2008 Design For Excellence Awards

The American Society of Interior Designers – Illinois Chapter (ASID-IL) and i4 design magazine hosted the fifth annual “Celebration of Design” Gala at the Chase Auditorium on October third, which was transformed into a Hollywood-style atmosphere complete with live entertainment and a design show awards ceremony. Open to all facets of the design trade, the Gala’s theme “Curtain Call” featured three events in a single evening: a “Red Carpet Reception” that included an open premium bar and cuisine stations with delectable food; a “Show of all Shows” produced by Flashpoint Academy; and the “A-List After-Party.” sponsored by Ten Cane Rum. Designers submitted their entries in 23 residential, contract and product design categories, including: green design, universal design, singular residential space, kitchen, bath, showcase room, tile design, corporate offices, retail, hospitality, healthcare institutional, furnishings and product design. The presenting sponsor of the awards was Cosentino, the largest manufacturer of natural quartz surfaces in the world. Gold Sponsors included, Silestone, Coverings 2009 and Oscar Isberian Rugs. Fashion gowns and models were provided by Dominique Designs.

To view photos from the awards ceremony click here

i4design's Second Annual Suite Sixteen Party

Birthday's are meant to be celebrated and for i4design's second annivesary we pulled out the red carpet for our suite sixteen - the individuals who are making a difference in our local design world and beyond. Held at the newly renovated Le Passage, guests walked through an cobblestoned alley off Rush street and entered into a sexy subterranean discotheque where everyone mingled with the celebrities and starchitects of this year's Suite Sixteen picks which included Donna Piacenza and Jody Work, Jordan Guide, Staci Boris, James Geier and Karen Herold, Michael Wilkinson and Richard Blender, Sonia "Sunny" Fischer, Luca Lanzetta, Lisa Ewing, Susan King, Eric Ceputis,Kathy Taslitz, Julie Fisher and Rachel Crowl, Obi Nwazota, Scott Wilson, Jordan Mozer abd Nathan Kipnis. Models provided by Ford Management handed out i4design t-shirts and guests were able to fill bags bags of candy to take home with them at the 'sweet table' that included a personalized cupcake complete with birthday candle. The event was sponsored in part this year by Benjamin Moore who is opening their new showroom in the Merchandise Mart this summer.

To view photos from the release party click here

2007 Design For Excellence Awards

Now, in its’ fourth year, The ASID Illinois Chapter presented its Design Excellence Awards to designers who have produced superlative interior designs at the ASID Celebration of Design event held October 18th at the historic Drake Hotel.

The awards this year covered fifteen categories including, Best of Show, Residential Over 3,000 Sq. Ft., Residential under 3,000 Sq. Ft., Product Design in two categories; Furnishing, Retail, Singular Residential Space, Kitchen, Bath, Contract under 10,000 Sq. Ft., Contract over 10,000 Sq. Ft., Special Function Room, Hospitality, Historic Restoration, Green Design, Institutional and Showcase Room.

To view photos from the awards ceremony click here

i4design Fall 2007 Release Party

The Fall Release party for i4design magazine was held at Climax Lounge where 350 guests were able catch all the action in the spacious 6,250 square-foot space club which houses four rooms, each one with throwback touches that included everything from 18th-century columns from a church in England to an ornate crystal chandelier hanging over a red velvet table designed by Pavel of Kehoe Design. A large expansive room in the back included a massive bar topped by a 700-year-old dried African Bubinga tree flanked by two architectural lights from an old mansion where guests were able to watch an aerial dancer as she slid up and down two red silk ropes that hung from the 50 foot ceiling. The VIP room planted to the side featured the i4design go go dancers where guests enjoyed 10 Cane Mojito’s at table side service. Honored guests featured in i4design magazine this issue included, Joseph Sacco, Tom Segal, David Kaufman, Suhail, Joel Huffman, Nick Luzietti and Michael Prince.

To view photos from the release party click here

i4design Summer Release Party
Orange Skin NeoCon 2007

i4design celebrated the summer release of their new issue in conjunction with Orange Skin to kick off the NeoCon World’s trade fair where 50,000 design professionals converged to attend one of the single most important industry events of the year. Guests who arrived were welcomed with freshly made Mojito’s provided by Ten Cane Rum and samplings of Nuevo Latino appetizers from Mas restaurant. Orange Skin introduced their new line of outdoor furniture by Gandia Blasso and gave away five Chair One’s by Konstantin Grcic, winners of the chairs were, Dave Gonzales, Kit Mueller, Jennie Bishop, Tasha Ransom and Yann Woolley. Everyone walked away with with a gift bag full of goodies including custom designed t-shirts and special CD mixed for the occasion before dashing off to beat the line that was quickly forming at the after party at Krem.

To view photos from the release party click here

The Great Little Mash Up
VIP After Hours Party NeoCon 2007

After celebrating the release of i4design magazine’s summer release at Orange Skin, it was on to Krem where partygoers came out in droves to see guest, DJ Kreemy, a.k.a., Karim Rashid and Derrick Carter rock the house. Designed by Obie and Graunk of Orange Skin Design, the new club located in Lincoln Park lives up to it’s reputation where it takes it’s name from the phrase; creme de la creme. Draped in white linens, and mod furniture thru out including a thirty three foot bed along the back wall of the club, guests partied until the wee hours of the morning before reluctantly heading out to get some rest before the second day of NeoCon arrived.

To view photos from the release party click here

Party Circuit NeoCon 2007

i4design magazine sent out our social divas to check out all the parties that were happening in almost every neighborhood in the city during the three days of NeoCon. We hade a chance to visit several new showroom openings who took advantage of the thousands of designers in town. Here are some random pictures we took as we roamed the city.

To view photos from the release party click here

i4design Suite Sixteen Magazine Release Party

The hip and sheik design crowd showed up at Del La Costa on Tuesday evening to share in the celebration of i4design magazine’s first anniversary. In honor of this event i4design magazine unveiled their annual Wall of Fame showcasing the portraits of some of the most interesting and accomplished ground breakers they came across in their first year. On it were, Judi Niedermaier, Anil Ahuja, Doug Farr, Suhail, Natalie Banaszak, Keitha Brathwaite, Christy Webber, Sarah Dunn and Martin Felsen, Hughes N’Cho-Allepot, Morlen Sinoway, Jeremy Shamrowicz and Jesse Meyer, Elva Rubio, Spiro Tsirandis, Kathleen Brandenburg and Dan Kraemer, Elizabeth Smith and Martial. Moet Hennessey’s 10 Cane Rum was the featured drink with fresh Mojito’s hand muddled at the table side bars at each of the cabanas throughout the room. As guests were leaving, models provided by Ford Management handed out individual cupcakes in carry out cartons complete with a birthday candle. The event was sponsored in part by Coverings 2007, the tile and stone trade show coming to Chicago April 17th.

To view photos from the release party click here

2006 Design For Excellence Awards

The American Society of Interior Designers – Illinois Chapter (ASID-IL) and i4design magazine produced and hosted the third annual “Celebration of Design” Gala at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2006. More than two dozen Illinois-based interior designers and architects across 17 categories received a prestigious “Design Excellence Award.”

The Bal Masque (masked ball) event, held in the historic Merchandise Mart’s 8th-floor Atrium, was open to all facets of the design trade and featured a cocktail reception with black martinis and white gin fizzes, gourmet dinner and awards ceremony. More than 400 guests attended this black-tie-optional affair. George Jewell Catering provided the gourmet dinner with musicians and entertainers provided by Frank Vivid, fashion designs and models provided by Dominique Design and a venue designed by Pavel of Kehoe Design.

To view photos from the gala click here click here

Ecstasy After Hours Party

Winners of the ASID Design Awards and guests from the Masked Ball continued their celebration at an After –hours party held at the Cabaret Cocktail Boutique sponsored by Ecstasy Brand Liqueur and i4design magazine. The marquis out front welcomed guests as they entered the French bordello atmosphere complete with cabaret dancers. Several designers were spotted in the VIP room, accessorized with ruby red mirrored walls, candelabras and Louis XVI tables celebrating their awards and hoping the night would never have to end. Click here to view photos.

Click here to view the After Hours Party Album

Fall 2006 Release Party

The house was rocking with DJ Jem as over 400 architects, interior designers, real estate developers, artists and art collectors converged at Enclave for the release of i4design magazine's fall issue. "Special Guests" included, Douglas Garofolo, the Hyde Park Art Center staff, Brinnistool & Lynch, Sutherland Pearsall, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, The Trump Organization, Jeanne Gang, Lowenberg & Associates, CMK Development, the Museum of Contemporary Art staff, TVS Interiors and Brad Wilson, Danny Erricco and Stephen Hanson of the James Hotel. Special thanks to Matt and Nick of Enclave for hosting the evenings event as well as George Jewell Catering for providing the food and Emilie of Ford Management for providing the models

Click here to view the Release Party Photo Album

Diffa Ball 2006

Jet! Set! Go!

It was fasten your seatbelts, return your tray tables to the locked position and prepare for Departure as over 900 guests arrived for the annual Kick-off to Neocon at the 2006 Diffa/Chicago Ball. This year’s event transformed the McCormick Grand Ballroom into a first class international airport experience, taking guests back to the days when euro-traveling was in style and in fashion. Chris Coldoff of AREA Design Ltd and Carlos Martinez of Gensler were this year’s co-chairs with Area Design as the presenting sponsor and the Merchandise Mart being a sustaining benefactor. The Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) will soon mark its 20th year as one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the U.S.
www.diffachicago.org

Click here to view the Diffa Ball Photo Album

Summer Launch Party 2006

It was Rio in Chicago at Carnivale restaurant on May 17th as 350 architects, designers, artists and design industry professionals sipped piscos and caipirinhas as they listened to the sounds of Brazil and came out to celebrate the launch of i4design's summer issue. A contorntionist literally stopped traffic as he performed on the veranda of the Lambada room, wowing guests with his feats of strength and flexibility. Steven Bruss, Frank Goldstin, Jerry Kleiner, Lucien Lagrange, Jessica Lagrange, Rocco Laudizio, Douglas Levine and Kathy Taslitz were the 'honorees' of the evenings fesitivities as they were all featured in the summer edition of i4design magazine.

Click here to view Summer Launch Party Photo Album

Making a Difference by Design
2006 Spirit Awards

The name was ELYSIUM, a Greek word for heaven and the theme; Movements in Concrete; was appropriate as you entered the Zhou Brother’s lair, an imposing cement structure with bare floors and load-bearing columns as far as the eye could see, filled with Chandeliers and white tulle thrown whimsically throughout the warehouse space. Ballerinas gracefully danced upon catwalks with each tutu-clad beauty moving en Pointe with grace and poise as familiar strains of Violins with the synthetic foundation of urban beats filled the air. Ed Mattingly and Joann Westwater were the 2006 Spirit Award recipients both whom have devoted countless hours in ‘Making a Difference by Design’. Designs for Dignity, a program of Heartland Alliance, coordinates pro-bono design projects to better serve the poor and vulnerable in the Chicago area and beyond. Mitchell Obstfeld was chair of this years' event.....

Click here to view 2006 Spirit Awards Photo Album