This past weekend, I attended ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) held in NYC at The Jacob Javitz Center. I also attended Wanted Design (an International Design Event) at The Tunnel down the street from the Javitz Center.

Initially, I planned to attend Wanted Design to view my son’s senior project he had created for his industrial design program. He, along with several other students had been selected to present and display their products created for a competition sponsored by Corning Museum of Glass. When I went to register, I discovered that the ICFF was happening at the same time. Perfect opportunity for a business trip!

I met up with a friend once I arrived in Manhattan Friday afternoon and we ventured to FishsEddy and ABC Home & Rug down near Union Square.

These were two places I had heard of and had wanted to visit for quite sometime. Both have great accessories for use in the home. FishsEddy, more practical and somewhat understated, playing off of themes from the past. ABC Home had an eclectic variety of everything from light fixtures to vases, trivets and cutlery to jewelry, seating and area rugs of amazement. I look forward to returning again.

Saturday morning was spent at The Tunnel for Wanted Design. Located across from a Porsche/Ferrari dealership, I was able to see my son’s project presented along with his classmates in a professional environment. It was great to see them in their element, engaged in conversation with fellow designers/professionals as they begin their journeys into their careers.

As I walked the length of the hall, I came upon unique designs for lighting, furniture, wall papers, jewelry and functional home products. It was just a taste of what I would see in a few hours down the street at the ICFF.

I traversed the rows of the Javitz Center with my husband for 2+ hours. Each aisle presented something new and unexpected. Whether it be a unique wall clock, use of a color in an interesting way, rug designs or seating that appeared to be sculptural rather than a functioning piece of floor dressing or furniture, I was captivated by the amount of wonderful designs I was encountering. I was like a kid in a candy shop – I wanted to be able to use most of what I saw within my clients homes or businesses! For now, I took many photos, business cards, postcards and literature for the office. I am looking forward to connecting with several designers via Facebook to see their new product launches and updates.

If you hover over an image – you can click on it to connect you to the designer’s website or a larger image.

Here are a few websites to other designers that you might enjoy:

www.jujupapers.com – www.modernmaine.com – www.debrafolz.com – www.davidtrubridge.com – www.akkefunctionalart.com – www.motawi.com – www.graypants.com

The shows were fantastic. I am looking forward to attending next year and perhaps venture to some other venues to gather more resources. The weekend proved to be not only inspirational for my business, but we also happened to catch an off, off Broadway show in Union Square purchasing RUSH tickets!

I LOVE NYC.