The Best of NY International Gift Fair

{Love the oil painting portrait in Elements by Jill Schwartz‘s booth.}

Roadtrip!  This week I embarked on one to attend the New York International Gift Fair with my friend Sarah of The Roving Home boutique and blog.

We woke up at 3 am to tag along with the Mr. for his usual Monday morning drive to New York.  (He took pity on us and concocted The Breakfast Sandwich to End All Breakfast Sandwiches: scrambled eggs, tomato bacon, avocado and Cabot cloth-bound cheddar on an English muffin.)

A few hours later, we emerged onto the shoulder of the West Side Highway, bleary-eyed and blinking at the behemoth that is the Javits Center, ready to jump into the frey.

Before you go any further, read Sarah’s pre-show take on her bad romance with NYIGF.   She captures the vibe perfectly.  The whole shebang is at turns inspiring, overwhelming and absurd.

Let’s concentrate on the inspiring portion.  Amid all the hubbub, good design stood tall.  Read on for the people and products that made my short list.

1.DUNES + DUCHESS

Dunes and Duchess, the brain child of editor Stacy Kunstel and photographer Michael Partenio, is a line of home accessories with a glossy, beachy bent.  These busy bees debuted several new products at NYIGF.  Take a peek at their gorgeous products here, but don’t miss the pictures below – these are brand new items that haven’t even hit their site yet.

{Seriously, how cute are these two?  Even in a less-than-sharp iPhone pic. The piece Stacy’s holding features the brand new Coast Guard orange paint finish, and yes, it’s an exact match to the official hue.}

{A new dove gray paint finish. It reads slightly more gray in person than it does here.}

{New product alert: wall sconce!}

{Very large lamp.}

{This new finish may be my very favorite.  It reminds me of driftwood.}

2. DIANE JAMES DESIGNS

Am I the last person in the design world to stop dead in my tracks at the sight of Diane James Designs’ silk flowers?  I have never, ever seen silk flowers of this caliber. Actually, in the spirit of accuracy, I’ve seen their work many times but always assumed they were real blooms.

Head over to their online store to view the Spring collection.  You can also see their flowers in situ in the debut issue of High Gloss Magazine (the white hydrangeas on page 22 and the pink rose on page 130).

{I was so thrilled to meet Carolyn, Diane’s daughter, and the force behind The Buzz blog. Carolyn blogs

3. AUSTRALIAN DESIGN + MARKETING

I dies, died, died over these cheese and carving platters made from vintage wine barrels.  There’s no website, but if you’re a business owner who would like to carry them, contact Ivan Hull (917.881.6644, ivanhulladam@yahoo.com).

{Love the sturdy iron handles.}

{Each platter is unique, and many are stained by their former contents.}

{This platter is made from a vertical section of the barrel, hence the curve.}

4. HAMMOCKS + HIGH TEA

If organic textiles in bright global prints are your bag, check out Brooklyn-based Hammocks and High Tea. Run by the lovely Karen Young, the label carries everything from table runners to dopp kits in its online shop.

5. DORI CSENGERI JEWELERY

Dori Csengeri Jewelry knows how to do big, bright and wearable.  All the pieces are handsewn and backed in leather.  Despite the chunks of cabochon and large sizes, they are light as a feather.  I’d tuck a few of these in my bag on my next beach vacation.

6. DESIGN HOUSE STOCKHOLM

I’m a big fan of Design House Stockholm’s whale tongs and cork baskets.

7. LOVELL

Lovell Designs out of Ontario makes darling hampers and bins. I’m fondest of the ticking stripe.

8. CALEB SIEMON

Caleb Siemon is an incredibly talented glass blower. See more of his vessels and lights on his website.

{A random tidbit from a vintage vendor’s booth.  I couldn’t fit these angel wings in my suitcase, but they’d pack a golden punch in the right room.}