MARCH 2024 NEWSLETTER

ASSOCIATION

HIGHLIGHTS & NEWS

NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER

Last month IFDA New England hosted a fascinating and energetic event for St. Patrick’s Day! We were hosted by Roche Bobois in Boston and although we were celebrating the Irish Holiday, our host spoiled us with delicious French wine and hors d'oeuvres The theme of the evening was ‘The Rise of Biophilic Design’ and our speaker Jan Goodman, owner of Cityscapes in Boston gave a compelling and beautiful presentation on Biophilia and the art of bringing nature indoors. The connection between plants, design and the impact on emotional health and productivity was extremely interesting and educational.

It was a great event, and we look forward to our April lineup which includes a dynamic panel discussion in partnership with BRAGB on how to submit entries to competitions and maximize potential for achieving recognition and accolades. In addition, we are extremely excited to be hosting the Boston Design Week Kick-Off Event in partnership with ASID and New England Home Magazine.

NEW YORK CHAPTER

It is with great sadness that the New York Chapter announces the passing of Claire K. Coleman, FIFDA on Saturday, March 30, 2024 at 99 years of age. Claire was one of the founding members of IFDA, then called National Home Fashion League. She served as IFDA International President and NY Chapter President. Her funeral was held in Valhalla, NY on Tuesday and was attended by 4 Presidents of the NY Chapter of IFDA. Claire was a trailblazer and a true icon. She will be terribly missed by the NY Chapter and everyone that knew her and was inspired by her.

Headquarters is compiling memories, stories and photos of Claire to publish a special edition of Network.Please send submissions to Linda@IFDA.com

PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER

L to R:George Chianese, Gina Borgesi, Kristen Cossa, Kim Kristire, Ashley Dowse

L to R: Alison Barnak & Gail Simon

L to R: Ashley Dowse& Heather Hill, IFDA Philadelphia President- Elect

L to R:Sheila Coyle & Noelle Desiderio

RICHMOND CHAPTER

Cathy Green, Alicia Wilson, Diane Fairburn, Traci Lanzy, Andrew Stark, Cathy Connon, Rachel Parrish, Richmond Chapter, Presdent-Elect, Lisa Hall

Evane Miranda, Dell Anno & Bettina Pamplona

SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH

By Judith Clark, FIFDA

What do we all need for our business……more marketing and networking!

As the Co-International Director of Social Media, I want to promote every and all members that would like an additional boost to their business. Just think, when I joined IFDA, if someone mentioned the phrase “social media”, no one would have known what that meant. Now it is a big part of our understanding of our marketing needs.

The more one posts on social media the more response we have. Generally it takes awhile to get any kind of response so we tend to stop posting for lack of interest. What we don’t realize is people are actually viewing our most and don’t let anyone know that they enjoyed or noticed the posts. So we have to keep posting and posting and never quit. You never know when something will hit someone’s taste buds for design excellence.

IFDA LOVES PROMOTING OUR OWN

When your business posts on your Facebook and Instagram pages, we would like to see the posts and multiply the reach to others. IFDA’s Facebook and Instagram pages has thousands of friends and viewers. If you like IFDA Facebook page and ifda.official Instagram page, your posts will show up in our feed and we will re-post on our pages.

The more you post, the more we will re-post. The more this is done the more marketing comes your way. If we all keep passing the love around we will all become better known to the design community and to those who like the design community. When we post your business posts, our members also love to support and encourage us all.

Let’s make this a joint effort and share the love!

FACEBOOK: International Furnishings and Design Assn

INSTAGRAM: ifda.official

LIKE US AND FRIEND US

GLOBAL CONNECTION NEWS

On Monday, March 25th or Tuesday, March 26th depending upon where in the world they were, about 20 IFDA members jumped on a Zoom call at all hours of the day and night to discuss trends and issues in each of their countries. A lively conversation and exchange of ideas was moderated by Nancy Fire, of the IFDA New York Chapter. Stay tuned for the next meeting with members from Australia, Israel, Republic of Georgia, Japan, Canada, and the United States.

Atsuko Miyachi showing the bright design color of Japan

Black & White Japanese Design

Miri Tsur's Industrial black looks from Israel

INDUSTRY PARTNERS' NEWS

Shifman Mattresses proudly presents its sustainable legacy at High Point Market, April 13-17. With over 130 years of commitment, Shifman reaffirms its position as a pioneer in luxury bedding, showcasing two premium mattress collections and a luxury pillow program. Embracing sustainable practices, Shifman sources premium materials such as Canadian black spruce lumber from sustainable forests and recycles surplus materials such as fabric, fiber remnants, and cotton. By repurposing clean raw materials and utilizing clean recycled steel for springs, Shifman significantly reduces its environmental footprint. The Pure Comfort Collection, Shifman’s premium latex line, and the Inspired Collection, paying homage to iconic interior designers, highlight Shifman's commitment to quality and sustainability. Shifman's luxury pillow program offers superior options, from 100% latex pillows to responsibly sourced white goose feather and down.

Visit Shifman Mattresses High Point showroom at 108 E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive for luxury bedding with a commitment to sustainability.