June 3, 2015 - 'Take A Seat' Takes the Cake

6/3/2015

BOSTON, MA - June 3, 2015 - The International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA) kicked off their worldwide, annual design exhibition entitled "Take A Seat" in New England this spring. Take A Seat features upcycled and newly designed chairs crafted by furnishing and design professionals using unique fabrics and materials. Exhibitions are hosted in over ten metropolitan cities internationally, but this was the first year that the New England Chapter participated.

Eleven designers and two premiere sponsors contributed their talents to this landmark event in as little as 10 weeks. The results were nothing short of remarkable. Creative juices were allowed to direct the design scope for each chair and designers were given cart blanche. The transformation of these chairs told stories of our epic winter; playfully captured butterflies in flight; and even turned mathematical equations into intentional design elements.

IFDA-NE’s chair collection debuted at an Exclusive Private Press event prior to a public champagne reception at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams’ showroom in Natick on May 13. Over 100 guests and media representatives attended this event.

Next the exquisite chairs were transported to Woodmeister Master Builders' Boston location where 100+ urban trade professionals were treated to a cocktail party to celebrate the chairs’ Boston debut. The chairs remained on exhibit for the public to see before they were auctioned off on June 3 at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in front of an audience of 130 attendees.

The museum was the perfect backdrop for the Gala & Auction. Guests enjoyed a viewing of the designer chairs presented on stylish rugs by Dover Rug & Home and paired with antique motorcycles and period apparel from the museum’s "Beauty of the Beast" exhibit. Onlookers were then invited to 'take a seat' inside an assortment of cars, which ranged from a 2010 Bentley Continental GT Speed to a ’77 vintage Mercedes that was raffled off by European Auto Solutions.

The auction not only generated a lot of buzz for the chair designers and IFDA-NE - it successfully raised a record-breaking $16,000 for the Women’s Institute for Housing and Economic Development, an award–winning national affordable housing organization.

As VP of Programming for IFDA-NE, Broadview Marketing's President, Jennifer Driscoll, organized all of the events in the Take A Seat series with help from Tara Nolan, Marketing & Events Coordinator for Broadview Marketing, and many other gracious volunteers.