Decorating & Design

March 24, 2011

New York Book Launch

Last week, I jetted to New York to attend the launch party for Undecorate (2011 Clarkson Potter), the first book by DwellStudio founder (and fellow Canadian) Christiane Lemieux.

In addition to being both glamorous and successful, Christiane is also an unflappable host: while greeting guests and signing books, she still found the time to tend to her kids, who gleefully ran about the party getting the signatures of attendees. This pic was snapped at the end of the night and she still looks amazing! I, on the other hand…

The celebration took place at the trendy Ace Hotel, where magazine editors, book publishers, TV personalities, designers and design devotees descended the stairs to the hotel’s edgy bunker-style Liberty Hall.

In case you missed it, H&H ran an excerpt of the book in the March 2011 issue, along with a Q&A I did with Christiane. Molly Peterson, standing with me, above, is Christiane’s right-hand gal and helped produce the book at every step.

Undecorate pays homage to the intimate, home-grown style of everyday people.

Christiane thought up the book when she noticed she was taking less and less inspiration from the design establishment and more from the somewhat informal but just as fashionable looks popping up on blogs around the world.

Judging from the turnout at the launch party, her encouragement of a more personal approach to decorating is right on trend. Erin Swift, Architectural Digest’s market editor, was there getting a copy signed for her mom.

I was interviewed about Canadian style by The Editor at Large. Of course they chopped the first part of my quote, where I waxed poetic about Canadian style; how we tend to embrace classic or traditional looks with a twist, rather than trends. Oh well. This is me with Julia and Sophie from the well-known design website. They were both so nice, I’m inclined to make them honourary Canadians.

Last but far from least, I got to chat up photographer Melanie Acevedo, who shot all the images in the book. She used to do tons of work for Domino magazine (R.I.P.), including the trendsetting shoot of J.Crew honcho Jenna Lyon’s house, the pics from which are still bouncing around the blogosphere like kids on a sugar high. Check out her work, including that famous shoot, here.

For more on Christiane’s style, browse the photos from her New York loft.

Cheers!

Photo credits:
1, 5-8. Scribd.com
2, 4, 9-11. Jake Klisivitch
3. Kimberley Brown