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DIFFA Dining by Design 2013 Recap

Architectural Digest

With Spring just around the corner, many of us are thinking about tabletop design and how we will entertain this season. Garden party? Elegant and intimate dinner? The buds on the trees signal new life and it’s fun to think about breathing new life into your dining room.

At Dining by Design in New York City, many of the industry’s top names contributed their talents to this annual fundraiser and the results are inspiring. In addition to the AERIN for Lee Jofa table we posted last week, there were lots of other creative and inspiring tables on display this past weekend at Dining by Design. Events Thursday and Saturday raised much needed funds to advance the cause of DIFFA, the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS.

If you missed the event in person, there are lots of other ways to show your support for DIFFA throughout the year, including Dining by Design events in several other major cities. Stay connected with DIFFA on Facebook and Twitter for ongoing news and information.

Without further ado, here are some of the other fantastic tables we spotted at Dining by Design:

Echo Design

Marc Blackwell and Evette Rios

Marimekko

Gensler and Herman Miller

Kinky Boots by Maya Romanoff and David Rockwell

Manhattan magazine by Inson Wood with Fendi Casa

Profiles by James Magni

Benjamin Moore by David Stark

Ralph Lauren Home

Michael Amini

New York Design Center by Thom Filicia

Rachel Laxer Interiors and Robert Kuo

Kenneth Cobonpue

Aerin for Lee Jofa Table at DIFFA Dining by Design 2013

We love to cover DIFFA’s Dining by Design event for the blog (see 2010, 2011, 2012) and we are particularly excited because Aerin Lauder designed our table this year using a pattern from her yet-to-be-released collection of fabrics with Lee Jofa.

Available this summer, the collection is elegant and feminine, and so is the Dining by Design table. The table, walls and chairs are covered in a floral pattern on linen called Montrose in Amethyst, which will appear in the collection in many colors on linen and also as a printed velvet.

The pattern is one of Aerin’s favorites. Of Montrose, she said, “Inspired by damask, this large scale graphic evolution is a print I easily imagine living with year round, city or country. It is a stronger, less delicate feminine print that I also love to use for wall coverings.”

The table will be on display through the weekend as part of the Architectural Digest Home Design Show at Pier 94 in New York City. Tickets are still available for Cocktails by Design, a star studded party Saturday night. For information, visit www.diffa.org.

If you aren’t able to visit Dining by Design, you can still support DIFFA by checking out the online auction, which includes some incredible one-of-a-kind items and experiences. Stopping the spread of AIDS and educating about AIDS awareness are major priorities for DIFFA, and for our industry as a whole, and we are proud to support this organization.

-JP

Image credit Lee Jofa.

 

Blogfest 2012 Day Three

On the third and final day of Blogfest, we kept the momentum going through dark. Check out the final installment of our photo recap and be sure to visit us on Facebook to see some of the great recap posts written by the interior designers and bloggers in attendance.  

On a tour of the design studio for Kravet, Lee Jofa and Brunschwig & Fils, designers and bloggers were treated to a behind the scenes glimpse of our Kravet Carpet program, shown above.

Interior designer Lynn Byrne taking a closer look at Kravet Trimmings during the studio tour.

Next stop: The Museum of the City of New York, overlooking Central Park.

John Turner, color expert and director at Benjamin Moore, presents ColorPulse 2013, the latest color trends and inspiration from around the world.

Lee Rhodes, founder of Glassybaby, shared the inspiring story of her battle with cancer, commitment to philanthropy, and journey to become Entrepreneur of the Year one glowing candle at a time. Each attendee received a Glassybaby votive.

Designer Miles Redd, blogger and editor Marisa Marcantonio and photographer Peter Aaron discuss their roles within the industry with Interiors magazine's Michael Wollaeger.

Sponsors donated a variety of big ticket items, which were raffled off by special guest Anthony Baratta to surprised and excited attendees. Proceeds benefitted DIFFA, and Kravet matched 100%.

 For the final event of the night, The New Traditionalists sent us off in style with signature cocktails in their chic SoHo showroom.

Blogfest Day Three – What to Expect

Days one and two down. With luck we’ve avoided the rain and we’re ready for day three! This is the day you’ll get your gift bag if you elected not to ship your bag, and we have a few surprises in store so keep reading… 

Kravet, Lee Jofa and Brunschwig & Fils Design Studio Tours

First, a BIG thank you to everyone who volunteered to switch to the 9am tour. Two tours, at 9 and 10:30, will feature a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of fabric design, product development and showroom merchandising for Kravet, Lee Jofa and Brunschwig & Fils. We’ll feed you delicious coffee and pastries from Balthazar and you’ll love being inspired by our work space. If you didn’t sign up for a tour or need to switch your time, email Jennifer.

Bus to the Museum of the City of New York

If you don’t go on the studio tour you can still ride the bus uptown to the museum, just meet us in front of the building at noon. If you’re on the early tour you can walk around the Flatiron area before we meet back up at 12. If you’re flying out of LGA or JFK, it is fastest to leave straight from the museum. We will have a coat check for luggage. As we mentioned, if you didn’t elect to ship your gift bag, you will receive it at the museum.

Raffle, NY Spaces Lunch and Self Guided Museum Tours

At lunch we’ve set up an incredible raffle filled with tons of donations from our sponsors, including Lilly Pulitzer, Aero Studios, Jonathan Adler, Barbara Barry, Baccarat, DKNY and SO MANY MORE! Bring cash or check, all proceeds go to DIFFA. You’ll also notice a large display of Glassybaby candles. You’ll find out why later… Following lunch, you can tour the museum, which is showing one of its most successful exhibitions to date called The Greatest Grid.

Benjamin Moore Presents Color Pulse® 2013

We’re sneaking in a very special presentation before the Benjamin Moore discussion begins, so bring tissues! John Turner, color expert and trend analyst for Benjamin Moore, will present the brand’s annual color forecast which explores the emerging influences that shape future color trends and their applications for 2013.

Interiors Magazine Presents: Interiors Insider

In this panel discussion led by Michael Wollaeger, you’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories of how the most beautiful work in our industry is created. Panelists include interior designer Miles Redd, noted photographer Peter Aaron, and blogger and former editor Marisa Marcantonio.

Farewell Celebration

It’s so hard to say goodbye! What a whirlwind three days. We can’t resist to opportunity to clink glasses with you all one last time and toast to all the fun we had. This is also your last chance to score some AMAZING items from our raffle. (Seriously, this raffle is so off the charts, you’re going to go nuts). And did we mention proceeds go to DIFFA? Charity? And Design? Yes please! Oh, and just like last year, a few VIP guests may stop by so don’t put your cameras away just yet…

Bus Downtown

Two buses will leave the museum. One will head to The New Traditionalists, host of the Blogfest After After Party. Those guys know how to show designers a good time, so that is a must attend if you’re still in town. We digress. The other bus will head back to the hotel area in case anyone needs to grab luggage or regroup. As we mentioned, if you’re flying out of LGA or JFK, it is fastest to leave straight from the museum, but for everyone else, we’re loading up the buses right at rush hour! Yeah!

After Party at The New Traditionalists

More cocktails and fun await at The New Traditionalists, plus they’ve invited lots of other fun NYC-based people so this is a great opportunity to connect with friends you haven’t seen yet.

And now, we soak our feet and sleep! We can hardly contain our excitement and can’t wait to see you all Monday.

Cheers to a great Blogfest. Now go charge those cameras!

Ralph Lauren at DIFFA Dining by Design

The Ralph Lauren table at Dining by Design is, like every extension of the brand, always perfectly executed. This year was no exception. The roaring fire, the antler chandelier, and the blankets draped over chairs all conveyed the All-American elegance the brand pioneered.

The light streaming in from the windows and the icicles handing from the eaves said winter, and the textures within: wool, fur, rustic wood and stone, said warmth and relaxed ski-lodge chic.

This year, Ralph Lauren, joined by his wife Ricky, was on hand to present an award to Alfredo Paredes, Executive Vice President and Chief Retail Creative Officer at Ralph Lauren, for his many years of service as DIFFA trustee and a major proponent of Dining by Design.

Ralph Lauren home interior fabrics are available through Kravet in our showrooms throughout the U.S. and Canada.