This past Thursday, I attended the Architectural Digest Home Show in NYC. There were many wonderful booths and products both established and new. The best part of the show, however, was finally meeting so many of my blogging and twitter friends in real life. Formerly, just known by our avatars, it was wonderful catching up in real life. The only negative was that it left less time to visit all the exhibitors in the one day I could attend.
I did however make sure to see several people whose work I knew would be fabulous and they did not disappoint. Maybelline Té and partner Alex Brandon’s line, SNUG Furniture is a modern furniture line that I love. The organic shapes and natural materials are informed by their mutual backgrounds in manufacturing and retail. Creative Director Maybelline hails from an entrepreneurial family in the Philippines whose family owns a furniture manufacturing company in Cebu. With degrees in both business management and interior design, she is well poised for success with her latest venture. Té and Brandon have assembled a talented collective who design for the line, which is targeted for both residential and hospitality markets. All you have to do is witness Maybelline’s personal eclectic chic to see how it translates to SNUG’s casual luxury pieces. Some of my favorites in the collection are Clayton Tugonon’s fun yet elegant work made with hand inlaid coconut twigs. The Jax Reversible Lo Cocktail Table is a wonderful versatile table
as is the Silly Cocktail Table that can be used with or without a glass top, evidently inspired by playing with Silly Bandz!
These pieces have a modern aesthetic that could work in numerous types of spaces. I think many more people are looking to adopt a more eclectic approach to design that has long been favored in Europe. Take a look, for example, at how incredibly chic this Lo Rider Lounge Chair looks in this traditional home.
There are also custom upholstered pieces, handcrafted in North Carolina, such as this Pugella sofa that were not at the exhibit, but certainly look beautiful.
SNUG’s exhibit space was most definitely one of the coolest at the show due in large part to the amazing innovative wallpaper by Tracy Hiner’s Black Crow Studios.
photo by Tracy Hiner
Hiner has an impressive design background. After completing a double major in Fashion Design and Textile Design, she spent a year studying in Paris at the La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, interned at Dice Kayak in Paris doing designs for embroideries, did textile designs for Jeremy Scott, was an assistant fashion designer for Louis Verdad, and developed an art line for Soicher Marin, where she worked on the licensed lines for Jamie Drake, Suzanne Kasler, as well as custom work for Amanda Nisbet. Phew! She then founded Black Crow Studios, “a custom wallpaper company that pushes the traditional idea of wallpaper into the realm of Art.” The beauty of these wallpapers is that they are TOTALLY custom and you don’t have to have a repeat since they are essentially wall murals. Take a look at some of the fabulous applications.
Té’s and Hiner’s collaboration is a great testament to the power of social media. They originally met on twitter and Hiner, sensing a potential connection, emailed some designs. The rest, as they say, is history. Their first space together, in which you can see Hiner lounging above, was for the 2010 ICFF show. Hiner had the paper shipped directly there and neither saw the finished product until they met – for the first time ever in real life – at the booth the day before the show started. And they’ve been friends ever since. Isn’t that such a great story?!
Black Crow is working on developing regular wallpaper, framed stretched canvases, fabrics, original silkscreened items and pillows. And they are developing collections with local artists such as these with Karla Davison
and Alysia Cotter
This just scratches the surface of what can be done – the possibilities are truly infinite. As Hiner says, “We want to give you something better than you possibly could have imagined!”
I love what both these creative women are doing (Tracy and Maybelline at the AD show 2011). It’s very exciting to see work like this that is so fresh and new – that is pushing the envelope of what constitutes high end innovative design and how it can be incorporated into both traditional and contemporary environments. This is what a show like this is all about – featuring this kind of talent that stretches the imagination and expectation of what great design can be.
Thanks for the tour, q. Great for bloggers like myself who are way down here and can’t get to this exciting events. The furniture line is amazing, and I love the local artwork. I am experimenting with abstract now. Time will tell.
Would love to have seen it all. Look forward to seeing more.
Teresa
xoxo
we are beyond excited to get this monumental mention on quintessence. what a spectacular way to end our last day! it was truly a joy to meet, exchange style notes and quick 411s about each other. thrilled that your ultra fine stylish eye approves. thank you so much for your support and for bringing awareness to our products.
with much appreciation,
maybelline
It was wonderful to read more about SNUG and Tracy Hiner! Kimberly and I somehow missed aisle 300, and when we backtracked we were able to meet Tracy and Maybelline, but it was a bit brief since Tracy was on her way to the airport to catch her flight home. This is a great write-up of them, and their fantastic work. Can’t wait to see what you have for part 2!
My eyes and head are still spinning from trying to take in the work of these two super gifted and courageous women. Thanks for showcasing them–I am going to watch for updates on them.
They met on Twitter – wow, talk about the power of social media! I love the Lo Rider lounge chair too.
Glad you had fun and met some blogging friends as well!
xoxo,
Chic ‘n Cheap Living
Very cool – wallpaper and furniture that are works of art! We used to show at the AD show so it’s such fun to see a bloggers perspective. And you know how much I love the power of social media…
xxoo
You are so write to showcase these two Ladies. Their work and design spirit are the fundamentals for their success. Thanks for sharing.
This was great…first year in a while I wasn’t able to make it…and looks and sounds like it was great. Oh well next year. I love how they met, talk about where social media can take you! Some really intersting pieces for sure..very talented and artisitic duo!
Great tour. I was there too but there was just spool much to see, it is fun tolearn what caught YOUR eye.
Best, Lynn from Decor Arts Now
sounds like so much fun…. great to hear about snug too…
maureen
I love a good story to start off the day! Just goes to show two heads are better than one and the birth of a collaboration is one “click” away! Such gorgeous work and it makes me happy to see people have their day XO, Kelly
Thanks for the virtual tour — so nice to get a glimpse of SNUG. Super inspiring to see so much creativity. The wallpaper… wow!
What unique pieces. Great post!
What a wonderful tale about social media as possibilities realized. I love seeing that the furniture is made in the US, it looks so sleek, I bet it is fabulous to the touch.
Thank you for the mini tour!
tp
I am crazy about the Silly Cocktail Table and the look of inlaid coconut twigs. LOVE.
What a fun tour and such fun and funky items! xx
Hi Stacey, the furniture is gorgeous! I love the mix of modern in traditional spaces. One of my dear friends started WallpaperLab, the first company to license high art and it was acquired by Maharam–you should check it out if you like the concept.
xo Mary Jo
How fun are those coffee tables!!
xo Cathy
thanks for this review. I went there yesterday but with a somewhat unwilling boyfriend, big crowds and over heated rooms. I missed most of the great things in my quick dash through!!
I love the cocktail tables at the start — so beautiful and simple. What a wonderful introduction to this line. Thank you!
The custom wallpaper is great. I love when someone takes something that seems to have been the same for so long and turns it around. I saw some bicycles this weekend with different colored tires and loved it. Now, these might have been around for a while but I haven’t seen them. I wondered why they have been just black for so long and why on earth didn’t anyone change them until now.
Looks like a great event! Loving those cocktail tables and the wallpaper as art…just amazing!
Wow- I love the ideas and the freshness. Thanks for sharing…I feel your enthusiasm!
pve
looks great! happy new week
I love the Black Crow stuff and that staircase is wonderful. Have a great week xx
Very exciting wallpaper designs – your posting makes me want to start designing wallpaper too!
YOU are so linked
in to the latest and
greatest!! I’ve been
an A.D. fan for years;
this must have been
SOME special event.
Thanks for taking us along!
xx Suzanne
Since I couldn’t attend, I am so happy to get your view on the event! Snug is really stepping outside the box and I love what they are doing.
I will be sure to put this one on my calendar for next year! Hope you’re having a wonderful time in sunny FL!
What a great partnership–both are on the cutting edge in their fields. I am especially crazy about the Black Crow wall pieces–amazing!!
Owow amazing! I remember attending the show a few years back and was NOT impressed at all…completely catalogue design with nothing that stood out enough for me to bring back to my clients…but this artwork, the installation…I’m inspired! Will definitely check them out, thanks for sharing!
xo-Julie
Haute Khuuture Blog