Huniford Design Studio
Collective Design 2017

JAMES HUNIFORD DESIGNS THE 2017 COLLECTIVE DESIGN FAIR VIP LOUNGE AND INTRODUCES THE NEW HUNIFORD COLLECTION

Combining newly - designed furniture, curated accessories, contemporary art and reinvented found objects, the lounge is conceived with the young urban dweller in mind

The VIP Lounge also incorporates hand-hewn floors from Yarema, rugs by Beauvais Carpets, and artwork by Jennifer Steinkamp, Harmony Hammond, Jack Tworkov and Hassan Sharif, in collaboration with Lehmann Maupin and Alexander Gray Associates

NEW YORK – (May 2, 2017) While designing the 800-square foot VIP lounge for the Collective Design Fair’s fifth anniversary fair, at Skylight Clarkson Sq during NYCxDESIGN, James “Ford” Huniford, founder of New York-based interior design firm Huniford Design Studio, was inspired by the ingenuity and creative spirit of the artisans, makers, and curators who will be exhibiting at the fair. Central to Huniford’s concept is to create a soothing retreat at the center of a bustling urban environment, drawing inspiration from organic shapes and authentic materials. The lounge showcases 18 new designs from the 40-piece Huniford Collection, layering rich textures and a signature palette of smoky blues, greys, and greens.
The Collective Design Fair marks the first introduction of the latest Huniford Collection, debuting May 3-7, 2017. First launched in 2013 as a luxury furnishings line combining graceful design and optimal craftsmanship, the new Huniford Collection enhances the existing pieces, offering eclectic yet rigorously modern upholstery and casepieces, building on Huniford's penchant for pure forms, clean lines, and subtle details.

A force in the design world for over twenty years, Huniford is known for his signature use of calming colors, which creates a unified backdrop for custom-designed furniture, antiques, art, and reinvented found objects. Furniture pieces featured in the lounge include: the Greenwich Sofa, which presents a classic, relaxed silhouette with loose seat and back cushions that make it suitable for both city and country living. Available in both an oval and square configuration, the Sullivan Coffee Table is a modern, wire-brushed oak table with subtle details and eased edges. The Vestry Chair is a generously-proportioned lounge chair with mid-century Scandinavian references. The Hubert Sofa is a streamlined interpretation of a 1940s French design, and the Norfolk Tables are versatile hexagonal tables in honed travertine that can be arranged in multiples in a variety of shapes.

When designing a Manhattan townhouse, a beach house getaway, or a Northern California residence, Huniford blends new and old, uniting found objects with refined materials in distinctive combinations and vignettes. As one-of-a kind objects inspire all of Huniford’s designs, the VIP lounge also features a curated selection of found objects, sculptural elements and accessories.

Drawing inspiration from New York as well as from natural elements, Ford worked with Tim Morton and John Yarema, an artisanal wood floor company based in Michigan, to create a hand-hewn, wide-plank gray oak floor installed throughout the entire lounge. Beauvais Carpets collaborated with Huniford to accent the space with a luxurious low pile rug in a subtle striated pattern.

Featured artwork, selected by Huniford, include Jennifer Steinkamp’s video installation “Fly to Mars 9” courtesy of Lehmann Maupin, which simulates the visual effect of a moving tree. Also on display are works by Harmony Hammond, Jack Tworkov and Hassan Sharif, in collaboration with Alexander Gray Associates. Huniford suggests that the selected artwork incorporates bold gestures and abstraction into the design.

“We are excited to be collaborating with the Collective Design Fair and our respective partners to create the VIP lounge for its fifth anniversary fair,” says James “Ford” Huniford. “We were inspired by the incomparable colors, textures and feelings of New York, and natural elements, and are privileged to welcome this year’s many honorable guests, designers and international collectors to experience the new Huniford Collection set against the backdrop of one of the world's most respected and internationally-renowned design events."

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About Collective Design
Based in New York City and active in the creative community throughout the year, Collective Design presents engaging conversations and educational programs to foster dialogue, encourage the exchange of ideas, and build a growing audience for collectible design and art. Programming culminates each May in the annual Collective Design fair, which showcases masterworks of the 20th and 21st centuries alongside experimental works from the next generation of global talent. The fair, celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2017, illuminates both the design process and the diversity of our material culture, promoting a spirit of discovery that resonates with new and seasoned collectors alike.

About Skylight Clarkson Sq
Once the southernmost terminal of the High Line, Skylight Clarkson Sq is among the few yet-to-be- explored interiors in the city. Skylight is in the business of pairing premier brands with historic and significant properties, creating inspirational venues in unusual places. Train tracks still run through a portion of the building in West SoHo, but Skylight's facilitation of adaptive reuse has made Clarkson Sq a versatile space in which creators are limited only by their imagination. The scale and scope of this "horizontal skyscraper," which spans three city blocks, give designers the opportunity to create an all-new experience that engages audiences and encapsulates the sensibility of a fair developed by those at the forefront of the field.

About NYCxDESIGN
Since its inception, Collective Design has been an active supporter of and participant in NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s official citywide celebration of design, which will run from May 3-24, 2017. Spanning all disciplines of design, NYCxDESIGN creates a collaborative platform for cultural and commercial opportunities, elevates established and emerging design practices and increases awareness of and appreciation for design by all audiences. Hosted in New York City, NYCxDESIGN brings together all the disciplines of design, commerce, culture, education, and entertainment with a full, varied program, including exhibitions, installations, trade shows, talks, launches and open studios. The program is overseen by NYCEDC together with a Steering Committee comprised of leaders and leading institutions across most design disciplines.

Huniford Design Studio
James Huniford is the Founder of the interior design firm Huniford Design Studio in New York. When designing a Manhattan townhouse, a beach house getaway, or a Northern California residence, Huniford blends new and old, uniting found objects with refined materials in distinctive combinations and vignettes. Whether it’s the gentle curve of a whale bone or the circular repetition of oversized gears, one-of-a-kind objects inspire all of Huniford’s designs. His signature use of calming wall colors highlights the importance of objects, art, and furniture, as a canvas does for a painter. Representing the U.S. on the international stage, Huniford Design Studio was awarded "Highly Commended" and best in the Interior Design Private Residence - New York category for an eco-friendly penthouse on Bond St. and named as one the most exceptional projects of 2016 by the Americas Property Awards. In May 2017, the firm will introduce the Huniford Collection, a luxury furnishings line that combines graceful design with optimal craftsmanship. James Huniford is also the designer of a fabric collection for Lee Jofa and Founding Chairman of Housing Works’ “Design on a Dime” fundraiser and was selected by Architectural Digest as one of the “Top 100 Designers.” His work has appeared in American, Italian and French editions of AD, Elle Décor, W, Vogue, New York Times, and House Beautiful among others. http://huniford.com

Sponsors of the Huniford Design Studio VIP Lounge include:

Compass – Compass is a technology-driven real estate company dedicated to creating a seamless and intelligent home buying, selling, and renting experience. Combining the country's top agents, proprietary market insights, and integrated mobile and web technologies, Compass is developing the future of real estate decision-making. Compass has locations in New York City, Washington DC, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, the Hamptons, and Aspen, and has raised $210 million in investor capital. For more information on Compass, and to view exclusive Compass properties, visit http://www.compass.com

Yarema – Yarema has specialized in wood floor artistry for over 25 years and partners with distinguished clients around the globe. According to founder John Yarema, "Craft calls for practice, but true art requires spirit”. Yarema brings both. “One of a kind, one at a time.” http://www.johnyarema.com

Beauvais Carpet – Beauvais is the premier gallery in the United States dedicated to period carpets and tapestries of exemplary merit, authenticity, and lasting value. David Amini founded Beauvais Carpets in 1990 when he saw a void in the carpet and tapestry market for a gallery dedicated to objects of historical significance as well as outstanding decorative appeal. Mr. Amini's appreciation and understanding of carpets and tapestries as works of art quickly propelled Beauvais into a preeminent position in the world marketplace. In recognition that an object doesn’t have to be old to have merit, Mr. Amini also started a custom division to create carpets made to the exacting specifications of Beauvais’ international clientele of interior designers and architects. From historically and artistically significant period carpets to hand-tufted contemporary designs or woven qualities, Beauvais is a full-service source for the interior design community http://beauvaiscarpets.com/

Lehmann Maupin – Since its establishment nearly two decades ago Lehmann Maupin has identified and cultivated the careers of an international roster of visionary and historically significant artists. The gallery has garnered a reputation for supporting artists working across disciplines and with new and challenging forms of creative expression; artists whose work has had a lasting impact on contemporary art and culture. Working closely with curators and leading intellectuals in the field, Lehmann Maupin is committed to presenting its artists’ work on an international scale and to firmly establishing their contributions to art history in the 21st century and beyond. http://www.lehmannmaupin.com

Alexander Gray Associates – Alexander Gray Associates is a contemporary art gallery in New York. Through exhibitions, research, and artist representation, the Gallery spotlights artistic movements and artists who emerged in the mid- to late-Twentieth Century. Influential in cultural, social, and political spheres, these artists are notable for creating work that crosses geographic borders, generational contexts and artistic disciplines. Alexander Gray Associates is a member of the Art Dealers Association of America. http://www.alexandergray.com/

Audio Video Crafts – Audio Video Crafts is a premier A/V and home integration firm, catering to a high-profile clientele.

For more information about James Huniford and Huniford Design Studio, please contact Basia Irzyk at basiairzyk@gmail.com / 347.526.0103 http://www.basiairzykpr.com