Saturday morning, Boston welcomed back one of our own, Decor8‘s Holly Becker!

Holly came to Boston from her home with her husband in Germany in support the launch of her first book, Decorate: 1,000 Design Ideas for Every Room in Your Home. The event  started with Holly giving a how-to all about mood boards. I missed this part but was told that the second floor of Anthropologie was PACKED — an impressive fact, given that the Back Bay is more a place for brunch on a Saturday morning than a place for design discussion.

Following the mood board event, Holly signed books. The book signing was scheduled to end at 12:30, but the line just wasn’t having it. I picked up my copy of Decorate and got in line around 11:45, and ended up in front of Holly about an hour later. As I got to the head of the line, Holly greeted me with a, “Gradon?”

Yep, six years after first becoming blogging friends — starting in the same city — we finally got to meet each other!

She stood up, walked around the table, and gave me a hug. We had a quick chat (as quick as you can have with a pack of ravenous fans waiting in line) about the book, about loved ones in other countries, and about starting families — at least Holly and her husband starting a family. That’s the plan for the Beckers shortly after Holly gets back from tour (so exciting!)

I had to run off to spend the day with my family, and now Holly’s on her way to Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and finally, New York… before going back to Germany and her husband.

It was a shorter visit than I would have liked, but it was great to finally meet one of my first friends from the blogging world.

5 Under 40 is New England Home‘s annual celebration of young talent, and this year’s awards ceremony is coming up.

On Thursday, September 15, join New England Home at presenting sponsonr Landri & Arcari‘s showroom on Stuart Street, where they will honor this year’s winners:

Architecture

• Jinhee Park, AIA – Principal at Single Speed Design
• Nima Yadollahpour – Founder and Principal at ONY architecture

Interiors

• Rachel Reider – Founder of Rachel Reider Interiors

Furniture & Home Accessories

• Debra Folz
• Kelly Harris Smith – Co-Founder of FilzFelt

Each winner was given the chance to design a custom rug, which was then produced by Landry & Arcari. The rugs will be auctioned off at the event, with the proceeds going to benefit Barakat, Inc., a Cambridge, Mass.–based charity promoting educational opportunities for women and children in central and south Asia.

I’m excited about this year’s event, as I’ve been a big fan of two of these designers for some time. The work Jinhee and her partner John Hong have done around the region — particularly the modern residences throughout the suburbs — are outstanding. Their Big Dig House is an icon of modern (as in of the present time) design.

Always a collaborator, Kelly’s been involved in the Boston design community for many years. I first came to know her through Etcetera Media, a textile product company she started with her husband, Chris Grimley of Over,Under. Then there’s Design Nearby, an annual holiday sale she curates with Ann Karash (of smartdames and the 47th.)

Tickets are available for $35 in advance, or $45 at the door. This is most certainly a can’t-miss event, and I look forward to seeing you there!

I love Reside. Walking around the Huron Ave/Concord Ave/Fresh Pond triangle, Reside is a standout in an already outstanding area. Which is why my initial reaction to the news of their new location on Washington St in the South End was a mix of excitement and apprehension.

How would the cutest, nicest store with the most fantastic furniture in the prettiest part of Cambridge do in a new neighborhood, let alone the South End?

Not that I have anything against the South End. It’s one of the most vibrant design neighborhoods in the city, and I often spend time there. But it’s a bit… fancy compared to Fresh Pond. How will Reside hold up?

I headed out to Washington St to find out.

All in all, Reside holds up well in well in the South End. The space on Washington St feels like a perfect fit for all of the twentieth century modern furniture and accessories.

Yes, I said “twentieth century” and not “mid-century.” The range of options at the new store expands beyond the mid-century focus of the Cambridge store. The space is packed with furniture, yet not so much that you can’t browse. I think this is one of owner Pamela Watt’s special abilities — filling a space without overfilling it — and it’s something that not every vintage retailer grasps.

Aside from the furniture, Reside South End seemed like it has more accessories than the original store. There were vases, a bunch of glasses on a shelf unit when I visited, as well as a case of jewelry handmade by Pamela’s daughter Nicole.

Every time I walk into Reside Cambridge, I fall in love with a different piece of furniture, and this was no different in the new space. This time, it was this Scandinavian teak dining table. Utterly gorgeous, and it would look great in our new dining room (more on that later.)

All in all, Reside holds up well in the South End. It’s different than the space on Concord Ave, as it should be. Now the only problem is deciding which one I want to visit more.

Reside South End
1409 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118
857-350-3594

If you consider yourself an “emerging interior design pro”, make plans to head to New York next month.

On September 16 and 17, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) will introduce GO PRO: NYC, “a weekend of events tailored specifically for emerging professionals in the interior design industry.”

The two-day event will start with PROject, a tour of the  New York Times building, guided by FXFOWLE Architects, the building’s designers. After, enjoy a reception and talk by Guy Geier, Managing Partner, FXFOWLE Architects, in the offices of Covington & Burling, featuring 360-degree panoramic views of Manhattan.

Saturday includes two information-packed sessions. PROduct will feature carpet designer Joe Carini of CariniLang, discussing his experience working with Nepalese weavers and creating innovative maps of New York at his showroom.

In the afternoon, PRObono Work is a panel discussion on “the responsibility of the design community to take an activist stance and embrace pro bono work.” As part of the panel, there will be a case study of the Harlem-based Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS) facility—an organization that empowers young women who have been sexually exploited.

The panelists will include John Cary, President and CEO of The Next American City and author of “The Power of Pro Bono“; Sonya Dufner, FASID, Associate Principal, Director of Workplace at Perkins + Will NYC; Rachel Lloyd, Founder and Executive Director of New York-based Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS); and Courtney E. Martin, author of “Do It Anyway: The New Generation of Activists“.

The weekend will end with PROfessional Development at the Vitra showroom, a chance to “mingle with design professionals by practice area and expand your professional network in the sectors you want to pursue.” And what design event would be complete without “delicious fare, libations and dancing”?

Visit GO PRO: NYC for more information, and to register.

You live in or around Boston. You have this one room that you want to make over, but “you dream of urban eclectic one day and country cottage the next.” You’re at a loss for where to turn.

Sound like you?

If so, Design Wars, a new television series, could be your answer.

Featuring three top designers the all-new, hour long series is looking for participants who need help deciding on their style direction. The designers will each create a design and then battle it out to, hopefully, be chosen as the winner. And once the victorious designer is declared, they will then create the winning design.

In Design Wars lucky candidates who are chosen by production will be presented with three different visions but will also have all the control as they and their chosen designer make their design dreams come true!

Think you’d like to be on Design Wars? To apply to potentially participate on Design Wars email Nicki Skinner, the casting director, with the following information:

• Tell us why your home needs a new look and why you can’t decide what you want.
• Include photos of you and your family and the main room in need of a new design.
• Please include your contact information including an email address and your daytime phone number.

If your house is chosen to participate, let us know! We’d love to feature the taping of your room’s transformation!

Jill Goldberg knows the value of good advice. The owner of Hudson was recently featured on NECN offering tips on ways to spruce up your home for less than $50.

In addition to the tips in the video, Jill offers these suggestions as well:

• Of course the most simple change comes in a can of paint and a little elbow grease but let’s do something different. Let’s use some painter’s tape and create either horizontal or vertical stripes. We can even get a bit more imaginative and create a flame stitch pattern.

• Take the same approach with flooring. Let’s paint a rug on your wood floor. We can change the design every year and you don’t have to vacuum.

• Consider flowers and plants. A beautiful plant in a charming planter can add life to a table, and if its big enough it can add life to an entire room.

• The biggest surprise? Let’s work with what you already have. We’ll move furniture and accessories around and keep in mind that furniture doesn’t always have to stay in one place forever. Bring those lamps from the bedroom and try them on either side of the living room sofa. Move the sofa to the other wall and pull the side chairs across the room. You’ll gain an entirely new appreciation for what you already own and then we can assess what you might need.

• Vintage. Vintage. Vintage. Go to your local flea markets and estate sales where you can find accessories and sometimes even furniture for no more than $50. Most of the time I like to keep these items the way they are but reupholstering is fun too. Simple finds such as an old chair with a new coat of paint can brighten up a dull desk.

What other low-cost ways have you found to makeover a dull space?

As the saying goes, a company is only as good as its employees. CBT Architects underscored that philosophy when they named new Senior Associates and Associates.

Recognizing the leadership value these individuals bring to the firm, CBT Architects, Boston’s second largest architecture and urban design company, has named 5 new Senior Associates, and 12 new Associates. With experience on  a variety of the firm’s award-winning commissions — including office and mixed-use, multi- and single-family residential, hospitality and retail, academic, historic preservation, and interior design projects, as well as on operational support — these new Senior Associates and Associates have an opportunity to have a voice in the strategic and future direction of the firm. This is especially important as the Boston architecture industry continues to pull itself out of the recession of the last few years.

The new Senior Associates, listed in alphabetical order:

Joe Bettencourt

Eileen Casciari, RA

Adrian LeBuffe, LEED AP

Sharon Steinberg, RA LEED AP

Andrew Wang, RA LEED AP

The new Associates:
• John Bedell, RA LEEP AP
• Mark Bourassa, RA LEED AP
• Henry Celli, RA LEED AP
• Matt Francke, RA LEED AP
• Monte French
• Virendra Kallianpur, LEED AP
• Jennifer Miller, NCIDQ LEED AP
• Michael Moore, RA LEED AP
• Chad Morig, RA LEED AP
• Elizabeth Peterson, SPHR
• Jeremy Schwartz
• Kristi Sprinkel

“CBT’s greatest strength is the skill and talent of its staff,” said Richard J. Bertman, FAIA, LEED AP, a founding principal of CBT. “These promotions recognize key individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth and success of the firm and will act as leaders for its future.”

Congratulations to all of the new Associates and Senior Associates, and to CBT!

Know of any other firms that are growing, shinking, or otherwise changing? Be sure to let us know!

ICFF 2010 has come and gone and it was quite a show.  Gradon and I went down on Saturday and managed to do the show and five parties in under ten hours.  We saw the good and not so good.  I think it’s important to highlight the contrasts between this year’s show and the last.  Gone were the dour faces and downtrodden spirits of 2009.  This year was all about optimism.  Last year, the idea was survival.   It was about weathering the storm by getting back to basics in silhouette, functionality, and safe color choices.  Not the case this year.

This year, there was an abundance of color.  Highly saturated and bright pieces littered the Javits Center like pieces of candy.  Some subtle and some not so subtle but refreshing nonetheless.

In addition to punches of color, there was a huge emphasis on natural materials such as wood and stone.

This year saw the return of decoration.  There were a great number of pieces that relied on exaggerated ornamentation and less on form and functionality.  At times, it felt as though designers were overcompensating for the paired-down approach of last year by adding decoration to their designs.  Not all decoration is bad, but it is important to practice restraint.

Remember, less can still be more.

I love design, and I know when something is done well, but I’m no designer. So I’m excited to introduce “Wake Up Wednesday”, our newest series here on DesignBoston featuring local interior designer Ana Donohue!

We all have that room with no moldings, no architectural detail, or we have that room that is great architecturally but still needs that something special. Think WALLPAPER! Whenever there is nothing visually appealing for your eye to focus on, the eye will focus on the lack of interest or lack of detail.

I often create interest in a room by layering, and one great way to take any room to another level is by using wallpaper. Now, I know what you’re thinking: my grandmother’s wallpaper? Stop right there!

Wallpaper is back, and has been for a while: think giant-scale graphic flowers and vines, subtle tone-on-tone retro swirls, and boldly colored grasscloth. There are innumerable options available today to give any room that added layer of detail and fun.

Below are some of my favorites by Osborne & Little at the Boston Design Center.

At the top of this post and below are a couple examples of rooms that would have been cheered up with a bit of paint… but are now spectacular with wallpaper:

So what could a little wallpaper do for your home?

(photo credit: Warren Patterson and Michael J. Lee)

You can do ICFF in a day, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Christopher and I took an early bus down to New York on Saturday for the first day of ICFF 2010, and came back that night, getting back to Boston around 3:00AM. In between those two four-hour bus rides, there was much design to be had.

The general feel of the day — in and out of the Javits Center — was very optimistic. The recession has passed, and we’re on to bigger and brighter things. This was best represented by Kikkerland‘s bright red display:

Hästens had what was probably the most interactive display. They had one of their beds at the front of the display, exploded on one side to show what all of the layers of materials looks like. They also sent two master bed makers from Sweden to show attendees what “hand made” really means. I took a turn doing side stitching, and I can verify, it’s not easy work:

This optimistic vibe was felt in the products around ICFF, too: brighter colors, more ornamentation, and lots and lots of lighting, like these examples from Roll & Hill, Tom Dixon, J Good Design, and WOKA Lamps Vienna:

There’s also a continuing trend of wood in all of its varieties, like these pieces from Iannone Design and Miles & May:

Even though it was smaller than years before — no Kartell or Knoll? — I wouldn’t advise trying to cover it all in one day! Keep an eye for more posts in the coming days about our finds at ICFF 2010!