HD Talks Blog

White Christmas

While it hardly seems possible Thanksgiving is at our heels again (wasn’t I just racing home in a sundress to plop myself in front of the air conditioner?), it’s the days after we’ve stuffed ourselves with pumpkin pie, when Black Friday blowout sale commercials will immediately make way for ones hawking the latest Holiday Hess Toy Truck, and a trip to CVS includes a mandatory Muzak rendition of “Silver Bells,” that have me anxious. Why? Because they are subtle reminders I need to start thinking about putting up the tree.

Christmas trees, in all their illuminated, wooden ornament-adorned glory, always leave me mesmerized. But this year I am venturing into territory that’s been branded at turns tacky and dowdy: I’m going white.

My fascination with the artificial white tree stems not from a need to stand apart from the other pre-lit seven-footers bought at Lowe’s glowing in New York apartments, but from strolling through the lavish holiday displays at a suburban Fortunoff’s during my youth and hearing my mother utter the word gaudy each time we passed one by. I didn’t think so; I thought they looked glamorous.

A vintage-chic white tree certainly screams Miami boutique hotel more than a third floor New York apartment, but with a little hospitality-inspired design savvy—perhaps a red velvet bow topper to add a pop of contrast, ice blue-hued balls for a cool Snow Queen vibe, maybe even a silvery garland for a sparkly, tactile element —I’m determined to make my misfit Tannenbaum a beauty. 

 

"Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes..."

Maybe it’s because the weather’s getting cooler and I can’t think of a better way to spend a blustery evening than hunkered down in a pub with a shepherd’s pie and a pint across from a fireplace, but despite forking over $8 for a coffee and tackling steep escalators in Tube stations, I miss London. Regretfully, I haven’t paid the city a visit in almost seven years (news that the Brit I formerly crushed on is now married with a kid on the way put things in glaring perspective), but if there was ever incentive to investigate Virgin Atlantic ticket prices, it’s the event I attended last week at the swank Per Se in honor of Maybourne Hotel Group.

The group encompasses a trio of fabled five-star properties: Claridge’s and The Connaught in Mayfair and The Berkeley in Knightsbridge. As I sipped Champagne my head swam with visions of afternoon Earl Grey and jam-smeared scones at The Connaught’s Espelette, a seat in the Art Deco dining room of Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s (shamefully, I’ve still yet to make it over to the U.S. version at The London NYC), and dry gin martinis sipped at The Berkeley’s Blue Bar.

One bit of info that struck me in particular was the announcement that The Berkeley’s Wellington Conservatory Suite, known for the sauna sitting in its Italian marble bathroom and Hyde Park views from the sprawling terrace, will continue London’s recent hospitality design surge and undergo a renovation. While the designer tasked with this lavish redo has yet to be unveiled, I’m excited to see the reimagining of another classic London space —hopefully in time for my much overdue visit. Until then, snacking on Jaffa Cakes will have to suffice.

The Berkeley's Blue Bar: one of the reasons I'm hankering for a London getaway

 

 

Orange is Red-Hot

I'm always pleased when one of my personal style trends happens to coincide with what's actually hot in the real world. So imagine how ecstatic I was during HD Boutique the other week in Miami—my first HD Boutique, as the brand-new products editor for Hospitality Design magazine— where I see one of my favorite colors, orange, everywhere I looked! I saw a stunning orange chair from POLaRT, fabulously bright leathergoods from Moore & Giles, and some warm and inviting textile designs from Stacy Garcia, just to name a few. From new textile collections to leather upholstery to bedding and more, this vibrant fall color is everywhere – and as hospitality design is often linked to trends in fashion and the larger design world, this is also reflected in what's current in clothing and accessories too. 

Orange is a surprisingly versatile color and calls to mind the best things about the changing season: crisp fall leaves, pumpkins, spice, and curling up beside a roaring fire to ward off the coming chill. It's a warm color for a colder season, and pairs well with the rich browns and other natural shades seen in a lot of this season’s design collections. 

So, whether it's a new handbag or a new chaise lounge chair, area rug, or wallcovering, orange is red-hot right now—and I couldn't be happier.

 Chair by POLaRT in striking orange

Design Worthy of Discussion

How do you define design? Shaw Contract Group wants to know! Now in its sixth year, the Shaw Contract Group Design Is... Awards is looking for architects and interior designers from around the world who have projects that push the design envelope. 

Designers are asked to define what design is through various processes, challenges, and the final results of their projects. Shaw is looking for how the design industry thinks, creates, works, teaches, and heals.

The prize? Shaw Contract Group will promote winning projects through marketing materials, media outreach, and advertising campaigns. Winning firms will also receive $2,000 to donate to a school or organization of their choice. And because carpet is only a part of the project, the overall design of the space is considered. 

All design projects using Shaw Contract Group or Shaw Hospitality Group products, completed between February 2009 and February 2011, are eligible. 

To watch a call for projects video, please click here.

So firms, enter your projects online through February 25th! 

Brooklyn Goes Modular

Walking up and down Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, you will find great restaurants and stores. Now, there's a new player in town bringing modularity to the masses. Pop-up store Module R, the sister brand of A.R.T., is all about everything modular.  

The story behind A.R.T. and Module R: Donald Rattner, an architect here in the Big Apple came up with the concept back in March. He wanted people to find a new way to think, create, and collect contemporary art. That idea spawned into the Module R shop, which not only sells modular art, but also offers over 52 modular products fit for any space. Modular clocks, candleholders, or shelving units anyone? 

I don't know about you, but I'm a modular fanatic. As someone who thrives on changing my environment to keep things fresh and new, I was in heaven in this shop. "We liked the idea of creating a venue where people could find modular art and design all in one place," Rattner said. An artist and curator as well, Rattner, along with Aimee Morris, showed me around. I really had to keep my hands to myself--I just wanted to stay there and play all day! Rattner is so passionate about his own art and the art of others as well as being Brooklyn-based (the store is set within a fun, Brooklyn design district). 

Here are some of my favorite items:

Here, Aimee and Donald stand beside a cube-like piece of art, where the blocks come out so that the design could be changed. 

 

The Palace tableware set. A great gifts for architects, no?

 

Just one of the many tapestries, with a series of felt modules shown here. You could mix and match them to create custom wall art.

 

Gideon Dagan Design's Puzzle Wine Rack

 

A chair from Artek that morphs into other shapes. And yes, the chair is comfortable!

 

And different options for room dividers...

This one is made from recycled double-wall cardboard 

Here's another checkerboard-type of design

And another...so many options!

Want more? Module R, located at 400 Atlantic Avenue, will be opened through January 9th.

And the cute holiday tagline: "Tis the season to be modular!"

Royal Treatment

Stylish clothes, beautiful models, and busy city streets. It must be Fashion Week in New York. And to help kick it off, Morgans Hotel Group is providing guests staying at the Royalton Hotel with custom Apple iPads to keep them in the know when it comes to fashion, gossip, and events as well as different hotel services. This new tech amenity is part of the company's virtual concierge program launch. 

All information for in-room dining, housekeeping, wake-up calls, valet parking/bellman, internet, hotel information, transportation options, maps, and directions can be found on these customized iPads. And not to worry. Applications will also keep guests informed of the latest in the Big Apple's nightlife, restaurants, and lifestyle news in and around the city. To keep guests connected to the hotel, the new platform also offers advanced communication tools for hotel staff, including real time messaging, notes from the general manager, messages regarding programmed events and information on specialty cocktails, and featured menu items from the restaurant.

Other standout features include:

• "The List" – Content sourced from “The List” destination guide,
curated by the group’s concierge teams in collaboration with UrbanDaddy

• "Follow Us" - Links to the hotel’s Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter pages

• "Fashion" – Continually updated information on what's happening in
the city during Fashion Week

• "Newspapers" - Links to all of the major media outlets, including
The New York TImes, Financial Times, New York Post and Wall Street
Journal

• "Sleep Sounds" - Links to soothing sounds to fall asleep to

• "Music" - Links to Royalton, Ames, Delano, Mondrian playlists curated by "Rcrdlbl"

  

Fashion at my Fingertips

I love fashion. I know this might surprise some of you as you are most likely to find me in flip-flops or Ugg boots, a t-shirt, and jeans. But I do hold great respect for fashion designers of all sorts and I truly believe that many designs from other industries follow in fashion's footsteps. For instance, I look at fabric and I see someone's brooch used as inspiration for a pattern or I take a glimpse at a piece of carpet and see a chain design on a grand scale made for a hotel corridor. 

So to get my fashion juices flowing, I was so excited when I got the chance this morning to preview some of the hottest new trends in jewelry, handbags, and footwear. The pieces, for a fall and holiday preview, highlighted details like chains, stars, and a mix of metals along with zippers, studs, and clean lines. Why wouldn't other designs take cues from fashion?

For something different, I want to show you what jewelry, handbag, and footwear designers use as inspiration--which turns out to be everything from 70s and 80s glam to feminine sophistication--and the final product. Here are some examples of the fabulous detailing work from Jules Smith Designs, Treesje, and UES (Upper Echelon Shoes): 

The Jules Smith Designs' showcase featuring the Marsha Night Out necklace, rings including the Five Point and Tough Love pieces, and nautical-inspired earrings. Gina Nigrelli mixes vintage with timeless style and honors powerful women from past decades. 

Trendsetter handbag company Treesje's bucket bag (detailed close-up), belts with studded accents, and cuffs. Designers Sheila Nazarian and Laura Darrah use their different styles (Nazarian is all for street-chic looks and Darrah is the free-spirited one) to come up with a contemporary collection filled with hardware detailing.

UES's Fall 2010 collection shows off a new take on footwear with chains, studs, and bold color statements for the feet. Designer Seth Campbell uses the term "shoewlery" to describe his jewelry hardware used for his edgy yet dressed up creations.

Global Spa Summit in Istanbul at the Ciragan Palace

Hi this  is Anthony J. DiGuiseppe AIA RIBA reporting on my upcoming trip to Istanbul as a delegate and speaker for this exciting   annual Global Spa Summit Conference which i being held at the last Palace of the Turkish Empire, which has been converted into a Kempenski five star hotel, right on the Bosphorus!

The conference attendance is sold out and there will be developers , owners, managers of every conceivable spa in he world. This fourth annual conference is being conducted by Spa Finder Magazine's Susie Ellis and Dulcy Gregory, and promises to be an informative assembly in a magical setting in Turkey.

The food is supposed to be amazing and the hammams, the oldest in the world, which we will be visiting and getting our bodies scrubbed. This is particularly exciting for me, since we are just completing the first hammam in New York City at the Trump Soho Spa, which will be open this June.

That's all for now, my wife, Dani and I are leaving Friday, staying two nights at the W Istanbul, and then the at the Ciragan Palace for three more nights...will send photos and lots of good information for all you sap hounds!

Bye

Anthony in Anatolia

www.diguiseppe.com

Talking turkey and deals

Like many, I love Thanksgiving. It's time with the family, time to watch football, and time for some good food. Whether you like the side dishes better, say cranberry sauce, dessert like some homemade pumpkin pie, or the carved turkey, one thing is for sure, the deals on the sometimes dreaded Black Friday shopping extravaganza are for the most part, pretty good if you are daring enough to go out there. But Black Friday is not only for the retail stores.

Who has the money to take a week-long, much needed, beach vacation? Not me, but there is hope. Well the Sonesta St. Maarten Resort is making it easy for beach-goers to take a break. The resort is having a "Black Friday Beach Blowout" 50 percent off sale. Available through Cyber Monday, and for travel from December 18th-March 31st (yes, that even includes Christmas and New Years), room rates, originally starting at $275 per room, per night, are now as low as $138 and all-inclusive packages are just as enticing. Original rates were $245 per person, per night, and now are $123. How could you beat that? Christmas and New Year's stays do require a minimum of a five-night stay, but c'mon, who wouldn't want to stay and relax on the beach for five days? I would! And here's a picture of the resort to draw you in a little more...

Now if you just had enough with the whole Thanksgiving celebration all together, the Centennial Inn Hotel in Farmington Connecticut has the perfect remedy-a Black Friday Survival Package. This package, meant to take some of the shopping edge off, will have coupons and information for guests on where to find bargains while relaxing near the fire on the night before the big day. The overnight stay includes a studio suite for two nights, an early morning wake up call on Black Friday, a $50.00 Visa card for shopping, and a breakfast-on-the-go bag with some fresh goodies including a yogurt, granola bar, and cheese and crackers to help shoppers get energized and last through the day. Don't worry about carrying all of your items-guests also receive a canvas shopping bag. What about wrapping the gifts? No worries there. Guests get to go to the Friday Night Wrapping Extravaganza where there will be all you need to get those gifts wrapped up and ready to take home with you. And while you wrap, enjoy nibbles, drinks, and raffles. Who knew Black Friday could be fun? 

Happy Thanksgiving to all!