| EVENT REPORT 11.10.09 5:07 PM |
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Dark and Moody Accents, Animal-Inspired Decor Appear on Tabletops at Diffa's Dining by Design
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 | A table designed by Mario Pinto with Scott Heuvelhorst Interiors
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash |
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"This looks like a serial killer's home. There should be conspiracy theories written on the wall," said one guest at Thursday night's Cocktails by Design event, which served as a kickoff for a three-day Dining by Design benefit hosted by Design Industries Foundations Fighting AIDS. The event filled the eighth floor of the Merchandise Mart with 42 dining environments decorated by design-industry professionals ranging from painters to architects to fashion designer Maria Pinto. With so many creative professionals behind the tables, the environments ranged from a wooden box tacked with newspaper clippings and bathed in an eerie blue light—which inspired the serial-killer comment—to a cozy gazebo setting filled with fairy lights and plush Ralph Lauren pillows.
Though there were tables that defied categorization, some dining environments illustrated popular design trends; one theme was "dark and sexy atmospheres, which we're seeing everywhere this year," said Diffa's director of special events, Peggy Bellar. At an installation from Interior Investments by Gensler, black moving blankets hung behind a table surrounded with dark leather chairs; a chandelier made of painted black cardboard crowned the scene. Hermes glasses in deep purple hues spruced up place settings at a table that Herman Miller by Richard Bliss and Solomon Cordwell Bunez designed; and lacy black napkins dotted the table that Maria Pinto decorated with Scott A. Heuvelhorst Interiors. Artist Francine Turk's design also created a dark, moody ambience with black chalkboard walls, charcoal sketches of crows, and framed paintings of gold Gothic crosses.
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Diffa, Diffa Dining by Design |
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| TOP 100 EVENTS 07.07.09 3:39 PM |
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Chicago's Top Art & Architecture Events 2009
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 | SOFA at Navy Pier
Photo: David Burns |
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1. Art Chicago/Artropolis
The three-day Art Chicago exhibition takes place at the Merchandise Mart and showcases works from approximately 180 international art galleries. The 2009 event took place May 1 to 4, and drew more than 50,000 attendees.
2. NeoCon World’s Trade Fair
More than 50,000 guests descended on the Merchandise Mart in 2008 for the NeoCon World’s Trade Fair. Some 1,200 showrooms participate in the event, which showcases products for corporate hospitality and residential design. This year’s fair took place June 15 to 17.
3. SOFA
An acronym for “sculptural objects and functional art,” SOFA is Chicago’s longest continuously running art fair. Around 34,000 guests attended the 2008 event, which featured work from some 100 galleries. This year, the show returns to Navy Pier from November 6 to 8.
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Chicago's Top 100 Events, Art Chicago, NeoCon, SOFA, Diffa's Dining by Design, Diffa, American Institute of Architects, International Interior Design Association |
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| EVENT REPORT 04.01.09 2:42 PM |
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With Move to Architectural Digest Show, Diffa Raises Awareness and Foot Traffic (and Still Delivers Design Ideas)
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 | Michael Tavano's graffiti-inspired room for the New York Design Center
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash |
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FROM NEW YORK
On Monday night, Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (Diffa) hosted its annual Dining by Design gala at Pier 94—the culmination of five days of events based around tables created by artists and interior, event, and fashion designers. This year, the organization was approached by Architectural Digest to be a part of its home design expo, affording showgoers a chance to also check out Diffa’s installations. "I think running concurrently with the Architectural Digest Home Design Show is an incredible experience in every way. People who are coming to the show are interested in design, but might not have known about us,” said Peggy Bellar, Diffa’s director of special events.
This time the number of tables dipped from 39 to 32, but pairing with Architectural Digest and lengthening the public viewing time to three days helped double foot traffic. “Certainly, this year is a tough year for everyone, and it is great to join forces and expand opportunities for exposure,” Bellar said. Diffa estimates the amount of money raised, however, dropped from $1.031 million to $750,000.
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Diffa Dining by Design, Diffa, Benjamin Moore, Stolichnaya Elit, New York Design Center, Architectural Digest, Rockwell Group, Kravet |
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| TREND SPOTTED 11.26.08 10:00 AM |
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Disco, Rock, and '80s Pop Influence Entertainment, Menus, and Decor
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 | Dancers showed off their moves at a M.A.C. Cosmetics' Gold Fever event in Toronto.
Photo: Andreas & Co. |
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Aussie Hair Cair, Tiffany, Macy's, Cyndi Lauper, MC Hammer, Collaboraction, YouthAIDS, Diffa, Absolut, Diesel |
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| BEST OF 2008 11.24.08 8:00 AM |
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The Rebound
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 | Sarah Schnell
Photo: Lee Hoagland for BizBash |
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Problem: In 2005, the Chicago chapter of Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (Diffa) saw some unfortunate on-site logistical challenges mar its annual gala, typically one of the year’s most anticipated events. Although the event was successful in terms of sponsorship and auction revenue, problems with the caterer, valet, and venue resulted in some unfavorable guest experiences and, ultimately, a drop in sponsorship commitments in 2006. “In the years leading up to the 2006 event, although increasingly financially successful, we had endured a number of production challenges that many of our sponsors felt were falling short of their expectations,” says Diffa/Chicago gala co-chair Erik Parks. In late 2005, Diffa/Chicago approached Total Event Resources and senior program manager Sarah Schnell to partner with them to produce the gala. “The Diffa committee sources event sponsors, but because of the challenges faced with the 2005 gala, they were having a tough time securing sponsorships. And without sponsors, there is no event and less money to go toward the donor recipients,” says Schnell.
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Diffa |
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| TREND SPOTTED 11.11.08 5:49 PM |
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Diffa's Color Trend: Jewel Tones
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 | Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec's brilliantly hued dining environment for Vitra.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash |
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A palette of rich jewel tones infused the installations at Diffa's Dining by Design event, where designers layered deeply saturated hues of red and green with pops of gold, silver, and iridescent blue. Here's a look at some of the colorful dining environments.
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Diffa, Diffa Dining by Design, MDC Wallcoverings, McDonald's, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Vitra, OEC Business Interiors, Interior Space International, CS Interiors, Susan Fredman Design Group |
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| TREND SPOTTED 11.11.08 5:47 PM |
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Diffa's Dark, Masculine Looks
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Dark fabrics and rich veneers appeared on walls, floors, furniture, and backdrops at Diffa's Dining by Design event. Here's a look at a few installations that showcased the manly trend.
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Diffa, Diffa Dining by Design, Harrington College of Design, Rockwell Group, Stolichnaya, Eastlake Studio, Geiger International |
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