The TrendSpot: Win a Trip to Paris

The TrendSpot: Win a Trip to Paris

Win a Trip to Paris

Opportunité Fantastique!
(Just a little French lingo to announce a spectacular opportunity for one lucky and talented design professional!)
Industry movers and shakers Jay and Mark of Helser Brothers are offering a trip to the City of Lights, PARIS! As in France! The winner will join Industry Experts Deb Barrett and Susan Schultz as one of a select group of 12 at the Maison et Objet show January 19-27, 2010. The trip includes a Cruise on the Seine and a visit to the Louvre among many other delights. It is truly the trip of a lifetime. There are a few qualifications, a passport, an engaging personality, and the ability to share the journey as you blog for us through 7 days of non-stop Francophile fun. You will get to be our eyes and ears on this trip, submitting daily posts about the products you see and your ongoing adventure.See the fine print below for details on just what is included in this offer and apply today! The trip is coming fast so we need to choose a winner on November 30th. Just send an e-mail to sendmetoparis@helserbrothers.com explaining why you are the perfect person for the job, then keep an eye on www.whyhelser.com for the big announcement. Ooh la la! (Wow in French – start practicing!)

The Fine Print:
Paris 2010 includes:

- 7 days /7 nights, January 19 – January 27, 2010, in the City of Lights
- Airfare to/from JFK or Chicago. (Winner is responsible for getting to JFK or Chicago.)
- Hotel d’ Aubusson, Four-star, double-occupancy Superior room in the heart of St. Germain (Super-convenient location and we’ve stayed in this hotel and love it!) Five minute walk to the subway, direct line to the show. Walking distance of the Louvre, Orsay, Notre Dame, Sorbonne; surrounded by art galleries, restaurants and shops.
- Daily Breakfast at the hotel. Value of $140.00
- Airport transfers Value of $80.00
- All zone metro passes/carnets for 7 days. Value of $85.00
- Admission to Maison&Objet and Planet Mueble trade shows. Value of $78.00
- Welcome reception at M&O from show management
- Exclusive M&O trend presentation with Q&A opportunity Priceless!
- As-you-wish meet-ups for cocktails or dinner to review the day, compare notes, share stories, etc.
- Pre-travel web session(s) with Deb and Susan to preview locations, M&O planning, travel details, our Paris faves and more
- Cruise on the river Seine. Value of $80.00
- Free entrance to the Louvre or Orsay. Value of $26.00
- High Tea one afternoon in the Aubusson’s Grand Salon. Value of $25.00
- All taxes and service included.

Need more info? Visit DebBarrett.com

imm Cologne News

IMM Cologne has just released the details of several interesting tours developed to introduce U.S. visitors to the wider array of design available throughout Cologne. The half-day tour (conducted in English) will include stops at several of Cologne's “mini design centers" including Rheinauhafen, Spicherhoefe and ending up at Design Post, a year-round showroom destination right across the street from IMM.
In the course of the tour, visitors will be able to visit showrooms including Boffi, B&B Italia, Moroso, Kvadrat, Nya Nordiska and many others. The schedule is such that you can do the tour (lunch included) and still have a few hours in the afternoon at the show.

Other tours include:

2000 years of architecture in Cologne: From the Romans to Renzo Piano

Rheinauhafen -The new architectural highlight of Cologne is the former dockyard along the Rhine which has been changed in an architectural playground. According to the New York Times this is one place to be visited among 44 worldwide. We want to invite you in an architectural office which has been working in the historical Rheinkontor since the late 80s. With insider talk
and presentations of old documentation material we will offer you a view inside the exciting
development of the dockyard.
For a more details and complete schedule, contact IMM Cologne’s U.S. office.

{via Vision Editor's blog}

Challenging the notion that Christmas gift-giving has to be about spending lots of money, and buying the latest hot item, Folksy (a kind of UK based Etsy) and Sue Ryder Care (a health care charity) are running a competition called Upcycle Christmas. The goal of the contest is to transform second hand goods into fresh new creations suitable for holiday gift-giving. There are five different categories: most innovative piece, craftsmanship, best use of materials, playfulness and people’s choice. Winners will have their wares displayed at the Sue Ryder Care Camden store for a month, and all proceeds from sales will go to Sue Ryder Care.
For more information, or to get involved, head over to the Folksy Blog.

Who will be the first to upcycle something into curtains draperies ?

[via I Like]

OH ! B.O.Y.

It’s that time again; time for the 2009 Interior Design Best of Year Awards. The fourth installment of this annual event features awards in both product and project categories and they have put the call out to you, the design community to be their jury. So embrace your inner critic and take a few minutes to check out the categories and vote.
Interior Design compiled a selection of hundreds of product entries in over 40 categories and your keen eyes and professional voices will narrow down the finalists in each group. Online voting is open and continues until Sunday, October 11, 2009, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Only architecture, facilities management, and interior design professionals are eligible to participate in the voting and only one entry per person is allowed. This year’s Best of Year Award winners will be announced in a celebration on December 3, 2009 at New York’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

I have been voting for several years and follow the window treatment nominees with interest.
Notably missing in the category are some of our industry players and product categories. Though several manufacturers have stepped up this year to enter motorization products. Here are the nominees in the window treatment category. What nominees are missing from your point of view? Who would be your Best of the Year winner? Is it on the list?





Iriduium by Stacy Garcia



A la Mode by Stacy Garcia




Sivoia by Lutron



Whisper Motors by Hunter Douglas



Motorized Drapery by Hunter Douglas



Steeling Beauty by Gretchen Bellinger





Engaging II by Rodolph Textiles



Kirbe Vertical Drapery by Lutron




Noonday Sun by Hartmann and Forbes




Kalahari by Conrad Shades





Air Rights by Knoll Textiles



Cerus Technology by Lutron

Things We Care About: Northfield Scholarships

We are alway amazed at generosity and the magnitude of the charitable efforts of the members of our industry. Jay, Christine and all the drapery and window covering professionals involved in the Northfield Project- Best Wishes!

Interested in getting involved? Read on........

Republished from WhyHelser.com Posted by Jay Helser

Christine Shepard, the tireless coordinator of the Northfield Foundation renovation and design effort, invited me out to see the project while I was in Virginia last week. She treated me to a wonderful tour of the house complete with details of the plantations’ extensive history, but what I found most fascinating were the stories of the people behind the Northfield project. Christine is clearly passionate about Northfield, and that passion was most evident as she fought her emotions to deliver heartfelt accounts of the selfless folks who had pitched in. I was profoundly moved by what’s going on out there in Virginia, so as soon as I got in on Monday I told Mark all about the experience and a conversation ensued about the best way to help. Christine had mentioned that there were many people who would love to attend the October 23-25 Educational Fundraising Event but are struggling to muster the funds, so Mark and I have decided to offer 5 “All Inclusive Event Package” scholarships valued at $345.00 each.
Nominate an industry colleague (or yourself) by leaving them as “comments” to the WHY HELSER post, and we will draw the winners from “the hat” on Friday Oct. 2nd at midnight. Each nominee will have one chance even if they have multiple nominations.

OBESSION: Suzanis

Since I first saw their bright colors peeking out of piles of textiles in the booths of Hall 1 at M&O, I have been obsessed with Suzanis. Those of you who know me, know that I am a fabric-oholic. I decided right then that I needed to add one of those fabulous specimens to my small, but growing textile collection.

So I cut out suzani inspiration and posted it on my office wall, read about them; dreamed about them upholstered on my reproduction Louis balloon chair; designed window treatments with them. After all, if I could use it as a sample; then I could maybe justify the purchase. As I coveted my suzani they became more popular and I watched them ride the trend curve. First showing up in the design affluents , then moving into the mainstream and showing up as printed textile pattern inspiration. I continued to obsess.

I came close to owning my first one in January pouring over the abundance of suzanis on my visit to M&O, but when you are presented with too many options, the paradox of choice kicks in. I decided not to decide.
This month when Susan went to Paris for the design shows, she asked if I had a Paris shopping list- I said to myself- I deserve it- and put the suzani on my list. I sent her my inspiration photos, my budget and left it in her hands. She did fabulously! I got a sneak peek via email last week and I can now say I am the proud owner of a suzani.

My Suzani

What is a Suzani?
The Central Asian equivalent to an heirloom quilt. Handmade, hand stitched and handed down.
A lavishly embroidered cloth ( suzan means needle in Persian) produced for centuries by talented needle workers as folk art and adorning tables walls, beds and horses. After the iron curtain lifted, we rediscovered them.

Corner Detail

The Backstory
Traditionally made on silk or cotton backgrounds; Suzanis are first taken to a baster who stitches together the narrow widths and draws the design on the seamed cloth. Then it is taken apart and each female family member embroiders a separate strip; working finely stitched s stylized designs with a kind of small crochet hook. Colors are spectacularly created with dyes from granate skins, walnuts, and indigo.When finished, they are reassembled. Because they were heavily used, the earliest examples we have are from 18th century, but the designs- palmettes, botahs, tulips-suggest the Greek and Ottoman Empire. Older suzanis were on neutral grounds; unlike today’s colored backgrounds of red, gold, pink and sometimes violet.

What to look for
Antique Suzanis run $3000 - $5000.
Outstanding needlework- look for overstitching with subtle differences in shadings in different light s
Changing designs with no set pattern repeats are more exciting
Large medallion suzanis from mid 19th century

What to avoid
Worn pieces. Hold up to the light for holes and wear marks
Overly bright colors could be synthetic
Over faded examples. Keep yours out of direct sunlight
Fragments; unless you are piecing.

Look at the floral facing on the reverse side