Last week Newel Gallery hosted a pre-construction celebration of The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island Project Design 2013. In partnership with Kravet and New York Cottages & Gardens, this is a very special sort of showhouse – one that is permanent and directly affects the lives of the many families who make extended stays at the facility while their seriously ill children are receiving medical treatment at area hospitals. The project focusses on updating the original 18 bedrooms of the House, culminating with a Designer Showcase Gala on October 10th. Creative Director of the project, Anthony Baratta, who has been involved with the House for decades, spearheaded the concept and together with Kravet and NYC&G has pulled together an outstanding group from the design community to participate. I am so impressed with the heartfelt generosity of my many designer friends participating.
For the festive celebration at Newel, Anthony Baratta and Bunny Williams each decorated a front window at the gallery with the theme of their showhouse room. When Bunny visited the House, she noticed a small closet in the Playroom that she chose to redo, filled with dress up clothes and labeled with a sign “Nora’s Closet.”
Nora and her family had been residents at the house, and she had loved playing dress up and putting on skits for staff and families alike. Her joy and exuberance inspired Bunny to dedicate the window, above, and her playroom to the memory of Nora and she will be providing a fully stocked dress up closet in her playroom at the House.
Others contributing to the space were Peter Fasano, who created the moon and stars printed background fabric, and from Bunny’s office, creative director extraordinaire Jonathan Preece as well as design assistant CeCe Thompson who donated the festival dress hanging behind the camel, which even received festive pink eyelashes and a tutu for the occasion.
I loved that there were dress up outfits for both boys and girls, which Bunny had intentionally included.
No dress up room would be complete without a vanity. Some little girl is clearly going to have a lovely time preparing for a night at the opera
with personal best wishes from Bunny
Quite the sophisticated young lady
Bunny lent her own feather opera cape for the window, which she wore to Robert Woolley’s Halloween costume birthday party. Dressed entirely in black including a witch’s hat, her cape had been the talk of the party – even Jean-Paul Gaultier tried to buy it off her back!
and her Manolo was precariously placed in Newel’s chandelier, indicating quite the fantastical fantasy.
Anthony Baratta’s room was dedicated to Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh and the child in all of us.
Mixing eras and fantastical elements, Tony’s room was visually compelling, fun and meaningful.
Charm and whimsy with sensitivity and clever combinations marked his tartan clad abode for an adventure seeking brave young boy.
Through the first floor of Newel were placed the truly inspiring project boards of all the designers. This worthy cause clearly brought out the best in everyone! Come October, the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island will be not only an amazing design experience but a welcoming haven for well deserving families.
Absolutely LOVED the windows at Newel. You always get the story behind the story. How fun to know Gaultier tried to buy Bunny’s feathered opera cape off her back. Great shots of the vignettes!
Fun, fantastical and inspiring–what beautiful spaces for young children to enjoy and just be children!
FUNtastical, indeed! Clever and so humanitarium! franki
This is one party I would have loved to attend. Are the windows still up? Bunny’s design and items included for this lucky little girl make me laugh and imagine how much fun it would be to play there. Thanks.
Mary
Stacey, what a terrific article on the party!! We were so honored to have Bunny and Tony give our windows their full creative talents! They will be up for another month, so I hope all those who couldn’t attend will come by and take a look.
Dress-up is such an important play in childhood. Lucky Nora’s family/household and lucky us to see and be inspired to provide such fantastical treasure for our own children/grandchildren. My 31/2 yr. old g-daughter just climbed back onto the plane for Miami, but she will be back in a month. I have just the right closet to dedicate to dress-up and I intend to get it stocked for her return in July. Thank you!
We were truly sad to have missed this event – so much to do and so little time. Our good friend is on the board of the Ronald McDonald House in Southern California so we’ve been supporting this worthy cause for a while. We can’t wait to see the LI house transformed.
xxoo
C + C
It was such a great night and I am thrilled to be part of this amazing group of designers taking over the RMH in Long Island.
Hope that all of you will be able to join us in October for the main event and support the home and all that call it home.
Xo Jennifer @ decaporter
Bunny’s design and items included for this lucky little girl make me laugh and imagine how much fun it would be to play there. They will be up for another month, so I hope all those who couldn’t attend will come by and take a look.