Design, Food and Charity all rolled up at DIFFA Picnic by Design 2017

Hygge Basket- Michele Alfano Design and Tiago Fonseca

Last Wednesday DIFFA -DesignIndustries Foundation Fighting AIDS hosted a fun filled Picnic By Design event celebrating creative expression while raising funds and engaging designers in DIFFA’s mission to further the fight against HIV/AIDS. This year $50,000 was raised to support DIFFA’s grants to HIV/AIDS direct service organizations and programs in New York City and across the country. Nearly 250 people filled the Stage 48 rooftop, to come see 22 leading designers who created and donated vibrant, themed picnic baskets filled with picnic treats and essentials for attendees to bid on and win in the Picnic By Design auction.

Hygge Basket- Michele Alfano Design and Tiago Fonseca

Credit Images: Erik Bardin

This year I entered the HYGGE Modern Basket, inspired by the Danish philosophy of Hygge, translating the elements of my DXV space into my Picnic by Design basket. Tiago Fonseca of course was my partner in crime again building with beautiful craftsmanship. 

Hygge Basket- Michele Alfano Design

Hygge is a feeling of happiness and well-being. To achieve a sense of Nordic coziness, I balanced light colored materials with geometric pattern,  a pop of color and nature.  To depict the landscape of Copenhagen, the angled lines of the basket works in concert with a customized wood coastline Pangea map of Copenhagen - which was customized specifically for the basket. Thank you Pangea maps!

All the senses are touched with elements representing earth, water, and fire. So, whether you are sipping wine, eating good food or enjoying yourself with good friends, the key to this sensorial picnic design is to elevate your picnic experience and heighten the simple pleasures of life. That is Hygge!

Thankyou to HORNE for the gorgeous flatware, and Robert Allen for the beautiful fabrics Artworld Indigo, Tessa Techtonic and Tessa Stitch blue.

Thankyou to Cindy Allen, Editor in Chief Interior Design Magazine who purchased my basket design!

Michele Alfano, Tiago Fonseca and Cindy Allen

Thanks to my friends and supporters of DIFFA Picnic by Design:

Having a blast with Lori Dolnick, Deborah Von Donop, Michele Alfano, 
Kristen Sawyer , Cory Berwanger, Tiago Fonseca, Tyler Wisler, Leanne Wood Newman

Michele Alfano and Michelle Radley of JM Lifestyles

Michele Alfano, Tiago Fonseca, Deborah Von Donop, Guy Tunnicliffe

Here are some of my fave baskets from the 2017 designers:

jesGORDON/properFUN x Dirt Cobain

NPZ Style & Décor

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

“DragCon Basket” styled by Tyler Wisler 

Vanessa Deleon Associates

Stillwell Events NYC with Elegant Affairs NYC

Scott Brogan Group

Antoinette Loupé, Canard Inc

Stacy Garcia Inc.

Ted Moudis Associates

Credit Images: Erik Bardin

Thank you to the sponsors: Blanco, Bolon, Design Lab @ Bell Works, DXV, DRS Associates, EGE, Flaneur, Innomark, Maya Romanoff, NTT Industries, New York Design Center, StudioTK, Robert Allen Duralee Group and The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show.

Dream Big: Michele Alfano Design for DXV Design Panel 2017

Photography credit: Vladimir Weinstein

Michele Alfano of Michele Alfano Design

DXV by American Standard is a portfolio of meticulously crafted fixtures and faucets. For the past four years, DXV has invited designers to create vignettes to re-imagine design movements of the past 150 years to feature their products and transport us back in time. I think I'm still dreaming cuz I was one of the four!

Being on the panel really is a designer's dream project giving each designer an opportunity to design without any restriction and to push the boundaries of unsolicited creativity. It was a very empowering experience. I wore a cloak of power and it felt good and it felt scary. I didn't know what to expect but I felt that DXV and Veronika Eagleson of Modenus believed in me and I was ready and confident to take on the challenge! 

It was a huge opportunity to showcase my Architectural eye on Interior Design and be a part of DXV's history in inspired design to elevate the experience of everyday living - which is in my core beliefs as a designer.

I decided to pick the city of Copenhagen as my city of inspiration to re-imagine the Modern movement. The Hygge Modern bathroom consummates a sensorial experience of well being integrating the Danish ritual of enjoying life's simple pleasures. The angles and organic lines of the new DXV Modulus collection fit right into this feel good landscape. Whether you are immersed in water, mesmerized by fire and nature or sipping a warm cup of coffee overlooking the water, the key to this design is experiencing the good life on a day to day basis.

Thankyou very much to the sponsors who contributed their time and material: JM Lifestyles for the beautiful customized concrete wood tub platform, KJ Tiles for the Wood floor tile, Thermador for the Builtin Coffee Maker and Built in Warmng Drawer, Walker Zanger for the Kaza Concrete wall.

THE DESIGN: 

I loved the whole process from start to finish and wanted to take you a bit behind the scenes. It all started with the project being #DXVTOPSECRET! After the big announcement at KBIS in January, we had a few weeks to sketch and put together a presentation fitting  a 12' x 12' x 10' space. With nerves, I flew to Minneapolis to present my Copenhagen Modern design to DXV in February. All the designs were strong and there was a vibe of excitement in the air. It takes a village to build one of these sets. It was amazing for us designers to meet the marketing and pr team, stylist (Jim Goulet), videographer (Bret McQuinn) and the Photo Studio (Earl Kendall Studios) who ultimately built our ideas into reality. Over time, the studio director (Selena Salfen) would call with questions and send some sneek peeks along the way. The studio is impressive- their impeccable craftsmanship completed in such a short amount of time was mind-blowing! I especially loved working with Jim - so fun styling the space!

Lighting the fire was hysterical. The crew set the rocks on fire with rubber cement and ducked down so Earl could get the shot!! Thank god most of my material selections were concrete based!

Kelly Kasper of DXV was getting some closeups of the fire

Below are only some of the images from my presentation- floor plan and perspectives. Part of my architecture training is needing to know how things go together and if I don't know how to build it, then it doesn't go on paper. 

THE SUMMIT: The 2017 #WorldofDXV started off with the #DXVDesignPanel summit.. We all had fun listening to: a fascinating celebrity design panel (Vicente Wolf, Jonathan Adler,  Alex Papachristidis, Alessandra Branca) moderated by Stacy Bewkes of Quintessence Lifestyle blog,  to designer presentations to a sneak peek into the future of DXV product.

Alessandra Branca, Kati Curtis, Corey Damen Jenkins, Veronika Eagleson, Jonathan Adler,  Alex Papachristidis, Michele Alfano, Alison Hebermehl.

It was an honor to have chatted with these design celebrities and learn their insights about the design business.

Vicente Wolf, Jonathan Adler,  Alex Papachristidis, Alessandra Branca, 

Jonathan Adler, Lixil's Margaret Monteleone and Jean-Jacques Lhenaff  

THE LAUNCH: presenting my design was nerve-racking at first but when I started to express the story behind the inspiration, my speech naturally flowed..

:Everyone say HYGGE!

THE EVENT: the celebration for the #DXVDesignpanel launch party had lots of surprises: amazing dancers, beautiful music , wonderful food and drinks inspired by the four DXV international cities: Copenhagen, Florence, Toronto and CasaBlanca.

DXV Design Panel 2017  
Corey Damen Jenkins,Kati Curtis,  Veronika Eagleson,  Alison Hebermehl.and Michele Alfano



Michele Alfano and Vicente Wolf

Loved having my men there! xox Ivan, Steve and Cory

Loved seeing some of my pals:
Tina Ramchandani, Pamela Copeman, Lynne Byrne, Laurie Gorelick

Thank you Jeff Kudrick of JM Lifestyles! You rock!

DXV Design Panel Family 

Love me some SWAG!



See the highlights of the DXV event in the video below:

Photography credit: Vladimir Weinstein

Thankyou for everything DXV and Veronika Eagleson!

Veronika, thank you for your kind words, xoxoxol!

Working with Michele reminded me of every reason why homeowners should work with a pro. Michele's design for DXV was, from the start, a brilliant  combination of complex architecture and sophisticated materials that, together, created a balanced and serene yet edgy interior. In other words, she wowed us from day one and then managed to raise her own bar by submitting impeccable working drawings, material lists and really every minute detail to ensure that our production team could correctly interpret her vision. I guess you could say Michele made it easy for the rest of us to look good. 

~ Veronika Eagleson 

Thanks,
Michele Alfano of Michele Alfano Design

Live Hands Free with an American Standard Beale Pull-Down Faucet #Stylemyfaucet

Hands free pull down faucet is my everything! I was asked by American Standard to test drive the new contemporary and sleek Beale Pull-Down kitchen faucet. I installed it in my own home and I LOVE it because its hands free technology makes prepping in the kitchen so much easier. Details like this is a home run to making your life easier on a daily basis!

I belong to a cooking club where us girls meet once a month to feature a new dish based on a theme. This month is "anything on a stick." I thought Salmon and lemon kebobs would be a hit.

My new Beale faucet definitely cut my prep time down. The faucet’s smart Selectronic hands free technology allowed me to wave my hand under the faucet to prepare my fish and lemon dish effortlessly without touching. I have to say handling salmon without having to touch the faucet is excellent. Nothing worse then those gooky hands after touching fish.  I admit I'm a bit of a germ-phobe and this faucet prevents pesky bacteria from cross contamination.

Lets talk..... The details of the faucet promotes ease! Besides hands free, the faucet also operates manually by sliding a bar up. The faucet has a smooth operation with its innovative Dock-Tite and Re-Trax retraction system. The two task driven spray patterns has a pause button to stop flow temporarily and the pull down automatically docks right back into place with magnetic technology. 

The stainless steel model sits proudly on my sink. Check out the video too:

I look for ways in my own design business to promote a happier life and without question, I would recommend living with the American Standard Beale touch free faucet to do so!
  

All reviews and opinions are my own. Thankyou American Standard for selecting me to particapte in #Stylemyfaucet #designhounds