By JLBWC Staff | January 02, 2020

(StatePoint) The beginning of the new year is a natural time to think about refreshing the look of your home, and in 2020, cozy and warm are trending keywords for interior design, according to experts, with luxurious textiles, inviting color palettes, and warm mixed metals found across all design styles.

While a maximalism approach is on the horizon, clean and modern design schemes continue to reign.

Use a minimalist approach, allowing patterned dcor to add pops of color, advises Eliza Alkire, trend expert and product designer for Progress Lighting. Accent this with hanging planters and potted greenery to enhance the character of any room with an organic look.

To make the most of your space this year, consider this design advice from Alkire and the experts at Progress Lighting:

Materials, Shapes and Finishes

While neutral color schemes are tried-and-true, in 2020, youll want to turn to an updated palette consisting of warm, earthen undertones. Choose lighting finished in mixed metals to accent the neutral scheme while adding visual interest and depth.

Recent years have seen lighting combine black chrome and gold finishes. Now, warm tones of natural brass, bronze and copper mixed with silver and black will be found across lighting designs, cabinet pulls and plumbing hardware. Move over, stainless steel! Just remember to keep the look uncluttered by not mixing more than two or three metals in one space.

Geometric shapes are dominating design trends. Adding lighting in triangle, diamond, hexagonal or combination of geometric shapes is one of the easiest ways to transform a space and add wow-factor. Make sure to balance statement-making lighting with clean, classic patterns and colors on furnishings and accessories.

Create warmth with tactile elements. Luxurious, richly-textured fabrics like velvet, suede and leather work nicely with clean, contemporary interiors as well as rustic farmhouse spaces. Try vibrantly-colored velvets furnishings, pillows and throws. Wallpaper is making a comeback: use it in small areas like powder room walls, or make a splash with a floral accent wall.

Style Evolution

Overall design trends are evolving. Homes that were previously traditional are now termed new traditional as they take on fun, youthful elements that keep the design fresh. Lighting fixtures have mixed metal finishes or are designed in new takes on classic silhouettes, such as large lanterns and chandeliers done in linear shapes.

Mountain style goes beyond a rustic, cabin look to take on a modern form with clean lines, neutral color palettes and uncluttered interiors. With open layouts and tall ceilings, sweeping views command attention. Lighting is oversized, with airy, open designs meant to cast light without obstructing views from the plentiful windows in the space.

For fans of farmhouse style, this look has taken a delightful turn, with fewer rustic details and more modern charm. Subtle hues go beyond a white and gray palette into the realm of soft greens and blush pinks. Lighting is inspired by historical design with industrial details like working pulleys, but is combined with clean lines for a relaxed, casual vibe.

For more tips and inspiration, visit Progress Lighting at http://www.progressltg.com/Inspiration.

To stay on-trend in the new year, think cozy, warm and inviting.

Originally posted here:
2020 Interior Design Trends on the Horizon - Jewish Link of Bronx, Westchester and Connecticut

Edi Swan, scenic artist, art teacher and technical director. Born: 2 August, 1935 in Footdee, Aberdeen. Died 2 December, 2019 in Ellon, aged 84

Aberdeens picturesque fishing village of Footdee has developed quite a reputation in recent years as a draw for artists but perhaps few so versatile as one of its own sons, Edi Swan.

Born in the colourful community that hugs the shore at the entrance to Aberdeen Harbour, he grew up running free and barefoot all summer, diving off the pier with the North Sea as the backdrop that has inspired countless creatives.

He followed his cousin Bill Baxter, one of the influential ABBO group of painters, into art school and was still a student when a chance request for a replacement scene painter provided the catalyst for a 50-year association with the citys celebrated His Majestys Theatre.

Throughout that time he was a set designer, full-time teacher, jobbing artist, potter, interior designer, author, public speaker, champion of arts in the curriculum and campaigner for the retention and renovation of Aberdeens Tivoli Theatre. This enthusiasm for a diverse range of artistic endeavours brought him into the realm of everyone from the Womens Rural Institute (WRI) to Charlton Heston and the Rolling Stones.

One of six children to a trawler owners daughter and a commercial clerk, his childhood in Fittie, as it is known locally, was idyllic until the Second World War. With the harbour a target for bombers the whole area was cordoned off and the children needed a special pass to get to St Clements Street School. Several lost a parent when Hall Russell shipyard and the nearby Neptune Bar were bombed in July 1940.

After the war the family moved to a new home on the outskirts of the city and he attended the Central School. He was a 20-year-old student at Aberdeens Grays School of Art when he married his wife Sheila and was still studying when their first daughter arrived the following year an event that saw the whole art school close for the afternoon to celebrate.

His future in the theatre was sealed in his third year when repertory company the Whatmore Players appealed for a scene painter after their own artist broke her arm. The art school head gave Swan his blessing and the move inadvertently led to a twist in his name: hed been christened Edward but when chief scenic artist Ani Jasper noted down his name for the programme credits she adopted her own style and immortalised him as Edi.

He soon became involved in Aberdeens hugely popular Student Show and was in charge of set design for more than a decade. Passionate about that particular theatre skill, he created sets for many stars including Andy Stewart and Scotland the What, plus amateur companies, school and church drama groups, and particularly liked to utilise His Majestys revolving stage. He was also involved in Aberdeen Puppet Players, creating puppets, posters and programmes.

Meanwhile he was also teaching full-time. Having been exempted from national service due to the shortage of art teachers, he started at Aberdeens Torry Academy before moving on to Peterhead and Turriff Academies. By the mid-1960s he was head of art at Ellon Academy and he and Sheila now had two daughters and a son.

As the family grew so did their home and Swan developed another skill housebuilder almost single-handedly, erecting a living room and garage at one property.

Promotion at work saw him become assistant head teacher at Ellon in 1975 and two years later he was appointed to the Munn Committee on restructuring the S3 and S4 curriculum, when he made the case for an emphasis on the creative arts.

His Majestys Theatre continued to feature large in his life and, when the theatre director overhead him joke about applying for the retiring stage managers job, he promptly offered him the new role of technical director. It put him in charge of everything behind the curtain as well as overseeing significant renovations which were celebrated at a gala re-opening with Prince Charles in 1982.

During the revamp Swan recorded and, with the help of an art school expert, restored the buildings dozens of stained glass panels, hand-painting, firing and fitting each to match the original design.

In 1986 he completed a diploma in management studies, earning top prize amongst his peers for his thesis on Communication as a Management Skill in the Theatre Industry.

Well-known in theatrical circles for his skill behind the scenes, he was also very much a public face of the institution. He enjoyed welcoming audiences front-of-house in his dinner suit and developed the Dress Circle bar as a gallery space, introduced the concept of theatre artist in residence, instigated backstage tours, created the Theatre Club and reputedly had many encounters with Jake, the theatres friendly headless ghost.

He worked with stars such as Charlton Heston, to whom he presented a caricature of the American in full Highland dress, at a party following his appearance in A Man for All Seasons. Swan also put his artistic skills to good use when the Rolling Stones kicked off their UK tour at Aberdeens Capitol, painting a huge banner for the venue advertising the groups appearance.

He also created murals for public buildings, painted watercolours, did interior design for a local golf club and an historic coaching inn and produced the logo that Ellons Ythan Bakery still sports on its paper bags today.

In retirement, following a triple bypass in 1992, he became honorary theatre activist, wrote a History of His Majestys and a history of Aberdeen Music Hall and devoted a great deal of time to saving the future of the citys Tivoli theatre. Swan, who spent years travelling to WRI meetings giving talks on HMT, was made a Burgess of the Guild of the City of Aberdeen for his contribution to cultural life.

Never star struck he regarded his teaching and theatre careers as equally important and those in theatrical world as simply fellow professionals.

Predeceased by his wife, he is survived by their children Susan, Fiona and Gary and extended family.

ALISON SHAW

Read the original here:
Obituary: Edi Swan, artist, teacher, set designer, potter, author, public speaker and champion of the arts - The Scotsman

Kim Caravella, founder of habitatgreenwich in Cos Cob. Dec 4, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager

Step inside habitatgreenwich for a unique experience. Founder Kim Caravella offers a carefully curated mix of new world and old world styles, plus unique furniture, home and leisure objects, original artwork and everyday essentials. Photo: Leslie Yager

On Thursday, Dec 5, h a b i t a tg r e e n w i c h founder Kim Caravella is hosting a how-to session titled, How to Style Your Shelves in her Cos Cob shop from 1:00-3:00pm.

Im eager to excite people with three decades of design knowledge and input. Ill offer creative ideas people can bring to their own homes including how to do coffee tables, book shelves, and consoles.

Its a scientific and mathematical equation, Caravella continued. The common mistake people make is in proportion and scale, and not juxtaposing the right textures and materials. This can be so exciting when you use the right materials. You can spend a lot of money but that doesnt result in excitement, she added.

Caravellas shop offers an authentic, inspiring, boutique shopping experience.

The mix features a carefully curated fresh, chic and relevant mix of new world and old world styles, plus unique furniture, home and leisure objects, original artwork and everyday essentials.

Expect a timeless mix of classic, modern and organic styles from around the globe. The inventory features the creations of world wide artisans.

She hand selectsevery unique shop item.

A career interior designer, Caravella has over threedecades of expertise from coast to coastworking with the most talented and upscale interior designers, architects, builders and tradespeople.

After college she attended New York School of Interior Design, and studied interior design, architecture and art throughout Europe with world renowned interior designers and architects.

Caravellas passionate mission is to think outside the design box and offerthe most exciting, always evolving, unique collections offurniture, lighting, home decor, textiles, artwork, jewelry andgifts whilesupportinglocal and worldwide artisans. Her collections are both inspired bydecades of exciting design work across the country.

h a b i t a tg r e e n w i c h h o m e is a spin-off affiliate company created when our clients asked how they could get the same feeling as our Shopwithin their own h ab i t at s. A Design Firm creating inspiring, unique,timeless Interior Design for smaller projects.

Affiliate Company C&C Interior Design with Partner Claudia Duvall offers inspired original design services forlarge scale Interior Design projects and entire design/build home projects.Visit at atcandcinteriordesign.com

In September2018 we had the wonderful opportunity to open a unique gift shop at Greenwich Botanical Center 130 Bible Street, Cos Cob, where there is a beautiful curated collections of gifts, home and garden decor supporting global artisans, causes and nonprofits.

The Gift Shop supports Greenwich Botanical Center with its proceeds and is open Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:00pm.

Visit link:
At habitatgreenwich, Founder Kim Caravella To Share Creative Interior Design Ideas on Thursday - Greenwich Free Press

Its December, which means its time for year-end lists, holiday gift-guides and the annual Pantone Color of the Year announcement.

In recent years, the Color Institute has selected shades based on their uplifting and life-affirming qualities. Last years nature-inspired Living Coral was chosen for its energizing and nourishing elements. The previous year, Ultra Violet was recommended for what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own.

But in a global environment concerned with impeachment hearings, homelessness and climate change, can Pantone offer reassurance in what looks to be a contentious election year?

Pantone thinks so. On Wednesday, Classic Blue was announced as the Color of the Year for 2020. (If you are one of Pantones 2.2 million Instagram followers, you may not be surprised, given the ocean and sky teasers that were posted to the account prior to the announcement).

In a news release, the new color, which is darker than aquamarine and lighter than navy, is described as dependable and non-aggressive.

From a practical standpoint, the color forecast means youll be seeing this blueberry blue everywhere in 2020. Pantones announcement is the ultimate influencer as it will dictate blue trends in home decor, fashion, beauty even food in 2020.

Blueberries, flowers, paint swaths and more show off Pantones Color of the Year.

(Pantone )

We are living in a time that requires trust and faith, said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. Imbued with a deep resonance, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation. A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication.

Everybodys comfortable with blue, added Pantone Vice President Laurie Pressman in an interview with the Associated Press. We know it. We like it.

Well, not everyone.

I like blue, and classic blue is certainly an attractive color, said Los Angeles designer Justina Blakeney. But its kind of like having scrambled eggs for breakfast. Im not excited, stimulated or inspired.

Some designers viewed the color choice as a response to next years presidential election. The Classic Blue represents confidence and calm in the midst of a stormy year ahead with the election and political, economic, and environmental turmoil in the world at large, said Angie Myung, co-founder of Poketo. The color also represents staying true to who we are.

Erica Islas, interior designer for Lamps Plus, thinks the timeless color is a return to basics.

This shade of blue reminds me of the color of the sky at a certain late hour and the still ocean, both of which are refreshing and serene, she said. It tends to work extremely well in all areas of the home including kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, kid spaces, bedrooms, offices you cant go wrong with it. The color is easy to work with in interiors and pairs well with a variety of colors, especially white, gray, taupe, yellow and greens. Designers have been using this color for decades so while we already know its a timeless color, its refreshing to see the color take the center stage. Were going to be using it for many years to come.

Adds Los Angeles interior designer Linda Hayslett: This blue is great because if used as a solid color, it can add some punch in a modern space. It can also make a sofa stand out or be a strong pop on a wall with paint or tile for a contemporary look. But it can also be used traditionally in looks such as for ticking in fabrics to get a Hamptons vibe or French Country feel. Classic blue is everywhere, even in chinoiserie and toile. I would even use it for some cool wainscoting.

For the first time, Pantone has teamed up with partners Tealeaves, Firmenich and Audio UX, among others, to offer a multi-sensory experience. Now, consumers can taste, hear and smell the Color of the Year courtesy of bespoke tea, perfume and sounds that harmonize the color, aroma, and taste of Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue.

The Pantone Color of the Year highlights the relationship between trends in color and what is taking place in our global culture at a moment in time, a color that reflects what individuals feel they need that color can hope to answer, added Pressman. As we all head into a new era, we wanted to challenge ourselves to find inspiration from new sources.

Continue reading here:
Pantone names Classic Blue its Color of the Year for 2020 - Los Angeles Times

Aerion has lured a key aircraft interior designer away from Bombardier as the Reno, Nevada-based supersonic business jet designer works toward the development of itsAS2 supersonic business jet. Tim Fagan, who led the industrial design of Bombardiers flagship Global 7500, has joined Aerion as chief of industrial design, Aerion announced on Monday. In that role, Fagan will steer the interior design of the Mach 1.4 AS2.

During his time with Bombardier, which spanned much of the past two decades, he also oversaw the industrial designs of the Premier cabins for the Global 5000 and 6000, as well as for the Bombardier Vision Flight Deck. In addition, he has had experience with commercial interiors with the Dash 8 Q400, has held customer-facing roles in business jet completions, and helped design the 2010 Olympic Torch.

Fagan outlined his ambitions for an AS2 interior that will be a unique vision of beauty and luxury, featuring visionary technologies, intelligent functionality, and genuine comfortfusing emerging tech with exquisite handcrafted materials, and delivered with a relentless attention to detail."

Aerion, which formed a partnership with Boeing in February 2019 for the continued development of the AS2, is hoping to begin flight testing of the supersonic business jet in 2024.

Here is the original post:
Fagan To Lead Interior Design of Aerion AS2 - Aviation International News

Aileen Lee meets interior designer Jackie Tyrrell.

Whats your background?

I am from Kildare and have always been involved in design one way or the other, from poster design to stage sets as a teenager, learning how to do joinery and carpentry after school and working in the interior decoration world, which led me towards interior design.

Once I knew this was the field I wanted to pursue, I focused on my formal education, learning the skills required and studying the great architects and designers, which opens your mind to all the possibilities around you and within your career.

I am very lucky, I love my job, I get to use both my artistic and technical skills every day.

Whats a typical workday like for you?

Like any professional you schedule out your week, book in projects, trades and clients and hope everything goes to plan.

You can be on multiple projects at the same time and you are relying on so many elements of each project running smoothly.

If one small part is delayed that has a knock-on effect on all other parts, so it can be a challenge. If I am not onsite and project managing, I am sourcing, drawing, sketching and coming up with ideas.

Tell us about a favourite project you have worked on?

I am rewarded on every project. Getting into your clients mind and producing a design scheme that they love is very rewarding.

Words can never really describe the emotion or look you may want in your home or the exact shade of colour youre after, so to untangle that for someone is wonderful.

Whats your design style?

Its eclectic. I like a mixture of lots of different styles, but I do lean more towards the Nordic or contemporary than the traditional.

What inspires your work?

I am surrounded by great design every day from beautiful wallpapers, furniture and lighting to stunning interiors on social media.

I am in love with architecture and enjoy nothing more than travelling to a city and walking the streets searching until the building I am looking for is revealed.

From Gaudi to Herzog & De Meuron, this is what inspires me, how they see environment and space, and their vision and single-minded belief in the process.

Whats your favourite trend at the moment?

I dont really follow trends, I am very aware of them and have to be as part of my job, but I much prefer working with clients on a project where I am extracting the clients style from them or working to a brief that is more individual and focused on the personal than on a trend.

Whats your most treasured possession?

I am a lover of art and have started a nice little home collection.

I love street art, one of my favourites is ADW, his work is not only beautiful but intelligent and relevant.

I also love Gay Brabazons work through different media she explores myth, legend and nature, and her work evokes a lot of emotion and connection for me.

I enjoy the pieces I own but what I treasure most is family, friends and my dog, Snoop.

Your favourite designer?

We really have some great designers in this country of ours. Its kind of like the music scene, its in our blood.

I dont really want to pick just one person or designer, but I do love the work of interior designer Risn Lafferty from KLD.

What would be a dream project for you to work on?

I would love to design the interiors of a yacht. You would have to consider things like movement, everything would have to be attached down in some way or slide-proof for those rough days at sea.

Intelligent storage, to hide or disguise all the engineering aspects of being on a boat with the aesthetics of a home, away from home.

When designing for smaller spaces, one uses tricks of the trade with lighter colours, recessed lighting and mirrors to make a space appear bigger while being mindful to keep everything lightweight.

Have you any design tips?

Break the rules. Try that colour a little darker than you might have, take the chance, have some fun.

http://www.jtd.ie

Facebook.com/JackieTyrrellDesign:

Instagram: @jackietyrrelldesign

Pinterest: @jtdesign123

The rest is here:
Break the rules and have fun: Meet interior designer Jackie Tyrrell - Irish Examiner

Its just such a beautiful thing, Mr. Read said, biased but not wrong.

The magazines readership is small, with a circulation of 55,000, but influential. Its beloved by those in the creative and visual arts especially. Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy; Nicolas Ghesquire, Louis Vuittons creative director, whose Paris apartment was featured in the December 2012 issue; Alessandro Michele, the fashion director for Gucci, who uses The World of Interiors as inspiration for his collections all longtime readers. So are Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and the photographer Tim Walker.

Christopher Bailey, the president and former chief creative officer of Burberry, said that while The World of Interiors appeals to the fashion crowd, its not fashionable. Ive read magazines all my relatively grown-up life. And World of Interiors is the only magazine that Ive kept and trooped around the world wherever Ive lived, he said. Theres something about it that does not feel throwaway. Its not trend-driven. Its not of the moment.

Those who work in magazines read The World of Interiors with a mix of appreciation and envy. In an age when editors of monthlies must compete, seemingly impossibly, with the daily dopamine hits of grams and memes and TikToks, The World of Interiors appears to occupy an earlier, more dignified era.

Founded in 1981, The World of Interiors now breaks every dumb rule of modern magazines. There are no celebrities on the cover (and rarely any inside). You dont feel the hand of advertisers, publicists or digital panic on every page. The design is low-key, almost academic, without gimmicky typeface or colors pushed so that everything looks Disney fake. In fact, the photography is rather moody and in chiaroscuro tones, giving the empty furnished rooms a compelling, dreamlike quality.

The World of Interiors isnt concerned with showing readers how to achieve such-and-such a look or selling an aspirational dream. Who expects to one day live in the Queen Mothers former residence? Still, the magazine has never come across as snobby, because three pages after Clarence House can come, say, the house-turned-museum that an African-American couple, a poet and her postal-worker husband, built in Lynchburg, Va., in 1903 and decorated with recycled materials and great flair. Or an ice hotel in Sweden. Or a mobile home.

The magazines point-of-view is distinct, even wacky. And inventive: Though product pages typically consist of clip art on a white background, The World of Interiors will collect the latest fabrics and drape them across a farm field in the Cotswolds.

Read the rest here:
Inside The World of Interiors, Cond Nasts Secret Weapon - The New York Times

2019 Best of Design Award for Building of the Year: TWA Hotel

Designer: Beyer Blinder BelleLighting Designer: Cooley Monato StudioLocation: New York City

Eero Saarinens TWA Flight Center at JFK International Airport is among the most significant examples of midcentury modern architecture in the world, but the landmark terminal had been subjected to a series of compromising alterations and additions, and critical maintenance had been deferred. Beyer Blinder Belle has been involved with the building for over two decades, first as an advocate to save it from demolition, then as the overall project architect for its restoration and adaptive reuse as a full-service airport hotel. This intervention involved the construction of two seven-story hotel wings, designed by Lubrano Ciavarra Architects with interior design by Stonehill Taylor, and an underground conference center with meeting rooms and a banquet hall by INC Architecture & Design, which are arrayed around the historic terminal.

The original is an architecture of optimism. The rebirth of the project celebrates that. That is extremely needed and refreshing in these times. -Carlos Madrid III

Design Architects for new Hotel Buildings, Consulting Architect: Lubrano Ciavarra ArchitectsEvent Space Interior Design: INC Architecture & DesignHotel Interior Design: Stonehill TaylorLandscape Architect: MNLAConstruction Manager: Turner Construction Company

Finalist

Project Name:Cottonwood Canyon Experience Center

Designer:Signal Architecture + Research

Location:Wasco, Oregon

Building of the Year Finalist: Cottonwood Canyon Experience Center by Signal Architecture + Research (Gabe Border)

Who wouldnt want to learn (or teach) there? Beautiful details give power to the overall restraint of the design, a nod to the surrounding landscape. -Oana Stnescu

Finalist

Project Name:Anita May Rosenstein Campus, Los Angeles LGBT Center

Designer:Leong Leong and KFA

Location:Los Angeles

Public: Anita May Rosenstein Campus, Los Angeles LGBT Center by Leong Leong (Iwan Baan)

This building is a diamond in the rough. Its bold and elegant presence not only supports urban beautification but celebrates its program and purpose. -Carlos Madrid III

More here:
The 2019 Best of Design Awards winners for Building of the Year - The Architect's Newspaper

Life after Homepolish.

Written in stark black text on a white background, the phrase began popping up on Instagram in late September, a few weeks after the collapse of the online interior design platform. Following a dramatic conference call in which founder and CEO Noa Santos announced that his company was broke, designers began sharing testimonials about their experience with the siteand what its demise had cost them.

Homepolish has walked away with more than [$12,000] in retained client fees for my design time.

We lost a cool remodeling project because Homepolish staff disappeared and no one replied to the potential clients emails, which in turn made her not trust us.

Homepolish walked away with over [$3,000] of retained client fees for my design time.

Claire Hung, a New Yorkbased interior designer who had worked with the platform since 2017, was one of many to post the image on Instagram. Homepolishs collapse, she says, had thrown her business into disarray, leading to difficult conversations with clients, sleepless nights and the loss of $32,000 in project fees.

Throughout the tumultuous period around the platforms downfall, Hung created an online group to connect with other Homepolishers to commiserate and share information. After the dust had settled and it became clear that there was no way to recover the unpaid fees, the conversation turned to what would come next.

Ahmad AbouZanat, a former Homepolish designer also based in New York, hosted an in-person gathering for local designers in Hungs group. He recalls the discussion quickly turning from negative to positive: A lot of designers in the room had the same reaction: You know what? This is bad. But were going to get something good from it.

Three months after Santoss announcement, 11 former Homepolish designers are announcing a new venture theyre hoping will be that something good: a not-for-profit organization called Interior Collab. Their goal is to replicate the engine at the heart of Homepolishan online tool to connect clients to designerswithout the venture capital baggage.

With all these tech startups trying to middleman the interior design industry, theyre really exposing designers to an unnecessary amount of risk, says Hung, name-checking Laurel & Wolf and WeWork. While I recognize there is a benefit of making up-and-coming designers more accessible to the masses, I felt like there was a better way of creating a space on the web for clients to find designers. Its for designers, by designers.

Their first step has been the launch of a website, featuring portfolios of the founding members work. The full roster: AbouZanat, Hung, Alexandra Balic, Venessa Brennan, Gala Magrina, Gianna Marzella, Tana Nesbitt-Hayes, Ana Claudia Schultz, Hope Scully, Francisca Trujillo and Emi Young. Next, the group is planning to launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund the development of a more robust platformone they hope will serve as a larger, easily searchable directory for clients on the hunt for design work.

In theory, its not entirely different from Homepolish, with a few key distinctions. For one, Hung says Interior Collab has no intention of getting involved in projects after the designer-client connection has been made. For another, the site wont charge clients or dictate fees and billing. The overall philosophy is: Get designers work, and get out of the way.

We dont want to get into the business of doing what Homepolish did, and we dont think it worked, says Hung.

Interior Collab's founding directors (plus an intern and a few new recruits)Courtesy of Interior Collab

There are challenges ahead. One is to grow the network beyond the initial 11 New Yorkbased designers. Interior Collab plans to take a communal, open-arms approach. Their membership application form does ask for a few qualifying documents, but the goal is to expand the ranks, not exhaustively vet each incoming designer. A $250 annual fee for the listing, Hung says, will go toward the development and maintenance of the website, and growing opportunities for members. (Interior Collab plans to file as a 501(c)(6) nonprofita designation that applies to trade groups and industry organizations.)

Another challenge: In the vast wilds of online commerce, attention is expensive. Companies often pay hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to acquire one customer. Homepolish was no exception. Backed by $20 million in venture funding, Santoss startup spent heavily to build its brand. Without a hefty marketing budget, Interior Collab faces a tough battle getting the word out.

The founding members are optimistic that press and word-of-mouth will help, but are realistic about short-term goals. Homepolish definitely invested a lot in marketing and we all know thats how they got that big pool of clients, says AbouZanat. The main goal right now is to build this platform thats pushing designers in front of potential clients.

Im hopeful that [Interior Collab] will be a source of new business, but that will take some time, adds Marzella.

Even if their venture cant match Homepolishs VC-backed lead-generating muscle in its early incarnation, the Collab-ers are optimistic that the organization can be more than just a referral engine. Theyve discussed pooling resources to create a shared workspace or to develop a collective material library. In whatever form, their hope is to grow a community of designers and leverage it for the common good.

Theres a lot that could come out of this, says Marzella. We could get better discountseven just having a network of people to refer contractors and trustworthy vendors would be great. So much of what weve learned from Homepolish is [the dangers of] relying on a bigger company and someone at the other end of an inbox.

And if a side effect is a show of defiance to would-be design industry disruptors? Thats intentional.

We want to send a message, says Hung.

Homepage photo: Design by Ahmad AbouZanat | Photo by Nick Gelmenakis

Excerpt from:
Here's why these former Homepolish designers are banding together - Business of Home

Whats it like for two artists to be in a romantic relationship?

History has provided us with enough examples to know that partnerships between creatives can be as mutually beneficial as they can be toxic. In fact, some of the more famous love stories over the years have been those of artists whose brightly burning unions emit as much smoke as they do light. Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera, for instance, ultimately couldnt live without each otheror, as it turned out, under the same roof.The artist Franoise Gilot, Pablo Picassos longtime lover, noted in her recent memoir that a relationship with Picasso was a catastrophe I didnt want to avoid. Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock, meanwhile, shaped and influenced each others styles considerably, even though they maintained a strict invitation-only policy for visiting each others studios.

It doesnt have to be that way, though.

Recently, Artnet News sat down with food artist Laila Gohar and graphic designer Omar Sosa at their favorite New York haunt, Cafe Altro Paradiso, to learn about their lives as two married young creatives building a future together. The Cairo-born Gohar, who designs eating experiences and edible still-life installations, uses food to bring people from different cultures around the same table, while also drawing attention to the way technology has disrupted even such simple human interactions as sharing a meal. Her thoughtful culinary approach has made her a frequent collaborator of New Yorks Chamber Gallery, Creative Time, and Galerie Perrotin, as well as brands like Google and Tiffany & Co.

Sosa, her husband, grew up in Barcelona and is a graphic designer, publisher of artists books, and freelance creative director for a number of design- and lifestyle-companies under Apartamento Studios, a creative consultancy born from the interiorsmagazine Apartamento, which Sosa co-founded in2008. Since its founding, the cult-favorite publication has garnered acclaim for itsmission to showcase the charm of unstaged, real-life interior design. (Its tagline reads a tidy house only exists in your mothers imagination.)

Below, Noor Brara spoke to Gohar and Sosa about how they met and fell in love, what its like to be wedded to another creative person, which artists work they hope to acquire (someday), and the pains of self-promotion.

How did you meet?

Laila Gohar: We have different versions of this story, but Ill let Omar tell it. My version is much less romantic.

Omar Sosa: Ill tell the short version. I used to come to New York often when I lived in Barcelona, where I grew up. One day we were introduced by mutual friends. After that, we saw each other at a few dinners. I dont remember how we ended up going to Coney Island aloneit was supposed to be a big group of people, and for whatever reason no one else showed upbut we had a great day together. I thought it was romantic, and she thought it was whatever. Despite that, though, she started texting me nonstop. After a few years of texting and more visits to New York, the relationship slowly began to evolve. Its going to take me so long to tell this story.

Gohar: Do you see how hes itching to tell the long version? [laughs]Basically we met, but nothing happened for a couple of years. I didnt really like him for a long time. He wasnt really living here and I didnt want to do long-distance. We would just see each other every once in a while when he would visit. Eventually, he moved here and then moved in with me.

How did you know the relationship was something more than a friendship?

Sosa: She became someone I always wanted to talk to. When we were apart, we would have dinner together over FaceTime. So we grew closer. It was half because of that, and half because she was an obsession of mine.

Gohar: You were obsessed with me?!

She was your muse!

Sosa: She was. And then, of course, moving to New York meant that we could begin to really envision a life together, but I didnt want to get too stuck on that. I didnt know how serious she was about me. But eventually, she came to Barcelona to visit memy policy was, you know, Come to me if you think this is serious and we spent a couple of weeks together and then we knew we wanted to be with each other. Then I moved here. The rest is history. A year and a half later, we were married.

Laila Gohar and Omar Sosa at Cafe Altro Paradiso. Photo courtesy Nicolas Bloise.

You were married last year at a gorgeous wedding in Andalucia, to which you both arrived on horseback. What was that like?

Gohar: Our wedding was really fun. Not to talk myself up, but if I have one skill its that I can throw a really great party. So it was just thata really, really fun party. I enjoyed every minute of it, from the planning to the actual ceremony. It was very relaxed, but it was also very celebratory and rowdy.

Sosa: We want to do it again. We fantasize about that all the time, but its too soon to do it now. We wish it were five or 10 years from nowit would be fantastic. Its definitely going to happen again.

As an artist couple, tell me a little about how you engage with art. What art do you enjoy together or disagree about? What do you like to live with?

Gohar: I would say that were drawn to similar things. Certainly, there are also some differences in what we gravitate towards. I think when you live with someone you get to know what they will be drawn to, to some degree, and I appreciate that we know what the other likes. I think theres also a big difference between what you like and what you like to live with. I wouldnt limit the latter to one category, but, for example, Omar doesnt like to have figurative works in the bedroom, which I dont really mind. He doesnt like to look at faces in there, but now, for some reason, we have a lot of that kind of work. Its funny how you think you dont like something, but with time, you ease into it. I find that our preferencesour relationships with our things and the things we likecan be really fluid.

Sosa: I think the thing we have in common is that neither of us have clear boundaries about what we do and do not like. Even though we have different tastes, we kind of evolve togethersometimes in different directions, but I think thats what makes life interesting for us. Its never black or white. Its never a static situation.

Gohar: Omar is a graphic designer and at one point he was drawn to more graphic, repetitive prints and works. We had a lot of stuff like that in our home, a lot of patterned things. But hes moved away from that more recently.

Laila, why did you decide to become an artist?

Gohar: I never had a set career path, whereas Omar knew he wanted to be a graphic designer. He went to school to study the thing he still does today. Theres been some twists and turns along the way, but his path has always been more linear in that sense. In my case, it was more of an evolution and a series of decisions that lead me to where I am now. I didnt study anything in relation to what I do. For me, food art is just the way I know how to express myself. I dont know if theres some greater mission behind itits just more that I know how to communicate something using food when words fail me. Its how I know how to realize my thoughts, and its basically as simple and as complex as that.

Youre also known for your great dinner parties here in New York. Did you grow up cooking with your family?

Gohar: I grew up around the kitchen with my family, yes. My mom is not an especially good cook, but my dad and other people in my family are. Food lives at the core of my familys culture.

Omar, what lead you to become a graphic designer?

Sosa: Its pretty typicalI grew up painting and drawing, like many graphic designers. I wanted to study something that had to do with the visual arts, but something that could be done quickly, too. I was very impatient. I thought I would like industrial design, but ultimately felt it would take too much time to make something like a chair or a car.

My grandmother always encouraged me to be an artist, while my dad wanted me to pick something clearer. Hes a real estate agent. So I ended up picking graphic design, which sits between tech and art. I liked the freedom of it, and I liked how quickly I could design things. When I was a kid, I designed my own money. It was a very natural fit for me. Later I realized I didnt want to only be a graphic designer. Thats how Apartamento came about, and being a designer certainly helped in making that magazine.

Apartamento lead me to do other things as wellI learned about editing and running a business. I started making artists books. And that opened doors to meeting a lot of artists. I think the boundaries are sort of blurred today between all the creative fields. If youre making a book, youre a designer, but youre also an editor. I love making books because you get really deep into someones work and life, and thats pretty special.

Sosa and Gohar. Photo courtesy Nicolas Bloise.

Whats an example of an artist book that you produced recently?

Sosa: I designed a book for the photographer Peter Berlin, the gay icon from the 70s. The challenge there was to figure out how to show his workmost of which has never been seenin a contemporary way, without trying too hard. For me, that looked like an art book. Peter wasnt comfortable with the idea in the beginning, which is what made it interesting. I think thats really importantforcing yourself to do something different. After he saw the results, I think he was happy with it.

Thats the most recent thing I did, and of course weve done a lot in collaboration with Apartamento. In the fall, for example, we launched a book with Michael Anastassiades, an artist and interior designer. The book accompanied an exhibition of his work that he presented at a museum in Cyprus. It was also his first monograph. I really enjoy those moments.

How much do you both weigh in on each others work?

Gohar: A little bit. Omars opinion is pretty important to me. I care about what he has to say. I know hes going to be honest with me. If something is great, hell say its great, or if it needs work, hell say so. A lot of times people are supportive and will always say nice things, so I think its nice to be able to rely a little bit on his criticism, too.

Sosa: Laila usually brings the disruptive, critical side. That can be a nice wakeup call from the pleasantries of most people. Sometimes Ill take it personally if shes very harshand she tends to bebut I think overall its healthy and it helps me a lot. The relationship we have with each others work is very casual, but its deep at the same time because obviously we care about what the other is doing. I think we also inspire each other, and I think what we do together inspires our work.

What do your day-to-day schedules look like?

Gohar: Generally, we wake up and we each go to our studios and then we come home for dinner, which we try to have together. Omars schedule is more consistent, while mine is more project-based. Well meet at home around 8 or 9 in the evening. I travel a lot, too. I opened an installation in Shanghai last week at the West Bund Art & Design fair, and before that I was in Tokyo for research. I work a lot in Paris and London. I move around quite a bit.

What are the most challenging aspects of being in a relationship with another artist?

Sosa: Were both opinionated, which can be difficult sometimes. Its not like one person decides something and the other goes with the flow. In regards to what we eat, we always go with Lailas opinion. I love food, but thats her thing. For everything else, we have strong opinions so, of course, we fight sometimes. We disagree. But it makes things interesting.

Gohar: Yeah, disagreements are fine. I would say its frustrating if I want to buy a work and Omar doesnt want to, so then I have to buy it by myself [laughs]. Thats annoying. But it doesnt happen that often.

Can you give me an example of a disagreement youve had over an art- or design-choice?

Sosa: Laila repainted the whole house while I was away. It was terracotta originally, and she painted it a light yellow. Then she made me see it alone when I came home. She wasnt even there.

Gohar: I was kind of tired of the color. Omar thinks more long-termhe gets attached to things, and he likes consistency. We spent an obscene amount of time picking the terracotta color, and after about a year and a half, I got sick of it. People tend to get overly attached to the color of their home I think. Anyway, I went to visit this artist who was quite oldshes passed away nowand I really loved the color on her walls. I asked her grandson if he knew what it was, and he said, Oh, it used to be white, but my grandmother smoked for 80 years and the nicotine stained all the walls. He moved aside a frame to show me, and sure enough it was white behind it! I was like, Wow what a beautiful color. So I got this yellowish-white paint that I really love. Omar wasnt into the idea, and I kept trying to convince him for three months. Then he went awayso I painted it.

Sosa: Welcome to my life. But now I like it.

Sosa and Gohar. Photo courtesy Nicolas Bloise.

How does that differenceyour need for constant change and Omars preference for more permanent, fixed ideas and objectsmanifest in your artwork?

Gohar: Im much more attracted to ephemeral things. My work is all ephemeralyou know, you consume food. I spend months thinking about the work and planning it and working on it and then it sort of evaporates. Im fine with that. Omar makes books, so its the oppositebooks are objects that are here to stay. Ive found that Im not so concerned with leaving a mark on this world or a legacy or anything like that. Im more concerned with providing an experience in the context of a moment, which eventually goes away and becomes a memory. The memory is then the closest thing you get to leaving a mark.

Sosa: Were very yin/yang in that sense. Laila thinks about whats happening two seconds from now. In a way, her version of long-term is tomorrow. And Ill think about two years from now. I prevent her from crashing sometimes, and she prevents me from staying the same and becoming absolutely boring.

What do your studios look like? How are they the same or different?

Gohar: I recently moved studios. Its still fairly new and were building it out. Its kind of funny to have a space thats just my ownI dont have to consult with Omar about any aesthetic decisions. I can just do whatever I want. I used to share a studio with another artist in Brooklyn. I found this space one day as I was walking to the bridge to go to Brooklyn, on the border of Chinatown. It feels great for the kind of work that I do, and its only a five-minute bike ride from my house.I feel like our studios both reflect our home in many ways. My space is two floors, and the ground floor is more of an industrial, raw space for the work, but then I have a little room upstairs for my office. People joke that it looks like a bedroom.

Sosa: Ive always had a studio. Its the first thing that I looked for when I moved here. A couple of years ago, I got a space in Chelsea. I go there every day. Its very beautiful. For me, its an extension of the house, tooI have wall-to-wall carpet and a big sofa. Its cozy. You can spend a weekend there easily. For me its important to structure your ideas in a space that allows for that because at home you can get easily distracted.

Is there an artist or work you one day hope to add to your collection?

Sosa: Yes. And we actually both agree on who it is.

Gohar: We would really love to own a painting by Etel Adnan. Theres a really personal story behind that.

Sosa: Its personal because when we were living in two different cities and there was this romantic thing going on between us, we used to send each other letters. Laila once sent me a photo of this painting of Adnans that I already knew and liked so it was like, Oh, we like the same artist. It wasnt really about the art, though. It was more about the meaning behind it. There were two big mountains and an ocean behind them, and Laila wanted to imagine what living together would be like. She sort of thought that ideaof living together, of a life togetherstood beyond the mountains, which in a sense represented our two cities at the time. It made the painting important for us. We still cant afford it, though. Laila gave me a really nice etching of Adnans, but wed like to have a painting.

How do you feel about the year coming to an end and the work that youve done in 2019?Is there anything in particular that youre proud of?

Gohar: No. [laughs]

Sosa: Im a little bit like Laila in that sense. Were pretty terrible at promoting our own work.

Gohar: I think its because were both not American. Ive found that self-promotion is a skill we really lack. Weve gotten slightly better at it, but I feel like people here are taught to speak about their work in a way thats really positive and they really know how to present their work. I recently learned that people can join Speech and Debate clubs at school. And even when you first meet someone, the way that they explain what they do or what their thing is feels very advanced to me. I dont talk about my work like thatI have very clear ideas about what Im doing and howbut to be able to verbalize all of it is a struggle and its one of the reasons why I make my work.

Sosa: Its a really common thing with artists. I still like that approach. When you explain things too much, it complicates them. I dont like how it sounds. I know talking about your work is the norm today, but if you look at artists from the past or artists that you really admire, they dont really narrate their work or talk about themselves too much. They make the work and thats it.

Of course, some of the work we do is not purely artistic, so its helpful when you can explain the idea properly to a clientwho has to pay for itbecause they need that narration. I feel that thats very necessary if youre living in America. Instead of saying, I made this for you, you have to explain why you made it and why it works. I dont like that side of it, though. Its hard for me.

Sosa and Gohar. Photo courtesy Nicolas Bloise.

Its interesting that you mention that. We recently did an interview with Anish Kapoor, who said, very expressly, that he has nothing to say as an artist.

Gohar: Whats the point of making the work if youre going to spoon-feed it? It doesnt need to exist then.

Sosa: Its worse than spoiling a movie before you watch it. Youre depriving someone of reaching their own conclusions, which is the best thing art can do or help with. I think now especially, with social media, everything is so explained and labeled. But like Laila, I wish I were a little bit better at packaging myself, because admittedly everyone around us is better at it.

Gohar: I really admire when people are good at their elevator pitch. Its not like Im talking it down. Its just not something Ive ever really learned. It makes me uncomfortable.

Do you ever think about leaving New York?

Gohar: Definitely. I grew up in Cairo. Its a very different city than New York. Its in a developing country, and its much more raw. That sort of chaos is pretty innate to me, and that way of life feels the most natural. I fantasize about a move like that. I try to go back once a year. Omar came with me recently for the first time.

Sosa: We just want to be free. We feel we can go anywhere and make it work. Its also nice to have a place here and there and move between them.

Gohar: I dont care about any of that. Im ready to just pick up and leave. Ive moved many times in my life when I was younger, whereas Omar moved to New York in his twenties. The older you get, the heavier the move I think.

Sosa: For me, its actually the opposite. I think once you do it, it becomes easier.

Gohar: Okay, yeah. For me, my family is scattered all over the world. We all live in different countries and were very mobile. Thats why Id say the idea of creating a home in an apartment or a studio is really important to me because thats my only real attachment to the notion of a home or conceptually what it means to be from a place. I was born in Egypt, but I dont feel any nationalistic sort of pride or anything. So thats why creating a nestlike environment in my immediate realm is really important. Its less about being geographically attached to a country and more about creating a little ecosystem of my own.

Continue reading here:
We Evolve Together: Food Artist Laila Gohar and Graphic Designer Omar Sosa on How Married Life Fuels Their Creativity - artnet News