Tag: international interior designer

A Day of Design at DCOTA – “Timeless Trendsetters” with Allison Paladino, Laura Kirar

Posted on by Nicole Tierney
top interior designers

DCOTA – Design Center of the Americas, November 2014 –

Designers, both new and experienced, gathered in the bright and airy Atrium C of the Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA), and major hub for South Florida interior design, on the morning of November 13, 2015. Moderator Betty Cortina-Weiss, Editor-in-Chief of Indulge Magazine, along with three of the country’s top interior designers, took the stage for a morning of creative discussion. Three of the most sought-after designers, including Palm Beach Gardens interior designer Allison Paladino, Laura Kirar and Windsor Smith, spent an hour in a casual, personal, fun but informative conversation covering topics from “how technology has changed their business” to “how their childhood bedrooms shaped their design careers.”

After the discussion panel wrapped up with a rapid-fire Q&A session, the audience and designers moved up to the Baker showroom to sip fresh tequila cocktails and preview Laura Kirar’s newest furniture line. Following the brief cocktail reception, guests made their way down the hall to the Century Furniture showroom for an array of lunch bites and a tour of Windsor Smith’s bright and timeless collections, a highlight for interior designers from across South Florida.

The afternoon ended on a sweet note as guests popped a few doors down for coffee, desserts and a sneak preview of Allison Paladino’s interior design furniture and art collection, a cumulative 120-piece line created with Wendover Art Group and EJ Victor. The event was hosted by the owners and staff at the Judith Norman showroom and served as a vibrant celebration of the region’s luxury interior design community.

West Palm Beach Interior Designer Brings Glamour to American Red Cross Show House

Posted on by Nicole Tierney

Every year, the prestigious American Red Cross Palm Beaches-Treasure Coast Region Designers’ Show House is an event that brings together the best of the best in the world of interior design. It’s a highly anticipated event for all of Palm Beach Society, a unique fundraiser for our Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter, and simply an exceptional opportunity for everyone to experience the finest in West Palm Beach interior design and luxury home styling.

I was honored to have been asked to join the 16 nationally recognized interior and landscape designers who are showcasing their interpretations of Tropical Island Living at 123 Santa Lucia Drive in the heart of West Palm Beach’s SoSo district. As a Palm Beach interior designer, I was proud to bring a touch of glamour and surprise to the design of the home’s second-floor hallway—an inspired blend of South Florida interior design sophistication and coastal elegance.

Anytime I’m presented with a second-floor hall large enough to display furniture, I like to treat it as a second foyer. And, like any great foyer, there should be a feeling of intimacy and surprise, and a place to visually rest before continuing on into the home. This philosophy reflects the essence of luxury interior design in Palm Beach, where function and beauty meet seamlessly.

West Palm Beach interior design

As you see in this sneak peek, I used furniture pieces from my collection for E.J. Victor—positioning the Sooz Console in figured walnut between a pair of Billy Screens. The screens will be formally introduced as part of my Spring 2013 furniture collection at the world’s largest home furnishings market in High Point, NC, later this Spring. Inspired by the Billy Cocktail Table, introduced last Fall, the screens feature raised panels that are molded in a composite material and then hand-carved. The intricate relief panels are then framed in a ribbon-stripe mahogany. A large Billy Mirror, also new this Spring, hangs above the console. I’ve also included a bench I created specifically for the Show House space. It’s a play on neoclassical design with tapered, modern lines, and the space is hung with artwork from my line for Trowbridge. “Karma” hangs above the bench, and “Mahalo” leads up to the third floor.

Situated just a few steps from the Intracoastal Waterway, I envisioned a sophisticated seaside feel with clean, transitional lines for the space. Pendolino Sconces from Porta Romana and the Boreal Bench in burnt silver from Ironies lend an element of glamour and surprise, and I think the result dresses up the hall like a pearl inside of an oyster shell—an approach that resonates deeply with West Palm Beach interior design lovers seeking coastal luxury.

The Show House benefits a great cause, and I hope you will support it. It’s open from January 24 to February 23, 2013, and tickets must be purchased at the door. We have a limited amount, so please call my office first at (561) 741-0165. General admission is $30, and cash, check, and all major credit cards are accepted. For more information, call 561-650-9131.

Allison Paladino earns top honors, showcases award-winning luxury design across South Florida.

Posted on by Nicole Tierney

To Our Clients, Colleagues, and Friends:

2013 is off to a great start at Allison Paladino Interior Design. Allison continues to create award-winning interiors and furniture and has recently been recognized for her unique and eye-catching designs.

Paladino Shines at DCOTA Awards Ceremony

Allison Paladino was named one of the 2013 Stars on the Rise at the 2013 Stars of Design and Stars on the Rise Awards Ceremony in January. The event, held at the Design Center of the Americas during their Winter Market, spotlighted the best in the various fields of design, including interior design, architecture, art, photography, graphic design, landscape design, and a special award for lifetime achievement. Paladino and five other interior designers were honored for their significant achievements and contributions to their profession and within the Florida community, with a special recognition of their talents, ideas, creativity, and business savvy.

The list of this year’s honorees reads like a veritable Who’s Who in design, including Jonathan Adler, Stanley Matz, Eric Cohler, Bernardo Fort-Brescia for architecture, Jorge Blanco for art, and Seth Browarnik for photography. Emilia Karram received the well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award, and Allison joined Laura Kirar, Gage Hartung, Alfred Karram, Jr., Matthew MacDonald, and Sabrina Vela in the 2013 Stars on the Rise category, honoring five young designers who have already made a significant mark on the design world. In the picture above, Allison is with Zita, who is ready to pop. She and her husband, Parker, are expecting their new bundle of Joy any day now!

In her acceptance speech, Allison mentioned the two key figures in the design industry that have influenced her career greatly; her mother, Elizabeth Paladino, pictured to the right of Allison (a designer of 35 years)! The other mentor is Thomas Pheasant, not only for his design philosophy but also his keen business sense, which she still practices today! Pictured to the left is the crew from Donghia, including Linda Rector of AP’s Rector Bed! For a link to a short video of her acceptance speech, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxONrI3Yjks.

Allison is also among the 16 nationally recognized interior and landscape designers who are showcasing their interpretations of “Tropical Island Living” as part of the prestigious American Red Cross Palm Beaches-Treasure Coast Region Designers’ Show House opening this week. The West Palm Beach Show House benefits a great cause, and we hope you will support it.

It’s open from January 24 to February 23, 2013.

Allison offers a sneak peek of a few pieces that she will be introducing at the International Home Furnishing Show this spring as part of her furniture collection with EJ Victor. Building off of the Billy cocktail table in mahogany and an Art Deco relief top, the Billy Screen and mirror are an exciting addition to her collection. The figured walnut Sooz Console in the center is a part of Allison’s line. She has also included a custom bench from Dicembrino Upholstery, covered in Rogers & Goffigon fabric designed specifically for the Show House space. It’s a play on neoclassical design with tapered, modern lines. Also included is part of her art line for Tro.

Paladino Honored at ASID Awards

Allison was also recently honored for excellence in product and hospitality design by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) South Florida Chapter. Her Ming Coffee Table for EJ Victor, a contemporary design combining beautiful woods and practical elements, received top honors in product design.

In the Hospitality Design- Restaurant category, Allison was honored for Trevini Ristorante, an extensive commercial design project that broadened the Palm Beach restaurant’s appeal to the growing numbers of affluent young professionals gravitating to the area, while retaining the upscale Italian bistro’s cadre of old-guard patrons.

The Grand Opening party was a huge success! Also on Allison’s blog this month, you’ll find word that Allison has a new gallery for her furniture collection at Décor House Furniture located in Coral Gables, Florida. She is thrilled to have a new venue for everyone to see her furniture and art, particularly in such a fabulous store. Whether you’re in the business or just love great design, Décor House is well worth a visit, and we think owner Pepe Rodriguez is a terrific partner. Décor House, located at 4119 Ponce de Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables, features Baker, Ralph Lauren, Bernhardt, Hickory Chair, EJ Victor, Century, Vanguard, and many more! Call 305-448-6200 for more information

(Left to right): Jr. partner Zita Rudd, with API, John Hunter, with E.J. Victor, Pepe Rodriguez, Owner of Décor House, Allison and Madeline Rodriguez, Sales Representative for Décor House

Allison’s furniture collection for E.J. Victor has also gone international with Addison House in Panama and Rubayait in Saudi Arabia. Both are high-style home furnishings showrooms. She had an opportunity to travel to Panama for the Grand Opening of the gallery, and it was a great experience to interact personally with the store’s executive team and to introduce their customers to her designs. They represent more than 100 of the finest furniture manufacturers in the world. From the Addison House opening, see picture from left, owners: Natali Naor, Sulamita Ganeden, Bette and Allison Paladino, Mishel Eskeriazi, and Sherry Bejles. If you are interested in setting up an Allison Paladino Gallery, she would be happy to help with furniture plans, elevations, furniture, and fabric selections as well as signage, art, accessories, and carpets! All she needs are measurements of your space!

Finally, mark your calendars now for the Spring Market in High Point. In addition to introducing many new products at E.J. Victor, Allison has just signed on to speak at the High Point Market, Monday, April 22nd, at 3:30 in the Antique & Design Center at Market Square. She’ll be presenting her one-hour CEU-accredited course, “Why the Bad Economy Has Been the Best Thing for My Business.” Please contact Lori Parkins at API,lori@apinteriors.com, to register.

For a planning guide to the Spring Market, go to the High Point home page at:http://www.highpointmarket.org and click on Spring 2013 Planning Guide.

We hope to see you there!!

Pictured left to right: Wendy Hanson, Zita Rudd and Lori Parkins

In closing, I would like to introduce and welcome three new employees to my company. Lori is our Office Manager and also helps with Design Administration. She is in the office full-time and will be bridging the gap while Zita is on maternity leave.

Wendy Hanson, who has worked with my company in the past, has now taken the role of my personal assistant. She will also be with me on most client meetings during Zita’s maternity leave.

Lastly, we welcome Steve Avitable, formerly with Ralph Lauren Home. He will be assisting Allison with press ads and editorials, as well as her future licensed lines and her existing lines: AP Furniture Collection with EJ Victor, Foot Prints from Around the Globe with Trowbridge, and the AP Custom Carpet Collection with Stark.

Pictured left to right: Bette Paladino, Princess Devine (Client), and Steve Avitable

Stay in Touch with Us!

Will you kindly take a moment and make sure that you have our most current address and phone numbers so that you can stay in touch with us? We can be reached at :

Allison Paladino Interior Design

6671 W. Indiantown Road, Suite 50-435

Jupiter, FL 33458

Phone 561-741-0165

Fax: 561-741-0169

South Florida Interior Design Firm Announces Major Expansion

Posted on by Nicole Tierney

To our Clients, Colleagues, and Friends in the Media:

We’ve got exciting news to share and want you to be among the first to hear!

I’m proud to report that business at our South Florida interior design firm is on the upswing and we are very busy, with a growing client roster and multiple projects throughout South Florida, as well as New York. My furniture collection for E.J. Victor is also gaining new placements in retail stores and design centers across the country, as well as international venues.

Just last month, we opened our first international gallery in Panama, at Addison House, a high-style contemporary home furnishings chain that also has showrooms in Aventura and Miami. Addison House represents more than 100 of the finest furniture manufacturers in the world, primarily from Europe, Brazil, and Indonesia, and I’m thrilled that the Allison Paladino Collection for E.J. Victor is now represented among their offerings. I had an opportunity to travel to Panama for the Grand Opening of the gallery, and it was a great experience for me to interact personally with the store’s executive team and to introduce their customers to my designs.

As this busy and exciting summer winds down, I’m hard at work preparing for the upcoming High Point Market. I’ll be sharing more about the new designs I have planned for introduction this Fall in upcoming reports and blogs, but watch for news about the modern, low-profile Legend sofa named for my friend Steven Avitale, senior director of furniture galleries at Ralph Lauren, and the oversized Kuester club chair, and 1930s French-inspired coffee table with a waterfall edge. All push my design aesthetic (and comfort zone!) further into the modern realm and I can’t wait to show you!

Finally, if you are attending the High Point Market, please mark your calendars now for Tuesday, October 16, 2012, at 2 p.m. and join me in the E.J. Victor showroom at 116 S. Lindsay Street in High Point for a special seminar: Luxury Design Insight 2012. I’ll be joined for the talk by Sarah Kammlah and Cecilia Berber-Thayer. Ellen Gefen, host of Home Fashion Report and editor of thehome.com is moderating. We’ll be focusing on key trends and the changing needs of the high-end consumer. Email erikab@ejvictor.com to reserve a spot!

Allison Paladino Interior Design is in Growth Mode

Posted on by Nicole Tierney
South Florida luxury interior design

Good news to report! While signs of a newly percolating economy and revitalized housing market remain elusive for many, our South Florida interior design firm, Allison Paladino Interior Design, continues to grow. We’re expanding our executive team and have added a new design position to meet the increasing demand for our Palm Beach–area interior design services.

Here’s the scoop: Zita Rudd who has served as senior designer for the past five years has been promoted to the position of Junior Partner of Allison Paladino Interior Design.

As many of you know, Zita—who emigrated to the U.S. from her native Holland as a teenager—is something of an American success story. She was born and raised in Amsterdam and relocated here at the age of 14, literally knowing how to say two words in English: hello and goodbye. A hard worker, she joined my firm following graduation from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, and her perseverance and drive were apparent early on.

“I’m a multi-tasker, and there are so many working parts to a successful project that there’s always something new and exciting to deal with,” Ziti says. “There’s never a dull moment around here, and I take great pride in working for this company. Allison challenges me every day, and she’s given me a great opportunity. She’s taught me what it means to make clients’ dreams come true.”

(O.k., I’m blushing).

Seriously, I’m incredibly excited about Zita’s more senior role moving forward. Over the past five years, she has grown into an integral and invaluable member of our team. Talented, efficient, and personable, she has proven herself capable of assuming increased responsibilities, and she’s earned this new title.

Our client roster continues to grow, with multiple projects underway throughout Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, and the greater South Florida luxury interior design market, as well as in New York. The Allison Paladino team is rising to the challenge, and we look forward to bringing elevated, timeless design to homes across the region.

Stephanie Dining Table Named Best of Market!

Posted on by Nicole Tierney
South Florida luxury interior design

Wow! The May 9, 2012 issue of industry trade publication Furniture Today just hit the newsstands, and the Stephanie Dining Table was named to the publication’s bi-annual “Best of Market” section.

Introduced two weeks ago at the High Point Market—the world’s largest home furnishings trade show—the Stephanie Dining Table is among the newest additions to my luxury furniture collection at E.J. Victor. Offered in two different sizes (84 and 96 inches), I designed it without a leaf to simplify people’s lives. The oak table surface features an interesting checkerboard pattern, surrounded by a textural apron. The table’s legs are situated in horseshoe patterns above a pair of dramatic C-shaped stretchers (does it remind you of a certain fashion house logo?) and have been carefully positioned to ensure everyone around the table enjoys plenty of leg room.

The news this Market was a new, lighter finish called sand. While lighter finishes and oak are typically associated with more casual looks, the story here is about sophistication—perfect for South Florida luxury interior design projects. Until now, I’ve focused on beautifully rich, dark woods like crotch walnut, rosewood, and zebrawood in all of my designs for E.J. Victor. This season, I was inspired in part by the needs of my Palm Beach interior designer clients, many of whom are gravitating toward lighter finishes, and in part by the juxtaposition of light and dark.

In the background of the picture, you see my new Lorelei Cabinet, a terrific companion piece to Stephanie, with its creamy limestone top and alternating wave pattern door and drawer fronts. Lorelei is also decidedly smaller in scale and lower in height to leave enough room above it to accommodate a great mirror, wonderful painting, or TV in spaces with lower ceilings. This is a multi-purpose piece that could be used as a dresser, buffet, media cabinet, or bar. I love its undulating curves, which remind me of a wave—a detail many clients look for in Palm Beach Gardens interior design projects.

Both of these pieces, along with the accompanying Parker Dining Chairs, could only be produced by a company like E.J. Victor, which is steeped in the art and craft of high-end home furnishings. Achieving the wonderfully warm sand finish requires a complicated bleaching process that few other companies would even attempt today, and certainly none domestically. I am tremendously gratified that furniture like this can still be produced in the U.S., and to be working with the incredible craftspeople required to bring it to fruition at E.J. Victor, delighting clients of South Florida luxury interior design.