Before Covid, designer and artist Luke Edward Halls idea of a perfect Saturday was rummaging through junk shops for anything that caught his magpie eye. Today, confined at home like the rest of us, he has developed a serious eBay and online auction habit. Recently, he bought a 1930s plaster crown, a slightly frayed royal commemorative banner depicting St George and the dragon, and added to his collection of Italian LUomo Vogue covers from the 90s.

This is about more than just consumption, however. Its such a joyful thing, Hall says. Im drawn to playful objects, such as theatrical props. A pair of outsize, decorative lyres from a fairground grace his blush pink spare bedroom. Often, I just grab them and find a home for them afterwards. These things always cheer me up.

Anything that cheers us up has to be a good thing. But its only recently, after long months at home, that we have realised how much our domestic environments contribute to our happiness. Last summer, the Royal Institute of British Architects surveyed 1,500 homeowners, aged 24 to 64, from across the UK, on the impact of Covid on how people want to live and work at home: 70% of respondents agreed that the design of their home has affected their wellbeing during the pandemic.

Certainly, our homes have had to do some heavy lifting, serving as a sanctuary, school, office, even a gym. We have all been reassessing our four walls, wondering if that slate grey paint was a wise decision, how weve lived without houseplants for so long, and why we never got round to fixing that broken blind. For some, fresh flowers bring joy; for others, its a spotlessly tidy living room or a freezer full of batch cooking. But are there concrete ways we can make our homes happier places, ones that increase our own sense of wellbeing?

Absolutely, says Michelle Ogundehin, author of Happy Inside: How To Harness The Power Of Home For Health And Happiness, former editor of Elle Decoration and all-round interiors guru. Your home is as fundamental to your wellbeing as nutrition and exercise. It sustains and supports you. For too long, it was somewhere you left in the morning and came back to at night. But the pandemic has been an awakening: people are now, finally, thinking about how their home makes them feel, rather than what it looks like.

I think a lot of us stopped [last March] and noticed our home was a dumping ground, she says. Overnight, many of us had to work from home and realised we couldnt focus in a messy room. So our first instinct was to declutter it helped us take some control over what was happening, too. And then we started to look at what worked, and what didnt.

For Ogundehin, it was the door to her office or lack of one at home in Brighton. When she first moved in, she removed it. I worked from home alone, while my son was at school, and I wanted to feel open to the rest of the house. But with lockdown and home schooling, she craved privacy and had it rehung. Now, I have the bliss of closing the door and hearing CBeebies fade away.

Before we look at how to make our homes happier, more uplifting spaces, we need to discover what we like, she says. Do a really deep dive into who you are: what are your favourite colours, what triggers your relaxation it might be a process of trial and error. And if you get it wrong? I dont think of it as mistakes, more about gaining experience.

What made Ogundehin happy was a parquet floor. For years, having a dark-stained parquet floor was the stuff of dreams, she says. I always thought, one day, when Im a grownup, Ill have one. Its walnut-coloured chevrons flow from the front door and fill the ground floor. I live in a 200-year-old house, and this floor will probably last another 200 years.

People get nervous around home decoration because they feel they should be following trends, she says. We need to change the narrative around interiors. It isnt about what is the new grey, or whether coastal is this summers look. Its about what makes you feel good. If thats a coffee table with a shiny orange lacquer top, then great.

Wil Law, a home design stylist at John Lewis, agrees. People are abandoning trends, and turning towards what pleases them. Demand for his design advice has never been higher: before the pandemic, Law was meeting a couple of customers a week; since April, when John Lewis launched its home design service remotely, he has been seeing two or three customers online a day, dispensing advice from his colourful, exquisitely styled flat in Wakefield.

First, Law encourages customers to step away from their room. I look at colours with them, ask them what theyre drawn to, and help them nail a palette that suits them, he says. What they come up with can be a revelation they will often say, oh, I have a lot of that in my wardrobe.

During the first lockdown, people were most interested in how to turn their living rooms into warmer, more interesting spaces, Law says. People were staring at their walls, and often finding them too bare. I had a lot of conversations about how to create a gallery wall [of pictures]. Today, in lockdown 2021, they are investing in weighted blankets and candles, to aid sleep and ward off winter.

Beyond figuring out what we like, are there universal truths about decor that make us happier? Yes, Ogundehin says, but most of it is intuitive. Views of nature, daylight, green space either through a garden or indoor plants have all been proven to lower blood pressure. Rounded forms are more nurturing. And texture is hugely important. I surround myself with knitted throws and natural materials.

There is science to suport these design choices. There is a lot of evidence that natural environments parks, trees are great healers, says Dr Eleanor Ratcliffe, lecturer in environmental psychology at the University of Surrey, who specialises in restorative environments. You can recreate this effect inside through plants and greenery, she says. Looking at the sorts of shapes you find in nature, known as biophilic design, can have a calming effect. Fractal, repeated elements, such as you might find on a coiled fern, are easily processed [by our brains]. So get wallpapering.

Ratcliffes studies have also shown that people have strong attachments to places that remind them of happy times, so personalising our spaces with objects that carry those positive associations a shell from a beach that reminds us of a good holiday, say can increase our feelings of happiness. That becomes even more important as our homes have morphed into offices, she says, with all the ugly ephemera that goes with that. This is something Hall has discovered, too. Ive always loved displaying things from my trips. It feels even more important now we cant travel, he says. I suppose I see my favourite objects almost as talismans: they bring me comfort and joy, particularly when storms are raging outside.

There is less scientific evidence that colour has an impact on our wellbeing, Ratcliffe says, but there is a lot of perceived wisdom: that blue is cold, orange is warm, yellow is uplifting. Colour is simply a personal choice, says Hall, who is known for his bold use of it. His home a rented cottage in Gloucestershire features a mustard yellow dining room, an olive living room and a pale pink guest bedroom. We just painted it our favourite colours, he says. He finds pale colours calming and yellow is, well, sunny: the egg-yolk hallway of his London flat makes me smile every time I come home.

Materials have a huge impact on how we feel, says Ben Channon, a director at wellbeing design consultancy Ekkist, and author of Happy By Design: A Guide To Architecture And Mental Wellbeing. Natural materials can enhance our wellbeing, he adds. Studies have shown that the aroma of timber causes heart rates to come down. Another experiment found that people in a timber-lined room had lower stress levels than those in a white-painted room. I think we forget that materials some paints, sealants, vinyl flooring release harmful chemicals, which were breathing in. Were so conscious of, say, what goes into our food, but less so our homes. We have a lot of catching up to do.

Ekkist designed a concept house, Ori, intended as a template for how a home can boost wellbeing. The results arent rocket science: there is plenty of natural light, outdoor space and open-plan living for social interaction. The latter is hugely important to our wellbeing, Channon says. But you need to be able to retreat to your own corner, too. Channon suffered periods of anxiety during his 20s: I was living in a shared house with lots of other people so it was sociable, but I had little personal space. It was gloomy, too, as we never drew the curtains. A home designed to increase wellbeing addresses these things, he says. You maximise light, put the bedrooms on the quieter side, insulate against noise; studies have shown that loud, irregular noises lead to higher levels of stress hormones.

If our homes are to help us heal, to bring us joy, they should be a retreat from the outside world, Ogundehin says.

But we should draw the line at turning them into sterile, sanitised spaces, as a reaction to the pandemic: They should be nurturing. If we cant touch anything out there, we have to be able to touch things at home.

In the past year, proximity to death has reminded us that this is our only life, Ogundehin says. So if you want to paint a wall bright yellow, then do it. We need to wake up and start living.

BBC Twos Interior Design Masters, with Michelle Ogundehin, is on now.

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'Forget trends do what makes you feel good': how to style a happy home - The Guardian

HGTV's Hilary Farr always keeps it real. In the hit series Love It or List It, the Toronto native, alongside co-star David Visentin, uses her design magic to convince families to stay put in their homes that they were ready to part ways with. Now, she'll be using design in a different way, as well as some of her own personal life experiences to help families in a brand new series for HGTV.

Tough Love with Hilary Farr, as her new show will be called, will follow Farr as she meets with families who are facing unique life challenges that strain both their homes and their relationships. She'll not only be using her design expertise to revamp homes in a way that better serves each family, but also using her own personal experiences in life to help them strengthen their bond with each other. She's part designer, part life coach.

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"As a mother, business owner, and life partner, Ive been through my fair share of struggles and challenges," Farr said in a statement to HGTV about her new show. I know that when life gets messy, having a home that is both beautiful and functional goes a long way toward alleviating stress." Farr adds that "developing creative solutions for living space challenges and using design to improve how families live together are my passions and they are the reasons I love being an interior designer."

Eight hour-long episodes of Tough Love with Hilary Farr are slated to premiere in late 2021. We'll keep you updated as more details become available. HGTV notes that fans can continue to watch Farr and Visentin in their latest season of Love It or List It; however, it is not yet confirmed whether the show will be renewed for a new season.

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'Love It or List It' Star Hilary Farr Is Getting Her Own Solo Show on HGTV - HouseBeautiful.com

The Emily Dickinson Museum

Its no secret that period dramas tend to boast stunning visualswhether that means sumptuous interiors, awe-inspiring filming locations, elaborate costumes, and everything in between. A dark humor period drama series about the life of celebrated poet Emily Dickinson is no exception. As someone who spent almost her entire life living in the same house, Dickinson likely understood the importance of having a place to call home (and a place to write her many poems, which added up to nearly 1,800 in total). The Apple TV+ series Dickinson certainly illustrates the significance of this now-historic dwelling. Both this housewhich is known as the Homesteadand the house next door, where Dickinsons brother and sister-in-law livednamed the Evergreenswere recreated for this series, and their interiors have design lovers bingeing.

Apple TV

Replicating two historic houses from the 1800s was no easy feat, but it was a necessary one, given that filming in dwellings that are actual relics of a bygone era would pose a risk to their preservation. And these homes exist beyond Dickinsonthe real Homestead and Evergreens abodes can still be found, in Amherst, Massachusetts, as part of the Emily Dickinson Museum. Despite the close proximity of these houses and the fact that they were both residences of members of the Dickinson family, they could not look more dissimilar. Both the real Homestead and its replica are Federal-style houses with a pale yellow exterior and forest green shutters, while the fictional Evergreens is an off-white Italianate structure with a barn red-colored front door (its real counterpart differs slightly, with a more vibrant cream-colored exterior and a wooden front door).

Apple TV

So, where are the replica houses of Dickinson? On the site of the Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Long Island, New York, a living museum village that sits on 209 acres and boasts a fantastic collection of 18th and 19th century structures from all over Long Island that were transported to the site to recreate a 19th century village, production designer Neil Patel tells House Beautiful. These structures include a church, a general store, a barn, a town square gazebo, and numerous houses, adds Patel. He also reveals that a nearby forest and meadow, along with live sheep, further contributed to the realistic depiction of this time period.

Although the Homestead is the star of Dickinson, the Evergreens has its own fascinating history as well. Its landscape was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who is best known for designing Central Park. Olmsted happens to make an appearance in Dickinson (well, an actor who plays him does), and the same can be said for novelist Louisa May Alcott, who is also depicted in the series. Although there is no proof that Alcott and Dickinson actually met, they had plenty in common, given that both women went on to become notable writers, both from Massachusetts, and Alcotts own house was reproduced for the 2019 film adaptation of Little Women.

Apple TV

Beyond the impressive exteriors of the houses of Dickinson are the lavish interiors, which include a range of wallpapers that will surely leave design lovers in awe. One wall hanging that might look familiar is Zubers Views of North America, which was a favorite of First Lady Jackie Kennedys, who had it installed in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in 1961, during her husbands presidencyit still graces those walls to this day.

In Dickinson, expect to see this wallpaper in the dining room of the Homestead, where its surrounded by matching emerald drapes and a marble mantel. As for the whimsical floral wallpaper in Emilys bedroom, it stays true to the time periodits from the 1800s archive of Thomas Strahan wallpaper for Waterhouse Wallhangings, set decorator Marina Parker tells usbut looks like something grandmillennials would covet today.

Apple TV

Yet another wallpaper company contributed to the sets of Dickinson: Adelphi Paper Hangings. They provided their signature hand-blocked wallpaper for the Homestead parlor and hallway in season two of the series. Of course, Adelphi Paper Hangings is no stranger to period dramasa different wallpaper of theirs can be seen in last years Emma.

While we cant say for certain what Emily Dickinson would think of the replicated versions of her familys neighboring houses, we at House Beautiful can confidently conclude that the houses of Dickinson are poetry in motion.

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The Houses and Interiors of Apple TV's "Dickinson": The Homestead and the Evergreens - HouseBeautiful.com

I absolutely adore Japanese product designs. Theyre simple, sophisticated and something about them completely warms my heart. They leave an impact on you, and an imprint on your heart, with their soft minimalism. I love incorporating Japanese products in my home space, they have such a soothing effect, and can add an elegant touch to any home. I also enjoy using Japan-inspired kitchen and tableware products! Not only are they adorable to look at and gentle to use, but theyre also high on functionality and very rarely give you any trouble. Theyre foolproof designs that you can depend on to tackle your cooking prep and other kitchen tasks. From portable rice cookers to tableware created from a 400-year-old Japanese wood bending technique, weve got you all covered! Dig in, you can tell us Arigato later!

Designed by Nendo for Hashikura Matsukan, the Rassen (spiral) chopsticks are a pair of chopsticks that come together as a convenient single unit. They look like a solemn long wooden stick, but they can be separated, resulting in a pair of chopsticks that can be used for eating. They pack fun and functionality together, bringing them together and apart is like playing with a jigsaw puzzle! Theartfully designed chopsticks are a beautiful example of quintessential Japanese design philosophy.

The Magemono Tumbler comes made with a Hasamiyaki porcelain inner vessel, and a Magemono Japanese cedar wood sleeve around the outside, in signature fashion. The Magemono Bread Tray, a fir tree crafted thin tray (available in two sizes) is perfect for meals, especially for the breakfast sandwich, paired with a nicely brewed cup of coffee.Nasudas aim is to showcase the untouched perfection of Japanese artisanship, while helping the families of craftsmen to sustain themselves and also pass the art down to younger generations, helping it thrive.

The Dry Mountain Gas Stove has a meditative quality about it, brought about by its inspiration from Japanese and Buddhist landscape gardens. The stoves design is dominated by curved, soft forms that make it appear calming, while also giving you a little extra countertop space, thanks to the rounded edges. The stoves wavy resting plate is one of its strongest visual features. The wave-inspired plate doesnt just provide an allure to the stove, it also makes it easier to clean when youre done, with a cloth and a single swooping action.

The Thanko Electric Bento rice cooker is here to make rice omnipresent literally. This portable cooker will let you cook a bowl of warm rice wherever you are! It is a perfect gadget for those who want to cook a single-serve in a short time and the LED light will glow when it is ready. It is very optimal for those who travel often or want fresh food at the office instead of takeout. The cooker has the capacity to cook 6 ounces of rice at a time and comes with a measuring cup for convenience. Add water, rice (pro tip: salt the water or use chicken broth to up the flavor!), and depending on the ounces it should be cooked between 14 and 20 minutes.

Mitsubishis Bread Oven is in a league of its own with a promise to serve you the perfect toast. Mimicking a waffle maker, the toaster looks like its come straight out of the 80s with its retro-esque veneer brown look. Built with a sealed thermal-insulated structure, it can toast your bread without releasing any moisture, ensuring the bread is soft, fluffy, and far from being dry. The metal box is equipped with two plates that can go up to temperatures as high as 500 degrees Fahrenheit. These plates seal the slice of bread, transferring heat to it, and in turn, make magic. The electric toaster is amped with four cooking settings; Toast, Frozen Toast, Topping, and French Toast.

Seramikku is a perfect balance of archetypal Japanese forms and minimalistic modern details. Its shape and texture are inspired by Uwade kyusu which is one of the more traditional Japanese teapots known for their distinctive, almost floating, handles that hover on top of the lid. The designer has envisioned the Seramikku to be made from ceramic and iron with an electric heating base. Sadly, it is not for sale because it is a concept design which a part of a Render Weekly challenge.

This matcha maker is compact and sleek, making it perfect for homes, offices, any space with an outlet because it is portable. This matcha maker stays true to its Japanese roots and lets you enjoy an authentic cup every time by using freshly ground leaves from its ceramic mill for individual uses, just like the masters do. The movements of the traditional bamboo whisk are replicated by the magnetic whisker that mixes cold water with the tea for a frothy matcha-presso!

The Ishiyaki Set tackles a unique problem associated with being under lockdown missing out on great food. The Ishiyaki Set brings an authentic Japanese dining experience to your home by allowing you to prepare food in the teppanyaki style. Designed as a tabletop stone grill that you can cook your meat on, the Ishiyaki (which literally stands for rock-grill) is a charming little personalized grilling set that lets you experience the fun of dry-searing your food right before you eat it, just like at that Benihana you miss going to.

Theres a certain reverence one feels looking at the S1 Gyuto Knife. It, by no means, is an ordinary kitchen knife but is rather a product of culture, heritage, dedication, and finesse. Crafted by third-generation Osaka master bladesmiths, the S1 Gyuto knife is made from pure black Japanese steel (the same material as Japanese swords) that involves 131 distinct production steps to give you a blade that looks exquisite and is obscenely sharp. Additionally, Hinokis techniques ensure that the knife stays sharp for longer periods of time.

The Foldable Gas Stove Cover Tower by Yamazaki Home converts your stove into storage or workspace! You can simply fit it on top of your stove, creating a convenient kitchen station to chop your veggies and carry out your cooking prep! Once youre ready to actually get cooking, you can remove the cover, and have your good old stove back. Its a perfect solution for creating extra kitchen space!

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Japan-inspired kitchen appliances that are the epitome of minimalism, form and functionality! - Yanko Design

JOB TITLE: Architectural Designer or Job Captain, 0-6 years of experience

Fergus Garber Architects is a residential firm of 20 located in Palo Alto, California. Our practice focuses on custom high end single family homes, with an appreciation for sustainability. Please visit our website at https://fg-arch.com/

RESPONSIBILITIES:

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

If you meet these qualifications, we encourage you to apply with your resume, cover letter, and portfolio of work to: applications@fg-arch.com

In order to be considered, at the top of your cover letter, please list responses to these questions:

1. Identify your first name and your last name.

(First name: X Last name: X)

2. Where did you graduate from, with what degree, and the year?

3. After graduating, how many years have you worked in a professional office? (Do not include internships while in school)

5. Do you require visa sponsorship in order to work? If so, please state which visa is needed?

4. Why would you like to work for FGA?

ABOUT FGA: Fergus Garber Architects (https://fg-arch.com/) is looking for new collaborators to join our design-oriented and quick paced office designing custom homes. FGA understands the importance of working on projects from inception to completion and strives to build successful design teams that foster an atmosphere of creative thought and professional development. Our award-winning work spans many styles and scales, and were looking for talented and well-rounded staff to join our team. We have an on-staff environmental engineer who provides guidance on current best practices for sustainability. We provide a high level of attention, management and environmental stewardship to residential clients that have a long term interest in their property. Our clients value our ability to understand them. We create beautiful homes in a range of architectural styles that both we and our clients are proud of. The essential qualities of good architecture: strong plans, good proportions, and high attention to detail are the foundation of our work.

Current Working Environment at FGA: FGA is located in Santa Clara County. Our employees are the most important aspect of our business and we value them as such. We closely follow the county regulations for COVID-19, including working from home. If and when the restrictions are lifted, we will likely utilize a hybrid format for attendance in the office and working from home, with employees working in the office a few days a week to allow for comradery and collaboration while still providing ample physical space for each individual. Employees with elevated health risks will not participate in our in-office work schedule. Once a vaccine is available, we hope to resume working from our office on a daily basis. In the meantime, we are utilizing online systems and tools to help emulate the open, collaborative studio conditions that we all enjoy. On occasion during shelter in place, project teams may still be required to visit active job sites (while following Covid regulations). If not currently in the Palo Alto area, applicants should intend to relocate here to be available for these types of engagements and hands-on learning opportunities.

WHY JOIN FGA?:

If you meet these qualifications, we encourage you to apply with your resume, cover letter, and portfolio of work to: applications@fg-arch.com

In order to be considered, at the top of your cover letter, please list responses to these questions:

1. Identify your first name and your last name.

(First name: X Last name: X)

2. Where did you graduate from, with what degree, and the year?

3. After graduating, how many years have you worked in a professional office? (Do not include internships while in school)

5. Do you require visa sponsorship in order to work? If so, please state which visa is needed?

4. Why would you like to work for FGA?

Excerpt from:
Fergus Garber Architects is hiring a Architectural Designer or Job Captain, 0-6 years of experience in Palo Alto, CA, US - Archinect

From modern farmhouse style to white kitchens: here are the interior design trends going out of ... [+] style in 2021.

2020 was a defining year for everything but especially the collective relationship we all have with our homes. Shutdowns due to the pandemic left many of us scrambling to create home offices, homeschooling spaces, and gyms, changing way we use our homes significantly.

Whether you are moving to a new home,renovatingyour current one, or planning DIY projectsfor the future, its important to choose an aesthetic thats as current as possible to help boost resale value. While overall, theres been an anything goes, approach to interior design in recent years and especially in 2020, these are the trends experts and interior designers predict will be going away in 2021.

Shiplap is shipping out.

We can take a breath of fresh air because the modern farmhouse look is finally on its way out to pasture. Part of the reason why many people are sick of this aesthetic, according to Kelley Mason, Manager of Creative and Content atLulu and Georgia, is that it has been overdone particularly in places like apartments where a modern farmhouse look isnt remotely organic, Shiplap wall treatments, barn doors, and other hallmarks of the modern farmhouse style are still beautiful but look clearly out of place in city apartments and suburban homes, she tells me.

But if you cant resist the urge to Joanna Gaines your Manhattan studio, Mason says to choose integrating rustic pieces that pair well with the space's decor. So when you inevitably encounter thatLive, Laugh, Lovesign, resist the urge to click add to cart.

White kitchens are on the way out.

Nancy Epstein, founder, and president ofArtistic Tiletells me, The high end of the market has moved away from the staid whites and man-made agglomerates that dominated design for the last decade, and is once more embracing the exotic, rare stones, and detailed patterns that have historically defined luxury tile and stone.

She recommends opting for breccias, richly veined marbles, and onyxes instead. These materials have an incredible history and are once again becoming focal points in the most sumptuously designed spaces.

As for the ever-popular and timeless carrara marble countertop, while a major part of the white kitchen trend, probably isnt going away, but many people are opting for other materials that provide a similar aesthetic instead. Interior designerCaitlin Scanlon recommends going with a man-made or engineered stone, but emphasizes the importance of choosing wisely There is such a big difference from line to line. Quartzite is a good compromise, she says. It is a product that in-between quartz and marble. It's not an aggregate like Caesarstone and its much more durable than marble.

And if you must have that marble backsplash, Scanlon recommends ceramic marble tiles as an alternative. It really looks like marble. It's gorgeous.

New floorplans will provide more privacy

While it looked like the appeal of the open floorplan was starting to fade at the beginning of 2020, during the pandemic many people learned the hard way that perhaps your kitchen, home office, great room, playroom, and living room shouldnt all be the same space. Lack of privacy ultimately becomes lack of function.

Now that we have had a taste of what it is like to work from home, while a partner is doing the same, or a child is attending school via zoom at the same time, open floor plans aren't as attractive as they used to be. The need for rooms with doors, windows, and some privacy will make a reappearance,Justina Blakeney, founder ofJungalowtells me.

But according to Danielle Blundell, Home Director ofApartment Therapy, if your home is currently an open concept, you shouldnt let that be a cause for concern. I don't think this is going to be an overnight change, but I think that the open plan concept is going away little by little. It started already and I think it's going to conclude starting with people adding room dividers, or bringing in a door or figuring out some sort of a solution to add privacy.

Eventually, more flexible and closed layouts will become the standard. It's just because people want that privacy, they want that little bit of separation. And sometimes it's good to have a door that you can close. Whether it's for containing a mess or just giving yourself that physical and audio separation from other things that are going on in your home.

Dining rooms aren't just for dining anymore.

Along the same lines, single purpose spaces and furnishings are also falling out of favor. Say goodbye to the temporarywork-from-the-couchway of life, Roxy Te Owens, founder and creative director ofSociety Socialtells me. When your home doubles as so many spaces, it's important to try and keep some level of separation for sanity! As many of us have adjusted to the new work from home reality, we've realized the importance of keeping a dedicated and organized work from home setup.

If you don't have a spare room to use, Owens suggests trying your best to get creative. Set up a desk vignette in the corner of your bedroom or transform a section of your dining table into a home office by adding a table lamp, your computer monitor, fresh flowers, and of course your favorite things. A pretty and dedicated space means more productivity, in our opinion.

Less mass more meaning

Much like fast fashion, the appeal of inexpensive furniture and accessories that arent made well enough to use for the long haul is on the decline. Our rooms now see daily multi-functional use, and people are customizing them to provide flexible and adaptive living spaces. The furnishings that create these spaces serve in different ways at different times, Bob Williams, President of Design atMitchell Gold + Bob Williamstells me.

Williams believes that opting for better pieces has a greater purpose beyond quality for the sake of longevity. Alongside their use, these pieces also carry intrinsic meaning. People are creating deeper relationships with the things they have in their rooms because so many more of lifes moments and memories are happening there. Purchasing is more intentional, and people are loving their rooms more because of it.

We'll be seeing less minimalism in 2021.

Move over Kim Kardashianinspired homesbecause less isnt more when theres a pandemic. The minimalist trend is on its way out and will give way to more layered, collected, and eclectic spaces. The sheer amount of time and the number of activities we have all been engaging in at home in 2020 makes it very difficult to adhere to an austere or sparsely filled home, says Blakeney.

Part of the reason why minimalism isnt a sustainable design choice is that the pandemic and frankly, Amazon have made maintaining that look an impossible chore thats no longer worthwhile. The amount of stuff we have accumulated in our homes requires smart storage solutions, but even those solutions are somewhat limited to the surface area in any given home, Blakeney explains.

Because it is impossible to live in a home where we leave nothing out, the gravitation towards a maximalist look will become the more functional choice in 2021. I think there was a trend for a couple of years for perfect shapes, ultra-sleek design, very modern and neat interiors. Now I can see a return to reality, explains Aurore Martial, interior designer and founder ofDomus Venus. Maybe its the COVID and the fact that we all went back to basics the past year. But, I feel there is an exodus from that perfect world to the profit of imperfection.

Martial suggests opting for a different look in 2021 by mixing old and new, going away from perfectly lacquered items to more matte finishes, chalk paint and waxed concretes on the wall all reminiscent of crafty, comforting times.

Entirely neutral spaces will fall out of favor in 2021.

With the maximalist look is coming back, it's easy to understand whyHomeGoodsStyle Expert and interior designer,Beth Diana Smithsays well nix neutrals in 2021.Design is about exploration, experimentation, and reflecting our personalities. So in 2021, we will continue to gravitate towards more color, visual interest, and playful design.

Instead, Smith suggests introducing color through bold statement decor pieces like ceramic vases and decorative boxes, along with art. [When Im] looking for inspiration, I head to one of my favorite stores, HomeGoods because I know I can always find unique, conversation pieces especially decor.

Similarly, Rachel Ashwell, founder ofShabby Chic, says it's time to call it quits with the grey-on-grey look. Without any textural elements, the all-gray look feels a bit too neutral, cold and outdated. This upcoming year will see vibrant, expressive colors come to the fore, whether in a monochromatic style or mixed and matched.

Keep nature real

2021 will see less plastic and man-made materials, more natural and organic materials, says Martial. Its all about sustainability and people will prefer stones, wood, natural fabrics, and natural coloring methods. It also means less faux flowers and plants. For those who cant bear the idea of taking care of plants, preserved flowers are the solution, its basically dried flowers that look fresh and last months! Its a big year for biophilic design!

Slipcovers are becoming obsolete in 2021.

Slipcovers arent anything new and as fabric technology advances, Dolley Frearson, co-founder ofHigh Fashion Homebelieves this type of furniture is becoming obsolete. With high-tech, stain-resistant fabrics such as Crypton available on most upholstery furniture, homeowners no longer need washable slipcovers, she says. These performance fabrics are so incredibly durable and they can resist all stains from foods, drinks, and other messes by kids and pets. It's a total game-changer.

Terrazzo is started to look dated.

For years, terrazzo tiles in bathrooms and kitchens have been a great way to create a fun, unique look. But according to Molly McDermott Walsh, Vice President of Marketing atSemihandmade, this aesthetic is starting to become dated. I never understood this trend and now understand my mothers frustration when trends from her childhood came back around in my generation. Sometimes trend cycles are based on beauty and true innovation and sometimes they come back for an ironic laugh.

The mid century modern look is a fading trend.

Mid century modern has become overplayed and overdone. Interior designerAlexander Dohertytells me that this aesthetic is now giving way to warmer, more interesting pieces.Im seeing a return from the brown furniture, mid-century modern aesthetic to the popular art deco design movement that moved into the 1930s and 1940s.

So what will we see instead? Design elements like vertical lines, sleek craftsmanship, bold geometric shapes, rich finishes, lacquered surfaces, and a rise in material investments like marble and burl wood give way to more sculptural elements that mimic the periods architecture. he says.

It's time to re-think color in 2021.

Barbara Karpf, founder, and president ofDecoratorsBestsays dark is done, at least for now. Dark colors are dramatic but they close in a space. Many people will continue to work remotely in 2021 and multi-purpose rooms are a necessity. Dark colors limit the usage of a space and without expert lighting, a dark room is less adaptable.

So unless you have a big home or a larger room, it is best to go with lighter colored furniture, accessories, and paint.

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Here Are The Interior Design Trends Going Away In 2021 - Forbes

Vision Real Estate and Design was founded by 17-year industry veteran Robyn Webb, an award-winning Orange County agent and certified interior designer.

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (PRWEB) December 16, 2020

OC Real Estate 411 today announced the launch of Vision Real Estate and Design in partnership with Side, the only real estate brokerage that exclusively partners with high-performing agents, teams, and independent brokerages to transform them into boutique brands and businesses. The alliance will ensure that Vision Real Estate and Design, which provides exclusive real estate and interior design services, is powered by the most advanced platform in the industry.

Vision Real Estate and Design was founded by 17-year industry veteran Robyn Webb, an award-winning Orange County agent and certified interior designer who offers a visionary approach to buying and selling homes. Webbs Design to Sell business model is the first of its kind, and listings typically sell for 20% more than those of competitors. Webb has assembled a team of compassionate, diligent, tech-savvy agents who provide outstanding customer care to clients from all walks of life. To date, the firm has handled over 290 transactions, completed 100 successful design-to-sell projects, and achieved $200 million in volume.

Partnering with Side will ensure Vision Real Estate and Design remains at the cutting edge of the evolving real estate market while allowing its agents to continue delivering premium services to their clients. Vision Real Estate and Design agents are fully supported by a one-of-a-kind premium brokerage platform, which provides transaction management, property marketing, lead generation, business growth opportunities, vendor management, and infrastructure solutions.

Ive worked for 17 years to build my brand, and with Side, my team and I receive the benefits of support of high-end technology without losing whats special about my brand, said Webb. Side doesnt want to change how I do business; rather, they embrace it.

Side is led by experienced industry professionals and world-class engineers who develop technology designed to improve agent productivity and enhance the client experience. Based on its belief that homeownership is a fundamental human right, Side is on a mission to improve the public good by providing top-performing real estate agents, teams, and indie brokerages with the best system, support, service, experience, and results.

About Vision Real Estate and DesignVision Real Estate and Design was established with the goal to change the way homes are bought and sold in California. Its groundbreaking design to sell business strategy incorporates model home-like staging and exclusive real estate services to achieve record-breaking results. Headquartered in Laguna Niguel, Vision Real Estate and Design works with buyers and sellers throughout Orange County. To learn more, visit http://www.californiavision.com.

About SideSide transforms high-performing agents, teams, and independent brokerages into successful businesses and boutique brands that are 100% agent-owned. Side exclusively partners with the best agents, empowering them with proprietary technology and a premier support team so they can be more productive, grow their business, and focus on serving their clients. Side is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.sideinc.com.

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Vision Real Estate and Design Partners with Side, Changing the Way Homes are Bought and Sold in Orange County - PR Web

Welcome to the T List, a newsletter from the editors of T Magazine. Each week, were sharing things were eating, wearing, listening to or coveting now. Sign up here to find us in your inbox every Wednesday. You can always reach us at tlist@nytimes.com.

Since the Maker Hotel opened its doors in Hudson, N.Y., in August, its become a wish-list destination for locals and New York City dwellers alike. Founded by Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg of the beauty brand Fresh, and the hospitality expert Damien Janowicz, it spans four historic downtown buildings and has 11 private rooms, a cafe, a lounge, a restaurant, a gymnasium and, now, an online boutique. The Maker Shop, a natural expansion of the empire, features a collection of home dcor selected, if not designed, by Glazman and Roytberg. Its our love of design, and our curated point of view of interiors and colors, that weve always wanted to share with our guests beyond our rooms, says Glazman. The shops wares, many versions of which furnish the hotel, are produced by artisans near and far from a handblown decanter set made in collaboration with the Hudson Valleys BowGlass Works (and available in soft gray, deep red and forest green) to a Louis XVI-style steel writing desk handcrafted in France. But perhaps the grandest offering is the Frida bed, which can also be found in the hotels Gardener suite. Stately and sophisticated, the wrought-iron sleigh bed was designed in partnership with the architect Kipp Edick, forged using traditional artisanal techniques and paired with upholstered head- and footboards to achieve an heirloom feel. Topped with one of the shops signature cashmere throws, which are available in solid neutral colors and checked patterns, and are made in Northern Italy on vintage looms by Prvate 02 04, its the picture of unbridled comfort and will make staying in feel just as luxurious as getting away. shop.themaker.com.

See ThisImmersive Spaces to Escape the Workplace

One of my peripheral pastimes this year has been waffling between missing the office, where I used to spend a majority of my time, and actively hoping Ill never have to go back. But if and when we do return to those glassy corporate towers, I wonder if or how things will be different. The design collective Office of Things co-founded in 2015 by a group of architects spread out across the U.S. has been grappling with the existential questions of office life since even before the pandemic began. For the last few years, its been investigating how to create a restorative environment within the workplace, which has culminated in a series of meditation chambers, called the Immersive Spaces Series, that were constructed last year inside the Bay Area offices of YouTube and Google. Designed predominantly for single occupants, these rooms are sound and light environments that offer a kind of sensorial and psychological retreat, be it from harsh fluorescent lighting or the sound of an obnoxious co-worker. The firm wanted to create a space that sets you away in a different world, and to use that experience to create calm and refuge, says Lane Rick, the project lead, who runs the New York chapter of Office of Things with Can Vu Bui. Before the arrival of Covid-19, I might have dismissed this as Silicon Valley indulgence, but as I try to conceive of returning to a building packed with people and demands of all kinds well, lets just say I hope my employer is paying attention. oo-t.co.

Upon coming across Mimi de Biarritzs whimsical artwork at the now-shuttered store Brocante de la Reine Victoria several years ago, the British designer Kit Kemp, known for her lavishly decorated interiors and line of boutique Firmdale hotels, became an instant admirer of the artist. Since then, Kemp has incorporated the cheerful oddities coming out of de Biarritzs studio, located, as was the erstwhile shop, in the French city that shares her name, into a number of her projects. From the chandeliers fashioned from seashells to the giant papier-mch beetles with all the detail of entomologically pinned specimens, her artwork is a mainstay and talking point in both my home and hotels, says Kemp. But its the artists terrarium-enclosed papier-mch mushrooms, which sprung up earlier this year at the designers seventh-floor pop-up in New York Citys Bergdorf Goodman a shop offering seasonal baubles and home dcor that have most recently caught my eye. Commissioned by Kemp, these one-of-a-kind creations, perched on beds of papier-mch earth or moss, are hand-painted by the artist in chartreuse, aquamarine, periwinkle and other vibrant hues and housed under glass domes of varying sizes. The results are infectiously joyful, and are poised to play a scene-stealing role on tea trays and mantles alike this holiday season. From $250, Kit Kemp at Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10019.

When Melissa Morris launched Mtier, her line of handmade leather bags, in 2017, it was because she wanted an exquisitely crafted tote that was beautiful and functional, with a place for everything from her lipstick to her laptop. Before 2020, our bags were our mobile offices, she says. Now, thats all changed, so it made sense to apply that same level of attention to pieces for a home office. And so, she has released a small offering of items specifically designed to make your desk more inviting and less cluttered. They include collapsible boxes, inspired by origami, in varying sizes perfect for concealing chargers, Post-it notes and stamps which snap into place with magnets. Theres also a series of notebooks, a collaboration with the 135-year-old English paper maker G.F Smith. The journals, which come in three sizes, comprise silky pages fashioned from upcycled coffee cups and enclosed in black or Art Deco-patterned leather cases made by a father-and-daughter duo just outside of Florence, Italy. Inside, there are holders for business cards and an iPad or small laptop, while under the strap, theres a discreet pen loop. I wanted to create a piece that you can intuitively tuck all your papers in and that just sits neatly off to the side, says Morris. But it can also effortlessly slide into a bag for the days when were back on the go. metierlondon.com.

Wear ThisShearling Accents for Your Winter Wardrobe

This is the time of year when I usually dust off my trusty shearling coat in preparation for the dropping temperatures (its furry texture has kept me toasty through New Yorks coldest months). But this season, a handful of designers have given me more reasons to love the plushy material, incorporating it into a variety of cozy, practical accessories that will still manage to elevate any winter look. This snug, caramel-colored Dries Van Noten tote, for one, is so soft and pillowy you might be tempted to use it as a headrest and so cavernous you could easily slip a change of shoes inside. These shearling pouches by Daniel Lee at Bottega Veneta, with their sweeping tassels, are just as dramatic as the floor-length fringe coat the designer debuted them alongside earlier this year. The young designer Jingjing Fan, meanwhile, who has had a cult following ever since the 2015 launch of her accessories brand, Elleme, offers an array of jewel-colored shearling bags in fun shapes, like the Baozi, named after the Chinese word for dumpling and adorned with a hand-stitched loop handle. And while shearling slippers are generally reserved for the indoors, the California-based brand Jenni Kaynes new clog, which features a cork sole and a shearling upper, can be worn just about anywhere. This winter might end up feeling extra long, but thats all the more reason to surround ourselves with comfort and warmth.

In a year centered around domestic life, the stylist and Dutch Vogue contributing editor Gijsje Ribbens found that dressing up had lost its appeal. And so, during Amsterdams first lockdown last spring, she teamed up with her friend Bart Ramakers, a Dutch fashion agent, who has helped launch brands including Vetements and Halpern, to dress up their homes instead. Thus, RiRa, an interiors concept line that debuts this week with a selection of limited-edition objects, was born. For part of the collection the pieces of which were all designed and made in the Netherlands and Belgium the designer Sabine Marcelis, known for her Candy Cube installations for Celine stores, has created a series of whimsical mirrors liberally splashed with vibrantly hued resins. From the industrial design duo Muller Van Severen, theres a sculptural chair made in collaboration with the fashion brand Kassl and inspired by the latters signature pillow bags. And Vincent de Rijk, the architectural materials innovator who worked with Rem Koolhaass Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) on Pradas New York flagship, has created the Liquidish, a hyper-glossy epoxy-resin bowl whose playful form resembles something between a prophylactic and a red blood cell (it already has a waiting list). You can love it, or you can think its very ugly, but I like that, says Ramakers of the collection. Its outspoken. shoprira.com.

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The T List: Six Things We Recommend This Week - The New York Times

Covid-19 has radically transformed the ways people live and work. For those who are in the business of making childrens bookswhich are as much art objects as works of fiction or nonfictionthe pandemic has forced art and design professionals to both reevaluate their workflow and assess what has been lost and gained in these unpredictable times.

Many who PW spoke with detailed the dramatic changes to the day-to-day of producing a book and the shift to working remotely. When we moved to a work-from-home environment, we had to figure out very quickly how to maintain a level of quality of our books while limiting the number of touchpoints between those objects, says Raymond Coln, director of production at Macmillan Childrens Publishing Group.

When physical art is involved, Martha Rago, v-p and executive creative director at Random House Childrens Books, mails original art to China from her local UPS office to be scanned and separated into color proofs, instead of relying on the production department to ship the materials from the office. Some of our artists have shipped artwork themselves from their homes also, she says. All this seemed a bit scary at first, but happily, it works!

It used to be a special time, to spread out artwork across our huge library table and to share it with everyone in the office and cheer for the illustrators, says Kerry Martin, director of art and design at Holiday House. We have had some creative backyard meetings to review art and deliveries from an editor who lives in Westchester to a production director whose significant other lives nearby.

Reviewing color proofs has been the biggest adjustment, according to several publishers we spoke with. At home, bright, natural sunlight is best for reviewing proofs, so Amy Bowman, director of production of brands and four-color trade books at Random House Childrens Books, chases the lightoften reviewing proofs in her backyard and dreading cloudy days. I might have to wait all week for one sunny day to review proofs! she says. The amount of proofs and book samples delivered to my house is staggering. I have four other people in my production team, and I see proofs and press sheets for most of the books they work on, as well as an advance copy of every book as it completes. I have many boxes of material sitting in my house.

Martha Hanson, v-p of production at Simon & Schuster Childrens Publishing, says that her team has been color-correcting picture books by comparing F&Gs from sales to those from publicity. [We worked with] one of our printers to standardize a procedure to [share] high-res printed materials via Zoom. Its the closest weve been able to come to color-correcting [as it was] in the lightroom at the office.

Some of these changes to process and workflow have been beneficial, and will likely become industry standard as the publishing world emerges from the pandemic. Routing proofs digitally, for example, saves time and the cost of an additional set of hard copy proofs to be used for routing purposes, and it allows people to view the proofs from anywhere, says Bowman. Still, others like Coln believe that these ingenious adaptations that have allowed professionals to make books from home are not ideal. Though we have been able to maintain a level of quality, those adaptations that still involve physical objects are not the most efficient and would benefit from a shared environment, he says.

Missed Connection, New Connections

Though the benefits of the new workflow are clear, its been equally clear that the absence of face-to-face interactions represents a significant loss, says Dan Potash, v-p and creative director at Simon & Schuster Childrens Publishing. Working from home has magnified the incalculable value of the impromptu meeting, the in-the-elevator exchange, the outside-my-doorway-lunch-plan-turned-brainstorming-session, or spontaneous detour to a designers office to tell them how impressed I am with their work. Its both the obvious and the subtle power of these moments that are missing these days.

His lament is echoed by many of his peers. Ive struggled to create a space and time for more casual interactions, such as birthdays or after-work drinks, Coln says. Bringing in cupcakes or bagels for the team has not been easy to adapt.

Some teams have accepted those constraints, and tried to cultivate camaraderie in creative ways. We are a close-knit group and not having in-person proximity and opportunity for day-to-day interactions is something I think we all miss, says Jennifer Tolo Pierce, design director of childrens publishing at Chronicle Books. Although we cant meet in-person, we have found other ways to connect. Her teams monthly meet-up, which took place on a favorite picnic table on the San Francisco Bay, is now a weekly designated Zoom time to celebrate milestones, share projects or inspirations, and otherwise connect. Its an optional meeting so as not to add stress or interfere with deadlines, but its a standing invitation and a time I look forward to every week. Working at home has ultimately fortified our connections with each other and with our teams.

As removed as remote video meetings can be, they have also created an intense, focused forum for her team to come together during this time of social unrest and to face and tackle the inequities within the industry, says Elizabeth Parisi, v-p and creative director at Scholastic Trade. Our entire trade team, across three divisions, has created BIPOC mentorship programs for publishing hopefuls, open submissions for BIPOC writers, and a book club to discuss race and anti-racism themes, she says. There is something wonderful in seeing a sea of determined faces, all passionate and focused and together in the importance of our efforts. It could be that sitting around a table in a conference room would not have brought us together in the same way, with the same sense of unity and purpose.

Balancing Work and Life

As in other industries, professionals in publishing have had to recalibrate their work and personal lives.

For staffers with young children, often schooling from home, there have been positives and negatives to the current arrangements. My work and home life are very blurred, says Martin. I used to be able to leave the office at 5 p.m. every day and rush to school pick-up. Now I sometimes need to wrestle with my six-year-old to let me finish a conversation with an editor. On the other hand, Jessica Handelman, senior creative director at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books & Media, has been able to spend more meaningful time with her daughters, taking them to school or helping with an assignment mid-afternoon, which prior to this period was trickier at times, she says. My five-year-old has helped to color-correct proofsshe had strong opinions about the [color] pink and a unicorn in Oh Look, a Cake!and is learning how a book is made, giving early reviews for Lost and Found, which has been a wonderful bonding experience.

Flexible work-from-home arrangements are likely to become more prevalent post-pandemic, most believe. Some folks are really thrilled to save on the commute, so long as they can work effectively, Handelman says. As a manager Ive already seen some of the benefits of that flexibility. Its clear to Rago how much value there is in having her team in one location, but there is also value in giving people the space apart and flexibility to focus and maintain a good work-life balance, she says.

With the adjustment to virtual meetings no longer seeming odd or inconvenient, Parisi assumes many of her colleagues will adjust their schedules to be split between home and the office. More importantly, perhaps we could cast a wider net in future hires of employees and interns to include those living outside [New York City], she says. They would not need to relocate to this expensive town, and that would create wonderful opportunities for young people wanting to enter the publishing field.

Books in Hand

There has been a learning curve figuring out how to best work from home, says Danielle Carnito, art director at Lerner Publishing Group. But once shes enmeshed in a project, everything else falls away. Whether its a process question or a book design project or a book Im helping another designer with, Ive learned that making books really is a comfort for those of us who do so for a living, she says.

For Tolo Pierce at Chronicle, working from home has emphasized how much she loves the physical qualities of creating books. I miss seeing ink on paper and holding the finished books in my hands, she says. I just received some of my first samples of books that went to print during the early days of working from home, and I was practically crying with happiness as I flipped through the books. It never ever gets old, seeing the books in their final physical form.

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Making Children's Books in the Covid-19 Era - Publishers Weekly

Under normal circumstances, a city-stopping snowstorm could lead to no-shows, last-minute cancellations and late arrivals. But none of the above were factors at the Fashion Group Internationals Rising Star awards Thursday, which were held virtually for the first time.

Weather, like travel, were non-issues for numerous attendees, who watched Aknvas Christian Juul Nielsen and Eppersons Rodney Epperson share the Womenswear award. After Anna Sui named the winners, Epperson chalked up his win to perseverance. Nielsen then followed up with his own thanks, adding that designers such as himself need support now more than ever. FGI was founded by 17 women who banded together to support and promote the role of women in the industry, he said, noting that he created his company to meet a similar goal of empowerment for women.

Reese Cooper locked up the Menswear honor for his signature collection.After accepting the award from Oscar de la Rentas Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, Cooper was succinct in thanking FGI and noting the amount of behind-the-scenes work that goes into such awards when Zoom rules all.

Before all of the winners were unveiled, the Grammy-nominated R&B duo Chloe x Halle shared some advice with the young creatives, including listen to yourself, the creative process is messy, dont be afraid to dig in, stay the course even if you get discouraged and find a mentor.

Halle said, Like all of you Rising Stars know, the real work is done unseen and often in silence. As artists, everyone gets to see all of those magical moments at a performance or hear the the final version of a song. But they dont get to see the thousands of hours of real work that went into creating those seemingly flawless, sometimes not-so-flawless magical moments. And thats true for anyone creative. Were here to say we see you. We know what it takes to be a Rising Star, thats why we are so proud to talk to you.

During cameo appearances, designers such as Donna Karan and Brandon Maxwell offered encouragement to the crowd. Karan said, Theres never been a more challenging and inspiring time to create the fashion history of the future as there is today. As Ive always said, Its not about me. Its about the we and coming together as a community to create, collaborate and communicate so that we can not only dress but address whats needed to create the industry of tomorrow.

Maxwell, a 2016 Rising Star winner, acknowledged how being creative in these unstable times can be confusing and uncertain. We are fortunate enough to work in an industry where on our best day our job, our only job, is to go into work and to help someone to feel their best. I encourage everyone to look at this time as a positive. Sometimes in the darkness and the sadness we are pushed toward the light.

Rick Owens and Michele Lamy appeared to present the All Gender Product award to APOTTS Aaron Potts. The designer said, The expectations of traditional gender expression are so confining for some people. I hope to offer something that allows people to exhale, to go deeper and to embrace every part of themselves their creativity, their inspirations and their self expressions. The more that we can do that for ourselves, the more that we can do it for each other.

Potts extensive thanks included Willi Smith, Perry Ellis and Patrick Kelly for their brilliant inspiration.

Another Rising Star category that led to a tie was for Beauty Entrepreneur. Nyakio Beautys Nyakio Grieco and Pause Well-Aging Rochelle Weitzner took home the top prize.

As a sign of the strength and breadth of the accessories market, FGI has two different Rising Star awards for that area. The first for Accessories-Scarves/Fashion Jewelry was handed to Rory Worby Studios Rory Worby. The second Accessories award for handbags/footwear went to Aeras Tina Bhojwani and Jean Michel Cazabet. The duo were two-time winners Thursday. Aeras founders also picked up the Fekkai Sustainability award.

Dee and Tommy Hilfiger also gave listeners a fight talk in dealing with the global pandemic. Weve learned that times of collective hardships have a way of changing our priorities for the better. For instance, the fashion industry has come to realize that we need to drastically alter our framework to be more dusty and more inclusive.

Tommy Hilfiger said, We all know that you will help drive this positive and meaningful change.

While hundreds of apparel companies are scrambling to invent and adopt more imaginative retail concepts, Fashwire was recognized for its innovation. The Seattle-based company took home the New Retail Concept award. Fashwire is a global platform showcasing apparel and accessories from more than 300 designers on its site and via its app. Collectively, the creatives represent more than 30 countries.

Another innovator Leaps cofounder and co-chief executive officer Amish Tolia walked away with the Hilldun Business Innovation award, which was presented by Hillduns Gary Wassner. Leap operates retail stores for select direct-to-consumer brands. Launched two years ago, the company uses technology, store management and real estate know-how.

Tuning in from the comfort of their own homes, guests watched FGI deliver the inaugural Rising Star award for Home Product Innovation. New York City-based Hazy Mae won that for her Hazy Mae Cookie Jar Maker business. Mae sculpts and handpaints all of the cookie jars that she makes with monochromatic color palettes and fashion-infused whimsy. Reinventing classic cookie jars from the Twenties through the Fifties to create ones with a more modernistic edge, Maes ceramics are keepers. Accepting the award virtually seated in front of a backdrop of her creations, Mae was startled to be greeted with an off-camera horn salute.

Jason Wu was another guest designer, who reminded attendees to never stop learning, to remain curious, to give back and to foster the next generation of designers. With the changing market, we need to be prepared to help those who are talented to be able to navigate the changing industry. Im so happy that FGI continues its mission to celebrate talent and diversity.

Before the awards were distributed, FGIs president and chief executive officer Maryanne Grisz plugged the events sponsors Hearst, Hilldun, Fekkai, Diesel and Pullquest. She also noted that 350 students were listening in, thanks to a give-back initiative.

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Fashion Group International Honors Rising Star Award Winners - WWD