Donghia Lighting: Artisanal, Like-New Vintage Lamps

Never a design house willing to rest on its laurels, bringing the Donghia back among the Kravet family was something of a “no-brainer”. The acquisition included the Donghia brand name, the company’s intellectual and digital property, its designs, archives, and all current inventory.

And now, the artisanal, like-new yet vintage-feeling line of Donghia Lighting is, well… illuminating in the brightest, most stylish sense of the word.

Each piece of Donghia Lighting was hand-selected by Creative Director Doug Garfinkle, meticulously preserved to retain its original character, and restored to ensure functionality meets modern expectations.

The intricate details of each lamp, from carefully crafted silhouettes to hand-chiseled texture and specialized glass-etching, can only be achieved with the level of skill specific to Murano.

Hand-Crafted Lamps from Murano, Italy

A hand-blown piece of Murano glass is inherently one of a kind, and for this collection of iconic vintage designs, it is particularly so: there are at most 15 of each style in existence.

Discovered in the studio of a 23rd-generation glass artisan family, each piece of lighting was handmade in Murano, Italy; an island so renowned for its glass mastery, it received the Venetian Coat of Arms in recognition.

The Seguso family of artisans is a historic Angelo Donghia partner. These lamps were originally commissioned for Donghia, but never brought to market and lost to time. Claim a piece of the Donghia legacy with your own Murano glass design.

Further, Seguso serves as the creative production source for all Donghia glass lighting and accessories worldwide. The special collaboration between both brands is based upon a shared desire to produce unique and exclusive products, bringing the excellence of craftsmanship into new and exceptional designs.

More to Come from Donghia

Like Kravet, we promise more to come from the Donghia Collection soon, including peeks at some truly stunning fabrics, wallcoverings, and lighting solutions. Stay tuned for future posts.

If you have questions about other Donghia Lighting products or the availability of the collection, feel free to…   Contact TD Fall today to discover more about this iconic line of luxury home furnishings.

Donghia Furniture Collection 2021 – Kravet Did it Right (Again!)

You know how the sayings go, right? “Haters gonna hate” and “Lovers gonna love”. And, now we’d like to add, “Donghia gonna Donghia!” (Or, maybe it’s better said, “Kravet gonna Donghia!”) Either way, what matters is that the Donghia Furniture Collection relaunch from Kravet is in full swing and we feel the need to share!

As we mentioned in our post back in early May, Kravet was planning their relaunch of the iconic Donghia furnishings line. Well, it’s been a couple of months since the new lineups hit the market and we couldn’t be more excited by what we’ve seen.

And, while the introduction of more than 450 fabrics is nothing to sneeze at, we are hugely impressed by the craze-mazing line of furniture they’ve designed. From sofas to sectionals and chairs to occasionals, we can only describe the lineup as timeless yet contemporary.

Soon to be Iconic Donghia Furniture

Feeling dramatic? Donghia is bringing its iconic furniture collection to the interior design industry and the furniture line definitely displays just such a flair for the dramatic. They’ve made more than 40 coveted frames available with the same quality and craftsmanship guaranteed.

With some 420 decorative fabrics, luxury textures, and an array of velvets available, covering those frames in style becomes a given.

An Occasional Statement Has Been Made

Did we say, “flair for the dramatic”? It’s truly impossible to imagine a more dramatic statement being made than the one that will exist in your client’s homes when you bring them this occasional table.

Donghia’s Origami collection bears both the name and look of the traditional Japanese art of folding paper into objects. The Origami look of these tables is achieved through a complex artisanal process of cutting, folding, and welding a substantial metal foil into the final shape of a cocktail and side table.

Its true wonder is the reflective finish on the faceted inside, that creates an illusion of a kaleidoscope-like endless space enclosed into sharp geometrical boundaries. 

Simply explain to them that, when the conversation lags at their next cocktail party, this amazing design will infuse their guests with plenty to talk about. And remind them that, once their guests have left, they’ll undoubtedly share their impressions with other friends and family over succeeding days.

Donghia Sectionals

With the return to prominence of sectionals for home furnishings, comfort and creativity are finding a renewed level of cooperation. Eager to address this segment of the market, Donghia sectionals do more than merely impress. They inspire.

Not to put too fine a point on it but, Riverside Park on Manhattan’s Upper West Side is a soft, flowing transition from the grid of the city streets to the Hudson River. Much like its namesake, Donghia’s Riverside sectional ebbs and flows through the room, a curved sectional sofa designed for today’s lifestyle.

Think of it as a finely crafted, floating sculpture capable of defining the home space with its endless possible compositions. Like Angelo Donghia used to do with his pieces in his New York apartment, the Riverside sections can be easily swapped, moved, turned, and even make tête-à-tête sofas.

If your clients are asking you for a unique look without sacrificing comfort, it would be hard to find a more appropriate way to anchor a space than the Riverside sectional from Donghia.

More to Come from Donghia

Like Kravet, we promise more to come from the Donghia Collection soon, including peeks at some truly stunning fabrics, wallcoverings, and lighting solutions. Stay tuned for future posts.

If you have questions about other products or the availability of the collection, feel free to… Get in touch with TD Fall today to discover more about this iconic line, as well as what more you can expect from the Donghia furniture collection by Kravet.

GP & J Baker Virtual Color Books – A New Designer Sales Tool from Kravet

Pick a color, any color (or a season) and Kravet offers a set of GP & J Baker virtual color books to help designers. (No, not a colorING book – a Color Book!)

Our goal is not to make light of the changes to our personal and professional lives that have been forced upon us by circumstance in the past year or so. Rather, we find it encouraging that so many of us, from single-owner design businesses to the largest manufacturers and suppliers have become so innovative in response.

It comes as no surprise that one of the largest, Kravet, continues to find ways to make life easier for those of us who may not be able to do business face-to-face. And, as the recognized leader in the industry, we have come to expect nothing less from them.

“How does this work?” you ask. Unlike the well-known Sample Books from Kravet, their new virtual color books present color-based images of curated fabrics and wallpapers. The real innovation here though is that, while the color books present swatch images, they also offer images of the fabrics and wallpapers in use. So, instead of forcing you to use only your imagination to visualize a presentation, the color books get you started with an image of covered furnishings and walls.

Kickstart Creativity with Virtual Color Books from Kravet

For designers and furnishing retailers who’re restricted from visiting a showroom, being able to download any of nearly 20 of these color books is a great way to help get your creative juices flowing. Being able to share them with clients and prospects virtually only adds to their appeal and practical application.

What a wonderful tool you're being given to renovate a client’s space and help you close a deal – virtually!

For example, this image from the GP & J Baker Teal color book shows creative yet practical uses for a stunning wall covering and one of their fabrics with an eye-catching print.

Not really feeling it with teal? Maybe 14 virtual pages of Red Plum fabrics and wallpapers will do the trick and inspire your imagination with different looks and feels for that special space in your client’s home.

Then again, we did promise you a glimpse of the fabrics and wallcoverings that are most appropriate for seasons. The Mulberry Home color book from Kravet is focused on the Autumn collection of fabrics and wallcoverings available in stock right now. This is just a sample of the 11-page virtual color book you can download.

Due to the limits of space and time for a blog post, we’re unable to show every page of every virtual color Kravet has made available. But, we do want to share the assortment of colors and themes they’ve put together.

With so many palettes available (and don’t forget Teal!), it would be difficult to not use these downloadable virtual color books in your design or sales process.

And please keep in mind that these color books are not designed to merely show what you might do for your clients. The fabrics and wallcoverings shown are in stock and available for your projects right now!

Get in touch with TD Fall today to learn more about how you can use these innovative virtual color books from Kravet to help you create appealing presentations for your clients – and close more sales.

Donghia Furnishings Relaunch by Kravet, May 2021

It’s he-ere! That’s right. The Donghia furnishings relaunch by Kravet will take place this month (May 2021).

As we shared in our February 23rd blog post, industry leader Kravet has acquired the iconic Donghia line of luxury furnishings, making it the latest among their family of brands.

And now, the time has come for the highly anticipated relaunch this month: “Donghia will introduce 450 fabrics, all but 30 of which are pulled from the company’s existing style library. Complementing this selection are more than 50 wallcoverings, including metallic grasscloths, a signature of the line.” (BusinessOfHome.com)

Bringing some 16 years of experience with the eponymous line, most recently as executive vice president of showrooms, Doug Garfinkle has been named Donghia’s creative director. “I really feel that I understand the Donghia brand,” Garfinkle exclaimed. “I would say it’s what most closely aligns with my personal aesthetic, so it feels like an exciting and natural fit in that regard.”

The Donghia Brand Returns in May

Under Garfinkle’s guidance, great strides have been made to return this well-loved brand to the fine furnishings marketplace. “We’ve been working with a huge team to bring the line back to market,” he said, “which we’ll do in May. It’s a multifaceted launch because we have furniture, lighting, accessories, wallcoverings, and textiles, all of which will be live on a new website for Donghia and in 15 Kravet showrooms in the U.S., London, and Paris.”

Perhaps most importantly, Garfinkle explained, “We inherited all the Donghia SKUs and did a complete analysis of the history of sales. Like a recipe, we added where we thought there was a need.”

As for distribution, “Beyond the [immediate] plans in May, we’re expanding our domestic and international ambitions. Domestically, there will be more representation through our showrooms, hopefully expanding to all of our showrooms eventually, which will be a larger distribution than the Donghia brand has ever had. We’ll also target select agent showrooms as well in areas where there aren’t existing Kravet showrooms.”

Further, he said, “We’re hearing from clients that there are certain styles they’re passionate about and would love to see come back. Our collective goal is to restore Donghia to this iconic lifestyle brand that it was, and can be again, and then to continue that legacy.”

For those unfamiliar with Alberto Donghia and his legacy, this YouTube documentary offers insight into a designer who created glamorous interiors and furnishings for prominent figures and celebrities in the 70s and 80, before his unfortunate death at 50.

Get in touch with TD Fall today to discover more about this iconic line, as well as the Donghia furnishings relaunch by Kravet.

From Canvas to Cloth – Introducing the Lantz Collective Designs from Kravet

Inspired by the art of Barry Lantz, and in conjunction with his daughter Amanda, Kravet has recently partnered with the Lantz Collective to offer a “casually elegant” offering of both fabrics and original artwork.

Moving from the studio to the design showroom, and clearly inspired by Barry’s own personal artwork, Canvas to Cloth is an on-trend collection of prints and complementary solid wovens.

Not only that, but each pattern is named after an important woman in his life. “The naming of the patterns came easily,” says Barry, “there are and have been many special, influential women in my life and each pattern truly expresses my feeling for each of the women I chose to recognize.”

From Art Studio to Design Showroom

For Barry, art and design are closely tied. “Both are influenced by color, scale, form, and geometry,” he says. Barry’s first love is art, but he seamlessly made the transition into designing stunning fabric collections and interiors. “The end result of good art and design is how one feels after experiencing it,” he says. Barry used his artistry background to create Canvas to Cloth which features an array of fabrics in breezy, cool, and artistically brushed colors.

One of Barry’s favorite patterns in the collection, and arguably the pattern that anchors the collection, is Goldie, which is named after his beloved grandmother. When asked about his grandmother who encouraged his artistic abilities, Barry says, “for me, Goldie is the most important and unique pattern of all.” This is an ikat pattern interpreted into a kaleidoscopic design and reflects much of Barry’s art style.

Another standout pattern in this collection is Manders, named after his daughter and partner, Amanda. Barry credits Amanda as his inspiration and his reason to succeed. “Without Amanda’s design influence, the collection would not be what it has become,” says Barry. 

Sherlee, Tracy, and Leesa are the remaining prints and are also reminiscent of Barry’s iconic artwork. Offering clean and bright hues, Canvas to Cloth has the ability to create an effervescent ambiance we all crave in an interior. 

Also available through CuratedKravet are a selection of 21 original framed Barry Lantz art pieces. Barry, who has adored art since he was a child, has hand-signed the back of each piece of art.  The artwork selection consists of framed giclee canvas prints in a wide range of color palettes.

Get in touch with TD Fall today to discover more about Lantz Collective designs from Kravet.

Century-Old Kravet Explores Own Heritage with Kravet Couture & Modern Tailor

Based on the title of this blog post, you might think we’re explaining an altered business model from the industry leader in luxury home furnishings. After all, touting a line from Kravet named the Modern Tailor Collection could raise an eyebrow or two. However, such is not the case.

Instead, for those unaware of the company’s ongoing exploration of their heritage, Kravet Couture presents you with a collection of elegant fabrics and complementary wallcoverings. For them, this is a way for them to pay homage to their founder, Samuel Kravet, who emigrated to the US and began working as a tailor more than a century ago.

Considering the source, it should come as no surprise that, above all, “Samuel Kravet’s skilled artistry is mirrored in the exquisite details highlighted in this elegant collection.”

Coordinating Styles and Textures are Featured

So much more than an overly simplified mix 'n match approach to coordination, “The juxtaposition of scale and pattern across the whole collection offers a wide range of coordinating styles. Soft textures are blended with sharper edges and sculptural geometric  patterns; the beauty lies in how the collection sits together, much like how one would put together an outfit.”

With a name like Modern Tailor, this collection has been created as a tribute to runway fashion and trendy design.

“Finely stitched embroideries, pleated fabrics, patch-worked wools, cozy cable chenille, and mélange knits are reinvented into luxurious fabrics and wallcoverings relevant to layered decorating of today.”

Throughout the collection, Kravet continues the theme of a professionally designed and hand-tailored presentation. This is the type of twist on haute couture that will make design clients feel as though their home has become the center of high fashion.

The spotlight on style is forever brightened by, “The tailoring techniques Samuel Kravet fell in love with one century ago [which] are rendered relevant today, and are further brought into the present with updated modern construction and contemporary color stories.”

Bespoke tailoring techniques abound in the collection. “Dresscode features an updated houndstooth pattern, New Suit features a modern patched large stripe, and Proxmire is an exploded weave meant to mimic your favorite cable-knit sweater.”

From the most finely tailored fabrics which can be artfully layered with wallcoverings that add depth and texture to any space, the Modern Tailor Collection from Kravet Couture will challenge even the best designer to match its creative spark.

Get in touch with TD Fall today to discover more about the Modern Tailor Collection from Kravet.

The Well-Tailored Addition of Donghia Furnishings from Kravet

Iconic designs with an Italian flare from a purely American company. Is such a thing even possible? Well, when the industry leader to-the-trade gets involved, of course it is! And so, for those yet to know, we are happy to announce that as of last summer the Donghia line of fine furnishings has become the latest member of the Kravet family of brands.

The acquisition included the Donghia brand name, the company’s intellectual and digital property, its designs, archives, and all current inventory. Never a design house willing to rest on its laurels, as evidenced by the addition of heritage textiles brands like Lee Jofa, GP&J Baker, and Brunschwig & Fils over some 25 years, bringing Donghia into the Kravet family was something of a “no-brainer”.

As president of Kravet Inc. Cary Kravet said in a statement, “The Donghia brand is distinctive and enduring. It stands for the inherent beauty in clean lines and the appreciation for impeccable quality in materials and construction. The Donghia aesthetic and brand market position are fully complementary to our current brands and aesthetic positioning. The look and attitude are wholly additive for us.”

Why Donghia Furnishings? Why Not!

The Donghia tag line, “Live a well-tailored life” is merely a hint at the innovation and quality to be found in the fabrics, furnishings, and wallcoverings from Donghia. Founded by Italian American interior designer Angelo Donghia in 1968, iconic Donghia collections have consistently reflected a dynamic and innovative approach to design. In a stunning fusion between handcrafted workmanship, modern looks, and trendy designs, the collection includes textiles, furniture, wallcoverings, case pieces, accessories, and upholstery.

According to Kravet, the hurdles to bringing a reimagined Donghia line to market are less about logistics and more about the brand and product development. “Believe it or not, [the integration] is the easy part. The hard part is the softer side – understanding what the brand is and where it should go. That takes a lot of thought, communication, research, and understanding.”

As a result, the relaunch will take time. Kravet says that the company’s first Donghia collection will likely focus on the brand’s most iconic patterns and pieces; a release that can be folded into existing showrooms while a more robust revamp is developed. (BOH.com)

Over the years, Donghia produced fabric, wallcovering, floor covering, furniture, lighting, and accessories; all product lines Kravet ultimately plans to develop and relaunch. The company also acquired Donghia’s archive, including some of its late founder’s sketches and original furniture prototypes. These will all be folded into Kravet’s deep archive at its headquarters in Bethpage, New York, and which will inform the work of the product development team.

Our Continued Commitment to the Luxury Furnishings Industry

Kravet remains committed to supporting and expanding the luxury furnishings and design industries, just as we do at TD Fall:

“We’ve been in this business for over a hundred years, and we really believe in this industry,” says Kravet. “There’s no real short-term advantage in this [acquisition] – it’s a long-term strategy. This is part of our belief in the strength of this industry.”

Get in touch with TD Fall today to discover more about this traditional yet innovative line.

What’s New From Kravet: Is French Blue the Hot New Hue for You?

With Classic Blue as the Pantone Color of the Year for 2020 (see this post), it should come as no surprise that the team at Kravet have been searching for, and have found, innovative variations of the trending hue. Case in point would be French Blue, the not new hue from Roxy Te of Society Social is leading the charge with what’s new from Kravet.

The creative director and founder of the popular furniture company, Roxy tells House Beautiful her new hue is a “fresh, classic color that works with every style.” So it’s only suitable that Roxy Te chose to breathe new life into the iconic Brunschwig & Fils’ pattern Les Touches. Roxy’s custom French Blue colorway of Les Touches is sold at her flagship store in Charlotte, North Carolina, which she developed exclusively with the team at Kravet Inc.

As she explains, “We felt a true French blue was missing in the market, specifically in the print category and turned to a brand [and] designer favorite, Brunschwig & Fils’ Les Touches to collaborate on a signature colorway. [The line] has been a part of our custom upholstery offerings for a few years now and is always a top seller for us, specifically the standard blue! We knew our customers and designer following would respond positively to a custom colorway so we worked closely with Brunschwig & Fils‘ design team to hand-select two blues that would ultimately make up the signature spot.”

“We believe our reinterpretation of Les Touches in our signature French Blue will garner the same excitement that the millennial pink movement gained in popularity among modern decorators. French Blue not only caters to the traditionalist, but also to Grandmillennials who are putting a fresh spin on traditional decorating.”

“As a modern brand that went digital before going physical, we understood the importance of having a physical place where our customers could not only touch and feel our designs but also experience a physical expression of our brand in real life. We opened our first ever flagship store, Society Social Charlotte, in November of 2019, which features our original furniture designs, a curated collection of gifts, and a beautiful display of our custom Signature Les Touches French Blue.”

If you are looking for more about what’s new from Kravet, the color of the year, interior design trends and marketing tips, and design product ideas, get in touch with TD Fall today.

New Brunschwig & Fils Patterns and Colors from Les Touches

At the Kravet blog, we have recently been introduced to some exciting new Brunschwig & Fils patterns and colors from their iconic line, Les Touches.Les Touches is one of the most recognizable patterns in Brunschwig & Fils extensive catalog. The classic design has spanned decades and taken on many forms over the years, but one thing has always remained true: it is perennially loved by interior designers.This stylized animal pattern was originally developed from a post-World War II folio of photographs. The delicate pattern looks hand-painted on the surface, offering a softer take on the striking design. With its latest offering, Brunschwig & Fils is introducing nine new colorways, bringing the total color offering up to 18. This beautiful and original assortment lends itself to many different interior aesthetics. The new colors and patterns include a range of neutrals with pops of tangerine, berry, and peridot.Brunschwig & Fils’ Expands Offering with New Colorways from Les TouchesDesigner Danielle Rollins, who famously also creates clothing out of Brunschwig fabric, says Les Touches can stand on its own in any room. “I love Les Touches because it is the classic bright happy go anywhere print. It can make a dominant statement on its own or it can bridge other patterns perfectly,” says Rollins.For other designers, it’s about Brunschwig & Fils’ strong heritage within the design industry. “I love the legacy of Brunschwig fabrics – so many of my favorite patterns are decades-old, yet still feel very current,” says Marisa Friedman.Les Touches is also admired for its versatility. The linear pattern, depending on its color, is suitable in a traditional and modern setting alike. “Les Touches is such a classic pattern, yet it lends itself to almost any style. In this case, I wanted to emphasize the playful nature of the pattern in a sunny, casual master bedroom,” says Liz Grina.This versatility also allows the pattern to make its own statement in a room, or coordinate with more bold motifs. “It can play off any lead fabric and the movement works with almost any other scaled fabric,” says Emily Gonzalez. “Les Touches is so great because I can mix it in as a geometric print or a floral when needed and it is always relevant in any space and in any style.”Over the years, the Brunschwig & Fils design studio has reinvented this iconic pattern – as a print, an embroidery, a wallpaper and more. Throughout this rich history, Les Touches remains a tried and true, time-honored Brunschwig & Fils classic.If you would like to discover more of what’s new from Brunschwig & Fils home furnishing designs, Contact TD Fall today.

New from TD Fall – Curated Kravet

Design. Click. Delivered.For nearly a century, Kravet has been the primary source for interior designers. With the introduction of CuratedKravet.com, your trade-only resource for distinctive home furnishings and accessories, Kravet has become the first and last stop for all things design.The Curated Kravet line is an edited collection of only the most unique, high-quality finished product across all categories for the home. The comprehensive collection features customized designs and unique handpicked pieces from the global design market, available exclusively to designers through an e-commerce platform.The Mabley Handler collectionCuratedKravet.com offers an innovative Ready to Ship upholstery program, featuring a selection of our the most popular Kravet frames and fabrics packed for immediate shipment – a groundbreaking solution for the industry that delivers custom-quality furniture fast. Designers can shop the site by product categories, stylized product stories, and curated rooms designed by industry tastemakers.Metropolitan Menswear collection CuratedKravet.com is a comprehensive online shopping destination, delivering customized exclusive designs and unique pieces hand selected from the global design market.The Linherr Hollingsworth collection“We are committed to making your job more efficient by providing unmatched customer service coupled with an exceptional product offering. We stand firm in our mission to serve the interior design trade at the highest level.” – CuratedKravet.comLooking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.