Miami Designers Take Center Stage at High Point
The definitive destination for interior design was awash with creativity from Miami.
Miami’s finest interior design brands and personalities took center stage at High Point Market, known to be the definitive destination for interior design. Of the 2000 exhibitors, Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting, a Miami-based lighting manufacturer and distributor had launched several new collections for the week. The Blade Collection was inspired by the Miami International Airport, and included airplane wings, and propellers. With its optic crystal, metal, and wood combination, the pendant lighting mimicked a fleet of planes gliding through the air.
The Embark Collection by Barclay Butera Couture from Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting launch featured studio glass in pendant lighting and sconces, inspired by sails and waves in the rich marine tones and amber shades. With a color palette perfect for a Miami mansion, it is available at the Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting showroom in Miami. Spotted at the event was interior designer Barclay Butera, Rene Quintana and Laura Goldblum of Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting, PR and marketing guru Michele Iapicco of Simplified Media Agency, Jorge Mariner of Mariner Luxury, James Fleming of Camelot Advisory Group, Krissa Rossbund of Traditional Home magazine, Terry Duffy, Susan Gibson Howard and Daphne Nikolopoulos of Florida Design magazine, and Aspire magazine president Steven Mandel.
Miami-based interior designers who stopped by the Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting showroom included Ivette Arango O’Doski of Ivette Arango Interior Design in Coral Gables, Gina Rojas of Adriana Hoyos Design Studio of Coral Gables, Donna Mazzilli of Donna Mazzilli Design of Coconut Grove, Adriana Jacir of 2112 Design Studio LLC in Miami, Cynthia McFarlane of QB Interiors on Brickell Avenue, Andrea Garces of CAZ Group Corp in Weston, Debbie Sperber of Design Time Consulting in Coral Gables,
Marine and Coastal colors showed up again in full-force at High Point, as displayed in original artwork by Jessie Tristan Read, who partnered with Robert Abbey Fine Lighting on its ever-popular Pike Light for an amazing two-piece giveaway contest for shoppers.
“I was thrilled by this opportunity to show my artwork ‘Backstay Lines’ with the acclaimed lighting brand Robert Abbey Fine Lighting at High Point Market last month,” says Read. “I chose a piece from my ‘Lines’ series, which seems to resonate with many people because of the wide range of palettes from neutrals to vivid colors, neons, and metallics. My Key Biscayne and Fisher Island clients are drawn to the chic, coastal vibes, making the ‘Lines’ series paintings perfect for a Florida home or a beach house anywhere.”
High Point also saw several new products from Robert Abbey Fine Lighting including the Elliott Collection, consisting of sleek and streamlined retro-futuristic table and floor lamps in modern brass and polished nickel and its Custom Collection, which offers 24 of the brand’s ceramic lamp styles in over 28 different colors- including a range of gorgeous sea, sand, and citrus colors.
“Lighting always feels like jewelry to me,” says Miami-based interior designer Jen Sarantakis. “It can really be a fun and playful way to showcase your client’s personality, or to make an impactful statement in the overall design objective. When I am sourcing and find lighting I love for a project, it can be common that it is not offered in the color or finish I need, so I appreciate when vendors like Robert Abbey Fine Lighting offer different color and finish options.”
Lastly, standout brands also included Cereria Molla, known for its candles, room and body sprays, diffusers, body wash, and hand soap from Spain. Recognized for producing a clean product (with no sulfates), the brand has seventeen alluring essential oil derived fragrance combinations including Black Orchid & Lily, Basil & Mandarin, and Amber & Sandalwood. One of the most impressive luxurious items was the seven wick, fifteen-pound large format candle that has up to 400 hours of burn time in hand-painted glass containers that can then be repurposed as a planter or champagne bucket. Love the clever repurposing aspect! They are sold at Eichholtz, The Island Shop, and Prinzzesa in Miami.
Closing out the High Point experience was a stop at V Rugs & Home, which has a showroom open to the trade in Miami and sells at stores including Fine Line in Coral Gables. The brand showed off its textured, Houndstooth, and equestrian-inspired ottomans, purses, and more. Their new pillow collections Shaggy, Martini, La Playa, Roma, and Eclipse are a must-have and are crafted of fine Belgium linen, wool, and leather.
Allison Weiss Brady handles marketing for celebrities and non-profits. She is active in many organizations in South Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania including Big Brothers Big Sister, The Community Coalition, Voices Against Brain Cancer, Gene Spotlight, The Barton G. Kids Hear Now Foundation, and one of her family’s foundations Say Yes to Education, which recently partnered with Quincy Jones. Weiss Brady and her husband Chip Brady are members of Art Basel’s Junior Host Committee and Weiss Brady is a member of the Vizcaya Preservation Luncheon Founding Committee. She on the Board of Advisors at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice and she’s the only female on the university’s Football Board. Weiss Brady was also the sole recipient of the University of Pennsylvania’s 2008 Young Alumni of the Year Award, and serves on the Overseers board for the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania.
