Photograph courtesy of Marburger Farm Antique Show

Accustomed to monthly markets like Scott Antique and Lakewood 400, Atlantans also flock to Texas’s Round Top Antiques Show. Three times each year, dozens of vendors assemble over more than ten miles along Highway 237 between Houston and Austin. One of the largest antique shows in the world, Round Top is sometimes compared to Les Puces de Saint-Ouen in Paris. For regular fans, the true bucket-list item is a coveted ticket to the opening of the five-day Marburger Farm Antique Show. Organizers strike a giant triangle to signal the start, and collectors, designers, celebrities, and shoppers run-walk to the entrance, eager to get first dibs on goods from more than 300 vendors. Devotees include Kelly Wearstler, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Kathryn Ireland, Carson Kressley, and Joanna Gaines—not to mention visiting celebs like Gwen Stefani, Jenna Lyons, Brooklyn Decker, and Camila and Matthew McConaughey.

This year, from July 17-20, Marburger is showing Georgia some love by holding its first-ever show outside Texas at Atlanta’s Philip Shutze-designed Southern Exchange Ballrooms—the latest incarnation of the iconic space at 200 Peachtree that once housed the downtown Macy’s. The grand digs, with crystal chandeliers and Corinthian columns, are a far cry from the tents and vintage storefronts (yes, these include a Silver Dollar Saloon and Blacksmith Shop) that have hosted the Texas event for more than 25 years. The Atlanta show, which will be free and open to the public, will feature 60 dealers and 35,000 square feet of merchandise.

Photograph courtesy of Marburger Farm Antique Show

“We wanted to bring the Marburger experience to the Southeast, and Atlanta’s history and personality was a natural match for us,” said Jeremy Buonamici, Partner and COO of Brook Partners, owners and operators of Marburger, in a press release. “Our dealers create a remarkable shopping environment and present unique pieces sourced from all over the world. Shoppers will revel in the history and excitement that comes with merchandise they purchase at our show.”

Shoppers can expect Marburger’s signature high-low mix, which ranges from fine Continental antiques and oil paintings to midcentury collectibles, Americana, African and Asian imports, industrial artifacts, and more. Yes, there will be museum-quality pieces. But even the collectibles will be strictly high-quality kitsch. Think an eye-popping selection of vintage barware or rows of graceful French fauteuils. Also for the first time, Marburger will host a VIP Shopping Experience the evening before the show, from 4 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $200 and can be purchased here.

The post The famed Marburger Farm Antique Show comes to Atlanta in July appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Atlanta Magazine and Atlanta Magazine’s HOME in partnership with Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio are sponsoring ‘Kitchens for a Cause,’ a curated tour of seven spectacular kitchens that will benefit Meals on Wheels Atlanta (MOWA). The kitchens on tour this year—all of which are located within the Ansley Park, Buckhead, and Chastain Park neighborhoods—feature upscale design, innovative storage, multi-functional work surfaces, and state-of-the-art appliances.  

Visitors will be inspired by the craftsmanship of local architects, builders, and kitchen and interior designers, and will have the opportunity to view the latest styles in cabinetry, countertops, fixtures, flooring, lighting, appliances, and other practical and decorative elements of kitchen design. Six residential kitchens along with the newly renovated Meals on Wheels Atlanta kitchen will be highlighted. 

The kitchens will be open for viewing on Saturday, Sept. 30. The tour is self-guided, with self-parking at each home. Tickets for the one-day event are $40; home addresses will be provided upon purchase. 

“We are thrilled to co-sponsor this event with Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio,” said Sean McGinnis, president and publisher of Atlanta Magazine and Atlanta Magazine’s HOME. “The tour represents the very best kitchen design in our city, and the proceeds will benefit one of Atlanta’s busiest and most needed non-profit organizations.” 

Tour attendees are invited to visit each residential kitchen at their own pace and then join staff from Atlanta Magazine and Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the recently renovated MOWA facility for a celebration that includes lite bites, cocktails, and entertainment. A ticket purchase will provide access to this celebration as well as a tour of MOWA’s stunning new demonstration kitchen, outdoor kitchen, patio, and garden spaces. 

A VIP kick-off reception will be held on Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove Showroom in Buckhead. Limited tickets to this event are available at $150.00 per person. 

Featured sponsors for the kitchen tour include: Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC); Bottega Stone; Ciot; DesignCraft; Distinctive Appliances; Downsview Kitchens; François & Co.; Harrison Design; Matthew Quinn Collection; Plato Woodwork; Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove; Timoney Construction; and Traditions in Tile & Stone. 

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit atlantamagazine.com/kitchens-for-a-cause. 

The post Upcoming Kitchen Tour to Benefit Meals on Wheels Atlanta appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph courtesy of Michel Smith Boyd

Atlanta interior designer Michel Smith Boyd has garnered dozens of accolades during his 15-year career, including being recognized as one of the country’s top 10 African American designers by the Black Interior Designers Network in 2022. His work has appeared in countless national publications—from Veranda and Vogue to the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, and his carefully crafted rooms have been featured in showhouses around the country. As if that wasn’t enough, he also has launched several bespoke collections, including artwork, casegoods, luxury rugs, and home fragrances.

And now, the designer is the host of HGTV’s new show, Luxe for Less, which debuted December 1. It should come as no surprise that the network tapped him for the job. Aside from his impressive resume, he has made regular appearances on HGTV’s House Hunters and Rock the Block as well as the Bravo design series Buying It Blind.

Ironically, Boyd had decided to forego television and focus on building his brand when he received a call from the director of the show in May 2020. “After the Bravo show, I thought I was done with TV,” he said. But the designer agreed to take the HGTV meeting, which was held via Zoom due to the pandemic, and he soon found himself shooting a teaser—also via Zoom—with the camera operator in his Atlanta studio and the director in Los Angeles.

The execs at HGTV liked what they saw and, before long, Boyd was casting coworkers on the show, including interior designer Kai Williamson, contractor Laura Green, and fashion designer Anthony Elle (who is also Boyd’s Rock the Block partner). “I’ve known these three throughout my career and wanted them to be a part of my team,” he said.

The premise of the show is to give homes a high-end makeover while ensuring that expenses are kept to a minimum. Boyd and his team use clever hacks, such as repurposing furniture and purchasing appliances at ‘scratch and dent’ outlets, to keep costs down. “Luxury is within everyone’s reach,” he said. The key is figuring out where to save money and then deploying those dollars where it counts.

He often splurges on surfaces, such as countertops for kitchens and primary baths. A recent episode featured a waterfall countertop design for a kitchen island that transformed the space from ho-hum to show-stopper. “You want to spend money on the areas you come in contact with the most,” he said.

He doesn’t skimp on sofas either. “They set the tone for the room.” And he’s a huge fan of wallpaper, often using textured wallcoverings to add depth, drama, and warmth to a space. “It’s about making smart design choices.” According to the designer, well-appointed rooms are achievable, even on a modest budget.

Interestingly, he sees one of his primary missions as helping homeowners identify what luxury means to them. “Luxury is a word we hear a lot, but most of our ideas about it are based on advertising or on what other people have told us. I try to help clients determine their ideas of luxury and then help them achieve it,” he said.

Boyd enjoys helping people create beautiful living environments and is happy to have found a television home at HGTV. “It just feels right. HGTV resonates with everyone,” he said. “My mom is a loyal viewer, which makes this whole experience so much sweeter.”

In November, he and his castmates gathered at an Atlanta theater for a screening of the new show. A few days later, he watched the first episode at his childhood home in Louisiana with his mother, his siblings, and a few friends in attendance. “We watched the show in the kitchen while we were eating, and it was great,” he said. “Not only do I get to do what I enjoy but I also get to share the experience with viewers and the people I love most.”

Luxe for Less is now streaming on Discovery+ and other outlets—as will be the new season of Rock the Block, another HGTV show that features Boyd, starting March 6.

The post Local designer Michel Smith Boyd hosts HGTV’s newest show, Luxe for Less appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph by Aaron Grant

Founded in 2021, the Asian American Pacific Islander Design Alliance engages, promotes, and empowers Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders working within the home and design industries. We talked with Jessica Davis, co-founder and owner of Atlanta-based Atelier Davis (who was also just named to Elle Decor’s A-List for 2022) about how AAPIDA and its five mission pillars—advocacy, awareness, collaboration, dialogue, and mentorship—came to be.

“I always felt the world of high-end residential interior design is very Euro-centric,” says Davis, the daughter of a Taiwanese immigrant. Davis grew up in Hong Kong but moved to Dallas, Texas, during her middle school years. Attending a highly affluent, primarily white school where she and her brother were among just a handful of Asians triggered her advocacy for Asian inclusivity and acceptance at a young age.

Fast forward to starting her design firm here in Atlanta in 2019 (her home was the cover story of Atlanta Magazine’s HOME in winter 2020), she describes how “all of these things culminated, the shootings in Atlanta, and a lot of hate crimes towards AAPI people. It just made me think a lot more about that: How do we advocate for people in the industry that I’m in?”

“So, I started talking to a couple of friends who were also Asian and in the design industry,” says Davis, who had previously worked with New York-based interior designer Young Huh and sought collaboration after Huh sent a newsletter for AAPI month in 2021. Davis and Huh then wrangled a group of people together to start AAPIDA. “It was a year of phone calls and talking through what we wanted to do,” says Davis. The original founding members include Davis, Huh, design PR specialist Go Kasai, Dowel Furniture CMO Joanne Lee, Elle Decor and Town & Country contributing editor William Li, interior designer Jean Liu, and Interior Define creative director and Domino contributing editor, Benjamin Reynaert.

Currently, AAPIDA is “figuring out a formal structure for its organization,” says Davis, who helped kickstart their debut at the Schumacher showroom in New York this past May. The event was moderated by Reynaert, with assistance from fellow member Kasai.

“Seeing other people who are making it in the industry who also come from a similar background is so important,” states Davis, who, along with Huh, have both experienced a lack of inclusivity and mentorship in their design careers. “Many of us also come from backgrounds where our parents are more traditional and do not approve of our career choices,” explains Davis, adding how vital and “helpful it is to see other people in the industry who are successful. It sets a good example.”

“Now, we are starting to recruit more members and think about committees and local chapters as well as other local events we can do, and what we would like to potentially raise money for,” adds Davis.

“It all started very loosely; we are still early on and figuring out more structure,” says Davis, adding, “our main goals are to promote awareness, inclusivity, and collaboration within the AAPI design community with access to mentorship and scholarships.” As AAPIDA expands and becomes more formalized, Davis plans to allocate committees to each sub-cause. For example, one sector will spearhead education and scholarships, while another will manage new member recruitment and overall AAPIDA visibility.

For design professionals wanting to get involved, Davis encourages taking the first step by filling out the contact form on AAPIDA’s website. “We’re working on a welcome email and survey on what people want to get involved in,” notes Davis, who is currently pooling a list of Asian interior designers who will shape AAPIDA’s future structure and success.

The post How the Asian American Pacific Islander Design Alliance is advocating for more inclusivity in the interior design industry appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Atlanta Magazine’s HOME and Atlanta magazine are pleased to introduce the Georgia Design Awards. These awards are the first of their kind—bringing together all segments of the interior design, architecture, construction, and landscape design communities to showcase the best work and brightest talent across the state of Georgia. Though our state has many wonderful industry competitions, none are cross-disciplinary. This program is meant to recognize the collaborative environment that design professionals work in every day.

“Atlanta is owned by Hour Media, the largest publisher of city and regional magazines in the United States. This type of design award program has been wildly successful in several of their major markets, attracting hundreds of entries. We’re excited to introduce the concept to Georgia,” says Sean McGinnis, publisher of Atlanta magazine.

Our program will be the first to involve both the trade and consumers. We launched Atlanta Magazine’s HOME in 2015 because the readers of Atlanta magazine have such a strong passion for beautiful spaces. Our combined audience of hundreds of thousands of readers—including more than 60,000 paid subscribers and almost half a million unique visitors online—showcases professionals’ work not only to their colleagues but also to the design devotees who are their ultimate clients. Our awards will get readers involved by having them select the “Best Overall House” award. Also, winning entries will be published in the winter issue of Atlanta Magazine’s HOME.

We will highlight not only entire projects, but noteworthy details, such as a spectacular lighting installation or one amazing bedroom. Naturally, we love being impressed by complete projects that reflect a consistent vision from start to finish, but sometimes homes evolve over time. Design professionals deserve recognition for working small miracles within real-life constraints.

Sponsors include International Market Centers, including AmericasMart and ADAC, along with Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove. Go to GeorgiaDesignAwards.com for details. Entries will be judged by an independent panel of judges from outside the state. Winners will be announced at a gala in December.

The post Atlanta Magazine announces Georgia’s first cross-disciplinary design awards appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph courtesy of TOV Furniture

New York-based TOV Furniture debuted the Voice Collection—which features designs by prominent Black designers, including Atlantans Erika Ward and Justin Q. Williams—at High Point’s spring market in April. Other contributors were Carmeon Hamilton, Nile Johnson, Don Ricardo Massenburg, and Nicole White.

“We are thrilled to have collaborated with six well-known Black designers from across the US,” says Chaya Krinksy, who founded TOV Furniture in 2013 with her husband Bruce. “Erika Ward and Justin Q. Williams are powerhouse leaders in the design industry, and their unique contributions to this TOV collection are everything we hoped for and more.”

Photograph courtesy of TOV Furniture

“From a cultural perspective, it was a high honor to be included in TOV’s campaign highlighting furniture design from the viewpoint of a Black designer,” says Ward. “The pieces we created only skimmed the surface of the breadth and depth of our work, but it was certainly a beautiful beginning. The TOV brand made both a statement and financial investment that truly solidified their commitment to amplifying our voices, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”

Since launching her business in 2006, Ward has expanded to working with clients nationwide. She serves as a spokesperson and brand ambassador for ADAC Atlanta, High Point Market, Home Depot, and others and was featured recently on NBC’s Open House series—though she says she’s most proud of her roles as wife to husband Chris and mother of their five children.

Photograph courtesy of TOV Furniture

Ward created two elegant pieces for the Voice Collection. The Brooke Espresso Walnut Dresser, named after her daughter Brooke, pairs acacia’s natural wood finish with sophisticated accent insets. The other piece is a four-poster, King-sized bed—named after daughter Ava—with a faux suede headboard, acacia wood construction, and contemporary metal posts.

“The TOV project has been an incredible opportunity to flex my design muscles as it relates to a custom piece for mass production. It allowed me to give thoughtful consideration to designing a piece that married my design mantra of timeless and classic with TOV’s adventurous and current aesthetic, while also making it affordable. You could never look at my piece and put a date stamp on it,” Ward told Atlanta.

Photograph courtesy of TOV Furniture

Williams, who recently appeared on HGTV’s Design Star: Next Gen, was inspired by his parents, who encouraged his interest in design while he was growing up in Alabama. He created four pieces for the Voice Collection, each named for family members and reflecting their personalities. The luxurious Jessie Sectional honors his grandfather—a quintessential gentleman, always well put-together and stylish, according to Williams. The Van Accent Chair, named for Williams’s father, is minimal yet classic, with velvet or vegan-leather tufted upholstery and a polished gold stainless frame. Williams used uniquely abstract, patterned fabric for the Crystal Chair to honor his mother, who he says is always the charismatic life of the party. Finally, his Alon Media Console gets its name and espresso hue from Williams’s standard poodle, while its brass legs and door pulls reflect gold accents from Alon’s collar.

Photograph courtesy of TOV Furniture

Photograph courtesy of TOV Furniture

“The TOV Voice collection was an initiative that is long overdue, and the name ‘Voice’ says it all,” Williams said. “This collection highlights representation in an industry where wildly talented designers are too often overlooked and underrepresented. The initiative means the world to me, as I myself have been overlooked after working twice as hard to produce beautiful spaces and content for all to enjoy. It’s a beautiful moment in time that I am truly grateful for.”

Photograph courtesy of TOV Furniture

The post Atlantans debut furniture lines for TOV’s all-Black-designed Voice Collection appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

AmericasMart Atlanta’s annual winter market showcases the latest in home decor. Featuring more than 8,000 brands and attracting buyers from all 50 states and 32 countries, last month’s event drew a 70 percent greater attendance than last year. Here, we’ve asked a few Mart experts to share the top design trends they spotted for the coming year.

Photograph courtesy of Currey & Co.

1. Biophilic design
The great outdoors has always been a source of inspiration for interior design, a trend that continues to pick up steam this year. “Having a touch of nature in any interior brings calm and a sense of well-being,” says Bethanne Matari of Currey & Co., adding, “houseplants are healthy for any home as they help clean the air we breathe by absorbing carbon dioxide.” Energized by botanical design, Currey & Co. recently introduced their Elder Orb Chandelier. Made of wrought iron, this light fixture moonlights as a hanging sculpture—a product design originally inspired by oversized monstera leaves (a plant in the Philodendron Family).

Photograph courtesy of Currey & Co.

Photograph courtesy of Currey & Co.

2. Tropical-inspired interiors
After two years of Covid restrictions, we could all benefit from a bit of sunshine—which is why “exotic travel and the dream to be able to travel freely again, especially to tropical locations” are inspiring interiors, says Matari. Natural materials remain at the forefront of Currey & Co.’s new product line made to look “distinctly bohemian and simultaneously sophisticated,” she adds. To inject tropical, exotic vibes into your space, pick the St. Barts Blue Chandelier, a light fixture that echos the colors of the sea, or the Marchmont Chest, a shell-encrusted dresser fitted with faux coral drawer pulls.

Photograph courtesy of Currey & Co.

3. Primary hues
Currey & Co’s Mister M collection helps satisfy a thirst for color—a current trend predicted to have some staying power. “It makes us happy and has a distinctly modern edge,” says Matari. “The Mister M collection of products pays homage to the fabulous color combinations used by the painter Piet Mondrian, the Mister M after whom this family of accessories and lamps is named.”

Photograph courtesy of Caracole

4. Bold furniture
Avery Hardy of Caracole also finds homeowners are ready to take life less seriously. “The darkness and isolation caused by the pandemic have triggered the desire for happier and more upbeat atmospheres in homes and surroundings,” says Hardy. “We are seeing interior designers and customers increasingly incorporating vivid colors and bold patterns for both hard surfaces and upholstery into their spaces.” For example, check out the blue drawers on this Da Vita Dresser.

Photograph courtesy of Caracole

Photograph courtesy of Caracole

5. Heightened entertainment
Hardy adds, “Now more than ever, design elements focused on heightened entertainment experiences are becoming a mainstay in overall home design. Furnishings that provide both comfort and function can create a space where everyone wants to gather for conversation and camaraderie.” This dry bar is a swanky conversation piece that adds style to an entertaining space, and the media center blends seamlessly into a living room.

Photograph courtesy of Caracole

6. Go international
“Furniture incorporating international design inspirations remains a favorite among interior designers,” says Hardy. “We are constantly infusing modern design elements into classic European styles to add elements of surprise and whimsy.” One example is this chic ottoman with spaghetti fringe, which can double as a formal cocktail table or an extra seat.

Photograph courtesy of Dôme Deco

7. Comfort through curves
Joshua Thomas of Dôme Deco foresees an emergence of a style he calls “Soft Post Modern/Comfort through Curves.” This aesthetic is “defined by curved and sculptural shapes and statement accessories.” Dôme Deco’s new coffee tables, Rome and Tanta bundled with accessories Pia and Lascar embody this design aesthetic.

The post What are 2022’s home decor trends? 7 top looks from Americasmart experts appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

July’s Atlanta Market at AmericasMart has come and gone, but Fall Design Week is just around the corner, September 20-22. So if you missed summer market – or if you prefer to shop at a slower pace – this is your chance to explore hundreds of home décor, gift and lifestyle showrooms across campus. Find the in-stock, on-trend products you need in a wide variety of price points and styles.

Fall Design Week is a three-day, in-person buying event featuring more than 1,000 home décor resources including lighting vendors like Currey & Company, Jamie Young Company and Lowcountry Originals; furnishings from brands like Uttermost, Arteriors, Gabby, and Caracole; decorative accessories from Global Views, Port 68 and Sagebrook Home; outdoor furniture from Ratana, Polywood and Summer Classics; textiles and soft goods from Peacock Alley, Annie Selke and Emdee; artwork from Leftbank Art, Soicher Marin and Wendover Art. And much, much more.

In addition to home décor, you’ll find hundreds of gift and lifestyle brands offering stationery, housewares, gourmet, toys, candles, tabletop, fashion accessories, holiday, pet products and personal care. It’s a curated, cross-category shopping experience unlike anywhere else.

Fall Design Week also marks the return of in-person educational seminars and networking opportunities to help you build your business. The daily schedule of events will be announced soon, so stay tuned to AmericasMart.com/FDW.

One week. Two design destinations.

A short trip from downtown, Discover ADAC at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center in Buckhead overlaps with Fall Design Week, taking place September 21-23. Grab a complimentary shuttle on Tuesday or Wednesday to experience both of the Southeast’s most comprehensive design resources. ADAC consists of over 65 showrooms offering 1,200 of the industry’s finest product lines including furniture, fabric, rugs, lighting, accessories, floor and wall coverings, antiques, fine art and framing, kitchens, bath, tile and stone, and home theater products.

“Bringing together AmericasMart and ADAC for a collaborative market experience allows the design community an expanded opportunity to network with industry leaders, preview upcoming trends and buy accordingly,” said Bob Maricich, CEO of International Market Centers.

Beyond the showrooms, Fall Design Week and Discover ADAC participants can draw inspiration from unique “Directions in Design” vignettes installed at both venues. The two coordinated vignettes will be merchandised and curated by Nishi Donovan of Donovan Design Studio and will showcase the complementary design resources available across both AmericasMart and ADAC.

—

AmericasMart is not open to the general public, but is free to attend for interior designers, retail buyers, home stagers, landscape architects, event planners and film & television production buyers. Review admission requirements and register online at AmericasMart.com/FDW.

Fall Design Week Featuring Gift & Home
September 20 – 22
AmericasMart.com/FDW

DISCOVER ADAC
September 21-23
ADACAtlanta.com

The post Get the Goods at AmericasMart’s Fall Design Week appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

In the rarefied world of passementerie—the decorative fabric trim, tape, tassels, and cords that adorn draperies, furniture skirts, and more—Georgia’s Fringe Market has the high-end niche cornered.

The mill, which operates out of a small factory in Eatonton, east of Atlanta near Lake Oconee, is one of the only U.S. makers of fine trim, which is staging a comeback in decorating as a finishing detail. Launched by Dalton natives Melanie and Mark Cosby, Fringe Market specializes in trim made of natural fibers like Belgian linen, jute, and recycled cotton in an array of custom-dyed colors and patterns, like embroidered Greek keys, pom-poms, and handwoven tassels. The company now produces private-label trim for some of the biggest textile companies in the world, also selling by the yard directly to the trade and at retail stores like Lewis and Sheron. This is not your grandmother’s shiny golden drapery cords—these pieces are a sophisticated and modern take on the age-old embellishment.

“There were holes in the market,” says Mark Cosby, who has been in the trim business his entire life and has a degree in textile engineering. “No one was making high-end casual trim for decorators, so we decided to brand ourselves as such.”

Photograph courtesy of Fringe Market

That was seven years ago, when Mark’s wife, Melanie, joined the business, bringing an eye for design. (Then, as now, a significant part of their business was industrial trim—think seatbelts, trim on tires, and the edging of carpets.) These days, they release a chic new style nearly every week, have created more than 50 collections in as many as 80 colors, and can create fully custom work. The shelves of the warehouse are stacked high in threads, from pale pinks to dark cobalt and plenty of neutral hues in natural fibers.

Photograph courtesy of Fringe Market

Photograph courtesy of Fringe Market

Because the Cosbys are creating pieces no one else is, Mark had to adapt and reengineer the machinery to handle the intricate designs. There is also a team who hand-ties tassels and fringe.

“It’s a dying art that you don’t see much in the U.S. anymore,” says Melanie. Meanwhile, business is taking off.

This article appears in our Winter 2019 issue of Atlanta Magazine’s HOME.

The post Decorative trim is back—and a little Georgia factory is leading the trend appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

The artist has arrived. British designer Tom Dixon will be in town at Switch Modern on February 26 as part of the Atlanta leg of his Big Fat American tour. The tour is to kick off the release of Dixon’s latest furniture collection, dubbed FAT. Always an innovator, the collection explores a fresh take on shape and texture. Dixon is known for his playful work with materials and general approach to design. He is also responsible for the design of Himitsu in Buckhead.

Below, we chatted with him about the new collection.

Photograph courtesy of Tom Dixon

You can be called a designer, artist, engineer, maker, perhaps a futurist, and more. I find this kind of deep curiosity and fluidity makes for the most interesting outputs. How do you self-identify, if you choose to at all?
It would be a shame to limit the opportunities to play in all of these fields—in the end, being a designer means that you have to be interested in all of these things and many more (Politics? Manufacturing? Communication? Craft?) just to be effective in design. I’m probably as much a design entrepreneur as anything though.

What is it that makes your work easily and instantly relatable?
Oooh. That’s a difficult question. I mean, it’s a nice compliment. I guess we spend a lot of time trying to strip out complexity. We like our objects to feel substantial and honest.

What excites you most about this new collection?
We haven’t produced a new furniture collection for a while, and the FAT chair has been created to fulfill a personal need—for our own restaurant in London. So we tested these in our own space and they work as a collection of simple, comfortable, minimal-yet-expressive, and sculptural furniture.

What leads your design process? Materials? Concept? Shape?
Yes, yes, and yes again, but also manufacturing process, function, originality.

How did your collaboration with Himitsu come about? Will you be found at Himitsu during your Atlanta leg of the tour?
Obviously! We are going to hold a music and design event there—should be fun. The Himitsu collaboration came about simply because [owner] Farshid [Arshid] contacted us out of the blue with a very clear vision of what he wanted. It sounded like such a crazy mix of elements, and he has an infectious enthusiasm in everything that he does, so we were delighted to be able to crystallize that vision. It is so nice to see that it’s working well and has become a fixture on the Atlanta scene.

Where is home now? How would you describe your home and what is your favorite space? Of course we need to know what is your favorite piece of furniture in the home?
I live in London during the week and in Brighton at the weekend. I live in a circular tower with a flat roof, and my favorite space is lying down on the roof terrace where all you can see is a round portion of sky. It is a bit like having a private James Turrell.

The post Designer Tom Dixon chats about his new collection appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.