IFDA New England Summer 2010 Newsletter

N E W

The Newsletter

E N G L A N D

Summer Issue 2010

President’s Letter Dear Fellow Members, It was a pleasure to meet so many of you at the New Member Event in June at the DeShazo Estate in Milton. Though weather forced us indoors, it created a convivial atmosphere with lots of mingling and free-flowing conversation. Many thanks to all who attended and especially to John DeShazo and Jake Karger for once again allowing us the pleasure of an evening in this most beautiful place!

This fall brings a plethora of events and programs! The Board has been working hard to create an array of activities to appeal to our diverse membership….

We begin in September with a speed networking event at 60 Nobscot in Sudbury on September 16th followed by the IFDA Walk for Education Foundation on September 30th. This arm of IFDA provides grants and scholarships to those seeking further education within the design profession. The event will occur at the Boston Design Center and by participating you will be supporting this very worthwhile cause. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, I suggest you visit www.IFDAEF.org for more information.

Sue Adams

October is kicked off immediately with Career Day on the 1st . Stay tuned for more details. The second annual Designer Showcase and Members Dinner will take place at the end of the month. Last year’s event was very successful in promoting the outstanding work of our interior design membership. Winners were chosen and their work was subsequently published in Design New England magazine. Also featured in this special evening are our vendor members who will display their trades and talents . This is an excellent opportunity to find that source you have been looking for. Painters, art consultants, closet designers, audio visual specialists, drapery workrooms, etc. will be there to explain who they are and what they do.

Also in October, on the 27th an event “What constitutes an eco-friendly and LEED certified Kitchen” will be held at Newbury Street’s Poggenpohl showroom, one of the area’s cutting edge kitchen showrooms. We hope you will join us for a unique chance to explore all the latest trends in the world of kitchen design. For a dose of innovation and inspiration, mark your calendars now!

In November we are trying to book a final workshop on LED lighting at Wolfers’ interactive display in their Allston showroom. More details to follow as we make plans.

And then it will be time for the holidays! We are looking forward to reintroducing our previously highly successful Angel Tree in the lobby of the Boston Design Center around which we will host our annual Holiday Gala. Back by popular demand, it is our chance to give to those in need and then celebrate our camaraderie and send good wishes to our fellow IFDA members.

Enjoy the summer! I hope you will enter fall recharged and ready to partake of all the valuable opportunities that await you as a member of IFDA! Sue Adams

Social Networking

IFDA plaques on display Al Lagueux, Beacon Hill Showrooms; Wayne Southworth, MWI Fibershield; and Sue Adams, Sue Adams Interiors proudly show off new plaques commemorating our IFDA New England chapter Presidents and members who achieved Fellow status.

Thanks to Beacon Hill Showrooms for providing a great display location, right by their elevator.

If you are a member of Facebook or LinkedIn, IFDA New England has pages on both services.

So, login, join in and get connected!

New Members since our last newsletter:

NEW MEMBERS

Eric Bittner Case by Case Cabinets

Bob Grady Ipswich Cabinets

Barbara Cheney Barbara Cheney Design Consultant

Sara Grossman Summer Classics

Joan Cocuzzo Floors to the Trade

Leslie Ann Maxwell Phillips Design

Ellen CohenEllen Cohen Interiors

Jeff Mclinden J. M. Construction

Susan Cracraft Student

Jan Miller Malcolm and Myrtle Designs

IFDA, New England Chapter continues to be the largest chapter of the 16 chapters in the US for total membership. It has been a mixed year thus far in 2010. A number of people did not re-join in 2010, citing the economy as the primary reason. However on the plus side, there are 22 new members this year through June, which is on pace to beat last year’s new membership of 40. Our total membership is 160. Interior designers represent over 60% of the membership.

Lucy Dearborn Lucia Lighting

Sharon Perillo Sharon Perillo Interiors

Scott Deeley Pulsar, Inc.

Vivian Robins V Design

Michael Ferzoco Eleven Interiors

Laura Robitaille Laura Robitaille Interiors

Robin Gannon Robin Gannon Interiors

Joy Sawyer Joy Sawyer Interior Design

Our chapter continues to have monthly lunch meetings for new and prospective members. These meetings provide a forum to meet other people and get a full orientation about IFDA. The interest level and enthusiastic participation has remained strong for the first six months of 2010.

Any member that has a candidate that would be interested in one of these lunches (at no charge) should contact our VP of Membership, Rob Henry either by phone (617-653-1013) or by email (robhenry@soundsgoodcorp.com)

Members Making News The Boston Shade Company, a Bostonbased retailer and installer of Motorized Shades, Custom Drapes, Shutters and Smart Home & Lighting Control Systems is pleased to announce their spacious new 2,000 square foot showroom and “experience center” at The Boston Design Center. The Boston Shade Company can now generously feature their extensive shade, drape, shutter, lighting and home automation offerings which include lines such as Lutron, Hunter Douglas, Somfy, Goelst, Suntwist, and Athey as well as Kusa, an exclusive line of sustainable hand-woven grass shades. The “experience center” will enable the Boston Shade Company to provide live demonstrations of lighting controls, home automation technologies and motorized shades and drapes.

GerrityStone, New England’s premier interior and exterior custom stonework and granite specialist is proud to announce they are participating in the “Seed Our Future” campaign, an international reforestation project to help reduce the effects of global climate change. An effort benefiting the Seed the Future non-profit organization, the campaign launched on April 22 to commemorate Earth Day, and for every person that signs up to become a follower of GerrityStone on Facebook at www. facebook.com/gerritystonema, GerrityStone will donate a tree in their name in the location of their choice worldwide. Additionally, a “Seed our Future” card will be sent with instructions on how to pick a location for the tree planting, and participants will also receive regular updates on the progress of the campaign through GerrityStone’s Facebook page. For additional information, call GerrityStone at (781) 938-1820.

GerrityStone, winner of the Best of Boston Home Magazine’s 2010 Best Kitchen & Bath Countertops together with WXRV 92.5 FM “The River” launched their summer-long “Rock Your Kitchen” before and after kitchen contest which will run from June 9 through September 10, 2010. Two lucky families renovating their kitchens will win up to $5,000 back on their GerrityStone countertops. The kitchen that “rocks” the hardest will also be featured in a full post-contest publicity campaign for GerrityStone.

Two grand prizes of up to $5,000 each will be given: one in the “Countertop Replacement” category, and one in the “Total Renovation” category. Complete contest details can be found at www.gerritystone.com, simply click on the “Rock Your Kitchen” logo on the homepage. GerrityStone is located just 10 miles north of Boston in Woburn, Massachusetts and serves kitchen dealers, remodelers, architects, designers, builders and homeowners throughout New England.

Jeff McLinden, President of J.M. Construction Co., an award-winning residential design/build construction firm announced the company received its EPA certification to Conduct Lead-Based Paint Activities and Renovations. This certification is awarded after the successful completion of a rigorous program that covers procedures and practices in lead safe renovations.

Call for Articles!

Have you done something newsworthy?

We want to know!

Contact Linda Merrill at linda.m.merrill@gmail.com and submit your copy ready text and hi-res photos with captions and credits.

April 14-15

Photo by: Linda Merrill

Photo credit: Michael J. Lee Photo credit: Josh Kuchinsky

Marilyn MacLeod, Lee Design, and Teresa Burnett, Willow Designs, Inc. appeared in a Boston Sunday Globe Magazine story entitled “Faux Assured” by Regina Cole on January 3rd. The story featured their collaboration to create a unique updated version of a traditional ostrich skin finish for a Norwell client.

Susan Tata-Fitzgerald(l) and Kris Shaffer

In photo are: (L to R) Rebecca Wilson, RW Interiors, Needham; Elizabeth Wilson-Milne of Medford; and Scott Gregorian, Gregorian Rugs, Newton

Photo credit: Jean Donohue

Residential Design and Construction

Linda Merrill, Linda Merrill Decorative Surrounds, has changed her business name from Chameleon Interiors to adhere more to the brand she is building under her name. Her own condo kitchen makeover was featured recently in The Boston Globe Thursday Style section and on the mega-website ShelterPop.

Gregorian Rugs in Newton hosted an interior design presentation featuring interior design professional Rebecca Wilson, principal of RW Interiors and winner of the 2009 IFDA Designer Showcase Award on March 4th. This well-attended informational evening provided design inspiration, a lively question and answer session as well as one-on-one design consultations.

Rebecca Wilson, RW Interiors, is pleased to announce a recently completed project was on NECN’s New England Dream House which aired on Sunday, April 18th. The featured project is an expansive condo located in Newton. This challenging project was for a single dad who wanted a comfortable, classic space that reflected his style without being too masculine since he wanted his five daughters to feel at home there too. The bedroom was the winning project for IFDA New England’s 2009 Designer Showcase in the bedroom category.

Once again, IFDA New England made quite a showing at Residential Design & Construction in April. Once again, we have to give huge thanks to Susan Tata-Fitzgerald and Kris Shaffer for setting up and “manning” our beautiful booth.

Ladies, you make us look great year in and year out! A big thanks as well to Tricia LeVangie, California Closets; Robert Allen Showroom; Jacqui Becker, Jacqueline Becker Fine Arts Consulting Services; and Lucy Dearborn, Lucia Lighting and Design for their invaluable contributions as well.

Presentations and panel discussions were presented by: Sue Adams, Sue Adams Interiors spoke about working with a design team; Linda Merrill, Linda Merrill Decorative Surroundings spoke about social networking; Leslie Fine, Leslie Fine Interiors spoke about bathroom design; and Rob Henry, Soundsgood Corp. offered presentations on the demonstration stage.

Designers The Second annual IFDA Designer Showcase & Recognition award deadline is August 31st.

See attached forms for all the details!”

Media Sponsors

New Member social at the DeShazo Estate in Milton June 17 President Sue Adams welcome attendees

Joanne DiFrancsco, Linda Mariani & Susan Tata-Fitzgerald

Stacy Waniga & Laura Robitaille

Tricia LeVangie & Joyce Kohn

Lana Rudym, Andrea Wald & Beverly Rivkind

Kurt Hakansson, Kris Shaffer (c) & Linda Mariani

Bob Grossman, Ray Bachand & Sara Grossman Linda Merrill, Deborah Berger & Mike Adams

Michael Lee & Joanne DiFrancesco

John Gambel & Barbara Cheney

Susan Tata-Fitzgerald, Linda Merrill & Linda Mariani Linda Mariani, Kris Shaffer, Al Lagueux & Jacqui Becker

Barbara Cheney & Bob Ernst

Linda Stimson

Linda Merrill & Michael Lee

Meet the Lighting Experts event with Designers Lighting Forum “Changing Codes Standards & Technology in Lighting.”

June 22

Presenters: (l-r) Josh Feinstein, Carrie Knowlton, Adam Kibbe

Front row: Joan Bycoff, Sue Adams, Barbara Cheney Back row: Linda Merrill, Linda Stimson, Joyce Kohn

Front Row: Bob Grossman, Bonnie Forbes, Sue Adams, Carrie Knowlton, Lucy Dearborn, Josh Feinstein Back Row: Steve Brand, Mariam Andrews, Mike Elson, Adam Kibbe, Lana Nathe

Make a Great Presentation with Photography

By Jean Donohue, jean.donohue.photography@verizon.net

We asked Jean Donohue, one of our member photographers who has taken many wonderful event photographs for our chapter over the years to provide us with some tips on the value of professional photography, what to look for in a professional image and how to select the right photographer for your project. IFDA New England has several excellent professional photographers in our membership.

When entering a competition for a Design Award, you are required to submit images/photos and digital files of your work or project. Consistent standards of quality in your work and your presentation will give you the leading edge in attracting and holding the judges attention.

High quality, professional photography is an absolute necessity. It shows that you care enough about your work, and this award, to invest in a professional presentation. Good enough is never good enough when it comes to representing your talent and your business.

Architectural and Interior Design photography presents unique problems. Most important is the lighting and the architectural angles.

First, the lighting is key, there should be a good “natural” balance between interior and exterior light. The other very important element is to be sure that the vertical lines of your space are straight, not tilting or subject to a “keystone effect”. Your photographer will know how to solve these problems.

Once the photos are taken, your photographer will provide you with the correct format digital image and/or a professionally printed quality print.

When choosing a photographer: • Look at their portfolio

• Ask for references

• Establish good communication with your photographer

• Take into consideration, that these images are a good business investment and will be used for many marketing purposes

Connecting Design

Connecting Design is a new feature of our IFDA New England Newsletter. Our vibrant chapter is filled with talented and collaborative professionals. This column is your place to acknowledge and thank fellow IFDA members for their business, referrals, a good job done or a great piece of advice.

Andrea Wald, Andrea Wald Interiors, deeply thanks Susan Tata-Fitzgerald, “The Drapery Lady” for helping her out of a window treatment nightmare last spring. Says Andrea “Susan went out of her way to guide me through a really difficult time, which meant so much to me.

Since then, we have worked on another project together. It turned out beautifully and my client loved it.”

Jacqui Becker, Jacqueline Becker Fine Arts, says “I have so many IFDA colleagues to thank. First, Linda Stimson, Inner Visions Interiors, who 24 years ago introduced me to idea of collaborating with interior designers to complete their interiors to perfection and enhance everyone’s, work and bottom line. To the many IFDA designers who have since trusted me to help their clients find the perfect artwork, including: current and past IFDA New England Presidents Sue Adams, Sue Adams Interiors, Leslie Fine, Leslie Fine Interiors, and Carol O’Brien, Wellesley Design Consultants along with designers Deborah Berger, Maven Designs, Elissa Fenster, Elissa Fenster Interiors and Susan Shulman, Susan Shulman Interiors. My sincerest gratitude for sharing your clients for everyone’s mutual benefit, and for helping me do some of my best work.”

Sue Adams, Sue Adams Interiors says “Recently I referred a client to Bob Ernst, FBN Construction. The client was not the easiest to deal with and I want to say thank you to Bob for his patience and professionalism.”

Linda Merrill, Linda Merrill Decorative Surroundings, wishes to acknowledge and thank Michael J. Lee, Michael J. Lee Photography, for not only taking incredibly beautiful photographs of two projects, but for his wisdom and guidance on many professional levels.

If you have one or many fellow IFDA members whom you wish to acknowledge, please send copy ready text to linda.m.merrill@gmail.com.

Many thanks to our corporate sponsors!

IFDA New England Chapter gratefully acknowledges our corporate sponsors.

Please support our corporate sponsors by visiting their showrooms. To inquire about sponsorship programs, contact Bob Ernst, VP Sponsorships at bobby@fbnonline.net

INTERNATIONAL SPONSOR: SILVER LEVEL Benjamin Moore & Co. SILVER

Boston Design Center 80 Luxury Showrooms, One Location BRONZE

Beacon Hill/Robert Allen Showroom

Daley & Wanzer

New England Shutter Mills Handcrafted in the Spirit and Tradition of New England

FBN Construction Rhodec International Interior design courses by distance learning

MWI Fibershield For Worry Free Living

Wolfers Lighting

The Lighting Experts New England Home Magazine Celebrating Fine Design and Architecture

New England Chapter One Design Center Place, Suite 200 Boston, MA 02210 617-348-4245

Stay informed... get involved check the dates!

Thanks to our corporate sponsors International Sponsor: Silver Level Benjamin Moore& Co.

Silver Boston Design Center

Bronze Beacon Hill/Robert Allen Showroom FBN Construction Daley & Wanzer MWI Fibershield New England Home Magazine New England Shutter Mills Rhodec International Wolfers Lighting IFDA New England Chapter gratefully acknowledges our corporate sponsors. Please support our corporate sponsors by visiting their showrooms. To inquire about sponsorship programs, contact Bob Ernst, VP Sponsorships at bobby@fbnonline.net