The NKBA partnered with Interior Design Homes for a special edition of the magazine, which hits newsstands on Nov. 16. By Dianne M. Pogoda
At a chic Manhattan loft conjured by acclaimed interior designer Shamir Shah, Cindy Allen, editor in chief of Interior Design Homes magazine, welcomed the NKBA’s Bill Darcy, CEO, and Suzie Williford, EVP and CSO, along with about 75 guests to unveil the first edition of a special “Best of K&B” issue.
The genesis of the partnership was at KBIS last January, when Allen delivered the keynote address and discussed design trends, with beautiful images to illustrate her points — including the Shah-designed apartment, which was featured on the cover of Interior Design Homes’ winter 2018 issue.
“This was really special from the start,” said Allen, who is also Chief Design Officer of ID publisher Sandow. “We started really connecting with NKBA, and started to get creative together.”
She added that while the media business is difficult, Interior Design is growing, adding issues and started a sister publication, Interior Design Homes.
“We’re relevant — because of all of you,” Allen said, “because we cover the best of what you do, and because we partner. This issue that just came out is the Best of Kitchen & Bath, which is the first time we’re doing that, and we can only do it because of our friends at the NKBA. It’s smart, amazing, and the issue is gorgeous.”
“We’re so excited about this,” said Williford. “ID came out to see us, and in their presentation was the concept for this magazine, which really centers on kitchen and bath. We started this relationship, and hope we can continue, because it focuses on our world — and when you bring the highlight to the kitchen and bath, to us, that’s the most important thing.”
The 11th-floor apartment, on East 29thStreet in the Gramercy Park neighborhood, is a full floor (3,500 square feet) with tremendous views of the city all around. The largely open plan, mainly in tones of grays, browns, taupes and umbers and punctuated by shades of green, features a lot of “twos” — two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living areas, two “living walls” of greenery and two kitchens. The public-facing kitchen is more of a social gathering space, with a basalt-covered island adjacent to the expansive dining area, while the “workhorse” kitchen, complete with a six-burner range and custom ventilation system to whisk away any cooking odors, is tucked behind doors in the rear of the kitchen space, butler-pantry-style.
Among the gathering of upscale interior designers, Shah, as well as the NKBA board of directors were on hand, as the intimate crowd nibbled hors d’ouerves and sipped Champagne and white wine. Williford invited everyone to KBIS in February, to hear “Cindy Allen Part 2,” as the editor will again present the keynote.
“Let’s have a toast together,” Allen concluded, “Let’s keep elevating!”
