My ICFF Experience

I’ve attended design events in Ontario for a number of years now.  As much as the organizers try to change things, they are mostly the same events year after year with new offerings to entice those in the industry to attend.  This year, I had the unique opportunity to fly to New York City to attend a design event that I’ve always wanted to go to.  It’s the International Contempoary Furniture Fair (ICFF) at the Javits Centre.

To sum this event into one word is virtually impossible but if I had to, the only word that comes to mind is … AMAZING!  I was literally a kid in a candy store!  Was that even possible?  I found myself getting even more and more excited at the thought of seeing and experiencing something new.  And I did!  The event truly did not disappoint.

I have to admit, there was a different almost worldly vibe as I overheard several people talking in Italian then switching briefly to English about how they flew in from Milan just for the event.  It was exciting to be rubbing company with international interior designers at the same event.

The event showcased talented designers, local vendors and all were only too happy to talk to me about their products.  I wanted to get as many samples and brochures as I could but I was limited in the amount of available space I had in my luggage.  I only managed to bring back with me only a few high end wallpaper samples, some brouchures and catelogues.  As for the rest of the product offerings, the only way to remember what I had experienced was to have a visual record.

Here are the moments that defined my ICFF experience:

Read more

Master Bedroom Makeover

It’s done!  Master bedroom makeover is now complete.  My client can now relax and enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep in a fabulously decorated space that’s not only beautiful to look at, but fully functional for what the space is meant to be.  We started with the basics and then slowly progressed from there.  A recommendation here, a suggestion there and before we knew it … a complete transformation!

Here are pictures of what the original master bedroom looked like:

(more after the jump)

Read more

Guest Bedroom Re-design

Guest Bedroom - designed by Arnold

At long last, the guest bedroom I was asked to help re-design is finally finished … and I can’t be any more happier!  My client absolutely loves the new design.

As a designer, it always pleases me to hear feedback from my clients – good or bad.  In this case, my client reports that not only does the room look great but it’s also functional.  A friend of his spent the night in the guest room and felt very comfortable (and even had a peaceful, relaxing sleep).  This truly makes me happy to know that a room I designed not only satisfies my client’s needs but that it’s fully functional for the purposes of the room.

Here is what the room used to look like:

(more after the jump)

Read more

Shelter Furniture

In my many sourcing adventures around the city looking for specific furnishings and fixtures for clients, I happen to come across a sign that caught my eye.  It was a sign for Shelter Furniture on Caledonia Road.

At the time, my sole focus was to source bathroom fixtures for a client and I wasn’t about to deviate from that goal.  But since I was in the area, I decided to go in Shelter and see what there is to see.  My intention was to quickly go through the store and get a sense of what they had to offer – a maximum of ten minutes – or so I thought.

As I entered, I was greeted with a large (newly renovated warehouse from what I can tell) open concept space that spans the entire length of the warehouse from front to back.  The showroom itself is brightly lit offering a refreshing breath of fresh air that sets the tone for the rest of the shopping experience.  For a first timer to the store, this was very welcoming.  A very good first impression!

After taking in my surroundings, within a few moments I was happily and pleasantly greeted by one of the sales associates.  She introduced herself and informed me of their current sales promotions.  I was quickly put at ease as we briefly chatted about the store and what they had to offer.

Being in the interior design industry, I’ve been to many furniture stores in the city and come to expect that there’s a certain way of doing things when selling furniture.  It was refreshing to see that all the sales associates at Shelter were actually there to assist in the buying process, helped to answer any questions that might come up and all with a professional yet pleasant casual demeanor.

The store is well organized and appointed with almost everything you can think of to decorate your home with (even a mannequin to put your clothes on!).

They have living rooms and bedrooms setup throughout the space so that customers could visualize what their furniture can look like in their own homes.

My allotted time of ten minutes quickly went out the door as I found myself thoroughly enjoying everything that Shelter had to offer.  Sourcing for bathroom fixtures was put on hold in lieu of the surprise finds at Shelter.

Depending on your needs, Shelter offers modern contemporary pieces in sets or as individual pieces.

When consulting on a design project, I always recommend to my clients to not purchase all your furnishings in one place.  Instead, look to mix and match from different vendors.  That’s not the case with Shelter.  Their products are so diverse that there’s no need to look anywhere else – and if they don’t have what you’re looking for, no problem, they can order it for you from their supplier catalogues.

Given my positive initial experience with Shelter, I decided to take a few clients to Shelters’ showroom to view their product offerings for themselves.  They loved what they saw and even purchased a few items while there.

Here’s a Christmas themed dining room designed by Benito Designs with Shelter furnishings:

Here’s a living room designed by Benito Designs with a Shelter area rug:

Suffice to say, Shelter Furniture is now my ‘go to’ furniture store to show clients looking to furnish their homes.

Even if you’re not looking to purchase anything right away, a visit to Shelter’s showroom to view their products will help inspire the decorator in each of us.

Their website can be found at:  www.shelterfurniture.ca

To view more of what Shelter has to offer, click ‘read more’.

Read more