces and objects, from the marble floors to the infinity mirror with butterflies, and “Cascade,” a 9’x9’ commissioned artwork by Tran who took inspiration from Klimt; The rooftop terrace maintains the colorful groove with furniture by Paola Lenti sourced at DZine in San Francisco; The butterfly installation that inspired the color direction; The kitchen remodel included refacing the cabinets in a white lacquer and redefining the wet bar cabinet in a high gloss wood veneer with inlaid brass.
We love that the client was willing to take risks with artwork, lighting, fabrics and materials. There is such a mix and it all works harmoniously together.” – Gioi Tran An installation of gem-toned butterflies, in fact, informed Applegate’s color direction as he dosed out saturated hues and grayed-down shades, juxtaposed with brass and chrome, along with exotic woods and agate. Tran was commissioned to make several large abstract paintings that also incorporated the butterfly palette. Applegate relished the pursuit of finding furnishings and art that reflected his client’s sassy and elegant demeanor. “I have
a passion for color, texture and pattern and when I find a client that has the same passion, I enjoy pushing the envelope and bringing their personality into the design,” he says. With roughly 10,000 square feet of space, multiple sitting rooms and two dining areas, there was plenty of opportunity to exercise a rich and jubilant aesthetic, including the wraparound terrace which offers comfortable lounging and panoramic views of San Francisco’s most coveted sites. APRIL 2021
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Anatomy of a SPACE UBER-SKILLED AT OPERATING WITH COLOR AND PATTERN, DESIGNERS SHARE HOW THEIR LAYERED ROOMS CAME TOGETHER 1 When choosing the paint color for this Victorian living room, Penny Francis of Eclectic Home, inspired by the large scale chinoiserie fabric on the swivel chairs and the magpies portrayed in the Ashley Longshore painting over the mantel, chose Benjamin Moore’s rich Van Dusen Blue. “Blue was the least dominant color in each that we wanted to highlight,” she said, and then continued adding patterns in multiple scales — from the large scale geometric rug to the small scale floral on the midcentury accent chairs. Photo: Sara Essex Bradley 2 Courtney McLeod of Right Meets Left Interior Design loves creating joyfully elegant and color-confident spaces. For the 44
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ladies’ lounge she designed for the Junior League of Detroit show house, Aux Abris’ Garden of Eden grasscloth mural informed her choice of furnishings and the overall Art Deco vibe. “I chose the more minor colors in the wallpaper, including the saffron orange, watermelon pink and grass green, and used those colors for the larger furnishings,” she says refering to the Lee Jofa velvet on the sofa and the Schumacher lampshades. Photo: John Neitzel/Digital Destinations 3 “Our clients’ killer existing art and rug kicked off the color story in this guest bedroom,” says Tami Ramsay, co-founder of CLOTH & KIND. “Warhol’s Lifesavers made going pink and pur-
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ple an easy ride and we layered on some textural textiles from there, amping up the candy colored experience in playful bedding, lighting and accessories.” The headboard is upholstered in Carolina Irving’s Amazon in Aubergine from the CLOTH & KINDshowroom. Photo: Robert Peterson/Rustic White Interiors 4 When Janessa and Stephen Gertz of Milieu Interior Design approached this deep, open living room, they wanted to improve its acoustics — and what better way than with a weighty velvet. They used Rubelli’s Mirafiore in two different colorways that complemented their client’s pop art collection. “The wonderful thing about this application is that the client trusted us
— they were open to new and unorthodox ideas.” Photo: Tony Soluri 5 Katie Leede says the jumping off point for this transportive dining room was a tiny Indian devotional painting from the 1700’s. “We hired muralist Paulin Paris to scale the image of flying geese through stylized rain to fit this grand oval dining room. A gold-leaf ceiling mimics moonlight, while the Chelsea Textiles upholstered chairs and custom campaign table complete the Anglo-Raj atmosphere. A rustic French chandelier and 1940s Gilbert Poillerat mirror add a dash of chic." Photo: Katie Leede APRIL 2021
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Tex
Savvy
THREE INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS COMMUNICATE THEIR AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
Saana Baker
When Saana Baker took an aptitude test in high school, she was told she’d make an excellent mortician. She recalls thinking “how depressing” and believes she was pegged as such because she looked a bit goth plus she said she liked to work with her hands.
Baker studied textile design at FIT. Figuring to pursue the more fashion-oriented print design side, she instead discovered a love for wovens. Her first job was in the design department of a mill that specialized in upholstery fabrics. Her second was for Schumacher. When she moved back to California — Baker is from Berkeley — she started working with Barbara Barry on her collection of textiles. That relationship lasted ten years.
Fast forward to a typical day at school that would set her trajectory. She was doodling — working with her hands — when a fellow student peed at her scrawl and remarked, “That’d look great on a t-shirt.” Right then, Baker had an epiphany. “In that moment I realized someone is responsible for all the patterns in the world.”
Today Baker lives in San Francico. She is a fabric consultant, ghost designing collections for other designers like Jiun Ho whose sixth collection she is presently working on. Baker is also the creative force behind The Textile Eye, a quarterly trend report launched in 2019 that she calls her love letter to the fabric industry.
Fabric design consultant/editor of The Textile Eye
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Photos of Saana and The Textile Eye: Robyn Willson
PASSION FOR TEXTILES THROUGH PRINT, PHOTOGRAPHY
Opposite: Saana Baker at a mill. Above: The Textile Eye is an 8”x8” 175200-page trend report. Right: Anderson Sommerselle on location visiting a maker; SOMMERSELLE is launching a pillow program, those shown are from Caroline Cecil Textiles.
The idea to create this publication came after reporting on Maison&Object for a client. Being at the show, seeing the breadth of product and the integrity and innovation behind it, lit her up and she wanted to share that excitement. Knowing what it is like to be stuck designing behind a computer, she wanted to capture the energy of the shows and make her timely discoveries accessible to others who need to see and know things too. Available in print and digital, Baker’s most ardent readers are textile designers and interior designers who consider themselves fabric people. Other subscribers include big fabric houses, mills, wallpaper and bedding companies and reps who want to know the big picture. Each issue contains thoughtfully laid out product shots, organized into themes and color trends, and includes coverage of a relatable exhibition, followed by a sourcebook for all brands featured. “It’s one page of rich stuff after another,” Baker says. Grounded since last March, Baker’s approach to gathering imagery and stories has changed, relying on P.R. people and others to send photography, but her intention and depth of content has not. “You can’t replicate seeing and feeling things in person,” she says hoping to travel to Milan and Como for Salone and Proposte in September. The latter show, she says, is the most important one from a design consulting point of view.
Anderson Sommerselle Owner, SOMMERSELLE
After seven years spent working in two of the most reputable showrooms Holland & Sherry and John Rosselli, in areas of customer service, purchasing and textile management, Anderson Sommerselle felt it was time to reset and reinvent the traditional showroom model, — he was going to make designers’ lives easier.
On New Year’s Eve 2020, he launched SOMERSELLE, a multiline showroom with fabric and wallpaper, furniture, lighting and art. The SOMERSELLE shopping experience provides access to brands, pricing, stock and samples 24/7 and allows purchasing online. “Booking appointments doesn't work,” he says. “You’ve got to meet designers where they are and when they can.” With the goal of eliminating friction, Somerselle makes it a point to answer designer emails and queries before they start their day. He offers to shop for them and to messenger samples. With a warehouse conveniently located by the D&D building, he wants to be at their fingertips at the moment they need solutions. “Designers need to shine bright in front of their clients and I feel that’s my responsibility to help them look their best.” Somerselle stays close to the brand partners he represents too, many of whom are artists turned makers or newer entrepreneurs not yet well-versed in best industry practices. Under Somerselle’s eye, they learn to tell their story, button-up their brand, and get social media coaching as necessary. Instagram is where Somerselle has been gaining traction most. It’s like he’s building a family. Scot Meacham Wood’s line of textiles is repped by Somerselle. “Anderson and his team have APRIL 2021
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found an exciting new point of access for designers and the brands they need for their clients,” says Scot. “SOMERSELLE is forging an exciting path — and I’m delighted to be part of its success!” Somerselle confides that being the CEO of a small business has been an interesting ride, pandemic and all, and says he underestimated the amount of hats he wears — not the quantity, he clarifies, but that he must wear them at the same time. Thinking about his weekly responsibilities, he wears the creative hat, marketing hat, sales, customer service and the boss hat. “I underestimated the constant of it all,” he says, “but at the end of the day, at least you realize that the hard work is for you.” For now, Somerselle works from his home office in Manhattan and expects to open a physical location by Spring 2022. He wants COVID to really be in the rearview mirror. One of the first things he is planning when human interaction normalizes is to invite the runners of the design firms out for something fun. He says they are the backbone of firms and really the decision makers because what they pick is presented,” he says. Far from his Virgin Island roots and from his former dream of becoming a Food Network chef, Somerselle has created his own unique recipe for success, is getting recognized for it, and is grateful.
Rachel Kern
Stylist, Clarence House & Vervain For every covetous fabric ad in a magazine, there are people that make it happen. Rachel Kern, a stylist for Fabricut brands Clarence House and Vervain, is one of them. Her job is to plan the visuals and photography direction for photo shoots, working closely with the product development team to figure out the best way to fabricate a textile’s story. She also installs the Clarence House window display at the D&D in New York. In fact, Kern was a visual merchandiser prior to joining Fabricut four years ago. She worked at Tulsa’s oldest department store, Miss Jackson’s, first in sales and then in visual, eventually becoming the visual director. She worked there for ten years until the 105-year old store shut down. “I’m grateful for the period of growth and experimentation,” she says. “I was able to do just about anything I could dream up as long as I didn’t spend too much money, so I was always trying to find ways to make something from unexpected materials, find bargains, etc.” Not too long after, Kern saw a job posting for an interior designer wanted at Fabricut, and she applied despite not technically being one. She says most of her colleagues are formally trained in design and have the technical know-how and she feels her experience is complementary and allows her to think outside 48
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Kern in her workspace surrounded by inspiration and sketches, including one that preceded the photo featuring Vervain’s Secret Garden.
the box. “It’s more about communicating the ideas that inspired these collections than about showing designers exactly how to use these fabrics. They can figure that part out on their own. We just want them to be as excited about it as we are.” Getting inspiration for any new project begins with research, combing the company library and going online, looking at what’s new as well as very old influences. Her creative process also always involves sketching. “The value of hand sketching,” she says, “is that there is this feeling captured in a way that doesn’t translate with a technical drawing, there are no limitations — it’s immediate, more textural.” Last year saw Kern and others pivot on a lot of plans. Being that this is Clarence House’s 60-year anniversary, there’s a lot of imagery to create. Kern said they had been planning a shoot at Michelle Nussbaumer’s house in Mexico featuring blanket-like fabrics and a donkey but had to find a local donkey instead. About Kern, Danica Jones, director of marketing at Fabricut, says, “The creativity and positivity she has is just next level.”
EMBRACE THE POSSIBILITIES Get back to business at Las Vegas Market. We make sourcing simple by giving you access to more than 4,300 gift & home resources onsite and online.
April 11 - 15, 2021 | August 22 - 26, 2021 LasVegasMarket.com | @lasvegasmarket
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In 1984, Meg Rodgers purchased and then renovated a shell of a building in the Kensington area of Philadelphia with railroad tracks running through it, operating it first as a woodworking shop and design build firm. By 1991, she carved out a larger area in the building for Marguerite Rodgers Interior Design. Warm and inviting, a large gallery functions like a living room, the space is equipped with a full kitchen, and the staff can bring pets to work. High ceilings afford vertical display space and collections abound. Rodgers says, “I surround myself with bits of history, photographs and objects and things that are personal – I don’t know how I will ever move!” —J.D. 50
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An Edgar Britton architectural wood carving is a focal point in the gallery.
Collections include Ferdinando Ongania gravures and engavings of Venice.
Hard materials are on leans that run through the studio.
Photos: Halkin | Mason Photography
WORK
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IN CUSTOM FINISHES
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sherrillfurniturebrands
Napa makes the accents. The accents make the room.
Ottora Vases, Bird of Paradise Stem, Split Leaf Selloum Stem & Belden Pendant
Atlanta
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Dallas
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Las Vegas
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888.893.2323
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www.napahomeandgarden.com
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Represented by Ivystone Group
