DIFFA DINING BY DESIGN
Table settings that are fanciful, fabulous and fantastic are created every year for the annual exhibit and gala, which is held to raise money for DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS). Presented over at Pier 94 in conjunction with Architectural Digest’s Home Design Show, the event showed how good causes, corporate identities and sheer ingenuity could create amazing and temporary environments.
Benjamin Moore paint can theme
Walls covered with Echo scarves
Aerin Lauder uses Lee Jofa for Kravet
Benjamin Moore‘s centerpiece paint cans, Echo‘s wallpaper scarves and Aerin Lauder‘s extensive use of a Lee Jofa fabric from Kravet showcased corporate themes and logos.
NY School of Interior Design
The New York School of Interior Design focused on red ribbons to emphasize the message of fighting AIDS.
left to right: Cozy Setting by Shabby Chic; Hollywood Glam by Michael Amini
Settings by Shabby Chic and Michael Amini‘s light Hollywood theme were a contrast in styles.
left to right: Water Tower setting; PDU—Portable Dining Unit
left to right: NYU furnished with old coat hangars; Mismatched chairs by Design Within Reach
One table was lodged in a replica NYC water tower and Roger Thomas showed his rose and white scene in a PDU (portable dining unit). Design Within Reach was inspired by mismatched chairs and students at New York University built furniture out of coat hangers for their “Deconstructed Closet.”
Architectural Digest Theme of the Season
Showing what may be the theme of the season— set up its own booth in a color combination familiar from this spring’s Bloomingdale’s shopping bags (stark black and white embellished with colorful blossoms). www.diffa.org
MACY’S FLOWER SHOW
left to right: Macys Flower Elephant; Macy’s Ganesh
top left: Market Scene at Macy’s Flower Show; botton left: Macy’s Flower Show; middle: Exotic spices at Macy’s Flower Show; left: Macy’s Flower Fountain
A sure sign of spring is the annual Flower Show at Macy’s. “The Painted Garden” is this year’s theme celebrating the beauty and splendor of India and the southern regions of Asia. Fluted pavilions, statues of Indian deities and an exotic garden are among the exhibits set up in a special tent outside the front door of the store. Opened on Sunday the 24th the floral extravaganza as well as related lectures and programs will run through April 7. www.macys.com/flowershow
“MELTDOWN” AT CAPPELLINI
Cappelllini held a reception to showcase their Swedish designed Meltdown lamp. Handblown in a mold, Johan Lindsten’s colored glass sphere appears to be melted by the bulb inside. Created to mark the disastrous nuclear accident in Fukushima, the fixtures come singly or in combinations of dove, pink, tobacco, light blue, amethyst and amber. www.cappellini.it
pictured to the left: Light bulbs appear to melt down into the spheres of Cappellini’s Meltdown Lamp.
AGAINST THE GRAIN AT MAD
left to right: Hyperboloid 3, 2007. Bud Latven; Macassar ebony, Brazilian canarywood. Courtesy of the artist; Photo: Robert Reck; Grapes, 2008. Ai Weiwei; Ten Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) stools. Courtesy of the artist; Friedman Benda, New York; Photo: Bill Orcutt; A(typical) Windsor Form, 2004. Christopher Kurtz; Steam bent ash, white oak, pine, milk paint. Courtesy of Tomlinson Kong Contemporary, New York; Photo: Christopher Kurtz.
Timber! Chairs, sculptures, installations and other objects embodying emerging trends in creative woodworking are featured in “Against the Grain” at the Museum of Arts and Design. Christopher Kurtz’s entangled Windsor chairs and Ai Weiwei’s nest of footstools are among new takes in expressive furniture. Bud Latven’s gorgeous negative space vase show the grace that can be carved from essentially a tree trunk. www.madmuseum.org
