I have been struggling all day with trying to come up with a way to describe the event. Apparently I had hit it on a very good year - While walking through the Hickory Chair showroom, Alexa Hampton said to me, "Feels like it did in 2008". Obviously I acted like I knew what that meant, but unless it wasn't great parties, incredible hospitality, and fresh innovative products, then I'm sure we must have been on the same page. Even though I have been to a number of other industry shows throughout my career, I really was in shock-and-awe after seeing showroom after showroom of great new finds, and more importantly, people LOVING the great new finds.
Many of my cohorts (from http://www.spacetograce.blogspot.com/2012/04/to-all-my-homies.html) were also at the show and are now out there blogging about their favorite finds. And if you read them, you will see a consensus on the favorites. For me, some pieces and/or their manufacturers are obvious, have been talked about, and don't need another introduction. I like to root for the underdog, the ones who need to become the favorites, the never-been-heard-of-befores (remember Gonzaga in March Madness in 1998?!). So here they are (please disregard the quality of the photos - I did say earlier that we had been to great parties :)
This was the last showroom that I was in but the first that I'm willing to write about - Tucked in the back corner on the 2nd floor of Halo Styles (which I overall love) was Starbay (www.starbay.net), a beautiful line of campaign style furniture that would suit any beach house, boys room, or yachty-type affair. If you like the look of Grange or Authentic Models, this line has a lot to offer.
This light fixture was quite a surprise (found at Ro-Sham-Beaux). I actually walked into the showroom to look at the Currey & Company look-alikes (again another that I already love) when a colleague (@savvyscav) pointed this incredible fixture out - woven gilded hemp - gorgeous. www.ro-sham-beaux.com
OK, we all love Emissary, and I've blogged about/used them in the past. I still love them, but something about the finish on these Hampton Row (www.hamptomrow.com) garden stools was just a little less mainstream. Green, obviously, was my favorite!
If you have (or ever wanted to have) a Cartier LOVE bracelet, here is the biggest play out there - incredible exposed screw detail by Theodore Alexander (www.theordorealexander.com) - I really am in LOVE.
I absolutely loved this chair from Julie Browning Bova for Stanford Furniture (www.stanfordfurniture.com). She took a classic wingback, exposed the arm in the most feminine way, and added a pleated skirt. It reminds me of my favorite Baker chair, but in a more ladylike way...
Port 68 (www.port68.com) had the sweetest little stools out there - perfect proportions with a barley twist leg and preppy little geometric seat. They also were chock full of great candlesticks and lamps. Defintely a favorite "filler" find!
And last but not least, the Worlds Away (www.worlds-away.com) Pagoda lamps - painted metal in any color - only question is what color and how many???!
PS -
For those of you on Twitter, I have some other favorites that I have posted as a self-proclaimed, unofficial "Style-Spotter". Feel free to check them out @elizabethhome under #HPmkt.
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