IFDA New England Spring 2014 Newsletter by IFDA New England

IFDA NEW ENGLAND NEWSLETTER Spring 2014 / Issue 2

FROM THE PRESIDENT

CONNECT WITH US Our IFDA New England website is a first stop for official news about our chapter. It lists all of the board members and their email addresses, upcoming chapter events, a calendar of industry events, and links to previous event recaps and newsletter issues. Bookmark the page for easy access! Our IFDA New England Facebook page has breaking chapter news. Like us to read the most up-to-date information.

As spring finally returns to New England, let’s connect at our next events to finally vanquish winter! Our programming year, which got off to a hot start with Jazz and Friends continues to gain momentum as we move toward member-favorite events like the Summer Boat Cruise and hold educational events help members prepare strong entries to our bi-annual Designer Showcase. I hope you can attend all the upcoming events! We will be announcing all the details of our bi-annual Designer Showcase at our May event, as well as through email and on Facebook. We are expanding the contest categories of this member-only competition. Speaking of membership, I hope everyone is taking advantage of all their membership benefits which include: •

Reduced member rate when attending our events

•

Invitation to 2 members-only social events

•

Entry opportunity to the bi-annual Designer Showcase

•

Membership Premiums book

As a member, you know the camaraderie of our organization. If you know of non-members in the design community who would like to try us on for size, invite them to attend an event at our non-member rate. We continue to be grateful to those members who have chosen to offer IFDA NE additional financial support through sponsorship. We thank our eleven Bronze, three Silver and one Gold sponsor for their continued acknowledgement of our organization. In turn, we have created new IFDA NE logos just for their use as sponsors.

UPCOMING EVENTS Our events so far this year have been wonderfully attended and thoroughly enjoyed. We hope to see you at our May and June events! Upcoming events: •

Thursday, May 15th – The Importance of Styling with Greg Premru and Stephanie Rossi and hosted by Baker, Knapp and Tubbs.

•

Thursday, June 26th – Boston Harbor Boat Cruise with BRAGB

IFDA WORKS! Wellesley Cape Renovation Residential Project

Deborah Berger, Owner of Maven Interior Design, brought IFDA colleagues together for a transformative cape renovation in Wellesley. Bob Ernst and FBN Construction completely renovated 4 rooms and upgraded the house. Marlene Ketchen of The Cabinetry added custom cabinetry to the kitchen. Together the team stripped away 70s-era details, cleaned up the existing millwork, designed a better floor plan, furnished all rooms, added a wall of new custom built-in cabinetry, brought in a new color scheme, and installed extraordinary light fixtures in each room.

Finishing Touches to Residential Projects

Jacqui Becker is thrilled to have been invited to supply the all important finishing touch of the perfect art work to clients of the following IFDA interior designers: Maven Interior Design's Deborah Berger's Wellesley clients, Dianne Ramponi's Newton clients, Jessica Dormitzer's Needham clients and Nicole Hogarty's Back Bay clients. A recent collaboration with Jessica Dormitzer resulted in this striking living room, published in the Boston Globe and captured by photographer Michael J Lee.

“It is a special project when fellow IFDA members work together in the field and bring each other in on the right jobs for the right clients.” Boutique Upgrade Service Project

Kathie Chrisicos of Chrisicos Interiors, Susan Tata of The Drapery Lady, Brian McSharry of Closet & Storage Concepts, Richard Irwin of Patriot Electric and IFDA NE Silver Sponsor Wolfers Lighting teamed up to refresh the local Dress for Success chapter boutique. Sheer window treatments were installed on exterior windows, drapes were created for the changing rooms and new closet systems were put in place for shoe storage and other storage requirements in the main boutique room. Other non-IFDA companies participated with their painting skills, carpentry, mirrors, mirror framing, carpeting and paint supplies to complete this make-over. Dress for Success is a not-for-profit organization that supports women who are seeking employment by providing a complete wardrobe for the two first interviews, interview skills, resume writing skills and a positive confident can do attitude.

Educational Collaboration

Mahmud Jafri of Dover Rug and Home and Jacqui Becker of Jacqueline Becker Fine Arts Consulting Services collaborated twice this spring to share their insights on the value and beauty of fine art and fine rugs. During Boston Design Week they co-hosted an event titled "From the Floors to the Walls". They reprised their talk for an April 28th event at the Islamic Center, as part of Artweek Boston.

STUDENT NOTES The IFDA New England Student Chapter at the Boston Architectural College held its final meeting of the academic year on Thursday, April 17th. Hosted and presented by Partners in Design in Newton, the event focused on the ins and outs of specifying custom upholstery as a decorator or designer, while working with an upholstery workroom. Owner Jim Sersich shared tips, tricks and advice on how to avoid common pitfalls, and gave attendees a behind-the-scenes tour of his expansive workroom, which specializes in custom, high-end furniture to the trade.

NOTEWORTHY Sean Reynolds, Account Executive at Woodmeister Master Builders, will oversee the company’s new showroom at 1317 Washington Street, in the South End area of Boston. The office will officially open on June 2nd. A seasoned construction professional, Sean will lead the business development for new remodeling and renovation projects in the Boston area.

Thad and Jayne Kallas are very excited to announce they are moving their company Window Imagination, Inc. back to Massachusetts! The company was located in Melrose, MA for 25 years before moving to Lancaster, NH in 2010. Window Imagination’s new location is the Everett Mills, 15 Union Street, 4th Floor, Lawrence, MA and is expected to open on June 2nd. The Massachusetts showroom will be in addition to the company’s showroom at the Antiques and Design for Home and Garden Building, 533 Pacific Street, Stamford, CT.

Karl Ivester, Founder and Owner of New England Shutter Mills, was awarded the Big Time Operator Award by Interise, an organization committed to growing small business in lower income communities. Ivester received the award at Interise’s 2nd Annual Thrive event at the Seaport World TradeCenter. The Big Time Operator Award is presented to the small business owner who has demonstrated impressive growth and/or job creation after his or her completion of Interise’s StreetWise ‘MBA’TM curriculum.

IFDA NE Silver Sponsor Venegas & Company is growing! The company recently added Jenny Mui to the team. Jenny has always had an interest in design and the fine arts. While working toward a degree in Interior Architecture, wood shop and furniture making classes sparked Jenny’s interest in cabinetry and millwork. Also, Christina Goncalves, having completed her first year, has been promoted to Technical Designer! With an interior design background and experience in tile, Christina has now turned her focus to cabinet and millwork design. Christina participates in all client projects, assisting in any capacity to learn the ropes. IFDA NE Bronze Sponsor Audio Video Design, providing full-service integration of audio/video and home automation systems, is relocating their corporate headquarters and showroom. The new location is 383 University Avenue in Westwood.

WARM WELCOME Six new and returning members have joined our chapter over the past few months. If you see them at an upcoming event, be sure to introduce yourself! Do you work near one of these new members? Consider carpooling with them to an upcoming event. It’s always easier to walk into an event with someone by your side. Renee Albano Roldo Cesaroni Jennifer Driscoll Lee Reid Tala Safai Kris Shaffer

Jewett Farms + Co Mr. Sandless Boston Broadview Marketing Payne/Bouchier, Inc. Broadview Marketing Kris Shaffer Interiors

ralbano@jewettfarms.com boston@mrsandless.com jennifer@broadviewmarketing.com lreid@paynebouchier.com info@broadviewmarketing.com kris@krisshaffer.com

Dover, NH Bellingham, MA South Boston, MA Boston, MA South Boston, MA Framingham, MA

EVENT ROUNDUP Jazz and Friends

February 2014. Despite a snow storm forcing us to reschedule our kick-off event of the year, we began the year with a well-attended and an extremely fun evening of music performed by IFDA NE member Paula O'Sullivan and her Jazz Quartet. The evening also included a chance to catch up with other members, delicious food and a fun contest from host Landry & Arcari Oriental Rugs & Carpeting. View pictures from the event.

Using Social Media as a Megaphone

March 2014. IFDA NE member Ray Bachard began the evening early with a preevent social media refresher course. After enjoying the Wolfers Lighting Showroom and a delicious dinner, members heard IFDA NE member Leslie Fine talk about using social media as a business megaphone. She talked about recent design industry social media successes and strategies, as well as what's on the social media horizon. See pictures from the event.

Keep Calm and Take a Selfie! A Boston Design Week Special Event

March 2014. IFDA partnered with M-Geough for a very special event during Boston Design Week. IFDA Designers were on hand to stimulate creative thinking, brainstorm solutions to tricky design problems, talk through style choices, etc. with attendees as they created a design inspiration board and then took a selfie with it. Look at pictures from the event.

Shiny is the New Black

April 2014. Our two guest speakers, IFDA NE member s Chris Saad and Gary Rousseau, addressed the latest trends and accessories that help designers create unique and award-winning designs. Some keys points from the evening included: • Think technology specialist not audio/video integrator because specialists provide a wider breadth of expertise beyond TV’s and speakers. • Collaboration between the architect, designer, builder and technology specialist can provide fully functional technology with little compromise to no compromise to the design intent. • The new products available on the market allow technology to become part of the design vs compromising the design or distracting from it. • Customization of technology products is usually a real and affordable option. View pictures from the event.