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Kravet Soleil – Echo Design and Windsor Smith Home

Hammock fabric: Echo Design Merton Stripe in Prism - 31716-410; Echo Design pillows left to right: Torbali in Papaya - 31700-12, Torbali in Maritime - 31700-5, Torbali in Lime - 31700-3, Torbali in Surf - 31700-13, Torbali in Tobacco - 31700-6, Torbali in Punch - 31700-17

Two new collections for Kravet Soleil, Echo Design and Windsor Smith, are the perfect antidote to winter’s cold temperatures. Bright colors and patterns appear on fabrics that have been specially treated for durability and UV protection.

Windsor Smith is known for a relaxed style that is strongly influenced by her travels. This collection is designed for and inspired by outdoor living, and unites modern and graphic patterns with fresh plains. The vibrant and fresh color palette of brilliant greens, orchid pinks, ocean blues, sunny yellows and strong neutrals, evokes a beach paradise where surf, sun and sand meet.

The essential elements of an Echo Design collection: color, print, pattern and texture, combine beautifully for the latest collection of outdoor fabrics for Kravet. The vivid color palette of sky blues, lime greens, rich oranges and sophisticated neutrals conjure up the feelings of a modern market place, where bold stripes, intricate textures and beautiful patterns coexist in harmony. These high performance fabrics are designed for sun exposure and maximum durability, making them ideal for both indoor and outdoor settings.

Windsor Smith Home fabric on Umbrellas: Mandella in Citrine - Mandella-40; Chairs and ottomans fabric: Mandella in Oasis - Mandella-106; Front pillows: Windsor Smith Home Kapaa in Akuatik - 31764-135, Back left pillow: Windsor Smith Home Kanekopa in Gardenia - 31725-130; Back right pillow: Windsor Smith Home Moloko in Paradiso - 31727-135

Echo Design fabrics top to bottom: Ogee Knot in Ocean - 31708-13, Nestled in White - 31734-101, A Pois in Maritime - 31702-5, Torbali in Tobacco - 31700-6, Esparto Stripe in Peacock - 31701-5, Ogee Knot in Maritime - 31708-5

Windsor Smith Home fabrics left to right: Kanekopa in Akuatic - 31725-13, Kura Kura in Orkid - Kura Kura-17, Halua in Hibiscus - 31718-317, Kura Kura in Haze - Kura Kura-6, Mandella in Orkid - Mandella-17, Halua in Parakeet - 31718-540, Kura Kura in Veridian - Kura Kura-3, Mandella in Haze - Mandella-6, Kura Kura in Akuatik - Kura Kura-13

Echo Design fabrics left to right: A Pois in Cashew - 31702-6, Magnifikat in Gold Dust -31696-416, Melanger in Smoke - 31695-106, Solola in Cocoa - 31697-616, Ogee Knot in Almond - 31708-6, Philo inCocoa - 31698-616

Windsor Smith Home pillows going clockwise: Kanekopa in Gardenia -31725-130, Kura Kura in Akuatik - Kura Kura-13, Moloko in Paradiso - 31727-135, Kapaa in Akuatik - 31764-135; Ottoman fabric: Kanekopa in Akuatic - 31725-13

Windsor Smith and Luxe Magazine at What’s New What’s Next

 
Windsor Smith

Next week, on September 20, the New York Design Center is hosting What’s New What’s Next, a celebration of the current trends and ideas that are shaping the future of our industry. 

As part of this exciting program, Luxe Interiors + Design magazine is hosting a special chat with famed interior designer Windsor Smith. Smith, who recently generated industry buzz for her House of Windsor project in LA, is also launching a new collection of colorful outdoor fabrics with Kravet.

Join us next Wednesday at 4pm in Suite 401, the Kravet showroom at the NYDC, to meet Windsor Smith and Pamela Jaccarino, Editor-in-Chief of Luxe Interiors + Design, and to preview Smith’s new collection with Kravet.

Windsor Smith and Veranda Present the House of Windsor

By Beth Greene

 
From left: Windsor Smith, Beth Greene, Roger Stoker, Katie Brockman

This lucky NY gal left behind some balmy weather and the Hamptons for the toniest of design events, the opening celebration of the "House of Windsor." If you aren’t familiar, this is not the one in the rainy countryside of the United Kingdom but rather it’s located in the swank suburb of Brentwood in Los Angeles, a neighborhood populated with equestrian estates and carriage houses.

Photo courtesy of Veranda. 

The House of Windsor is aptly named after the design entrepreneur and project manager, Windsor Smith. Finding an available piece of property across the street from her personal residence made this two-plus year project that much easier to undertake.

 
Photo courtesy of Veranda.

Once the plans were drawn, the House of Windsor gained momentum thanks to Windsor’s close group of designer friends. A list designers like Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Kathryn Ireland, Tara Shaw, Candace Barnes and many others offered their talents to the project.

No wonder VERANDA magazine signed on the dotted line to promote and feature this 8,300-square-foot mansion, beautifully designed with Directoire accents, in its upcoming October issue.

 
Photo courtesy of Veranda. 

The eco-friendly side of Windsor came out with re-purposed floors throughout the house, inlaid with intricate herringbone patterns. How clever of Windsor to base the color palette of the home on Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter, a pale grey/taupe, which she used as the exterior color with white trim and again in the front entrance way. As a licensing partner of Windsor Smith, Kravet fabrics and trimmings were prominently featured throughout the home.

Kathryn Ireland, Beth Greene, Jeff Lewis

The opening party was a West Coast star studded event! Red carpet, flashbulbs, TV cameras galore were present as the doors to this brick Federal Style estate were opened to the public for the very first time. In attendance were TV personalities like Jeff Lewis and his sidekick Jenny, Niecy Nash, Cheryl Tiegs as well as NY designer Philip Gorrivan and many many others including Veranda's editor in chief Dara Caponigro. Of course, Windsor's besties, fresh off the set of Million Dollar Decorators, were there in full swing to help her celebrate.

Enjoy the photos and look for the October issue of Veranda for more pictures and inspiration.

Backyard and outdoor dining area.

 
Photo courtesy of Veranda.

Dara Caponigro, Editor-in-Chief of Veranda

 
Photo courtesy of Veranda.

Carolyn Englefield, Philip Gorrivan, Beth Greene

 
Photo courtesy of Veranda.

The House of Windsor is open through July 17 to the public through a daily schedule of house tours and special events. Tickets can be purchased in advance here, and more information, including a list of special events, is available here.

Thinking Pink

Room by Miles Redd, displaying a bold mix of pink and red.  

At Kravet, we are inspired every day by color. We’re also inspired, like all of you, by all of the amazing women in our lives. This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so we’re thinking pink.

When we began researching the many ways to incorporate the color pink into a home interior, we were amazed by how many thoughtful and sophisticated ways talented designers are using pink, and by all of the colors that perfectly coordinate. Check out a few of our favorite rooms using pink in both bold and subtle ways.

 Subdued pink with cream and taupe, vignette by Barbara Barry.

 

 
Blending masculine brown with metallic elements and pink and purple, room by Jamie Drake.

 

 
Cheerful mix of pink and green by Jamie Drake.

 

Windsor Smith blends bright pink with gold and white.

 

 
Tabletop in pink and orange by Thom Filicia

 

 
Dusty pink and taupe with hints of turquoise, bathroom by Kelly Wearstler.

High Style at LA Westweek

Last week I traveled across the country to sunny LA for Westweek. It was a fantastic show put on by the Pacific Design Center, but best of all it was a great excuse to catch up with many of our Designer Licensees at Kravet and Lee Jofa on their home turf for a glimpse into their design worlds.

Upon my arrival, Barclay Butera whisked me to his showroom on La Brea, which is so impressively merchandised, right down to the reading glasses on the nightstand of the bedroom setting. Dressed to the nines in crisp dark denim and a fitted blazer, every day I spent with him he was as perfectly manicured as his store.

Barclay Butera's showroom in La Brea

We lunched with Windsor Smith just before she was getting on a plane for a weekend in Puerto Vallarta---oh the LA lifestyle, I am jealous!!! At lunch she wore a printed linen tunic layered over a linen jacket with stacked bracelets and a chunky watch, so bohemian chic! Just like her fabric collection! She also shared some of her latest eclectic design projects. Boy does she work hard!!!!

At Kravet, Michael Berman posed for a photo with me on the new brightly colored Kravet window setting. He even art directed the shot, contrasting his sleek grey sharkskin suit with the season's bold colors, so on trend!

 

Next up the Doyenne of LA Design, Barbara Barry. As beautiful and elegant as ever in her signature cashmere twinset and pearls, she hosted me for morning tea. Her style is as classic and precise as her fabrics and furniture.

After that, I paid a visit to the newest location of Suzanne Rheinstein's store Hollyhock. She claimed it was barely ready to open but it looked pretty fantastic to me. BTW she won the LA 2010 Stars of Design award for Interior Design during Westweek with some other amazing talent like Lifetime Acheivement award winner Rose Tarlow! Here Suzanne poses among the winners, perfectly poised and utterly ageless, she looks fantastic!

From left: Jorge Pardo, Brandon Morrison, Karyn Millet, Suzanne Rheinstein, Rose Tarlow, Ron Flemming, Sean Knibb, Wallace E. Cunningham

What a busy but worthwhile trip ending with the piece de resistance....a personal appearance by Kelly Wearstler in the Lee Jofa showroom with a book signing of Hue, her latest book just going into a 2nd printing. The crowd was astounding! So gracious and humble, Kelly stayed late to make sure she personally spoke with each and every person including my favorite: a 10-year-old little girl that told her how much she loved watching her on TV.

Kelly’s signature boldness in her designs is definitely reflected in her personal style. She looked casual chic in white ruffles, bold bangles and a relaxed jean and not to mention.. not a stitch of makeup!!

I even got to pose with her. That’s me on the left!! Immediately after the event, we both left for our respective red-eye flights back to the east coast. I was going home, of course Kelly was on her way to South Beach. Sigh...sigh The Life!!!

-BG