Island City Traders presents

Breakfast with a Designer

“Define Your Style”  

Island City Traders, a locally based home interior home and garden store on Wilton Drive, right across the street from Hamburger Mary’s and next to New Moon Café.  Unfortunately, this was the last in a series sponsored by Island City Traders that lets you sit down with a local designer, learn about home design, get ideas, and have a little gnosh afterwards.   The best part, there’s a drawing for a $500 gift certificate. 

Manny Konsker of Retro Interiors and Island City Traders employee Sara 

Our guest speaker today was Manny Konsker, from Retro Interiors, who told us that 99% of designing is done through being eclectic.  That means, choosing pieces that are different and making them match: through use of colors, textures, fabrics, or function.  Through slides he demonstrated his point.  Using examples from very popular design and architectural magazines, he demonstrated what goes and what does not.   What may look good for one area may not be good for another.  He went through different furniture styles and explained their use, function, and how to tell the different parts of that item from the next. 

One thing that I did not know before this was that furniture design has a life cycle.  To demonstrate this point he used the example of a Louis XV chair.  This chair is ornate, gilded, and more wood than fabric.  It was handcrafted and worth a lot of money, if in the correct condition.  Well, as time progresses, styles become sleeker, smother, more refined—with less ornateness.   There is an inevitable process of products.  There’s an:  Infancy—where the product is new, still trying to get its bearing, then Maturity—where it is well know and refined, then Overexposed—where everybody has seen it and it’s not new anymore or even fashionable.  At this point, the entire process is redone.  By the time that Louis XVI came along, the style of chair was more fabric, less woodcarving, legs slimmer, and the ornate becomes highlighted—not all encompassing. 

Manny went on to discuss the difference between many common styles of chairs, function, and original design.  There is the Beadimyer Chair, which was a little while after the Louis XVI Chair which was more wood, less comfort, mass produced, and, if you had one 15-20 years ago it was in style, but not now.  Then he went on to a Plantation Chair style that used to be made of wood or reeds, like wicker and was a primarily outside chair but now is made of fabric and is an inside/living room piece.  The Modern Chair is sleek, made of metals like chrome and uses fabrics like leather and is best suited for the Contemporary style home, and has it’s own uniqueness.  Next he discussed the Chinoisseae Chair, which, put up against a desk or in a hallway is an excellent accent piece, but should never be left out in the open. I did not know that Klismos Chairs are very interesting in the fact that even in Pompeian artwork, it’s always a woman sitting in them—never a man.  Shieldback Chairs are originally from England, where heraldry is important and craftsmanship is honored and excellent if you have a Traditional or Colonial home.  

Through the used of color, you can either bring a room together or split it apart at the seams.  It was demonstrated how the use of certain Fad Colors—like pinks, can make or break a design.  The ultimate goal of designing is to make something that you will not have to redo again in three years when you wake up and scream, “What was I thinking?!?!”  Next, is monochromatic boring or soothing?  It all depends on the individual and what they need in their lives.  If you need your living room to be your sanctuary, to unwind, then, maybe it would work for you, but throw in some accent pieces like Oriental accents, to give it a Zen feeling.  The best example of how color can make a room is this picture he showed us of a French or Italian side room in a cottage.  The people wanted to get rid of the aged and weathered Spanish tile floor, however, the reds and oranges in the floor matched the reds in the wood and brought everything together.  Had they switched to carpet, it would not have matched.   

One thing that has my passion about decorating is using art.  Manny showed us this amazing picture of Modern/Art Deco furniture with dark red walls and a large classic painting that matched perfectly.  Yet, on the other hand, some designers are faced with the conundrum of people having existing “family heirlooms” that are basically crap and the clients wanting them to incorporate that piece into the room’s design.    

He also discussed the difference between accent pieces and items that are the focal points of the rooms.  Pianos, if within the budget, make an excellent choice.  He said that 90% of his clients that have a Grand or Baby Grand piano in their homes…don’t know how to play them!  They play classical music that focuses on the piano, and it is never an issue or problem.  Second, are the authentic and excellent replicas versus second-rate imitations.  Sometimes, money does make the difference.  Take for example, an antiqued Chinese screen.  It can be, literally, the focal point of the room, a headboard, room divider, or shield against an unwanted accoutrement that comes with your house. 

Lastly, one of the most important things to do when designing is to ask for help.  Your friends know you sometimes better than yourself, and they may have different options or paths to go down.  Friends may lead you to designers.  Designers may lead you to retailers.  Retailers may lead you to exporters and wholesalers.  Next thing you know, you have that Balinese Prayer Bell that you never knew existed—but now can’t think of living without.    

After the lecture, Manny and the wonderful people from Island City Traders are on hand to talk style, function, and utility over some breakfast.  You are there as a special guest, that your voice is actually being heard, and you feel appreciated.   

Oh, did I forget there’s a drawing for a $500 gift certificate?  Well, the winner this week was Kevin Fortney, who is already a valued and known customer, so congratulations Kevin, and just to let you know, I love these lamps….