Design

Spring Awakening 

| Design Works International

If your from the northeast this image should give you hope that “spring” is officially here. Snow has melted, spring grass is sprouting, birds are out in full force and it’s not freezing!

I guess it’s the winters past that make us appreciate these special moments between the segway of seasons.

For all of us creative types I feel that are senses are highlighted around these times as we see the beauty in the smallest of changes and appreciate them in a more memorable way.

For me it’s always renewal, gratitude and anticipation of what’s to come. A certain excitement starts to build in me with the possibilities of flowers blooming, veggies growing, birds returning and smiles on faces that seem a bit more sincere!

I often wonder if I lived in a place where the seasons did not change how I would miss these segways of seasons!

Photo by Nancy Fire

An Enchanted Evening

| Design Works International

 Last week I attended the HSN Awards Gala with HGTV in Saint Petersburg Florida and was captivated by this magical evening! The event is held to honor some of HSN’s clients, or should I say family…because the feeling of this “Enchanted Evening” was truly like one big family! The warmth of the evening in celebrating some of HSN’s greats was something like the Academy Awards of HSN. It was one of those parties that everyone including the host and hostess were having “A Ball”, no pun intended! The theme which emulated the sensibility of the new Disney Movie, Cinderella was, how should I say, spectacular! 

In this day of retail sales weather it be brick and mortar, on-line, catolog or television it’s nice to see cohesiveness when it comes to retail partners and the respect each has for one another!

Kudos to Mindy Grossman and Bill Brand for creating this “Enchanted Evening”, it was truly enjoyable!

 

Sassy Suculents-Parisian Style

| Design Works International

  

Photo by Nancy Fire

While in Paris on a trend shopping trip I came across these “Sassy Suculents” and immediately fell in plant love! I mean these guys just had it going on…perfect color, perfect texture and of course perfect pot! 

I love this “Rustic Glam” style, mixing smooth surfaces, beautiful tinted colors with the texture of these lava pots.

I wonder if a person not in the design field would feel the same way about these  sassy suculents and fall in plant love like I did!

We all know that suculents are trending now but like anything else when a trend hits you need to rethink your strategy so that you can reinvent your product in a more “trend right” sensibility!

I think these “Sassy Suculents-Parisian Style”…did just that!

Spring is looking mighty different this year in NYC!

| Design Works International

  

Photo by @nancy_fire

Second day in and it sure is pretty…just not feeling the “Spring Vibe” yet! 

Loving the pastel sky and the beautiful tones of the buildings on 5th Ave framing the frozen reservoir in Central Park. Almost has a surreal feel due to the steam rising above the city and the dimension of the photo.

Happy Saturday and keep channeling Spring, at least we can still enjoy the beauty of what is left of winter!

Snow. Do. Not. Enter.

| Design Works International

Photo by @nancy_fire

I know the two words that we all want to say today “Happy Spring” might have to be on hold for at least tomorrow due to a pending snow storm on the east coast today!

Guess we have to remember that it’s only March 20th and we have had our fair share of snow on the east coast through April in past years.

The chaos for NYC will be the crazy commute home tonight as the storm should hit its stride by rush hour, BUT the creativity will come from yet another amazing photo op that NYC has to offer when it’s color is a blanket of fresh white snow!

Trying to stay positive….”TGIF”!❄️❄️

Trend Shopping in Shanghai 

| Design Works International

Someone has to do it….so why not me?

Often I am asked why I love what I do everyday for a living and as the old saying goes…”Find a job you love and you”ll never work a day in your life”….25 years in my design studio in NYC with some of the most talented and dedicated designers, amazing clients and friends, my husband Neil as my business and life partner and two kids that are well on their way to creating their own path in life…sounds easy right…nope lots of hard work, dedication, long days and nights in the studio, PTA meetings and more! 

My point…it takes time to build ones career and good things are worth the wait. This is my mantra during the many interviews I conduct in my studio because I feel it so important today to be realistic about ones professional path. It took years of hard work to build our business and today we are humbled to still be in business in one of the greatest cities in the world!

So trend shopping in Shanghai…..why not, after all “Find a job that you love and you”ll never work a day in your life”!



Photo by @nancy_fire