Top Designers Honored At Elevate Luxury Design Gala & Awards

Furniture World News Desk on 5/2/2016

The newly formed luxury design community, ELEVATE, developed in partnership with High Point Market Authority and adorno Magazine recently announced those that were honored at their inaugural awards dinner. The dinner was held at the Universal Furniture showroom in High Point Market. Neil MacKenzie, Universal’s Director of Marketing explained, “Building relationships directly with designers is the future of our business. When we were offered the opportunity to be the first title sponsor of the event and tour, it was an easy decision.”

The gala and awards featured the who’s who of the design industry. The evening was part of a larger program that brought an international panel of interior designers with seven-figure yearly earnings, who had not previously attended Market or had not visited in the last five years back, to High Point for the April Market. “Being from Australia, I was not familiar with High Point Market or its status as the largest furniture show in the world. But after attending, I can now see why it will become a new resource for me and my team. My clients deserve and can afford the best and they have homes all over the world. To have a resource where we can shop for every aspect of the home in one place is a great boon,” said award-winning celebrity interior designer Greg Natale.

During the gala event, adorno Magazine editor-in-chief, Sara Ledterman presented 14 awards before the crowd of interior design professionals. Recipients were not told of their win ahead of time, creating some of the best and most surprising moments of the evening. In an industry where planning is key, hearing heartfelt off-the-cuff speeches from some of the world’s best designers was both refreshing and touching.

“At our table sat old friends and colleges I have known and respected for years. Suzanne Kasler and I were seated next to each other and chatting about awards when we were interrupted hearing her name called for Luxury Design Icon. A few moments later, much to my shock, my own name was called for Best Traditional Luxury Interior Design. It was an unreal moment! It was so unexpected, I didn’t even have my shoes on and ran up to receive the award barefoot,” says legendary designer Mary Douglas Drysdale.

The awards selected fit the ELEVATE theme and are one-of-a-kind hand-made, slumped and fused glass sculptures by FRATES American Glass. Each unique award looked like natural quartzite minerals. The handcrafted pieces weighed several pounds and ranged from six to fourteen inches mounted on a granite base.

“It was a great honor to be chosen to create the award sculptures for the Gala. I recently started to expand my own art glass works collection with designer collaborations. It makes me happy to think that these designers will use the awards in their own personal spaces,” says Studio Director and Owner of FRATES American Glass, Doug Frates.

The evening’s awards led to many other memorable moments and speeches. One notable crowd pleaser was the speech from respected industry stylist and recent media darling Stacy Kunstel of Dunes and Duchess. Kunstel won the award for Best New Luxury Product Line. Upon receiving the award, she called her husband up to thank him for giving her the first candlestick, which served as the inspiration for starting their popular home accessories and lighting collection.

Award winners included:

• Suzanne Kasler of Suzanne Kasler for the Luxury Design Icon Award
  
  
• Greg Natale of Greg Natale Design for Best International Luxury Design Award
  
  
• William T. Baker of William T. Baker & Associates for Best Luxury Architect Award
  
  
• Mary Douglas Drysdale of Mary Douglas Drysdale for Best Traditional Luxury Interior Design Award
  
  
• Lonni Paul of Lonni Paul Design for Best Luxury Contemporary Design Award
  
  
• Gary Inman of Baskervill for Best Luxury Hospitality Design Award
  
  
• Michelle R. Smith of Studio MRS Interiors for Best Luxury Design Rising Star Award
  
  
• Christopher Kennedy of Christopher Kennedy Compound for Best Luxury Design Showhouse
  
  
• Susan M. Jamieson of Bridget Beari Designs for Best Luxury Wall Coverings
  
  
• Susan Hable of Susan Hable Art Home for Best Luxury Textile Design
  
  
• Celerie Kemble of Kemble Interiors for Best Luxury Case Goods Line
  
  
• Stacy Kunstel of Dunes and Duchess for Best Accessory Line
  
  
• Eric Cohler of Eric Cohler Design for “Cohler on Design” [Monacelli Press] was awarded Best Luxury Design Book 
  
  
• Rudi Nijssen of Schwung Home for Best Luxury Lighting Design

High Point Market Authority and adorno magazine have announced intentions to continue the program next year.

More about ELEVATE: The ELEVATE Luxury Design Tour is the first luxury design tour sponsored by the High Point Market Authority. It is exclusive to designers in the luxury design community. The tour includes showroom visits, panel discussions, lecture series, cocktail receptions and an invite-only formal Gala. For more information, visit http://elevatedesigntour.com.

More about The High Point Market Authority: The High Point Market Authority, http://highpointmarket.org, is the official sponsor and organizer of the High Point Market in High Point, N.C. Featuring an extensive selection of exhibitors spanning every category, style, and price point, and attracting tens of thousands of visitors from more than 100 countries twice each year. The High Point Market is the driving force of the home furnishings industry. Find the High Point Market online, and follow on Twitter using the hashtag #hpmkt.

More about Universal To The Trade: Universal Furniture International, Inc is a whole home resource that invites you to explore home. Highly regarded for its beautiful home furnishings at attractive prices, the company offers design excellence and exceptional manufacturing standards. Manufactured at its dedicated facilities in China, its brands include Universal Furniture, To The Trade and Smart Stuff. The Universal To The Trade brand and program offers exclusive benefits to the interior design community. The unique program offers a distinctive collection of home furnishings carefully selected for the interior design professional. Universal To The Trade is developed specially for the design community to provide products of high-style with affordable prices, products that ship in an average of 14 days, ordering made simple using their online iStore, easy shipping and payment options, single items which can be purchased online using a credit card, and dedicated customer service: The Design Line™ 877-804-5535. Visit http://universaltothetrade.com for more information or contact your Universal Sales Representative to learn more about establishing your account today.

More about Adorno Magazine: Adorno is a premium shelter publication featuring the most prominent homes in a more elegant digital reading and interactive shopping experience. We engineered an organic reading experience on an entirely new technology platform. adorno brings its readers: homes by the country’s most brilliant designers, detailed images by world-class photographers, advice from interior design experts and exclusive products by talented artisans. We make unique artisan and to-the-trade products available for purchase that embody the sophistication and the mastery we expect from people who live and breathe their craft. Live stylishly. Decorate brilliantly. For more information, visit http://adornomag.com.