Design Post Update

Last week I attended an event at Hines & Company in the new nearly finished Washington Design Center. I'm happy to report the new design center is a HUGE improvement on the old one (which isn't saying much), spacious and light filled.
The Design Center officially opens in about a week on November 12, 2014, but many of the showrooms are already open for business. Walking into most of these showrooms just make you want to redo your entire house with so much eye candy, which is always a problem!
 I'm dying to find a place for this Zoffany Wallpaper called 'Trade Routes'.
Lighting is one of my many passions ( see all of my previous posts on my favorite antique lighting store, Artisan) and the selection at Hines ranges from the contemporary to the classic.
My favorite lamp was this rock crystal column from Vaughan. It bridges the line between classic and contemporary with a luxe material; it would look great with a gilded and/or black shade.
I always love paisley fabrics, particularly natural linen, and this Fonthill fabric by Stark checked all of the boxes, named Amelie.  Thanks for inviting me Hines & Company and thanks for all of the inspiration too!

Yesterday (March 18, 2015) was the grand opening of our new Washington Design Center. Washington is finally coming into its own and our new design center just goes to prove that. These gorgeous light-filled showrooms are at the heart of the New Washington action on 14th street NW.
The crowds were soul-crushing, as one expects at these events, but it's important for design professionals to go out and network; share ideas and potential new jobs! I only attended the Holly Hunt showroom opening party out of many events with some very dear friends (hi Steph and Mark!) and thought I would share some highlights with you.
The Holly Hunt showroom is the largest in the design center I believe, measuring in at 10,000 SF over 2 floors. It also is the only showroom to feature a street entrance -welcoming in the public.  The ground floor focuses on the more modern collections carried by Holly Hunt while the 2nd floor focuses on the more DC-centric traditional lines. Above the cozy Coco Sofa was empty and beckoning us over to get away from the crowd!
I briefly chatted with Holly Hunt who was delightful. She is intensely focused on bringing new artists and work to the public -meeting and working directly with the artists on items such as their lines of (brilliant) lighting which are the focus of my snapshots here!  Alison Berger is one of the prominent lighting artists with these delicious handblown glass fixtures seen in the images here. Above is the Lure sconce - nothing is MORE alluring than a sconce (my favorite lighting source!).
Most popular with us were the Sea Urchin pendants with heavily seeded glass featured below over a nightstand. These are designed by an artist named Stefan Gulassa, no relation (for those readers who don't know, my name is also Stefan).
I loved their updated version of the classic wingchair below upholstered in rope with a luxurious velvet cushion (in my favorite turquoise -this would fit right into my own apartment, how I wish!)
Be sure to visit Holly Hunt here in DC at the new Washington Design Center, they'll be happy to see you!