IFDA NEW ENGLAND NEWSLETTER Winter 2014 / Issue 1
LETTER 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 hear the most up-to-date information.
Dear IFDA Colleagues, As incoming IFDA New England Chapter president, I am looking forward to 2014, working with our excellent board and building on what we have accomplished under our outgoing president, Nicole Hogarty. To introduce myself, I have been a member of the IFDA New England Chapter since 2009, and became a board member in 2012. I opened my own design firm, KDZ Designs, LLC in 2009, after receiving my Master of Arts degree from The New England School of Art and Design-Suffolk University in 2006. Prior to that, I had worked for a number of years in software development in the computer industry. I live in Western Massachusetts, just outside Amherst. I love that IFDA helps me to stay in touch with what’s happening in my profession in Boston and throughout New England. We continue to be the largest IFDA chapter in the country, and in the last year, we welcomed more student members than we have in the past. We will also continue to highlight our professional members and their accomplishments and encourage new professional members to discover all that the IFDA New England Chapter has to offer.
“We continue to be the largest IFDA chapter in the country, and in the last year, we welcomed more student members than we have in the past.” I have often heard from our members and sponsors that our events have a camaraderie that can be unusual in professional associations. As an organization of vendors and design professionals, we learn from each other and make contacts that are helpful not only for our professional projects, but personally as well. For 2014, we are again planning a great year of networking and educational events and will vary location and timing, based on feedback from our
membership. We thank our current Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsors for their considerable involvement in our organization! Some of my additional 2014 goals include working with our IFDA national board to take advantage of grants and scholarships for our students and to support our educational events. And, I would like to broaden our connection to non-profit enterprises related to the building and design industry, through our membership’s expertise. Please join me at our next event! Best, Karen Dzendolet
CALL TO ACTION We have several openings on the IFDA New England Board:
VP of Programming
VP of Hospitality
VP of Communications
Recording Secretary
If you have an interest in being at the heart of our events, meeting and working with other IFDA members and collaborating with other dedicated board members, contact Karen Dzendolet at karen@kdzdesigns.com or call her at 413345-0863.
Feel that you don’t have time to be a full-fledged board member but would like to contribute actively to our organization? Join a committee that supports one of our board members! Contact Karen for more details!! UPCOMING EVENTS We are planning a fantastic year of networking and educational events which will include favorite, annual events like the Summer Cruise on the Charles River, Membership Dinner and Holiday Party. This year’s Membership Dinner will also include a Designer Showcase! We will also plan numerous new and exciting events ranging from social evenings to educational opportunities. We hope to see you at many of the events. Upcoming events:
Wednesday, February 12th – Jazz and Friends (rescheduled from January 22nd)
Monday, March 3rd – Membership Premium Book released
Wednesday, March 5th – The Latest Trends in Social Media with Leslie Fine and hosted by Wolfers Lighting. Be sure to save the date!
March 20th – 30th – Boston Design Week, a 10-Day Citywide Design Festival
IFDA WORKS! Nehoiden Street Residential Project
Rebecca Wilson of RW Interiors completed a first floor design project kitchen, mud room, dining room, powder room, front hall, living room and family room/home office - with the help of Marilyn MacLeod of Lee Design who handled the kitchen and counters and floors. Rebecca and Marilyn finished the project just in time for it to be included on the December 2013 Needham Holiday House Tour. The tour is organized by the Needham Women’s Club which allocates the event proceeds to support over 19 non-profit organizations ranging from local schools to community recreation services to veteran support.
“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.” Authors Road Residential Project
This fall Vivian Robins, owner of Vivian Robins Design, was working on a project for a Concord, MA family who loved to entertain. When faced with specific requirements for the dining room, Vivian joined forces with Ray Bachand of 60 Nobscot to create a very special table for the clients. The dining room is surrounded by two walls of ceiling to floor windows overlooking amazing gardens and the custom trestle table brings the outdoors in and easily enlarges to accommodate more guests. Ray delivered the table the day before Thanksgiving!
Lake Winnipesaukee Residential Project Sue Adams, 2010 Past-President of IFDA New England and owner of Sue Adams Interiors, was hired to design the complete interiors for a custom vacation home in Laconia, NH. When it was time for the finishing touches of art, she called on Jacqui Becker, 2011 Past-President of IFDA New England and owner of Jacqueline Becker Fine Arts Consulting Services. This is just one of several projects that Sue and Jacqui collaborated on in 2013!
Wellesley Hills Residential Project
Joe Moynagh of Allstate Glass recently teamed up with Budd Kelley and team of the widely-known and reputable The Lagasse Group, to strategize on a classy and "glassy" solution in the master bath of a new residence in Wellesley Hills, MA. Privacy, elegance and simplicity resulted in this custom 1/2" acid etched glass enclosure with full-length, floor to ceiling operable gliding pocket doors.
STUDENT NOTES The IFDA New England Student Chapter at Boston Architectural College was established in the fall of 2013 as a prototype for future student groups throughout the national organization. In addition to attending New England Chapter meetings alongside professional members and sponsors, the Student Chapter held its first two student-specific events this winter. The primary goal of these events is educational: to learn more about the practical aspects of working in the furnishings and design industry. The inaugural Student Chapter meeting in December was hosted by Lee Jofa at the Boston Design Center, and featured an interactive discussion with renowned Bostonbased architectural and interiors photographer, Eric Roth. He generously shared his work and expertise, and addressed such topics as working with a professional photographer, styling a space for photography, developing a portfolio, and getting published.
“The IFDA New England Student Chapter at Boston Architectural College was established in the fall of 2013 as a prototype for future student groups throughout the national organization.” New England Chapter VP of Membership, Rob Henry, of Audio/Video Design, presented "Audio, Video and Home Automation for the Interior Designer" at the January meeting of the Student Chapter. Rob reviewed the benefits of, and process for engaging with a home integration firm in conjunction with a residential interior project. The latest trends in automation and "smart" technology for lighting, window treatments and HVAC were also discussed.
NOTEWORTHY IFDA has a long history of supporting the Ronald McDonald House in Brookline, MA. Since 1979, the Ronald McDonald House has been providing a “home-away-from-home” for children being treated locally for cancer and other life-threatening diseases and their families. At our annual IFDA New England Holiday Party, in December of 2013, we added over $1900 to the $2500 already raised in 2013! Thanks to Chris Kay, our VP of Community Service and her committee members in 2013: Al Lagueux, Kathleen Sullivan Elliot, Rebecca Wilson and Elissa Fenster. If you would like to volunteer your time to work with Chris and her committee in 2014, please contact Chris. Carolyn Meek, FIFDA of IFDA New England has joined the National Educational Foundation as Director of Communication where she will be in charge of strengthening the connection of EF and IFDA members, students and the interior furnishing community. A past-president of the IFDA New England and Chairman of EF, she has served on the chapter board in many positions, the most recent as Vice-President of Education and liaison to EF. Currently, Carolyn is an Instructor at the Boston Architectural College.
Dover Rug & Home CEO, Mahmud Jafri, has been named one of the 50 Most Influential People in New England, an annual award presented by INDIA New England. In addition to consistently being recognized for the impressive growth of his business, Mr. Jafri has also received accolades for his commitment to community development and educating and promoting a better understanding of his culture and heritage. Read more about Mr. Jafri and his award.
On Sunday, February 23rd, Dover Rug & Home welcomes Husain Haqqani, former ambassador to Pakistan and author of the internationally-acclaimed Magnificent Delusions, which details the important and complex relationship between two supposed allies, Pakistan and America. This book signing and presentation takes place at 5pm at the Dover Rug & Home Showroom at 721 Worcester Road (Route 9) in Natick, MA. Read more about Mr. Haqqani’s book signing and presentation.
WARM WELCOME Eleven new people have joined our chapter over the past four 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. Diane Burcz Polly Corn Eileen Fitzgibbons Laurie Gorelick Michael Hoban Thad Kallas Elena Marsland Brian McSharry Tom Mitchell Sean Reynolds Jon Shellington
Boston Architectural College Polly Corn Design Boston Architectural College Laurie Gorelick Interiors Audio Concepts Window Imagination, Inc. Kolman Artisan Glass Closets & Storage Concepts Mitchell Construction Group Woodmeister Master Builders Allstate Glass
diane@dianeburcz.com pollyl@pollycorndesign.com eileen.m.fitzgibbons@gmail.com lg_interiors@comcast.net michael.hoban@audioconcepts.com jayne@windowimagination.com emarsland@kolmanglass.com closets99@gmail.com tommy@mitchcogroup.com sean.reynolds@woodmeister.com jon@allstateglassco.com
Newton, MA Boston, MA Plymouth, MA Natick, MA Boston, MA Lancaster, NH Sudbury, MA Franklin, MA Medfield, MA Holden, MA Weymouth, MA
EVENT ROUNDUP 12th Annual Interactive Member Dinner October 2013. This was the most successful member dinner we have ever held with over 18 vendors participating in the interactive showcase, fabulous attendance and a great talk from business growth advisor Jim Pouliopoulos. View pictures from the event.
Creative Holiday Appetizers with Chef Bill
November 2013. We enjoyed an entertaining and educational evening with Chef Bill who demonstrated how to cook two fabulous appetizers in the Miele New England Showroom. Chef Bill also brought many more yummy appetizers for us to sample and savor. See pictures from the evening.
Holiday Party!
December 2013. The Waterworks Museum, an amazing property constructed at the height of Boston's "Golden Age", was the perfect venue for our annual holiday party. During the course of the evening we honored board members and collected donations to benefit the Ronald McDonald House, a tradition of giving that dates back to 1996. Look at pictures from the party.
SPONSORS We have four new sponsors this year - silver sponsor Venegas and Company and bronze sponsors Audio Concepts, Herrick & White, and Woodbourne Builders! To top off this great news, all of our 2013 sponsors have renewed their support for the coming year. You’ll get to know all of our sponsors better through the coming year as they open their showrooms for our events, serve as greeters at the event check-in tables and share their company news in our newsletters.
GOLD Sponsor
SILVER Sponsors
BRONZE Sponsors
International SILVER Sponsor