DESIGNING A BRAND - COCOCOZY 3-D AT THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR!

First off...I am sorry! I've been so busy the last 4 days launching the COCOCOZY online shop and debuting the COCOCOZY home furnishings and textiles collection at the New York International Gift Fair that I haven't been able to blog and it totally has stressed me out!

I am back to the blog while here at the fair! Yippeee!!!! I feel better now that I'm back in touch.

New York has been absolutely amazing. Where do I start?

First off I've met the coolest COCOCOZY readers including Stacey and at least 40 others who have stopped by my booth at the New York International Gift Fair where I'm launching my first home furnishings collections.

Then I've had the honor of meeting the glitterati of our blogging world...bloggers who I have become friendly with online and now have the pleasure of knowing in person...including the very adorable and impressive Cassandra of Coco Kelley, amazing and awe-inspiring Crystal and Anne of Rue, stylish Nicole of So Haute, nice Marissa from Style Beat, the truly incredible Paloma of the new High Gloss magazine, the venerable Michele and Patrick of Lonny...just to name of few.

I am so amazed by these stunningly brilliant women (and 1 guy). They have all certainly created an unbelievable kinetic energy. I was so thrilled and truly honored to meet them finally!

Over the last few days at the gift fair, I also met some new blogging friends including Ashlina of The Decorista, Petra of Pretty Little Green Things, Kimberly of Knotting Hill Interiors and Kelly of Kelly G Design. It was also fantastic meeting some incredible home furnishings entrepreneurs some of whom I've covered and admired over the years including the oh so talented Karen from Hammocks & High Tea and Yali and Shoshana of Zicci Bea. Lastly, I met so many new interior designer friends including interior designers Anishka of Ishka Designs and Beth of EGR Designs.

Oh what an incredible 5 days it has been.

Darling friends Alyssa and Candice who are helping in the booth have been so wonderful. Phenomenal ambassadors of the COCOCOZY brand. We've had quite a few comedy moments in the booth the three of us have. Best of friend Anne took her Sunday to work with us at the booth...and best of friends Nicole and Amie also came by to help out. I am one very lucky lucky girl.

Anyhooo...fair is about to start again...and I wanted to show you my little booth and how I got here.

I decided to do the gift fair back in October or November and then the race began.

Building the 3D version of the COCOCOZY brand was quite fun...stressful...fun...exciting and more.

The whole thing began with a very bad drawing by me! Take a look.


My first booth drawing back in November 2010! Clearly I do not draw well at all. I sent this drawing off to booth designers to get estimates!(above)


First draft of booth design...I did not like this at all! Reminded me of a 1st grade classroom with cubbies for shoes and art supplies! (above)

Then I began the truly amazing work with my booth design team...

I decided to ship in all of the contents of the booth and have the design team just build a shell. I wanted a square white box that I could trick out with the COCOCOZY look. I had 4 huge display cases painted bright glossy white in Los Angeles. I pulled a chocolate brown fretwork desk, a sisal rug, some Louis Ghost chairs and then the plan started to make sense.


I found this great desk at a warehouse in Los Angeles! (above)

Didn't want to use the flooring that came with the space so I ordered my own sisal rug. (above)


Clear Louis Ghost chairs were a must...the booth is small...we needed seating that did not obstruct the view...so I took two of these chairs from my bedroom and shipped them to NY! (above)


The key...is these amazing 9 foot display cases that I had painted in Los Angeles and then shipped to New York. (above)

The final rendering. In the end, after I sent the design company all of the design elements and a new drawing...this is that they came up with! (above)


This is what the booth looked like when I arrived at the Javits Center on Friday. A white box...ready for a makeover! (above)


The first ever COCOCOZY trade show booth - a truly cozy little nook - perfect for housing my first collection! (above)








Best of friend Anne lent me two gorgeous sterling silver vintage bowls for cards and paper clips in the booth. (above)


Anne also gave me a pink birdcage I had given her for the booth...it wouldn't fit in the display cases so we had to cut off the legs and the top! What a good friend...allowing me to cut up her personal home accessories! (above)








A group hug...Coco (I'm on the left), Alyssa (right) and Candice (center with back to camera) after our sale to a store on Main Street in Nantucket (Candice wrote the order)! I dreamed of my collection being on Nantucket and now it is! Ahhh...! (above)
So...for right now that is it..the 3-D version of COCOCOZY! Will tell you all of the stories of all of the fun people who have stopped by my booth including my design crush JONATHAN ADLER!!!!!! Oh just thinking about him in my booth makes me dizzy...that story to come later!

Happy Wednesday! Happy happy Wednesday! I've missed you guys!

xo
Coco

THANK YOU BLOGGERS FOR MENTIONING THE NEW COCOCOZY COLLECTION!

COCOCOZY bedding - shams and boudoir pillows (above)


COCOCOZY Logo linen pillows in navy, grey and sage green. (above)

Wanted to thank those of you bloggers who mentioned the launch of the COCOCOZY Spring 2011 collection and the COCOCOZY online shop. I opened the online store last weekend and got a wonderful response! I so appreciate the kind words and support.

Tomorrow - Sunday - I launch the line officially at the huge New York International Gift Fair. The biggies in home furnishings, accessories and textiles are all here including design crush Jonathan Adler, John Robshaw, Dwell Studios, Oly, Matouk, Bungalow 5, John Derian, Sferra and so many more. It has been so much fun setting up the cozy COCOCOZY booth near my idols! Intimidating but oh so fun.

Anyhoooooo, back to my blogging friends...I am so honored to have received any nice comments from familiar and newly introduced voices. So the least I can do is share a little blog love...

Today, I would like to mention the following blogs and their authors for being so nice to me:

Apartment Therapy

Bijou & Boheme

The Broke Socialite

Diary of a Chair

The Simplified Bee

Seeking Decor

modhomeec

Christina Marie Interiors blog

Love Inspire Create

Inspirato Design

Jelly-Bella

The Vault Files

Pagoda Press

Simply Iley

The Wool Acorn

The Designing Bee

Hit Singles

Thirtieth Avenue

Third Floor Design

In my opinion, some very cool blogs and talented bloggers on this list. I loved discovering some new blog friends and rediscovering ones I've known. I hope you readers get a chance to check some of themn out!

Thank you again to all on the above list!!!

Will continue thanking those of you bloggers who do mention my first ever home furnishings collection over the next coming months as I am so touched by how nice everyone has been. Just email me if you mention and I'll do these thank you posts periodically.

Since I am saying thanks...

Must also say a huge thanks to best of friend Anne who after she worked all day at her investment banking job yesterday, she came over to the convention hall in the evening after work and totally arranged all of my pillows into a pretty lovely display for over three hours (we left at around 10:30p) - the entire booth was pretty much styled by Anne! Also thanks to new friend Candice who has been helping set up the booth and run around town with me to get things going...and to dear friend Alyssa who just landed in town from London to help out. Thank you of course for the constant unwavering moral support and help from my mom and sister (would have missed my second flight here without the 4:30a wake up call from my sister). My cousin AY who is taking care of my dog and aunts LB, SS and MA. Also to friends FF, NS, JLF, JH, RK, AZ, AR, BN, AB, JD, YO, JS, RM and more who have all given me a great thought, opinion and/or much needed perspective during this whole process.

Am finished for the day at the Javits Center. Off to dinner with friends!

Happy Saturday!

xo
Coco

P.S. I will share booth photos...didn't get a chance to take any this eve as we were running out...but I will...I will...

P.P.S. If you are attending the NYIGF, please stop by and say hi...I'm in the At Home Textiles division in the Javits Center booth #7857. Hope to see some of you there!

A SPARKLING NIGHT AT THE WINTER ANTIQUES SHOW IN NYC!

Photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY

Okay...so I've stopped crying. :-) (see yesterday's post re: a grown woman (me) having a meltdown).

Now I am just thrilled to be in New York!

I went by the Javits center first thing when arrived yesterday and saw my booth. It is so small...but very cute. Have to spend the entire day with Candice pulling everything together. Alyssa is stuck in London so I am down a hand...anyone in NY and want to help set up? :-)

Last night, best of friend Anne and her sweet hubby John and I went to the Young Collector's Night at the Winter Antiques Show. Oh what a sparkling evening. New York at its finest. This is the kick off event to the Winter Antique Show were tons of dealers set up shop at the Armory on the Upper East Side to show off some of the most stunning historic furniture, art and accessories I have ever seen!

The antiques were gorgeous (and I'm not even a huge antiques person), the crowd was quite posh, and the champagne was delightful. I wore a cute new Prada dress (short black), a little skinny Prada patent belt with a bow and my shiny Christian Louboutin patent leather high boots (I will wear that same outfit again probably this week...so shhhhh...pretend like I didn't detail it here), and my Chanel purse. Anne wore a gold clutch, one shoulder black dress and some sexy suede boots. Fun to be all dressed up and to go out in NY!

Anyhoooo....thought you might want to see some of this gorgeous event and some of the furnishings.











I want to go back and look at all of the antiques too. If only I had time!

Am off to go try to get my tiny booth together.

Happy Friday to you!

xo
Coco

NEW YORK HERE I COME!

So...I cried at the Delta check in desk this morning at 5:30a. I wept. Really I cried crocodile tears. It was my second time at Los Angeles Intl Airport in a 6 hour time frame and it was the second time someone told me I couldn't get to New York even though I had bought my ticket months ago...but mother nature was not on any one's side who had planned travel east yesterday...and even though I realized it was all beyond my control, the airline's control...I cried.

After months and months of rising at 5-6a and going to sleep at 2a in an effort to launch a home furnishings collection in NYC, my exhaustion just hit me at the Delta counter. I think out of shock that a girl was actually weeping at the counter, the nice baggage guy said he would pray for me. I felt bad then...I so appreciated the prayer but that put a few things in perspective. I am not curing cancer or saving lives, I'm just trying to achieve a personal goal I set for myself.

My booth at the New York International Gift Fair is being built today...and I wanted to be there to make sure everything looked okay. I am not there. I'm on a plane. I had everything planned and the plans just flew out the door (oh, I was just trying to get some Advil out of my purse, it fell over and all the contents fell out including my blackberry which is now in under-the-seat-airplane-no-mans-land...anyhoooooooo). There is a lesson somewhere in this. I know there is.

Tears and delayed flights aside, I am so excited to be going to NYC! I love New York as cliche as it may sound. I am staying with best of friend Anne and her hubby John and their kiddies. My best of friend Alyssa is flying in from London to give me hand...along with new friend Candice who is coming in from L.A. to work the fair with me. Best of friend Nicole is coming in to see me at the fair and I'll see JH, DH, A.Ro and a whole slew of others.

So while I have been tremendously unlucky today (the guy on the plane next to me has a terrible cold and just sneezed in the vicinity of my orange juice), I know I am very lucky to have the good fortune of loving family, friends, my health and a general curiosity and drive that have brought me here...on my way to New York to try with all my heart and energy to break out of my norm in a big way! We'll see what happens. To be continued for sure...

Xo
Coco

P.S. Uh...next post will be about decor...don't worry!

P.P.S. Thank you Abby for the nice Apartment Therapy post yesterday!

Photo: Siegfried Marque

COLOR WATCH: SOPHISTICATED BLUE-GREY IN A EUROPEAN FLAT!

Loving this Madrid apartment! Makes me want to move to Spain immediately.

The blue grey tones are perfect to me...soothing, sophisticated and sometimes even playful as in the striped grey and white kitchen walls.

My favorite room in this apartment is the living room - love the built-in bookshelf, the geometric print rug, and the color of that dark blue-grey velvet sofa!

Overall the flat's decor and furnishings are a mix of styles with modern, mid-Century modern and even a hint of Scandinavian coming into the mix (this word Scandinavian has come up now twice in a week...good friend AT who lives in London called me the other day...while we were on the phone she said, "You know I'm totally into Scandinavian crime novels these days. Particularly those from Norway and Sweden"...she was serious when she said this btw...who knew Scandinavian crime novels were page turners???...anyhooooo...)

Take a look!













Happy Tuesday!

xo
Coco

P.S. Fellow bloggers...just a reminder that I will be doing a post later this week thanking all of you nice people who have mentioned the COCOCOZY Spring/Summer 2011 home furnishings collection and opening of the store. If you do happen to mention on your blog and let me know by 1/28/11...I'll also include a link to you in the thank you post too! Thank you all for the wonderful support!

Photos: MiCasa

SKYLIGHT IS THE LIMIT IN BRIGHTENING UP KITCHEN & DINING SPACES!

I am a sucker for a bright and cheerful space. Sunlight indoors is key to my happiness. In my little cottage in the Hollywood Hills pretty much the entire front of my house is windows - making my way too small house appear happy and light.

A sunny eat in kitchen is essential to me. The place where you cook and dine should have a bit of sunlight...some connection nature and with the outdoors.

Hence this post and these very airy kitchens and dining spaces featuring wonderful skylights. Oh...let there be light...in the form of a skylight...why not? I love the idea of being inside, looking up and seeing not a ceiling but the sky! A window looking up...metaphorically optimistic...practically speaking bringing the outdoors in...love it!







I found these eat-in kitchen spaces with skylights...but if thee is one room in your house that could use a skylight, which room would that be? What do you think of a skylight illuminating your eating area?

Happy Monday!

xo
Coco

P.S. Thank you bloggers for the nice COCOCOZY online shop launch mentions! I will be doing a post later this week thanking all of you who mentioned the COCOCOZY Spring/Summer 2011 home furnishings collection and opening of the store. If you mention, the COCOCOZY collection launch on your blog and let me know by 1/28/11...I'll include a link to your blog in the thank you post too!

Photos: Natasha Baradaran; Maria de la Osa; 1st-Option

THE COCOCOZY SHOP OPENS!

COCOCOZY Spring/Summer 2011 home furnishings collection features fine linen pillows, soft cotton knit throws, window coverings and more! (above and below)

Was up until the wee hours last night emailing with FANTASTIC web expert/designer MR. We were putting the finishing touches on the COCOCOZY shop site.

Well after a month of really late nights and with the help of an amazing web designer...I am so pleased to announce that the COCOCOZY shop is officially open!

You can visit the store by clicking on the "SHOP" tab here at the top of the blog or by clicking this COCOCOZY Shop link!

On the site, you'll see everything that is being offered in my first ever home furnishings collection - featuring original designs created by me! Here in this post, I'm just showing some of the blues, sage greens and greys...but there are lots of other colors and styles to see too.


COCOCOZY Logo cotton knit reversible throws (above)


A peek at the linen COCOCOZY drapery collection. (above)

Hope you enjoy seeing the entire collection!

In usual form...I do want to hear from you on your thoughts on my collection just as I would on anything else. All opinions (favorable or unfavorable) are welcome (really)...I've developed a thick skin to comments over the years!

Happy Saturday!

xo
Coco

P.S. As most of you know, I am launching my first ever home furnishings line at the New York International Gift Fair next week. I have a booth and all on the same floor as John Robshaw, Matouk, Pine Cone Hill and other textile biggies. I'll show you pictures of the COCOCOZY booth in tomorrow's post. Have to run off and pick up printed catalogs and get one of my favorite cute Prada dresses fixed so I can wear it at the trade show!! Oh yes...and didn't get that iPad yet...so I have that on my to do list too!

P.P.S. Attention fellow bloggers: If you have a blog and mention the debut of the COCOCOZY Spring/Summer 2011 home furnishings collection...OR, if you write about the opening of the COCOCOZY online shop on your blog, please let me know...I'd love to give you a shout out thank you here on COCOCOZY. Email me at cococozy@gmail.com before 1/28/11. Thank you for all of the nice compliments thus far!

PILLARS HERE, PILLARS THERE, PILLARS EVERYWHERE - HOW CEMENT COLUMNS WORK IN A NYC APARTMENT!

I really like this NYC apartment...kind of an industrial loft space overlooking the Hudson River. This apartment is in a Richard Meier designed building in the city...the space is open, bright with floor to ceiling windows, and loaded with structural cement pillars.

The cement pillars might throw some off if they had to design this space...but I like the way the grey pillars blend right in and help give a little character to the space by setting a modern urban tone.

The pillars are what they are and they work in my humble opinion.



The cement columns meld in perfectly in the bedroom with its wrap around windows and floating wall behind the bed. (above)

What do you think? How would you have handled these pillars?

Happy Friday!

xo
Coco

P.S. Good news...my store website will be up and running very soon (I hope)...the COCOCOZY collection will be available here online. Meanwhile, I am sooooo busy as I put the finishing touches on all for the debut of the COCOCOZY Spring/Summer 2011 home furnishings collection at the NYIGF! Can someone age 10 years in 3 weeks due to stress? I think I know the answer unfortunately. Will need to add extra sparkle to wardrobe to distract people from the bags under my eyes! LOL! Off to buy an iPad.

Photos: Architectural Digest; Shelton Mindel & Associates

SEE THIS HOUSE: BELGIAN STYLE!

I like this house...rustic modern! Designed by Kay Douglass owner of famed Atlanta store South of Market. The home's decor finds its roots in Europe...Belgium to be exact. Classic lines...rustic unfinished materials...natural fibers...simple design...are all the order of the day.

I'm loving the dining room with its raw wood plank ceiling and linen covered Parsons chairs. Something very romantic about this I think.







What do you think of this look? Could you live with it or without it? Not quite my style but I think I could live with it.

Happy Thursday!

xo
Coco

Photo: House Beautiful