events - Seeing Design

Published June 20, 2014 by Anne Collins Howard

HoneyTrek & The Evolving Journey of Seeing Design

Around the World Travel and Design blog
If you haven’t noticed, HoneyTrek.com has become my new labor of love. Seeing Design was meant to be the aesthetic arm of our blog about our 4,685-day (and counting) honeymoon around the world, but the style and stories behind each of the 80 countries and 700+ places we visited can’t be separated from our journey to find them. HoneyTrek chronicles the twists and turns of our unconventional path and everything that inspired us along the way. Stunning architecture, charming homes, chic designs, talented artisans, exotic cuisine…these tenets of Seeing Design can all be found over on HoneyTrek…but within a context that means so much more than what meets the eye. We couldn’t be more proud of HoneyTrek (and all the press it’s been getting!) so we hope you check it out and join us for the adventures to come!

If you want to catch up on our past two years of world travel, watch this video, full of highlights from a trip that has truly changed our lives.

honeytrek 2014
Even though we are back in the States we still have 12 more countries-worth of stories to share, so…

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We look forward to hearing from you and having you along for the ride!

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Published February 20, 2012 by Anne Collins Howard

Beyond Rio…Carnaval Style

Some people think Carnaval is just a debaucherous four-day party in Rio de Janiero but the rest of Brazil would have to disagree. Months leading up to Fat Tuesday, even the tiny towns are constructing elaborate floats, practicing samba routines, and gearing up for this nationwide party. Beyond the grandstands of Rio (we’ll get to that after our stay this weekend), here our the look at Carnaval from the four weeks traveling the country through little beach towns to the colonial cities that started it all.

02festive-street-art-attitude — In Brazil it's all about attitude. Colors can never be too bright, clothes are never too tight, and self confidence pulls anything off. This piece of street art rules the block.

03olinda-carnival-shopping-mecca-palette-inspriation — Bright pinks, blues, yellows, greens... essentially the rainbow pumped up a notch is the palette of not just Carnaval but the whole of Brazil. Everything from houses to shops are in a vibrant coat of paint so when streamers of every color hang through the streets of Olinda for Carnaval, they perfectly complement the town.

2-04carnival-costume-shop — Over-the top frocks like this sweet pea dress are perfect for nights out and these Liberty of London (meets Brazil) style skirts are just the thing for a morning block party.

Carnival bead shop in brazil — Like Mardi Gras, reams of glitzy beads are essential to Carnaval style. This shop caters to the locals and can string up anything from their 100s of choices. Women wear a numb of strands around their neck and men tend to slip them through each arm to crisscross them over their chest.

carnaval shakers — For sound and flair, colorful beads slip over gourds to create every neighborhod's percussion section. Even if you never gave these a shake they would look very global chic on a console table or bookshelf.

carnaval puppets — Massive papier-mâché puppets modeled after local celebrities and political figures are the stars of the bloco. When worn on the shoulders of a puppet master as he saunters down the parade, the figure is the mark of that group's artistic talents and sense of humor.

1-07all-girl-drum-corps-flower-power — Girls take the streets with their resounding drums, and equally loud hair and makeup. Flowers are a running theme in clothes and accessories.

carnaval bloco — Woven baskets encircled with metallic streamers become an essential prop for traditional Afro-Brazilian dances through the streets of Salvador.

salavador carnaval dance — Sassed up with head scarves, bangles and some relentless dance moves, these ladies weren't going to leave the party to the kids. Flowing linen and lace dresses make for dramatic spins and a classic look.

carnaval olinda — Classsic red blue and yellow umbrellas are a dancing essential in Pernambuco. For spins, jumps, pivots, they make every Frevo dance move more dazzling with their blur of primary colors.

carnaval bloco leader — Leading this neighborhood bloco, these intricately beaded banners command the attention they deserve.

Has anyone ever been to Carnaval in Rio or seen photos? Though spectacular (we went to the Sambadromo last night), I was amazed by how different and incredibly charming the regional takes on the party different could be.

Places

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Published April 21, 2010 by Anne Collins Howard

Promising Student Designs

So flattered…this week I was apart of the judges panel for the Sixth Annual Umbra/Pratt Design Competition. To enter, these New York design students had to create products in the spirit of the modern home accessories firm that are innovative, useful, and feasible for production. To see the top three designs, you’ll have to wait for the unveiling at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair but to give you a sense of the talent that was in the running, here are my picks for runners-up.

Flat Pack Stools by Alexis Liu (1st Year Graduate Student)
Efficient shipping is an obvious selling point for these stools but trompe l’oeil foot rungs make these a whimsical option for extra seating.

Zap Bookshelf by Jesse Trentadue (1st Year Graduate Student)
Shaped like a lightening bolt, this decorative shelf will make any book collection look super-hero cool. (It would be so adorable in a little boy’s room.)
Easy Wall Organizer by Yoon Jung Heo (Senior Undergraduate student)
I’ve always wanted the Vitra Utensilo Wall Organizer but it’s pricey and, frankly, too large for my needs. This student’s design has similar qualities but I love its slim shape and pared-down compartments.

Ray Tea Cup and Saucer by Suzanne Chang (Senior Undergraduate Student)
Solving the little annoyances in life, this saucer was designed in prevention of soggy crumpets! The raised spoke pattern keeps your cookie out of any Earl Grey puddles and brings modern texture to the typically smooth dish.

If you could send one of these designs to the winner’s circle, which would it be?

Etc

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Published January 23, 2009 by Anne Collins Howard

The New York Gift Fair Begins

It’s late January in New York City and to buyers, editors, and wholesalers that means Gift Show. It’s one of the largest accessory and home design fairs in the country and where I’ll be spending my weekend. I’ve been receiving promotional emails all week from manufacturers trying to lure us to their booths with sneak peeks of their wares for 2009. And it’s working.