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Blogfest

Reliving Blogfest while putting together this post has made me realise how much of an incredible impression the Kravet team have left me with even weeks after this extravagant event in New York City. Magazines such as House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Town & Country, Elle Decor, Veranda, and Architectural Digest were all represented and with every discussion panel, gathering or presentation, we had the chance to really chat with and learn from their choice of speakers. Without Blogfest, I would not have heard their stories.

I’ve come home with their mantras, philosophies and opinions and have found myself, on more than one occasion, thinking about how print magazines work and fight hard to relate to the online world while still remaining true to their original form. It is not easy and they’ve all declare this in their own way. Now that I’ve met the people behind them, I understand their struggles and believe that their passion for their work coupled with their dedicated teams will be what will pull them through.


What we were also privy to during Blogfest‘s intense but highly-structured schedule, was an up close and personal meeting with Barbara Barry, interior designer and creator of several exclusive Kravet collections. Her main discussion revolved around how design and inspiration lives all around us and how travel can let our minds explore and see new things. Being in New York at the time myself, I couldn’t have agreed more.


A special event hosted by Traditional home with Thomas O’Brien, Eric Cohler, Diamond & Baratta, Suzanne Kasler, Suzanne Rheinstein and David Easton all sharing their designs with us within the Heritage Collection by Kravet was also a highlight.


Breakfast at the Condé Nast building followed by a special appearance by Margaret Russell, Editor-in-Chief of Architectural Digest, was such a momentous occasion for me. Her stories are nothing but impressive. I am a true admirer of her fearless yet genuine attitude towards her career and her commitment to design.


The Lee Jofa and Kravet offices literally open their doors and let us all in on the design process of their fabrics and rugs. From the inspirations and initial sketches, to the mood boards and test swatches, all the way through to the placement of the final products on their showroom floors across the world, I was captivated the entire time.


My final stop during design week at Blogfest, was to peruse the entire floor of 1stdibs at the New York Design Center. I was elated, excited, inspired and in awe by every square inch of their space. My design mind was definitely tired and overwhelmed but very satisfied by the end of it all. Seeing as though this is the Kravet team’s first year at putting together such a successful conference and tour, I cannot wait to see what next year will bring.

Blogfest, ICFF, Inspiration, New York, TravelComments { 9 }

My first evening in New York and antiquing in Pennsylvania

Heading into New York to attend Blogfest 2011 on a warm and muggy evening, I felt so calm and relaxed. The city has started to feel so familiar to me that as soon as I took out my camera in the cab, I was at home.

Once I arrived at the hotel, I threw my bags on the floor and set off to Susan and William Brinson‘s loft as I knew there would be a gathering of some very special people I was dying to finally meet. Twitter has been a true source to so many incredible moments in my life in the last year and on this trip, being with the people I’ve gotten to know on and now offline has meant the world to me.

The next morning, the Brinsons and I, along with Jonathan, Nikole and Jamie, headed to Pennsylvania to experience their antique markets together. With fresh bagels and coffee in hand, our two hour drive away from the city turned into a day I will never forget.

The markets we ended up visiting were so full of incredible finds that you could easily get lost for hours inspecting every single piece and taking in all its history. I was in heaven.

We were even lucky enough to have found an estate sale in a big red barn where the owner’s grandson had opened up its doors to anyone willing to make a bid on whatever they could find. Needless to say, we did end up finding a few items of interest along with some family secrets I’m pretty sure they would not have wanted to be revealed to us city folk!

Back at the loft with a home cooked meal by Susan and William, surrounded by friends, I couldn’t help but think that it was the perfect way to end a perfect day.

Blogfest, Inspiration, New York, TravelComments { 6 }

Balance

What ratio of vintage and new is considered the perfect mix for you in your home? It can be a balancing act but can create extraordinary results.

It seems to me that the more I decorate my own home, the more I notice that I gravitate towards pieces which, in their designs, have obviously been influenced from classics that I grew up with. I cling to items that evoke those early emotions and remind me of my childhood home but seeing as my tastes have evolved, my home is not entirely reminiscent of the 70s, 80s and 90s. Modern and clean pieces balance out our home and with this mix, our home feels like “Us”.


I am always attracted to eclectic design as I know these interiors are unique and undoubtedly represent their dwellers to a tee.

Images from: laure joliet photography, nuevo estilo, nuevo estilo, vårtnya hem, annaleenas, martin lof, living agency, bolig, bolig, owi, owi, living agency, laure joliet photography, living agency

Inspiration, InteriorsComments { 6 }