Inspirations... Modern Eclectic

Interieurs Showroom

January could be referred as "mensis horribilis", dismal business, hardly a client in sight, very few purchase orders.... Having just returned from antique shopping in France, a full container ready to leave, I start fretting, worrying about the state of Business and its enormous financial demands...running a showroom in New York is not for the faint of hearts. I actually run 3 separate businesses, Scenes d'Interieurs d/b/a ... Interieurs ... which is the furniture, lighting, accessories Showroom featuring the Interieurs furniture collection, unique antique pieces and other exclusive collections... Interieurs Inc., which is the wholesale component of the business and Interieurs Design Studio which as it clearly states is the interior design element. I need to be constantly abreast of new products, materials, be inspired to design new pieces for the interieurs collection, understand the upscale market and its demands, utilize the new marketing tools and keep a presence as a key player in the industry.

Getting ready to pitch a new client or an existing client is always a challenge. We had a presentation last friday for an amazing client, incredibly stylish, creative and extremely prominent in the entertainment industry. The client mentioned that  2 top internationally known designers also wanted the project. That kind of challenge is exactly what I needed to chase the blues. In the midst of the frantic gathering of materials, inspirations, preparing boards, CAD elevations and floorplans, I received an email from probably my favorite client from our Tribeca showroom. He had just sold a very large penthouse to a foreign buyer and wanted to show him a few ideas of what could be done with the space. We had 2 days to present an electronic  portfolio of our work  that would be relevant to this amazing space. At 4 AM, my alarm clock woke me up, coffee in hand,  I mentally enter this truly amazing apartment with 360 views of Manhattan, a giant glass fish bowl of sorts, on top of the world. I envision a young, successful single person living there... 

Modern eclectic came instantly to me... not the expected pure contemporary design, but a mix of modern, with surprises of warm wood, corky pieces, custom lighting that would define a space, give a glow and some warmth and a cosmopolitan fee. The international client, whom I may never meet, might spend very little time in this penthouse.

Portfolio ready, I also prepared two inspiration collages the would more clearly define my vision of the space. This prospect is a real long shot as he may have a specific designer in mind, but it was a great exercise to re-awaken my creative juices.  

Inspiration: Eclectic

Inspiration: Contemporary eclectic

Do you have a favorite?

A bientot,

Francine